Vancouver Salmon Fishing Report, July 8, 2022
Well, we are a week out from July 15th and the question on everyone’s mind is will we get a chinook retention opening in Area 29 and 17 like we have had in the last few years. The reality is nobody really knows until the Fisheries Notice actually comes out.
We are also waiting for the Integrated Fisheries Management Plan to come out. The IFMP usually comes out in June and has wording that will indicate what we can expect in the months to come. The actual Fisheries Notices are the legal notices that open and close the fisheries and reflect the wording in the IMFP. The IFMP is at the Fisheries Ministers office, Joyce Murray, so pretty much everyone in DFO management is waiting for it to come back from there as well.
Joyce, if you are reading this, let’s get the show on the road! It’s not like local business, local anglers, and tourists are trying to plan things in advance or anything like that!
What I can tell you is that there is currently no indication from my meetings with DFO that we won’t be open on July 15th for one chinook a day between 62 and 80 cm, hatchery or wild. This will be the same opening that we have had the last 2 years, so you will need to fish W of Gower Point on this side or cross over and fish in Area 17 NW of Thrasher Rock.
What I can also tell you is that anything can happen, so although I am optimistic there will be an opening July 15th, you never know given the current political climate and DFO’s willingness to pander to First Nation and Environmental Groups demands and disregard the science that supports sustainable fishing opportunities and all Canadians’ rights to access hatchery chinook stocks.
Locally, we have been fishing for coho and it has been spotty for the most part. It should pick up as the river drops in the summer months and more fish are forced to stage along West Van. We have also had some fun trip over at the Gulf Islands with some great C&R chinook fishing and consistent bottom fishing.
We have had consistent bottom fishing on our trips to the Gulf Islands
Crabbing continues to be worth the effort but things usually start to slow down right about now due to commercial pressure in the harbour. Make sure you follow us on Facebook and Instagram as that is where I will be posting about the Fisheries Notice if it comes out next week.
See you in the shop or on the water….
Jason Tonelli