BBBrownie

My next boat will be called the "Slough Shark"

I don't believe bulls spawn within the calgary section of the bow, most populations of bulls were done spawning by last month, and I think the white leading edges on pelvic and pectoral fins would make the distinction fairly obvious.

True that Sun, my involvement with pulp mill EM is relatively minor, just stating that there is in fact monitoring that occurs and effect documentation exists. What I was attempting to get at is that it is a joke to say that the tar sands aren't a major pollutor when compared to pulp mills. They both pollute. The two mouthed goldeye is funny in that it was dried out and if I remember correctly, being a bony tongue species, the second mouth was actually just the dried bone tongue protruding. I wouldn't eat fish downstream of either industry. I also realize that industry is necessary, I do have a car, I am guilty, but it would sure be nice to see these industries cleaned up. I do think that it is our responsibility to minimize our everyday consumption.

Good theory Sun, that is one that goes around (I think what you are refering to is Pacific Decadal Oscillation?). The hole I see in it though is that good runs were not to be found in all systems. for example, the Skeena system had fairly low returns of all salmon species this year, although great steelhead returns. In the Fraser itself, not all tributaries had great runs. The Adams is a real success story, however, runs on the upper fraser (ex. Stellako, Stuart, etc.) returned in relatively modest numbers. Further, does PDO increase food items for sockeye, but not other species of salmon, or is it other confounding variables holding back stocks of endangered Coho, chum, chinook and nearest to my heart, Steelhead? I truely hope it is as simple as warming ocean trends increasing anadromous salmonid conditioning/fitness, with the large Adams sockeye run and Skeena steelhead run this year being a taste of whats to come, but am afraid there is more to it as the increase in a couple places is masking the decline of many others. A large return in one river must not lead us to forget about the complex issues (habitat degradation, overfishing, pollution, open net salmon farming, irrigation/fertilization, and on and on) that continue to endanger our salmon populations.

Are you serious? Sure pulp mills are a contributer, but how did you get so blinded by industry propaganda that you would actually consider a couple of pulp mills to have more effect on water quality in a vast system like the Athabasca compared to the tar sands? Have you ever been there? A question I have for you is why aren't the same water quality issues occuring on the many other rivers in Canada that have (in many cases larger) pulp mills? Correct me if I am wrong, but I haven't heard much in the way of three eyed fish in any of the other systems. Pulp mill effluent is monitored also, by the way. I have been personally involved in effects monitoring jobs sampling fish downstream of pulp mills and while I can't comment beyond that, I am just saying that it happens and they are monitored to some degree. Take a look at Suncor's Tar Island some time and try and tell me that pulp mills are the main problem.

Great pics, looks like she was good to you! Been a heck of a run this year, I am due for trip number two in 12 days or so, hopefully right on time for the rivers to come back into shape, sounds like they blew out good here last week...Thanks for sharing!

Great story HTF, sounds like your boys are hardy, good for them!

Salmon swim many of the rivers headed at the Spatsizi, Salmon are federally legislated, not provincially, so as a tax paying Canadian citizen I would like to add my vote to the "Against" side. I am not okay with Shell (or any other oil and gas corporation for that matter) endangering the anadromous runs so important to me. I realize that there are many BC locals who would welcome the jobs that a project like this would bring, but I can garauntee you that local opposition to the project is prevalent. We can cross the 100 years from now bridge in 100 years, the world will be a much different place, perhaps safer technology will exist for exploiting the deposit. For now I am all for protection, which you should be too if the Skeena and her fish mean anything to you.

You think that if anyone, Shell should drill in the Spatsizi Plateau?!? NO ONE should drill in the Sacred headwaters/spatsizi plateau area. Headwaters of three of the most important watersheds of the north pacific...check out www.skeenawatershed.com for information regarding Ali Howard and her swim of the entire Skeena River to raise awareness for the plight of the sacred headwaters. I dare you to swing a fly in any of the many legendary tributaries to the Skeena, including the skeena mainstem itself, the Bulkley, Kispiox, Babine, Sustut, and on and on and then say that you'd support ANY company drilling in the headwaters of this miracle. Bet you'd change your mind, its tough to relate to something you've never had the pleasure of experiencing.

Blue weighted marabou dead drifted under an indicator will do the job. Coho attack blue and you have to get it in their face. I have also had coho slam when I am stripping line in after a swing. Look for "dead" water - they seem to like slow and deep, eddies, snyes, etc. Edit: I didn't finish reading your post before responding - I haven't fished coho in intertidal areas - probably stripping or trolling a blue/white bucktail or deceiver would do the trick though. If you are in a boat, they are aparently attracted to the wake/propwash, so keep a short line when trolling...

Thanks man! They were all on the spey. Sounded like dry lines were productive, but I was swinging 7.5 feet of T-14 and it seemed dialed in. All caught on big bugs (intruders, pick yer pockets, trailer trash)

A black grizz sow and three cubs (only managed to get one of the cubs in the photo) walking along the banks of the kispiox.

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An earlier post asked for some steelhead pictures to be posted so I will throw up a few. Fishing was good, did one week based out of Telkwa, have another week coming up in October, fishing should be good. This time around, we arrived just in time to catch the tail end of the Morice fish moving up the Bulkley, river was MUCH quieter than previous seasons in my experience, hardly ran into anyone on the river, although I believe most of the pressure moved upriver. Great times in heaven country, lots of grizz on the Babine and kispiox again, 20 C nearly every day, action every day, don't bother with the kispiox as it is at a record low currently, knee deep all the way through the tailouts. Three weeks until round two!

I will be off in two days, will post an update upon return, and with any luck a few pictures! Anyone else heads out, good luck should be a good year!

Any of you local steelhead junkies heading west this fall for what looks like an EPIC run(fingers and toes crossed)? Anyone been out yet? My first trip of the season starts in 5 days, I am now tallying hours and tying frantically. Tying has been creative yet productive this year, all ready to go. Just need this week to pass...Forth year swingin for steel and the fever only seems to get worse...

I imagine it will become another tough year for Thompson steelhead in light of all the sockeye netting. Unreal! Political favoritism is right, why are the coho endangered, yet the Thompson's 600-1000 fish aren't offered any protection from the gauntlet. The fish that do make it in are then fed roe by gear fishermen, further increasing mortality (only classified fishery in BC that allows bait as far as I am aware). By the way, check http://www.petitiononline.com/baitban1/petition-sign.html to sign the bait ban petition. Sorry for the hijack, but it is still related (same watershed).

obviously left.

That sounds familiar to some of my golden experiences...Took the wrong trail and ended up at the wrong lakes looking for Rainy Ridge the first time. Second trip hiked to Coral Lake and it ended up being epic to say the least, snowed the entire two day hike in. They make you work for em! Luckily, my second and third ettempts were successful, try again!

Thanks for posting that, made my night, must survive 12 more days...argh...beautiful fish!

They can be, but it definately is not unheard of to have sockeye grab a fly, usually higher up in a watershed, such as the situation you will likely encounter at the adams (although I have never fished it). I have hooked a few while swinging for steelies, they fight very well for their size, but again, they have only ever been bycatch for me. Unfortunately there are a lot of people around who floss 'em during the meat season.

I'll second what Hawg said, keep 'em in the water! You can often have a fish lay on its side in shallow water and hold still if you take the fly from its jaw or remove the tension from the line, allowing a photo or two. No need to take them out and the pics look a lot better laying in water than on the bank. Try it! The less time away from the water, the greater odds of survival. Nice Fish by the way, must have been a riot for you!

I'm sure they have that intention, but the T is a biggg river and word from locals around spences bridge was that a couple years ago when the river was closed to angling there was illegal angling and retention happening. Not for me to say whether it was heresay or not, but that was a word that I heard.