Cowichan Chum and Coho Opening.

[Cut Plug]

Category(s):
RECREATIONAL - Salmon


Fishery Notice - Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Subject: FN1070-RECREATIONAL - Salmon - Region 1 - Cowichan River - Coho and Chum - Opportunities

Based on current coho and chum escapement levels to the Cowichan River the
retention limit for coho is varied to 1/day greater than 25 cm, either wild or
hatchery, and the retention of chum is varied to 2/day in the following portion
of the Cowichan River:

Downstream from the Mile 66 Trestle Bridge to the to the Highway No. 1 Bridge
(Silver Bridge). This is the typical boundary for this opening.

This opening is in effect 00:01 hours November 10, 2012 until 23:59 hours
December 31, 2012. Chinook retention is not permitted due to low returns.

Variation Order Numbers: 2012-443 and 2012-444.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Anglers are further reminded of the following:
" The use of single barbless hooks is mandatory in all streams in Region 1;
" All foul hooked (ie: hooked other than in the mouth) must be returned to the
river immediately;

Please refer to the 2011-2013 Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis for
further restrictions and information when fishing in the non-tidal waters of
British Columbia, or contact your nearest Fish and Wildlife Office (Nanaimo 751-
3100), or Department of Fisheries and Oceans Office (Duncan 746-6221).

Did you witness suspicious fishing activity or a violation? If so, please call
the Fisheries and Ocean Canada 24-hour toll free Observe, Record, Report line
at (800) 465-4336.

For the 24 hour recorded opening and closure line, call toll free at (866) 431-
FISH.

Recovery of coded-wire tags from recreational fishers provides critical
information for coast-wide stock assessment. Sport anglers are reminded to
label and submit heads from adipose fin-clipped chinook and coho salmon to
Salmon Head Recovery Depots. Contact the Salmon Sport Head Recovery Program at
(866) 483-9994 for further information.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Contact the nearest Fisheries and Oceans Canada office - Duncan (250) 746-6221.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada Operations Center - FN1070
Sent November 9, 2012 at 13:52
Visit us on the Web at http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca

If you have any questions or would like to unsubscribe, please contact us via e-mail to: OpsCentre@pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca

 

[donmicron]

What gear would one need to have some chances to fish there? I guess something like spoons with barbless hook? Is it possible to fish from the shore there?

 

[fshnfnatic]

Went for a walk on the river today. The amount of chums in there now is just phenominal. Just a steady "conveyor belt"
of fish,and lots of fresh ones as well. Might go down there for a little bit of catch and release fun and warm up the
HMX/Ambasseduer for the up and coming steel.

 

[Time]

Awfully darn good of DFO.
Estimated escapement I heard on Channel 6 Tuesday was 180,000 chums, 30,000 over required.
That left an estimated 30-40,000 in the Bay , the Narrows, and still coming.
Sunday/Monday a guestimated 60 gill netters and 20 seiners showed up for a rare opening to target the excess return.
Poor year for the commercial boys if that many boats show up for chums that are going for .50 a pound.
Go get 'em.

 

[Hyde-N-Seek]

Time,

Do you have a coho count this year so far?
What about the Chinook as well?

Thanks,

HS.

 

[Time]

Haven't heard anything on coho or chinook numbers.
Will post if i learn anything.

 

[Hyde-N-Seek]

Thanks Time
It's good to see good chums return to the Cowie. I don't think it's been that good the last few years.

Maybe the steelie population will improve this year as well.

HS.

 

[yo mama]

I like how 150,000 is the "limit" of what the river can take according to DFO. Why not let mother nature figure out how many salmon can successfully spawn in the river. Seemed to work well for thousands of years before human!

Is good to see as that river is been on a tough ride.

 

[Fins -n- Skins]

Heard there are some chrome hoes above skutz. They have lock jaw when it comes to a fly right now, odd taker!! Good trout fishing.

 

[Cut Plug]

While there is still no formal stock assessment work done for coho on the Cowichan (budget limitations apparently) and the bulk of them usually come in after the weir has been pulled, recent estimates I've heard from DFO stock assessment types are in the 20,000 to 40,000 range which is a pretty healthy return. Chinook numbers as of Oct 16th (the most recent I could find) was 2450 adults and 850 jacks and a good number were still below the fence at that point in time.

The large number of chum in the river can only be good unless they chew up the lower river chinook redds. I guess we'll never know.

CP

 

[fshnfnatic]

Fished the Cowy today.Pulled out the HMX triggerstick ,the hardware,and hit my favourite hole. Nonstop action from the
first cast.The chums are so thick,it's hard not to foul hook a few,but had alot of "biters",and a few hoes also but none
with any real size to them {5-6 lbs.}. It was all fun and games till I hooked into a HUGE chum.The thing was fresh and
just went mental,jumpin' and jumpin',sometimes 3-4ft. in the air.Then it decided it was time to go and just peeled
downstream like a freight train and into the fast flow of the tailout.I knew if I didn't stop him right now he was gonna
spool me,and that would be the end of my fun for the day,so I put the binders on to try and turn him. Bad mistake as
I heard the popping sound of what could have only been my HMX snapping in two.So that ended my day and headed
home to phone Wholesale Sports in Nanaimo to see if it was still warrantied. Not, so rather than buying another one
{this is the second one I've broken},I decided to go to Trotac in Vic,and try my luck with a Shimano Technium.Heard
some good things about their "bulletproofness"so I hope this one holds out better for me tommorow. $60.00 off too,
which was sweet.

 

[expertfisher780]

Hi there Iam going through the area on Thursday the 15th and would like to show my 4 year old daughter and my wife some chum action on the cowy but have never actually fished it before, I am from Port Alberni and any info as to where to fish and what works best would be geatly apreciated,thanks

 

[Fishingaccomplished]

Fished the opening day and got into 2 nice crome coho released them and countless chums

 

[expertfisher780]

Hey there thanks for all the great info, about showing my 4 year old daughter and my wife some chum fun on the cowy it has been very informative there was an abondance of info posted thanks

 

[Neave]

Hey guys, I have been following this thread for awhile and decided to go out and look for a hole. Me and some friends went to a place called skoltz pool but had no luck is there a place that most anglers go to fish the cow riv? If so could I get some directions? Thanks

 

[fshnfnatic]

The river is pretty much blown out from the rains lately,Neave. Too bad your just getting at it.The actoin a week ago
was awesome! The chums are all but done now as the excess were netted in the bay,but still lots of fresh coho heading
up. Tough fishing for them when the river's high,as they don't seem to stage as much and just fly right up.Keep an eye
on the rain over the next week,and if it tapers off,fishing should pick up again.

 

[Neave]

Thank you for the reply fhnfnatic. That helps a lot, i will know for next time. Today was a nice day anyways, hopefully it lasts!

 

[donmicron]

I also planning my first salmon fishing trip to a river with my kid and I was wandering if float rig with yarn "roe ball" will work for Coho?

 

[Cut Plug]

If you want to target Coho I`d use a silver or gold spinner or spoon. A Gibbs silver or gold Colorado blade fished under a float, or a BC Steel silver or Gold spoon fished deep without a float would be a good place to start. Buy lots because if you`re just learning the river you`ll lose lots until you get to know the runs.

 

[winephart]

Fished last friday. Lots of lockjawed coho. Got my first steelie of the year mid - river. no othe hints!