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Title…."Deadly Cancer Threatens Chilliwack/Vedder River"
Format..Open letter to BCFR members, recreational fishers, media and Government representatives
Text….
Just over an hour from downtown Vancouver is one of the most beautiful rivers in the Province of British Columbia. The Vedder/Chilliwack River is known geographically by two different names, but essentially it is the same river system located in the eastern Fraser Valley. From the crossing bridge in Sardis downstream to the confluence of the Fraser it is called the Vedder. From the Sardis Bridge upstream beyond Slesse creek to Chilliwack Lake it is known as the Chilliwack River.
This glacier fed waterway is home to a number of species of trout/salmon and a permanent home for a wide range of other fresh water species, and mammals. These include dolly varden, cutthroat trout, pike minnows, carp, suckers, sculpins and various other forms of aquatic life, including frogs and salamanders. Wildlife includes deer, black bear, bald eagles, great blue herons bobcats, mink, beaver musk rats, and fox. With no dam, and limited flood control, the river is subject to fluctuating water levels year round, and is truly a wild BC river.
From it’s beginnings at Chilliwack Lake, a popular summer destination, it drops nearly 500 vertical feet over the next few miles and it highly utilized by fishers, hikers, rafters and other outdoor enthusiasts. This location is a shining example why BC is known as Canada’s outdoor playground. A fish hatchery located at the confluence of Slesse Creek above the Tamahi rapids raises Steelhead, Pink, Coho Chinook and Chum salmon for the chilliwack/vedder, as well as a number of other streams around the lower Fraser valley.
It is open for fishing all year with the exception of the month of May when the Chilliwack River is closed and the Vedder is “fly fishing only”. In June, both sections are fully closed to allow escapement of the fingerlings, fry and smolts that are released from the hatchery during this period.
During the past years, camping was allowed along the river in unregulated sites, but after several fires and an “out of control” litter problem, the river banks are now mostly closed to campers with the exception of several private campgrounds that charge a fee to camp near this beautiful lower mainland resource. Many fishers were upset with this decision, to close the river banks to campers, as the main problem seemed to be caused primarily by a few careless campers, who tend to form a very small part of the thousands who use the river valley on an annual basis
Recently, another serious problem has appeared on the river that has the same group of recreational fishers wanting an immediate solution. This problem, is the use of questionable fishing gear and methods for catching the many fish that make the river home at various times of the year. These methods have been the subject of long debates on fishing forums and within the guiding community for years.
Approximately 10-12 years ago, a fishing method called “flossing” was used by many recreational fishermen on the Fraser River during the sockeye season to catch this species of salmon that, for the most part, are very reluctant “biters” both in the ocean as well as during their freshwater migrations.
The method involves using a 10-12 ft. rod spooled with 25-30 lb. test line to which has a lead ball attached that will “bounce “ along the bottom and drag a 8-12 ft. or longer leader to which a single barbless hook is attached. Getting the current of the river to assist in the downstream drag is an important component, and it is generally employed in fast moving gravel bottom areas of the river. The result is the line will eventually get into the salmons mouth, the hook will penetrate an area close to the mouth and the salmon is hooked, but has not necessarily bitten the offering. The question that arises out of this method is whether this fishing/angling as described is a legal form of fishing as described in the fishing regulations?
It has been widely accepted by both recreational fisherman and guides as an easy way to catch sockeye, spring salmon, along the bars of the Fraser, and this is where the conflict starts to heat up.
A guide’s main job is to put fish on the end of their client’s rods.
The client soon learns that throwing the big “bouncing betty” as it is affectionately called is the best and only way to catch salmon in the Fraser. The general public watches this apparently successful method, and is quick to convert. This method has now spread to other rivers and now the method is employed and almost all streams in the Lower mainland, much to the chagrin of fishers that prefer to have their fish bite an offering, be it a lure, fly or bait presentation.
Recently, a known “flossing” hole at the upper end of the Chilliwack River was closed for, what fisheries described as, “brood stock protection”. This practice of firing a long leader into this pool known to hold many fish with their mouths pointing upstream is spreading like a cancer out of control and quickly dividing the sport fishing community.
Experts have perfected this technique to the point where almost any bait can now be used under a float (which is a more conventional and recognized form of fishing amongst terminal tackle users)) and set the depth of the float and adjusted the weight with a short leader then caught fish after fish in waters that are known “fish highways”. (The specific areas the fish travel on their way to the spawning grounds.) Very few of these fish actually bite. They are flossed with an excellent knowledge of water speed, the amount of weight that needs to be used in conjunction with an appropriate leader length to drag a hook into the fish’s mouth, rather than having the fish bite the presentation.
Most fish caught by these methods are hooked under the chin, in the gill plate, or on the outside of the mouth. The fishers employing this method are very aware of exactly where the fish lie in a specific body of water, and are intentionally snagging the fish under the guise of proper fishing etiquette. Occasionally, the fish are kept alive on an underwater line, only to be released later and die if a larger fish is caught, as there are daily catch and possession limits placed upon the river.
Is this type of fishery legal or ethical? Apparently, it is legal, as our laws do not allow for prosecution, as no laws are apparently being broken. In the rivers of the lower mainland, it doesn’t matter how long your leader is, or what kind of weight you use or whether you fish with or without a float as long as you use a single barbless hook and do not take more than the allowable limit for the day. Ethical? This is the central feature of the debate and why fishers are becoming so divided.
Fisheries officers are well aware of these problems; however, they can only enforce the rules presently in place and trying to enforce rules and regulations with their limited resources. This is a difficult task, leading many sports fishers to believe they are doing nothing about this problem. Very few citations are issued and fewer convictions are seen for illegal gear or possession limits which further complicate an already very difficult situation.
The fisheries have a large area to cover in the Fraser Valley making the enforcement of rules & regulations presently in place, extremely difficult. It has been suggested on a number of occasions that an auxiliary fisheries officer training program be established to assist with educating fishers, provide additional field coverage, and generally assist officers when unconfrontational, and educational assistance is required.
The beautiful Chilliwack/Vedder River has turned into a virtual battlefield between the fishers who tend to use conventional means of enticing a fish to bite vs. those who like to fish as imposters by using legitimate gear and flossing fish all day. On any given day during the salmon season, people can be seen standing in the same place all day catching fish after fish after fish, and releasing them all back to the river, as a good majority are snagged in other parts of their bodies and released (it is illegal to keep a fish that is foul hooked) where plenty of them die due to exhaustion, or infection from their wounds and never live to spawn future generations of fish for our children to enjoy. Many salmon fail to return to the hatchery which has initiated spot closures on the river near their initial point of release into the river.
Many possible solutions other than closing the river have been discussed for years with no meaningful resolution to the problem. The employment of a volunteer “auxiliary fisheries force” has been discussed, as well as a river watchers group similar to “block watch” which may be helpful and go a long way to providing education/information to the public as well as to the recreational fisher who is not aware of the other conventional methods of catching sports fish.These suggestions, for the most part, have fallen on deaf ears.
In the meantime, flossing and all its derivatives is a deadly, spreading cancer that has the potential to threaten the fish stocks, permanently divide the recreational fishing community and to some extent, it threatens the very river, the Department of Fisheries, and Ministry of Environment is trying to protect.
Submitted to:
Editor, BC Outdoors
Editor in Chief, Vancouver Sun/Province
Editor, Chilliwack Progress
Editor of Times Publications
BC Fishing Reports
FishBC
BC Wildlife Federation
Fisheries Canada
Dept. of the Environment
Format..Open letter to BCFR members, recreational fishers, media and Government representatives
Text….
Just over an hour from downtown Vancouver is one of the most beautiful rivers in the Province of British Columbia. The Vedder/Chilliwack River is known geographically by two different names, but essentially it is the same river system located in the eastern Fraser Valley. From the crossing bridge in Sardis downstream to the confluence of the Fraser it is called the Vedder. From the Sardis Bridge upstream beyond Slesse creek to Chilliwack Lake it is known as the Chilliwack River.
This glacier fed waterway is home to a number of species of trout/salmon and a permanent home for a wide range of other fresh water species, and mammals. These include dolly varden, cutthroat trout, pike minnows, carp, suckers, sculpins and various other forms of aquatic life, including frogs and salamanders. Wildlife includes deer, black bear, bald eagles, great blue herons bobcats, mink, beaver musk rats, and fox. With no dam, and limited flood control, the river is subject to fluctuating water levels year round, and is truly a wild BC river.
From it’s beginnings at Chilliwack Lake, a popular summer destination, it drops nearly 500 vertical feet over the next few miles and it highly utilized by fishers, hikers, rafters and other outdoor enthusiasts. This location is a shining example why BC is known as Canada’s outdoor playground. A fish hatchery located at the confluence of Slesse Creek above the Tamahi rapids raises Steelhead, Pink, Coho Chinook and Chum salmon for the chilliwack/vedder, as well as a number of other streams around the lower Fraser valley.
It is open for fishing all year with the exception of the month of May when the Chilliwack River is closed and the Vedder is “fly fishing only”. In June, both sections are fully closed to allow escapement of the fingerlings, fry and smolts that are released from the hatchery during this period.
During the past years, camping was allowed along the river in unregulated sites, but after several fires and an “out of control” litter problem, the river banks are now mostly closed to campers with the exception of several private campgrounds that charge a fee to camp near this beautiful lower mainland resource. Many fishers were upset with this decision, to close the river banks to campers, as the main problem seemed to be caused primarily by a few careless campers, who tend to form a very small part of the thousands who use the river valley on an annual basis
Recently, another serious problem has appeared on the river that has the same group of recreational fishers wanting an immediate solution. This problem, is the use of questionable fishing gear and methods for catching the many fish that make the river home at various times of the year. These methods have been the subject of long debates on fishing forums and within the guiding community for years.
Approximately 10-12 years ago, a fishing method called “flossing” was used by many recreational fishermen on the Fraser River during the sockeye season to catch this species of salmon that, for the most part, are very reluctant “biters” both in the ocean as well as during their freshwater migrations.
The method involves using a 10-12 ft. rod spooled with 25-30 lb. test line to which has a lead ball attached that will “bounce “ along the bottom and drag a 8-12 ft. or longer leader to which a single barbless hook is attached. Getting the current of the river to assist in the downstream drag is an important component, and it is generally employed in fast moving gravel bottom areas of the river. The result is the line will eventually get into the salmons mouth, the hook will penetrate an area close to the mouth and the salmon is hooked, but has not necessarily bitten the offering. The question that arises out of this method is whether this fishing/angling as described is a legal form of fishing as described in the fishing regulations?
It has been widely accepted by both recreational fisherman and guides as an easy way to catch sockeye, spring salmon, along the bars of the Fraser, and this is where the conflict starts to heat up.
A guide’s main job is to put fish on the end of their client’s rods.
The client soon learns that throwing the big “bouncing betty” as it is affectionately called is the best and only way to catch salmon in the Fraser. The general public watches this apparently successful method, and is quick to convert. This method has now spread to other rivers and now the method is employed and almost all streams in the Lower mainland, much to the chagrin of fishers that prefer to have their fish bite an offering, be it a lure, fly or bait presentation.
Recently, a known “flossing” hole at the upper end of the Chilliwack River was closed for, what fisheries described as, “brood stock protection”. This practice of firing a long leader into this pool known to hold many fish with their mouths pointing upstream is spreading like a cancer out of control and quickly dividing the sport fishing community.
Experts have perfected this technique to the point where almost any bait can now be used under a float (which is a more conventional and recognized form of fishing amongst terminal tackle users)) and set the depth of the float and adjusted the weight with a short leader then caught fish after fish in waters that are known “fish highways”. (The specific areas the fish travel on their way to the spawning grounds.) Very few of these fish actually bite. They are flossed with an excellent knowledge of water speed, the amount of weight that needs to be used in conjunction with an appropriate leader length to drag a hook into the fish’s mouth, rather than having the fish bite the presentation.
Most fish caught by these methods are hooked under the chin, in the gill plate, or on the outside of the mouth. The fishers employing this method are very aware of exactly where the fish lie in a specific body of water, and are intentionally snagging the fish under the guise of proper fishing etiquette. Occasionally, the fish are kept alive on an underwater line, only to be released later and die if a larger fish is caught, as there are daily catch and possession limits placed upon the river.
Is this type of fishery legal or ethical? Apparently, it is legal, as our laws do not allow for prosecution, as no laws are apparently being broken. In the rivers of the lower mainland, it doesn’t matter how long your leader is, or what kind of weight you use or whether you fish with or without a float as long as you use a single barbless hook and do not take more than the allowable limit for the day. Ethical? This is the central feature of the debate and why fishers are becoming so divided.
Fisheries officers are well aware of these problems; however, they can only enforce the rules presently in place and trying to enforce rules and regulations with their limited resources. This is a difficult task, leading many sports fishers to believe they are doing nothing about this problem. Very few citations are issued and fewer convictions are seen for illegal gear or possession limits which further complicate an already very difficult situation.
The fisheries have a large area to cover in the Fraser Valley making the enforcement of rules & regulations presently in place, extremely difficult. It has been suggested on a number of occasions that an auxiliary fisheries officer training program be established to assist with educating fishers, provide additional field coverage, and generally assist officers when unconfrontational, and educational assistance is required.
The beautiful Chilliwack/Vedder River has turned into a virtual battlefield between the fishers who tend to use conventional means of enticing a fish to bite vs. those who like to fish as imposters by using legitimate gear and flossing fish all day. On any given day during the salmon season, people can be seen standing in the same place all day catching fish after fish after fish, and releasing them all back to the river, as a good majority are snagged in other parts of their bodies and released (it is illegal to keep a fish that is foul hooked) where plenty of them die due to exhaustion, or infection from their wounds and never live to spawn future generations of fish for our children to enjoy. Many salmon fail to return to the hatchery which has initiated spot closures on the river near their initial point of release into the river.
Many possible solutions other than closing the river have been discussed for years with no meaningful resolution to the problem. The employment of a volunteer “auxiliary fisheries force” has been discussed, as well as a river watchers group similar to “block watch” which may be helpful and go a long way to providing education/information to the public as well as to the recreational fisher who is not aware of the other conventional methods of catching sports fish.These suggestions, for the most part, have fallen on deaf ears.
In the meantime, flossing and all its derivatives is a deadly, spreading cancer that has the potential to threaten the fish stocks, permanently divide the recreational fishing community and to some extent, it threatens the very river, the Department of Fisheries, and Ministry of Environment is trying to protect.
Submitted to:
Editor, BC Outdoors
Editor in Chief, Vancouver Sun/Province
Editor, Chilliwack Progress
Editor of Times Publications
BC Fishing Reports
FishBC
BC Wildlife Federation
Fisheries Canada
Dept. of the Environment
