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shake a paw
Guest
im sorry river rat...do i know u[?][?][?]
Stamp/Somass
- Thread starter chevyshaulass
- Start date
IronNoggin
Well-Known Member
And for the past couple of years, generally sees damn few fish. This year has been no exception unfortunately, more than poor. [V]
You don't have to look very far to understand why. Nor the why as to the returning hatchery fish spending rather little time in the lower sections any more. The old release system worked - hatchery fish were released chiefly on the 3 sites in the lower, well down that is, and including just up the Sproat or right at the confluence. This helped ensure that the returnees zoned in on those areas, and did very much offer access to them for an extended period of the season in the lower main river. Also made the Sproat fishery what it was back then, usually quite good as apposed to the dismal showings of late.
Today is a vastly different scenario. While we are left with some uncertainties as to the causal factor, funding is the one reason most often cited. For the past few years now, the fish are all released within a stone's throw of the hatchery itself. Read: In the CLOSED Area.Thus, the majority of today's returnees are focused on getting up there as quickly as they can. Yes, they do hold at the over-crowded Gong Show at the Falls, simply awaiting sufficient water to make the jump. And yes, fish are caught in the lower these days, chiefly as they are running up and through. FAR</u> fewer hold anywhere in the lower for any significant period of time due to this single factor.
BUT, do a drift any time now and for the balance of the season from the hatchery down. We did just that several times last season. the abundance of steelhead (and a LOT were hatchery fish) up inside the No-Go area is simply amazing!
I always understood that the production of hatchery fish was chiefly for Put & Take fisheries. By the very act of release site selection, that is no longer true. A GREAT many (likely the majority) of hatchery fish now run hard to the area that cannot be fished. There, they ripen, and eventually spawn - both amongst themselves as well as intermingling with the "wild" fish that are present. Thought we seriously wanted to avoid that type of interaction?
Myself and a handful of others are currently drafting letters to the Powers-That-Be regarding this issue. No-one knows if those letters will have any effect, but I suspect that if the numbers are there, we will see something in the way of a response. Best case scenario would be to see the original release sites once again adopted, which could provide many more angling opportunities spread over a much larger area of the river.
Be nice if a few of you who utilize this system each year would take a moment to express your concerns over this issue via appropriate letters, rather than simply on-line chatter...
Cheers,
Nog
Charter Tofino
Well-Known Member
Interesting posts... Do you guys think the river will clean up for the weekend? Would smaller wcvi flows drop/clear faster? I see more rain is forcasted. Trying to figure out if its worth coming home this weekend.
D
Dirtdog67
Guest
It's always worth coming home, if your stuck over in that rat race... A number of the westcoast systems will drop into decent shape as long as the rainfall totals stay low.. Looks like after wed. the amounts are supposed to lesson considerably.. Fingers crossed..dirty
steeliehead
Active Member
http://www.theweathernetwork.com/weather/cabc0221 looks like after Wednesday its supposed to dump again.
chevyshaulass
Well-Known Member
**** yah! Time to jam 25 guys into about 50 feet of river on the bc side.
Summer Steel
Member
quote:Originally posted by UNKNOWN
...a great place to send your letters or at least CC your concerns is to BCFDF as there are many issues and areas through out BC that are very apparent and laden with problems varying degrees.
I always have a chuckle when we continually hear about funding issues for expansion or enhancement of SSS hatchery steelhead program...we have all kinds of professional anglers willing to volunteer time & equipment to help ensure a successful brood collection effort - how ever there is a local MELP member who refuses yea after year to accept the abundant help that is ready, willing and available to help collect brood...instead opting to create a private winter long paid fishing holiday in a brand new jet boat casting natural bait in all the areas that are closed to the public or bait banned. It's funny to watch this guy on the water racing from hole to hole to try and beat out the other boats...what a clown show! Between MELP and DFO, is it any wonder why our fisheries are in such a state that they are today. Yeesh!
Ken Myers is your local Director for BCFDF - be sure to copy your letters to him, as he will make sure that they end up in the right hands.
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...take this message - use it in your signature
Use it on your website - school with us!
I hear ya RVP. I know first hand of a situation this year where another angler was fishing the same pool as this MELP guy, when he hooked a nice wild doe steelie. He offered it to the MELP guy & was told "No Thanks, we're doing O.K." in spite of not even having ONE fish in the boat yet. After asking again if he was sure he didn't want it, Mr. MELP grudging agreed to take it. Gotta wonder, what's up with that?? [:0][B)] The whole idea is to get the broodstock, doesn't matter WHO gets them, as long as it gets done. Things that make ya go hmmmmmm............
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shake a paw
Guest
HEEEEY River Rat....When u comin over I am heading to the river right now...been hitting them lots lately. Sorry bud, we thought it may have been u, but Shirl was saying you were more on the Sage side of things. When you want to come fishin, u know where to find us. We just heard from Islandgirl the other day, u 2 are missing out. Keep in touch!!
Spinnin, pinnin & grinnin
I am heading to the river right now...been hitting them lots lately. Sorry bud, we thought it may have been u, but Shirl was saying you were more on the Sage side of things. When you want to come fishin, u know where to find us. We just heard from Islandgirl the other day, u 2 are missing out. Keep in touch!!Spinnin, pinnin & grinnin
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Fog Ducker
Guest
HOLY complaints Batman,
The stamp has been fishing excellent the last month, dozens and dozens of fish caught each day at the falls pool and such, as far as I know guides are doing OK as well. Nog, I think you are mis informed on your release location, the Winter Smolts that are returning this year were released near Girl Guide falls, Not the upper river. There will always be fish heading to the upper river though as they were raised up there. I mean 2 of us gave it a decent scrub aboce the falls there for a few hrs last week, not a sniff, we go down below the falls before dark and hit 4 in about an hour. In anycase it beats the old release location where all the fish milled around the Sproat confluence, with the jets the only guys benefitting and pretty much no shore angling access whatsoever. The Stamp is probably one of the top 3 hatchery steelhead rivers in BC.. a total success. Also Mr MELP, has to follow procedures with Brood Stock collection, its not just a free-for-all, if that were the case everyone would be flingin' guts saying thy were broodstock fishing.
Fishing is good, quit frickin whining!
The stamp has been fishing excellent the last month, dozens and dozens of fish caught each day at the falls pool and such, as far as I know guides are doing OK as well. Nog, I think you are mis informed on your release location, the Winter Smolts that are returning this year were released near Girl Guide falls, Not the upper river. There will always be fish heading to the upper river though as they were raised up there. I mean 2 of us gave it a decent scrub aboce the falls there for a few hrs last week, not a sniff, we go down below the falls before dark and hit 4 in about an hour. In anycase it beats the old release location where all the fish milled around the Sproat confluence, with the jets the only guys benefitting and pretty much no shore angling access whatsoever. The Stamp is probably one of the top 3 hatchery steelhead rivers in BC.. a total success. Also Mr MELP, has to follow procedures with Brood Stock collection, its not just a free-for-all, if that were the case everyone would be flingin' guts saying thy were broodstock fishing.
Fishing is good, quit frickin whining!
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shake a paw
Guest
theres fish around
just headin bak there now....ill post a pic 2nite
shakes
spinnin pinnin and grinnin
Blackleech
Member
X2 - jets can fish anywhere. The lower river has the least amount of access, and the Sproat has almost no access. Aren't you a bank fisherman Nog?
River Rat
Active Member
quote:Originally posted by shake a paw
HEEEEY River Rat....When u comin over
Spinnin, pinnin & grinnin
Thanks for the offer, Joe. You never know!
I have learned silence from the talkative, toleration from the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind; yet strange, I am ungrateful to those teachers.
Beekslayer
New Member
You made your bed for you and everyone else that fishes the Stamp so lie in it.quote:Originally posted by IronNoggin
River was as crowded as I've ever seen it yesterday, on a bloody Tuesday! What? don't any of you Bums actually WORK? [}
At one point 25 rods vying for a spot at the Falls (no, I wasn't one of them). Working from Eagle Rock down to opposite the gun range, we saw over 50 rods and 4 boats! EEK!
Chatted up a few of them, and it appears the Vedder Crowd has descended. Don't mid sharing at all, but the attitude they're dragging with leaves a LOT to be desired! [B)]
Had a brief thought that we should oganize all the steelheaders from The Rock and invade their back yard. But then realized that amongst those masses, even if everyone showed, we'd simply be a drop in the bucket.
So for me, for now, they can have it. I far prefer hunting for fish rather than hunting for a spot to fish.
Cheers,
Nog - Kickin' back for a few and hoping the LML crowd GO HOME!
Roe Bags
Active Member
Back on track......Stamp Report as of Jan 13th. Got on the river yesterday around 10am. River is still VERY high and the volume of water coming down was incredible. It was even higher tuesday. It has come down about 2 feet since then. Water clarity was pretty poor for the Stamp, dirty and about 1.5 feet of vis. Basically went out for a boat ride and to get an idea of when it might come back into shape and toss some gear around for a few hrs. Very few places on the lower river to fish as of yesterday, all the good runs are ripping fast and not able to hold fish. I would imagine that alot of the fish above the bucket have been pushed down or are stacked in the slide pool back eddy area. Did manage 1 small hatch around 7 pounds fishing one of about 3 places to fish on the entire lower stamp. A small edge across from the pickle farm. Not sure how she looks today but with environment canada calling for 30-40mm today and another 50-80 overnight it doesn't look good at all for the weekend. All the guides had cancelled there trips for yesterday and most likely today. Didnt see a shore angler on the river and even the "parking lot" at
stamp falls didn't have a car. Wish I had better news but those are the facts..
Pass the Pack
stamp falls didn't have a car. Wish I had better news but those are the facts..
Pass the Pack
Charter Tofino
Well-Known Member
Thanks bags i guess ill stay home until next week. Its pourin like a b*^& tonight!
