New Tyee Gadget

Tyee gadget post is now sticky. Please scroll down for most recent posts.

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Fish farm campaign video

http://saveourrivers.tv/dfo_aquanor_hires.html
Here is a link to a short video well worth watching on the recent fish farm convention in Norway. DFO has received widespread criticism for having the Minister attend a fish farm convention while this years Fraser river sockeye stocks have collapsed.
Of note is the footage of DFO Minister Gail Shea....we now actually know what she looks like. So, in the unlikely event she ever visits the north in BC we might be able to actually recognize her.
Minister Shea appears to be yet another in a long line of Atlantic Canada oriented DFO Fisheries Ministers who knows nothing about the Pacific coast.

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Latest Regional Sportfishing Update Courtesy of Oscar's Sports

Here is the latest regional sportfishing update from Oscar's Source for Sports in Smithers.


Fly du jour

Looking back through my old fishing journals of the last thirty years reveals an evolution in the fly du jour. Back then the steelheader tied on a Skunk or a Skunk. We varied the size but the Skunk was the fly du jour of the day, month or year. Sometimes you tried something a little more exotic such as a Thor, Skykomish Sunrise or Burlap. Inevitably you would reach in the box and tie on that old familiar friend, the Skunk. After all the Skunk had prevented a skunk many times and you don't want to throw an old friend into the feather pile to slowly rust in peace.

Over the years new patterns, materials, methods and colours came into vogue. The need to become "with it, in fashion, current, hip, out of the rut" created a need to fill those fly boxes with the newest and hottest patterns available. And what a selection there was. Flies and the companies that tie them had come out of the dark ages. Colours and materials had fly anglers salivating with perfect creations. Domestic and offshore sellers brought the fly tying to an art form with perfect clones of some incredible patterns in a kaleidoscope of colours and designs. Companies like Umpqua, Idylwilde, Rainy Riding, Solitude and others gave us superbly tied flies on high quality hooks that rivalled the best that most of us could tie ourselves if we had the skill and time.

Over the years those fishing journals showed definite preferences for certain flies. New flies were added to the personal "Fly Hall of Fame". One year there were a lot of steelhead "players" in the river. Players are those steelhead that play with your mind and cardiac health by coming up to nose the fly, jump over it, swirl on it, look at it and generally do everything but take it. Those frustrating teasers were driving us nuts as we kept trying smaller flies and different patterns. A fellow visiting angler suggested using a great little fly named the "Undertaker" and riffle hitching the fly. The "Undertaker" was aptly named as it became our finishing fly for those players. Whenever those players had us on the "expletive deleted" as a second language we would finish them with an "Undertaker".

In another year the first trip of the year yielded a half hearted rise and that was it for the day. The next trip the water was higher and dirtier so decided to "Blue Moon" them. In two pools I mooned 7 fish. Guess what fly was my "go to fly" for the rest of the season? That combination of blue and black marabou in the water was unbeatable or was it? I don't know, because why would I use anything else, right.

The next year a local priest was interested in a pontoon boat so we arranged a Saturday morning short float to show him how to handle the boat through the rougher water. Of course we took the rods along. Wouldn't want to waste all that water on just paddling would you? I was following him through the run hoping divine intervention would bless him when the 6 inch string leech i was using stopped. Oops, wrong angler. The best steelhead I have ever taken gobbled that leech. We took a couple of pictures of that fish and every picture had my head cut off. Maybe it was on purpose. He said it was just coincidence, as he was not familiar with the camera. Anyways, you know that big string leeches were well used for the rest of the season.

The Steelhead of the Skeena are particularly predisposed to the dry or waking fly and many anglers use nothing but. It certainly is one of the most thrilling of the takes. Watching that white mouth come up and inhale the fly is heart-stopping and we can fish the dry/waking fly right down to around 40F(4-5C). Many anglers feel that this is the purest of the art and will only use natural materials such as moose or deer hair bomber type flies. There are many variations of these and they have their zealous followers. I have used an all foam fly called the "Pompadour" with very good results and it is unsinkable. The dry rod is always loaded with one and because it has worked so well it is another in my own confidence fly series.

A good angling buddy who is a very good angler has a fly box loaded with egg sucking leeches. As he often states "If they aren't taking these they got lockjaw". He catches a lot of steelhead but most important is he is a very good caster, powerful wader and knows the water.

Each season brings new lessons as the Steelhead fanatics migrate to their beloved rivers. The smell of fall, that feeling in the air and the promise of fish in the most beautiful places in BC call the soul. As the fly boxes open old tried and true friends call out "Pick me, Pick me, I've got your back before, I won't disappoint". However, a visit to your pro fly shop reveals a heady array of new patterns that you swear that if you were a Steelhead you would have go on a steady diet of because they look so good. And when another angler says "Yeah, I got 3 on that the other day". Well you just have to have some, right?

The reality is many flies work including those old favourites and some of the new ones just have to be tried. Confidence, strong casting, good wading and ability to "read" the water are so intertwined in steelhead fishing that they are inseparable. Whether they are store bought, loaned, tied by yourself, ugly or as beautiful as a Paul Miller creation they can all bring magic to the Steelhead river.

Oh, and the best fly for Steelhead is the one that is inches in front of their nose when they are hungry and the best time to fish Steelhead is whenever you can. As Wayne Gretzky told us "You miss every shot you don't take".


Please take care in landing those Steelhead. Land and release Quickly. Respect the fish and fellow anglers.

Have a great weekend

Bulkley River
River looks good, especially for the amount of rain we've had. The Earth is so dry it will take quite a bit of rain for it to dirty up the river. Fishing has been good. Lots of anglers out this past weekend and most of them are happy. The Pink season is nearing the end and sometimes you can smell them down on the river bank. Coho and Steelheading are both doing really good. Quite a few fish caught and most of them are pretty nice sizes!! So there are fish in the river, you just need to take some time and get out there!


Douglas Channel
Kitimat experiencing some of the best Coho fishing in many years. Good catches throughout the Channel and into the harbour. Many anglers limiting out and lots of Halibut. Chamber of Commerce Derby last weekend. Results next week


Kitimat River
Great return for Coho. Lots of fish hooked on Derby weekend. Still a few pinks but they are just about done. A little rain could bring even more Coho into river.


Terrace area
Steelhead, Coho, Sockeye and Pinks in the river. Sockeye and Pinks getting close to end of their run. Steelhead have been taken estimated close to 30 pounds. Lower Skeena tributaries just starting to get their Coho and that will continue right into October.


Prince Rupert
Northern Coho and a great season for them. Like Kitimat some good returns. Can't beat September on the ocean with good Coho around. 129# Halibut taken and many in the 20-40 pound range.


Thank You.

Oscar's Source for Sports
Box 550, 1214 Main St.
Smithers, B.C.
V0J 2N0
ph250 847 2136
fx250 847 3679
www.OscarsSports.com
info@oscarssports.com

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Tyee Steelhead Index to Sept. 07

Here is the Tyee Steelhead Index up to September 07.
There have been slight delays with Tyee info due to DFO now confirming Index numbers prior to posting and due to the long weekend.

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Skeena Steelhead Update to Sept.03

Here is the Skeena Steelhead Update to September 03rd from the Ministry of Environment, Smithers.

Information courtesy/copyright BC Ministry of Environment, Smithers






Please find, attached, the Skeena Update to September 3rd, 2009. This file contains the Tyee Test Fishery generated Skeena River summer steelhead index to September 3rd, including daily, cumulative and escapement estimate figures in addition to a summary table showing cumulative index data since 2000, overall and decadal averages, et cetera.

Commercial fishery activity in the Skeena River approach waters to date is attached, entitled: Skeena Commercial Openings 2009. The commercial fishery in Areas 3 and 4 ended on August 23rd. In 2009, there were a total of 3 days of gillnet fishing in Area 4 (chinook directed fisheries) and 10 days in Area 3 (sockeye directed fisheries); seines fished 7 days in Area 4 (pink salmon directed fisheries) and 16 days in Area 3 (sockeye and pink salmon directed fisheries)

The upper Sustut enumeration weir commenced fishing on July 31st. Recent escapements (2005 – 2008) have been considerably below desired levels (see attached: Sustut Fence Figures). Six hundred and fifty-one steelhead have been observed to September 3rd – the average for this date is 301 (range 52 (2006, 2007) to 691 (2004)). NB: The upper Sustut River steelhead are a genetically distinct population and not to be confused with the lower Sustut (Bear River and downstream) population.

A pilot, steelhead sonic tagging project was initiated this month; throughout the summer/fall, 65 tags will be placed on steelhead captured in the Moricetown Canyon dipnet and beach seine fisheries – the objective is to assess drop-back in order to calibrate the Moricetown Canyon mark-recapture derived steelhead abundance estimate. If you do recover a steelhead with a sonic transmitter attached to the base of the dorsal fin (see attached photo: Sonic Tag), please do not handle the transmitter but report the capture location, fish and tag condition via e-mail (dean.peard@gov.bc.ca) or telephone (250.847.7286). Approximately 41 sonic tags have been applied to date.

Summary Info:

The Tyee steelhead index to September 3rd is 136 - for comparison: lowest on record: 32 (1957); mean all years: 95; highest on record: 239 (1998)
The in-season Skeena River sockeye escapement estimate to August 22nd is approximately 878 600 - the pre-season forecast of 2.1 million has been downgraded, as we are now close to the end of this year’s sockeye migration to the Skeena River at Tyee; the year end prediction is currently less than one million
· The first steelhead was captured in the Moricetown Canyon mark-recapture fishery on the 24th of July - approximately 1000 steelhead have been captured at the beach seine and 1100 steelhead at the dipnet fishery since that time

Please contact me with questions/comments.

All the best.

\Mark Beere

Senior Fisheries Biologist

Skeena Region



NB: The regular caveat applies: The Tyee Test Fishery is a sockeye salmon test fishery; it is only calibrated for sockeye (via Babine River Weir counts). As such, Tyee catches are not standardized and therefore, comparing data between years or even individual days or gillnet sets is not valid in the strictest scientific sense. That said, the DFO use data from all salmon species for management, as we do for steelhead and the Skeena Independent Science Review Panel reported that the Tyee Test Fishery is the critical information gathering point for in-season management and for assessing abundance trends for steelhead. The fishery has operated in the same manner since 1956: a conventional gillnet vessel makes a 60 minute set with 200 fathoms (1200 feet) of net on every slack tide that occurs during daylight from May/early June to late August/early September.

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Latest Skeena region sportfishing update

Here is the latest Skeena regional sportfishing update courtesy of Oscar's Source For Sports, Smithers.

The point about fish handling is extremely important. Commercial fishing lobbyists assert the sportfishery kills a great deal of steelhead. We disagree strongly with that assertion, but encourage steelhead anglers to treat their catch with the utmost respect. Keeping the fish in the water while any measurements or photos are taken is paramount. Just imagine yourself running a marathon then someone holding your head underwater....How well would you fare? This analogy describes the steelhead's side of the catch and release story very well.

So, please be smart and considerate towards our fantastic quarry. Moreover, dont give the commercial lobbyists any ammunition to criticize our fishery with poor fish handling techniques.

The image shows a well handled and photographed fish.



Sweet September

For an angler and especially a Steelheader few months hold the magic of September. Cooler nights, pleasant days, glorious colours and some of the biggest Steelhead in the world make their way home to the rivers and streams of North Western BC. It is our favourite time of the year. All Steelhead water is beautiful, but none more so than the magic of the Skeena and Nass drainage. The Kalum, Copper, Kispiox, Sustat, Babine, Bulkley and Morice are whispered wherever Steelheaders talk of their own personal Valhalla, Nirvana or Steelhead Paradise.

September holds the promise of a postcard day, and a willing chrome buck or doe rising through the gin clear water to take your offering. It is also much more than that. It is the mountains framing the river, the eagle in the tree across from you, the black bear browsing the bank and the old friends and new acquaintances you will meet. The only problem with September is that it doesn't last long enough.

Steelhead and the waters they live in are special and that is why we need to insure that we take the greatest care in preserving these values. Hooking a fish is great but the proper landing and release insures that fish survives.

Most steelheaders take great care in the proper playing, handling and release of their fish. Steelhead should be played with adequate tackle strong enough to do the job quickly. A fish played too long on light tackle will tire the fish unduly. Most of us use line/leaders of 12#-15#. Play the fish as quickly as tackle will allow. Bring the fish to hand in a couple feet of water. Fish should never be skidded up on shore to thrash around on the rocks. All hooks must be barbless which makes hook removal easy. Cradle the fish under the pectoral fins and around the tail until fully recovered. A fish released too early may seemingly swim away but succumb later. Take the time for proper release. Trout studies have shown that a fish out of water for 60 seconds may have 60% mortality. Keep the fish in the water.

We all like a memory of the fish and everyone has a digital camera now. If you want a picture compose the picture beforehand. Choose your background, how the fish is held, angles, framing in advance. Many shots are spoiled by the glare off the fish's side, so agree beforehand to tilt fish up or down to avoid that spoiled shot. With everything planned ahead the fish can be lifted and the picture taken quickly.

Most pictures are the Cheesy grins we have all seen. One of the best pictures I ever had of myself with a steelhead was taken by a fishing companion who gave me the best advice on fish pictures I have ever had. When I looked at the camera with that usual cheesy grin John told me "I don't want to see that ugly mug, it's all about the fish, look at the fish." He was right. Anybody looking at the picture knows it is you, the fish is the subject.

Prime time on Steelhead water can make for some crowding. Etiquette is important to insure yours and other anglers trips are pleasurable. It is nice to be the first into the run but that is not always possible. If other anglers are present either move to another hole or ask to fish above them as they move through the hole. A common practice is rotation. When fishing in a group, if the downstream angler gets a fish, after landing that fish he steps out of the water so the upstream angler now has a chance for the next fish. By rotating like this it allows a number of anglers to fish the run.

Never step in below another angler on the same run. That would be the same as cutting in line at the supermarket, theatre or ski lift. No manners, no respect.

One day in July four of us went on a trip to a coastal river for salmon. The river is very popular, especially it's lower reaches. Upon arrival we saw one angler firmly planted right in the centre of the run. As we walked out to the bar we discussed what we should do. He was a visiting angler from Italy. His English was strained but he understood the rotation ideal "Ahh, rotundo to circle." The now 5 of us spent the next eight hours helping each other land springs, chums and pinks on the fly and swapping fish tales. He thanked us profusely when he left for including him in the group and we all enjoyed his company. Sometimes it just takes a little communication.

Bulkley River
River looks great but continues to drop and even the rain we got doesn’t affect it too much. Still lots of Pinks around with the males starting to get quite a hump on their backs. Quite a few Coho are being caught as well as Steelhead. Lots of anglers heading out for the long weekend, and prospects look good. A late Spring (around 25lb) was caught in Moricetown this past week.

Morice River
Pinks are still dominating this beautiful river but guys are landing Steelhead and Coho. The Coho being caught are mostly between 5-8lb.

Kispiox River
River and weather look fantastic. Fishing has been a bit tougher but there are Coho as well as Steelhead still being caught throughout the river. Pinks are still thick and you have to watch where you step so you don’t step on one!

Douglas Channel
Coho fishing around Kitimat is the best it has been in years. Good Coho at Money Point, Sue Channel and Jesse Falls. Most Coho in the 10-14 pond range but some high teens starting to show up. Hoochies and anchovy most popular baits but Apex and Coyote spoons also working well. Kitimat Chamber of Commerce Derby this weekend with some great prizes. Call 250-632-6294 or 1-800-664-6554 for more info. Good fishing in the Harbour.

Kitimat River
Great fishing for Coho in the river with impressive numbers of fish. Many hooked but less landed. Coho are just that way. So wild and easy to lose on the barbless hook, Make sure hooks are sticky sharp, Hotshots size 25 drifted are good as well as Gibbs Koho spoons in blue or copper, Vibrax spinners.

Prince Rupert
More Northern Coho being taken out of Rupert. Great catches on Coho with some fish now getting close to 20 pounds. Anchovy and hoochies best bets but spoons, Apex and drift-jigging also very productive. Halibut on jigs and bait. Big Ling and Red Snapper in outer islands.

Terrace Area
Steelhead throughout the Skeena watershed. Pinks and Sockeye getting towards tailend of their cycle. Early returns on Steelhead in Nass and Skeena are promising.

Thank you and have a wonderful long-weeked!

Oscar's Source for Sports
Box 550, 1214 Main St.
Smithers, B.C.
V0J 2N0
ph250 847 2136
fx250 847 3679
www.OscarsSports.com
info@oscarssports.com

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Tyee Steelhead Index To Sept. 1st

Here is the Tyee Steelhead Index to September 1st.
(There was a slight delay in DFO posting the Index numbers recently)

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