Puntledge River

Fish Assassin

Fish Assassin

Crew Member
So it is opening in the next week or so. I have been walking it seeing many of people fishing it. Is there anyone this year enforcing the laws this year?

Yes.... bad question

But what is happening,,,,Are you ready?

I want to go have fun.......

Lets keep the poachers off the river.......
 
I asked people what they were doing fishing a closed river. They replied we are Trout fishing and are releasing what we catch.....yeah right, trout fishin with those rods.
 
it is illegal to be fishing for salmon in a river that is completely closed for the retention of salmon. it is not legal to be targeting salmon in the punt now for the purpose of c&r. however it is not illegal to fish for the 1-2 lb trout. the CO's will fine you if they show up at the river and you are fishing with anything more than a 6wt fly rod and or a trout spinning rod. I talked to the comox DFO manager and a CO about it last year. so if you see anglers on the river now call the CO's and report them.
 
-steelhead- said:
it is illegal to be fishing for salmon in a river that is completely closed for the retention of salmon. it is not legal to be targeting salmon in the punt now for the purpose of c&r. however it is not illegal to fish for the 1-2 lb trout. the CO's will fine you if they show up at the river and you are fishing with anything more than a 6wt fly rod and or a trout spinning rod. I talked to the comox DFO manager and a CO about it last year. so if you see anglers on the river now call the CO's and report them.
Click to expand...

Well this was posted by a fisheries officer.....

Re: the current salmon fishing. The river is actually open, but not for retention. We have the quoata set a zero right now.

This still remains a concern as there is a mortality on a catch and release fishery, particullary on the Puntledge where we can have some very warm tempatures.

We hope the anglers will act responsibly and monitor the water tempatures so we can still provide access to fish, but concerve the stocks.

I'm sure it will be an issue discussed at the sport fish advisory council.

Bryce


But this is not what I was told yesterday when I called and spoke to some lady at our local DFO office.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Alot of confusion about c & r for salmon in rivers . Nothing in the reg's . The CO's apparently have different reg's from each other. There is a lot of rivers on the island that are closed to retention that people are fishing for salmon. Sooke river has a huge following of fly fishers that are fishing for salmon ( c&r).
 
Don't understand whats so confusing.

If a river is closed to the retention of salmon, then you can fish for salmon but not retain them = catch and release only.

If a river is closed to salmon fishing you can't fish for salmon = no catch and release.

It's up to you if you choose not to fish strictly catch & release for whatever reason.

CP
 
Hello all, I am new to the Comox area and am looking forward to the upcoming "chum" season. I am led to believe the area around the Condensory bridge is a bit of a gong show when the chums are in. Don't really want to be part of that if I can avoid it. I went for a drive looking for other acess points along the river. I think the river was pretty high (but I don't know what is high or low yet) and it make river bank acess restricted or so it seemed to me. Any suggestions for areas to start if I am looking to get away from the crowded areas?
Thanks
 
Puntledge park is not as much of a gong show as Condensory... It you want to see the WORST , its the hole below the hatchery-- snaggers delight! You couldnt pay me to fish there.
 
I heard they will be releasing more water from tomorrow until Tues. Has anyone been down to the Puntledge since? What are the water levels?
 
Hey, just drove by the river this evening and people were there catching fish. Goes with another report I heard today. There are Springs and Coho's being caught. Maybe they will open Coho after all. How many Coho does the hatchery need? And when they get that number as they should have or will have real soon will they open it for Coho? I ask this because if you go to the hatchery they have a pile of huge springs that swam past all of us.
 
both fisheries and the hatchery said that Coho and Springs will not be open this year :( sad but good in a way that means the next time this bacth comes around there will be lots and plenty for us to go and catch
 
so from what i know from a family member who is a DFO in region 6, fishing for salmon is NOT illegal unless noted in the regs "no fishing for salmon" but needless to say that it is NOT promoted! and for a few reasons why; they don't define the law cause its up to the law officer to determine the damage being done to the fish, and if their is reason to stop the fishing with law enforcement is; if people are shoring their fish, or taking needless time for pictures, snagging so on causing mortality...if this wasn't the case fly fishing and other sport-fishing would be closed during the duration of the salmon spawning season except for first nations peoples, after reading the previous post i had to phone him and ask .....hope it clears this up a little
 
It's in full swing now. Complete gong show at the bridge this morning. Rubbish, litter and line already starting to accumulate. Saw a guy walking away with 3 chum yesterday. When I told him the limit was 2 he argued and was insistent that the limit was 4. I couldn't be bothered to pursue it!
 
gallows said:
It's in full swing now. Complete gong show at the bridge this morning. Rubbish, litter and line already starting to accumulate. Saw a guy walking away with 3 chum yesterday. When I told him the limit was 2 he argued and was insistent that the limit was 4. I couldn't be bothered to pursue it!
Click to expand...

Sad that people don't respect the rules.
They will get whats coming to them at some point in their lives.
GLG
FISHERIES AND OCEANS CANADA
PUBLIC NOTICE
Puntledge/Courtenay River Salmon Possession - 2011

Chum

Effective 0001 hrs October 1, 2011 until 2359 hrs November 30, 2011 The daily limit of chum salmon is two (2) in the Puntledge & Courtenay River downstream from a boundary marker located 75m downstream of the Puntledge River hatchery counting fence. Minimum size limit of 30 cm.

Chinook

Effective Immediately, the daily limit of Chinook salmon will be zero (0) in the Puntledge & Courtenay River, due to expected poor returns to the system this year

Coho

Effective immediately, the daily limit of unmarked or marked (adipose fin clipped)coho salmon in the Puntledge & Courtenay Rivers is zero (0)
Coho – Due to warm water conditions in the brood year for this years returning coho, over 90% of the smolts were lost at the hatchery. Due too this loss, coho returns for this season are a significant concern. Assessments will continue & opportunity for a retention will be provided if escapement allows.

Closures

The Puntledge River, between signs located 100m upstream and downstream of the confluences with Morrison Creek, and 75m downstream of the Puntledge Hatchery fence, is closed to fishing.

Report all violations 24 hours per day to
1-800-465-4336
 
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