Terminal Fisheries for Big Fish

Bugs

Well-Known Member
There has been some criticism of the Tyee Club posted... in the interest of getting this discussion out of the very popular annual Tyee Club thread here is a venue.

In my opinion the Tyee Club is about as good as it gets from the point of conservation. A fishery that kills very few fish, involves a whole community, has great economic spin-offs, and raises awareness about conservation.
 
Do slot limits produce bigger fish years down the line?? any science on this?
 
Zero...because when you are killing fish by measuring them, or wiping out a complete age class of fish that you can retain and weeding through other fish to find a keeper. Sort of hard for this to be conservation.
 
Echoing whitebuck - I am also unaware of any data/studies that indicate that slot limits produce larger fish. But, I don't think that is the intent of slot limits, neither. My understanding is that slot limits are there to protect the older/larger breeders, and to also let the earliest/youngest age classes get established 1st before they encounter excessive fishing pressure. I guess that is species- and fisheries-specific, and may be more effective in longer-lived species that spawn more than once. Been quite a bit of work done on slot limits in the freshwater fisheries long before it arrived in the saltwater fisheries.
 
Slot limits in lakes and rivers do work, I can confirm this first hand. Some lakes and rivers I used to fish in the US midwest 25+ years ago were good or so-so back then when no real restrictions existed. I recently had the opportunity to go back to a couple of these lakes which had had a slot size for walleye and pike for 10+ years now and man what a fishery they have there now! Larger fish on average and more of them. A nearby river had similar successes I was told. And I didn't mind the rules at all; you could keep one trophy size fish for bragging and several ones in a good eating slot size. What more can you want? If that's what keeps a healthy population under fishing pressure, I am all for it!
 
I disagree that the Tyee Club kills very few fish. I know the last couple years they have taken a couple hundred undersize(under 30lbs) each year. They don’t release the undersize data to the public but I have a few friends that row and they told me the last couple seasons the undersize totals were huge. Pushing 250+ each year. It’s hearsay so I’m going by what I’m told by rowers but I think the numbers are high. The tyees taken each year isn’t overly impressive anymore, from a couple dozen to several dozen in good years. I think the Tyee Pool should be classed as a Trophy Zone, requiring a Special license, like an Elk Tag, and anglers should only be allowed to tag a single fish each season. That’s just for the Tyee Pool. They can fish elsewhere just like everyone else with their regular license. I know rowers don’t agree with me, that’s fine. But you are basically fishing right outside the river mouth. The fish have to come there, there’s no guess work. They’re there, it’s genetics. You’re rowing in an aquarium full of salmon, as much as anglers preach how difficult it is to catch fish there the fact is, individually that might be true, but put 45 Tyee boats out there every evening and it’s no longer if, but rather, when the bite will be happening. I’m not judging, but the Tyee club needs to record all fish caught and kept, regardless of size, and release that information to the public. Then let the chips fall where they may. It does seem like staking off a Prime piece of salmon real estate all to yourselves has gone out of vogue in today’s world of conservation and reconciliation. In the 1950’s and 60’s the Tyee club averaged 200+ tyee every year. Now there are barely 200 Tyee coming back each year. At what size of Chinook return does the Rowers risk hurting the overall health of the run? I guess the question is this, if you could tag one fish per season while fishing the Pool, would you purchase a special license and still row in the club. C&R all day but kill only one fish. That’s the question that will be asked within a few years I suspect. Maybe if the returns are good, maybe a second tag could be purchased, these types of ideas are circulating. Trophy zones are not new. The rules are changing.
 
Most fish returning to the Campbell River are hatchery fish.

If 300 are caught in the tyee pool out of 6,000 returning fish, that is still only 5% of the return.

Far fewer caught than most terminal fisheries.
 
I disagree that the Tyee Club kills very few fish. I know the last couple years they have taken a couple hundred undersize(under 30lbs) each year. They don’t release the undersize data to the public but I have a few friends that row and they told me the last couple seasons the undersize totals were huge. Pushing 250+ each year. It’s hearsay so I’m going by what I’m told by rowers but I think the numbers are high. The tyees taken each year isn’t overly impressive anymore, from a couple dozen to several dozen in good years. I think the Tyee Pool should be classed as a Trophy Zone, requiring a Special license, like an Elk Tag, and anglers should only be allowed to tag a single fish each season. That’s just for the Tyee Pool. They can fish elsewhere just like everyone else with their regular license. I know rowers don’t agree with me, that’s fine. But you are basically fishing right outside the river mouth. The fish have to come there, there’s no guess work. They’re there, it’s genetics. You’re rowing in an aquarium full of salmon, as much as anglers preach how difficult it is to catch fish there the fact is, individually that might be true, but put 45 Tyee boats out there every evening and it’s no longer if, but rather, when the bite will be happening. I’m not judging, but the Tyee club needs to record all fish caught and kept, regardless of size, and release that information to the public. Then let the chips fall where they may. It does seem like staking off a Prime piece of salmon real estate all to yourselves has gone out of vogue in today’s world of conservation and reconciliation. In the 1950’s and 60’s the Tyee club averaged 200+ tyee every year. Now there are barely 200 Tyee coming back each year. At what size of Chinook return does the Rowers risk hurting the overall health of the run? I guess the question is this, if you could tag one fish per season while fishing the Pool, would you purchase a special license and still row in the club. C&R all day but kill only one fish. That’s the question that will be asked within a few years I suspect. Maybe if the returns are good, maybe a second tag could be purchased, these types of ideas are circulating. Trophy zones are not new. The rules are changing.
Right out to lunch. You are making this up. Be happy to catch one fish every year in the pool, even an under size fish. In three seasons, have caught two fish, 25 and 27.5 and this is doing better than most. The common joke when I try to recruit others to this fishery, is they are not interested because they like to catch fish. Certainly the rowers need les intermittent reinforcement than the motor gang. The fish have stopped feeding by the time they reach the pool and it takes considerable skill (or pure luck) to hook one. Maybe everyone should have to do it this way. Ready to give up your motors, downriggers, fish finders, boat larger than a row boat, no more than 20 lb line and no more than 6 oz of weight? The returns on the Campbell are good, thanks to the very people who are most interested in this fishery. This would not be true without them. I am also very concerned about a forced catch and release fishery under Tyee Club rules. The fish must be slowly played for a long time to wear it out and then it has to be measured and returned. I suspect the mortality rate after fighting a fish this long would be high. A limit of one Tyee a year? We could be that lucky.
 
I disagree that the Tyee Club kills very few fish. I know the last couple years they have taken a couple hundred undersize(under 30lbs) each year. They don’t release the undersize data to the public but I have a few friends that row and they told me the last couple seasons the undersize totals were huge. Pushing 250+ each year. It’s hearsay so I’m going by what I’m told by rowers but I think the numbers are high. The tyees taken each year isn’t overly impressive anymore, from a couple dozen to several dozen in good years. I think the Tyee Pool should be classed as a Trophy Zone, requiring a Special license, like an Elk Tag, and anglers should only be allowed to tag a single fish each season. That’s just for the Tyee Pool. They can fish elsewhere just like everyone else with their regular license. I know rowers don’t agree with me, that’s fine. But you are basically fishing right outside the river mouth. The fish have to come there, there’s no guess work. They’re there, it’s genetics. You’re rowing in an aquarium full of salmon, as much as anglers preach how difficult it is to catch fish there the fact is, individually that might be true, but put 45 Tyee boats out there every evening and it’s no longer if, but rather, when the bite will be happening. I’m not judging, but the Tyee club needs to record all fish caught and kept, regardless of size, and release that information to the public. Then let the chips fall where they may. It does seem like staking off a Prime piece of salmon real estate all to yourselves has gone out of vogue in today’s world of conservation and reconciliation. In the 1950’s and 60’s the Tyee club averaged 200+ tyee every year. Now there are barely 200 Tyee coming back each year. At what size of Chinook return does the Rowers risk hurting the overall health of the run? I guess the question is this, if you could tag one fish per season while fishing the Pool, would you purchase a special license and still row in the club. C&R all day but kill only one fish. That’s the question that will be asked within a few years I suspect. Maybe if the returns are good, maybe a second tag could be purchased, these types of ideas are circulating. Trophy zones are not new. The rules are changing.
By the way, the club has been keeping records on fish under 30lb's to gather measuring data for a voluntary catch & release fishery.
 
Read his other posts. First he starts out trying to start a **** storm on the theme that anglers are cheating on the rules based on information he heard somewhere and now this crap also based on information he heard somewhere.

So Spring-time since you live in CR and giving you the benefit of the doubt that you are just uniformed, I am sure there are lots of people who would like to talk to you and your club rower friends who are telling your about the huge number of Chinook being killed and the information kept on the down low in the rape and pillage rowboat fishery. Perhaps a discussion could be set up at the club house around the campfire with them, yourself and some other club members. It is a very enjoyable experience sitting around that fire, talking fishing with family and fellow anglers, and perhaps eating a little smoked salmon and watching the boats row by. If you are very lucky you may actually see someone catch a Chinook on a warm summer evening, it does happen once in a while. You game?
 
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I am fearing for this fishery. Checked this morning. Of 18 row boat spots at the Corilair dock, there are now 5 boats, up 4 from just a few days ago. Out of 58 spots on the Tyee Club dock there are 9 boats. This with only one day left to remove the slot rules. I think this speaks volumes about the public distrust now of fisheries regulation. People not even willing to put their boats in the water until it is clear that the slot rules are gone. The club, I am told, only had 3 days notice in the first place that it would be subject to the slot rules from July 15-31. At best, we will now have only one days notice either way for August 1. Think about how this effects someone planning a vacation here.
 
I am fearing for this fishery. Checked this morning. Of 18 row boat spots at the Corilair dock, there are now 5 boats, up 4 from just a few days ago. Out of 58 spots on the Tyee Club dock there are 9 boats. This with only one day left to remove the slot rules. I think this speaks volumes about the public distrust now of fisheries regulation. People not even willing to put their boats in the water until it is clear that the slot rules are gone. The club, I am told, only had 3 days notice in the first place that it would be subject to the slot rules from July 15-31. At best, we will now have only one days notice either way for August 1. Think about how this effects someone planning a vacation here.
There are now only 11 boats out of 58 on the Tyee Club dock and I only counted 3 out of 18 on the Corilair dock. There were no visible row boats in the pool. I will be putting my boat in tonight. Assuming the slot rules are off at midnight tonight, I hope I will see both docks fill up but only time will tell. It could be a bit dangerous out there tomorrow. Usually, there are enough boats out fishing in the last two weeks of July to re-educate the public as to the motor exclusion area of the tyee pool, but that has not happened this year (few people willing to fish under the slot rules) and the exclusion area has been trespassed on constantly by motor vessels including some large industrial vessels. This includes a serious offender, called the "Inlet Raider". Hopefully there will be a coast guard or police enforcement presence out there over the next few days to help educate and deter these offenders and hopefully we will not have any float planes trying to land on our heads.
 
Right out to lunch. ... Maybe everyone should have to do it this way. Ready to give up your motors, downriggers, fish finders, boat larger than a row boat, no more than 20 lb line and no more than 6 oz of weight? ... We could be that lucky.
Indeed, No more just going to the supermarket if you want fish, get out and really earn it. We would soon see how many 'environmentalists' are out there.
 
Indeed, No more just going to the supermarket if you want fish, get out and really earn it. We would soon see how many 'environmentalists' are out there.[/QUOT
Indeed, No more just going to the supermarket if you want fish, get out and really earn it. We would soon see how many 'environmentalists' are out there.[/QUO
Indeed, No more just going to the supermarket if you want fish, get out and really earn it. We would soon see how many 'environmentalists' are out there.
It does seem like some critics are the ones least willing to match their words to their behavior. I wonder how many residents of Campbell River are even aware of how much has gone into repairing and expanding the spawning channels on the Campbell. Nothing stronger than the heart of a volunteer.
 
There were 22 boats out last night when I stopped to count around 8:30. Think there have been about 9-10 fish caught so far, including under 30. The first tyee was caught last night and weighed thirty pounds. Happened right in front of me. The story was she was just starting to let out her line when it hit. A little later another tyee was caught. Think this one was 34. Sure was a nice evening to be out there.
 
No fish caught last night. Was fishing alone and had one big hit right at dark, but nearly impossible to row and strike the fish at the same time. Off to Victoria for weekend. Maybe get a salmon steak at the Keg tonight. Lord knows there is none in my freezer. Might have to switch over to fishing for pinks. Just kidding.
 
Rumored that a low 20 was caught/ kept by someone either last night or early this morning. Did not see any boats row out of the pool last night so suspect it was this morning.
 
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