Fishing Notices - Puntledge, Courtenay, Big Qualicum and Little Qualicum Rivers

[bgillard]

FISHERIES AND OCEANS CANADA
PUBLIC NOTICE Aug 30,2013
Puntledge/Courtenay River Salmon Possession


Pink
Effective 0001 hours Saturday, August 31, 2013 until December 31, 2013, the daily limit for pink salmon is varied to two (2) over 30 cm in the Puntledge River and the Courtenay Rivers

Chum
A chum retention fishery is anticipated for October 1, 2013 until November 30, 2013 The daily limit of chum salmon is planned for two (2) in the Puntledge & Courtenay River. Assessment continues

Chinook
At this time the daily limit of Chinook salmon in the Punteldge & Courtenay Rivers is zero (0). Assessment continues

Coho
At this time the daily limit of Coho salmon in the Punteldge & Courtenay Rivers is zero (0). Assessment continues

Steelhead
There is no retention of Steelhead in the Puntledge or Courtenay Rivers. Please ensure your species identification, particularly when retaining Coho salmon.

Closures and First Nations Reserve

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.

Please respect the Constitutionally Protected rights of First Nations Fishermen. These fishermen are required to be licenced by the Komox Band to fish for food, social and ceremonial purposes. These fishermen have priority access to fish harvesting and are not restricted by recreational methods or harvest limits. Status Natives not licenced by the Komox band must abide by the recreational regulations. It is unlawful to sell food fish.
A reminder to anglers, single barbless hooks are required in Region 1 and you must hold a fresh water angling licence to recreational fishing in the fresh waters of British Columbia

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


Good luck and enjoy your long weekend....I have to work

 

[bgillard]

I'll try to keep up with all the notices on this forum as I and my staff release them.

 

[Cuba Libre]

Remember, you need a non-tidal salmon stamp to keep salmon in freshwater too.

 

[bgillard]

We got to really thank the Hatchery staff and the Fish manager, Glenn Lario who made this happen. Lorne at the Hatchery called me on Monday to ask me to get this started. Glenn in Vancouver, among his other duties, has been pushing to get this done. It finally was put in front of the Regional Director just before lunch today. With all the consolations and secondary reviews, we are obligated to make prior to an opening, I'm impressed and relieved Glenn was able to make this happen.

Let's hope the coho, Chinook and chum returns will be good too.

Wow, there's some nice fish out there. I finally did a boat patrol yesterday before the wind picked up. Some beauties being picked up out there.

I understand our local poachers on the Little Qualicum have started their annual activities. I look forward to meeting them.

Keep your reports coming in. They really help me focus my patrols. I can't do my work without you.

Bryce

 

[Sharphooks]

hey Bryce

I don't know you and you don't know me but it really does a heart good to see someone in a regulatory position like yourself posting like this on a public forum. My guess is you guys have a tough job---hat's off to you for letting the sports know what's what and what's not what, and for firing a round across the bow of the guys who give us a bad name

 

[Rum Buddies]

hey Bryce

I don't know you and you don't know me but it really does a heart good to see someone in a regulatory position like yourself posting like this on a public forum. My guess is you guys have a tough job---hat's off to you for letting the sports know what's what and what's not what, and for firing a round across the bow of the guys who give us a bad name

well said, nice to see Bryce here.

 

[bgillard]

Glad to be here. I've found over the last few years that is a great way to get the information out.

My sons were with me when I prepared the notice today...now I have to take them fishing tomorrow.

I had to buy a freshwater licence and stamp. It's been a couple years since I found the time to fish...the kids are worth making the time.

We don't look at all fishermen like the ones we see poaching. There's a few bad apples out there, the 5% that will always keep me employed.

I'll be auctioning off their fishing gear this winter.

 

[robertg]

Hi Bryce, question for you, the little Q has a bunch of pinks that have staged upstream of the old island highway bridge, I see the regs do not even mention pinks in the big and little Q's. I am assuming that this would indicate a no retention of those fish. However there are quite a few of them in the river below the bridge as well. Where do you interpret the fresh to saltwater boundary of the little Q

 

[Prawn Star]

What a great way to "snag" a few poachers. I'm sure like other dumb criminals they like to brag about the big ones on social media. This is a much better alternative to RAPP in my opinion.

 

[bgillard]

The Little Q is defined by 2 boundary signs approx 250 meters down stream of the old Island highway bridge. Up stream of those signs...freshwater regs....down stream...saltwater regs

 

[tmfitz]

Any word on the Puntledge opening for chum , maybe coho tomorrow??

 

[Cuba Libre]

I have heard nothing---- GLG- any word from Bryce???

 

[Cuba Libre]

Well, I cant find anything on coho and chinooks, but chums (one per day) opened Oct 1st in the Big and Little Q as well as the Puntledge.

(Page 8&9 Freshwater Salmon Sportfishing Regs)

 

[bgillard]

I go through all the trouble of posting the notices on this site and you still only skim read them : ). We opened the Puntledge to 2 chum today. I'll get working on a Big Qualicum notice soon. Les at the hatchery wants a coho opening by the 16th.

Puntledge Chinook have a 1540 escapement as of 2 minutes ago and only 996 coho...we need more then that to consider an opening. I think the hatchery will consider an opening when we see around 6000 coho and they hope for around 12,000.

 

[Cuba Libre]

My Bad!!!!

 

[kimbyote]

So I was wondering as it's hard to get a firm answer. If I am not targeting Steelhead, do I still need a stamp for them? Heard of a few that entered the system and I'll be heading up island for a fishing trip this weekend. Just curious if I need my steelhead stamp, because I am fishing water where there's a chance that I may hook into one.

 

[Duffer]

So I was wondering as it's hard to get a firm answer. If I am not targeting Steelhead, do I still need a stamp for them? Heard of a few that entered the system and I'll be heading up island for a fishing trip this weekend. Just curious if I need my steelhead stamp, because I am fishing water where there's a chance that I may hook into one.

Go to the Stamp for Steelhead

 

[kimbyote]

Go to the Stamp for Steelhead

As I said, I am not looking to target steelhead. But I've heard some say, that if you're fishing waters that may have steelhead, than you need a stamp (not stamp river) regardless if you're targeting them or not.

 

[SophiaB]

I would buy i stamp. Not because of the legalities, because steelhead need all the money they can get.

 

[kimbyote]

oh, the question is more concerning the group of ppl I'll be fishing with.. I have a buddy come up from the US and he's already spending enough to fish the weekend. Just trying to see if I can save him the additional $25.