[Rivahman]

A number of years ago (maybe 20..but who's counting?) when I worked for DFO, we were getting rid of some old chums in the freezer...looked like twisted frozen humps of mystery meat..err fish. One of the secretaries jumped at the chance to take one home for the BBQ. Since she never died, I can only imagine the girl either had no taste or...no taste ;D. I have seen countless thousands of seine boat loads of sockeye and humpies in my life. If you have ever seen such a dripping, bloody mass of stinking fish, you would never, ever buy canned salmon again (what goes in the can, goes in your tummy).

I'd be interested to hear when anglers think enough is enough in terms of whether to keep a fish or not. My standards are...once the scales become imbedded, I don't keep the fish. It doesn't have to be a chromer but if I can't scale it (not that I do unless I want steaks), I throw it back (gently).

 

[flyguy]

white springs-chromers only. chum-chromers only. coho-chromers only. pinks-chromers only. Can you see a pattern ;D . I guess I am a little picky but I like fresh fish.

 

[fish guardian]

Do you really think you're going to get an honest answer Rivahman? Those guys killing gumboot chum in the Stave for instance are gonna say they only kill chrome fish. :

I have a hard enough time filleting prime fish, I can't imagine trying to fillet cottage cheese.

 

[Rivahman]

I thought everyone here was honest...honest.

 

[Summit]

Les Stroud ate a mountain rat in one of his episodes of Survivor Man once and those things can carry really nasty diseases... honest.

 

[reelangler]

Les Stroud ate a mountain rat in one of his episodes of Survivor Man once and those things can carry really nasty diseases... honest.

:happy:

 

[Rivahman]

We are talking fish here and we all know they carry no diseases . Nothing that a dewormer wouldn't cure anyways :thumbup:

 

[Crazy Drifter]

That is a intesting question posted. Up untill a few years ago one would have never thought to bonk a pink or a chum, but know it's the norm. I myself only bonk chrome fish, but have wondered about how the flavor would be in a bright chum with a hint of chrome, just cant bring myself to bonk one just for a taste.
Crazy D

 

[Flyfishin Magician]

Actually, I retained my first chum when I fly fished the squish last fall. Nice and chrome (I never saw chum that clean in the fraser valley ever). Yes, they have "watermarks" on them. But for practical purposes, they were ocean chrome fish. Gave the fish to a buddy who smoked em up and it was great! :thumbup:

 

[Rivahman]

Dogs can be caught in the Squamish like silver dimes as magician said. Chums turn very quickly once they enter the Fraser but I suggest, if they still have visible scales, they are fresh so bonk em!

I'd love to hear if anyone has ever caught a silver bright chum in the Sumas/Vedder. In 40 odd seasons, I have never caught a mint bright one there.

 

[barkleyjames]

Tried some fresh chum from the Squamish last year. These fish were dime bright and were just excellent on the bar-b-que. The flesh was light pink and very firm. I was pleasantly surprised. The rest of them went to the smoker and they were primo!

 

[fyrfytr77]

I personally have never bonked a chum or pink in the river mainly due to the quick coloring, however there are more than enough that are bonking river fish, so I am sure the can be quite appetizing.

fyr

 

[hotrod]

Chrome or go home!


Hotrod

 

[kaitlyn]

as fresh as Squamish chum can be, I probably released 80 or more chum last year before I bonked one. while my primary goal was roe, I would obviously never kill a fish for it's roe only. took a nice one to my buddy's Grey Cup bash last year, very nice on the "Q".made the other 3 that I killed into Indian Candy.

 

[dinsdale piranha]

i would say that if the belly walls are still fat, it is probably a pretty fresh, firm fish, fit for feeding friends - even if the colour is a bit off (thinking of stamp springs here).

dinsdale

 

[Guest]

What does Rivahman mean by "embedded scales"?

Regards,

3/16th's

 

[jiggatyper]

Chrome only

 

[HOOK]

i caught a dime bright chum by the hatchery on the Chehalis river :happy: it took my dad and i both a few minutes to figure out what it was before i released it (holding it in water the whole time of course) that was my first time seeing a chrome chum. normally i go with the rule Rivahman uses if you can still make out the scales nice and shiny over the colour and it feels firm then bonk it YUMM YUMM


HOOK :happy:

another rule also works well white belly means solid meat especially with springs and chum

 

[Rivahman]

When salmon are in the river for a period of time, they don't lose all their scales. Most are absorbed into the skin and thus 'embedded'.

 

[fishin30]

Only dime bright chummers in the stave and dewdney :thumbup: