Hi and welcome to the GRFA fishing report updated on the 4th of October 2019.
October is upon us… or as we like to say: R’October! This is “the” time of year to get out on the water and enjoy the bounty that Mother Nature provides us every fall. With salmon and sturgeon available at our doorsteps here’s the low down on what’s happening out there…
Sturgeon:
Although we have experienced a few little day to day lulls, overall, the sturgeon action has been very consistent lately. With the end of the pinks near, sturgeon have been very much fattening up for the winter and you can really tell, most of them look like butterballs and are very girthy… almost all fish are 10 to 20 percent heavier than a month ago!! Good size average and decent numbers have been the norm lately.
Sturgeon have been primarily targeting salmon in the river. At the moment Pink parts are working however over the last week we have started to see a shift towards the Chum salmon as they have started to show up in numbers. Strips of salmon meat and the roe, singles or skeined, have been the baits of choice and for those that can stomach it, stink bait from the spawned out Pinks has also proven good.
Fish have been stacking up in the deeper holes and if you find a few, stick around, there’s bound to be more. Some guides have been doing very well fishing the shallower edges of the holes, especially for larger specimens.
The river is dropping hard from the recent rains and one really needs to be careful out there right now, we have seen a few boats high and dry on the gravel bars. Of particular note the old Five Fingers stretch of river (Wellington Bar to Bowmans Bar) is very touchy and a prop driven boat should steer clear of this area. Definitely want to keep an eye out for shallow bars and watch your sounders as your running even in a jet boat.
The Canyon continues to produce both numbers and size. If you are thinking of running this special piece of water keep in mind that is very “heavy” water and not for the timid or unexperienced jet boater, especially in low water. Please be very careful!! If you’re interested in trying your hand at biggest of the big in one of the most spectacular venue’s in the world drop Rick a line and he’ll be more than happy to help organize one of our Ultimate Fraser Canyon Sturgeon trips with you. rstahl@greatriverfishing.com
What better way is there to spend an autumn day than sitting in a comfortable covered jet boat waiting on another bite from the almighty sturgeon. With limited fishing pressure on the river this is a great time of year to get out and experience these dinosaurs of the deep. We offer half and full day outing’s via jet boat with nothing but the finest in guides and tackle. We pride ourselves in ensuring your day is as comfortable, safe and enjoyable as possible. Whatever your speed, we will cater to your needs. Call or email today.
Salmon:
Last week’s rains, both locally and in the interior and northern coast regions, really brought up the Fraser and Harrison Rivers which in turn signified the end of the Pink Salmon fishery as they blew out of the portions of the river that are open. Do not despair; these same rains have brought in the much anticipated Chum and Coho returns which are just starting to filter into the river in numbers.
Keep in mind that the Fraser is officially closed to salmon fishing from the Alexander Bridge to the Mission Railway Bridge until the 28th of October. This measure was put in place to protect migrating interior steelhead, ie Thompson and Chilcotin Steelhead stocks, which are currently believed to be at dangerously low levels. We all need to do our part in protecting this fragile fishery and understand that conservation must be at the fore front of our way of thinking.
Having said all that opportunities for salmon still abound locally. In fact all other rivers remain open including the Harrison, Vedder, and Stave which are all starting to see salmon. Please consult your fishing regulations for specific quota’s and openings.
The Harrison has seen a decent push of chum over the last week with the fishing only getting better daily. There are some early Coho around and we’ve managed a few Chinook as well however the higher water has made it challenging to find schools of fish. Look to conditions improving as the water drops and more fish push in. Keep in mind that this is early for the Harrison and bodes well for the next few weeks. Most anglers are float fishing jigs with bait, spoons/spinners and flies, both single hand and spey.
The Vedder has seen a good push of fish as of late. With the higher water fish have been scooting through and good numbers of Chinook and Coho are throughout the system. Pressure is high on the river and the more well-known spots can be very busy. Please be courteous to your fellow angler and use proper fishing etiquette.
The Stave is just getting going and has some chum around and has seen some pushes of coho as well. Coho have been primarily caught from boats in the lower river using spinners, spoons and flies. Chum are getting taken by the usual means of float fishing for them in the upper river closer to the dam.
“GRFA has decades and decades worth of knowledge when it comes to targeting salmon Fraser Valley. If you would like to learn more about this fishery or simply want to get out on the river for some salmon fishing we can help. Please contact Rick at rstahl@greatriverfishing.com and let us help you experience the thrill of salmon on the rod.”
That’s it for now. Conserve our waters and here’s to great fishing, forever…
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