Bella Coola to Shearwater

Darn, and in a place where running is the name of the game!! Looks like you’re stuck fishing close by. I heard idol has been picking up lately. Also pointer was holding good size springs (a week ago)… Sunny is another option to try. Shearwater has really gone down hill in the last few years, it’s even hard to find ice there now….
We were able to get ice at the pub in Shearwater.
 
Correct me if I am wrong. A two day possession limit per person is 8 salmon. It doesn't matter what species. You brought home 33 salmon. If my math is correct, 24 is the legal possession limit for 3 people.

If I am missing something here feel free to correct me.
Area 7 possession limit is 4 Chinook and 8 Coho.
 
Area 7 possession limit is 4 Chinook. 8 Coho. Your math isn't mathing.
Go to page 24 of the regulations. Max daily limit for all salmon species province wide, salt and freshwater combined is 4. Possession limit is 2 x daily limit, ie 8. For 3 people your max possession should have been 24. I am going to assume you legitimately did not know this, so consider this more information sharing. If there is an exemption to this province wide rule for Area 7 it would be news to me.

https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2017/mpo-dfo/Fs142-2-2016-eng.pdf.

Limits

• The daily limit for all species of Pacific salmon from tidal and fresh waterscombined is four. Individual species limits also apply.
• The possession limit for all salmon from all waters is twice the daily limit. You cannot possess more than eight salmon in total, except for salmon that are at your ordinary residence.

EDIT: Its also literally the first rule listed under the "restrictions" section for Salmon on the Area 7 page.

https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/tidal-maree/a-s7-eng.html
 
Last edited:
Area 7 possession limit is 4 Chinook and 8 Coho.
Oh boy…. You better quit while you’re ahead. Possession is 8 salmon per person in all of bc, this means if you catch 4 chinook (which is max) you can only keep 4 coho or you can keep 8 coho. You can only keep 4 salmon per day per license and only 2 of those can be chinook in this case. Possession is a 2 day limit. FYI
 
Oh boy…. You better quit while you’re ahead. Possession is 8 salmon per person in all of bc, this means if you catch 4 chinook (which is max) you can only keep 4 coho or you can keep 8 coho. You can only keep 4 salmon per day per license and only 2 of those can be chinook in this case. Possession is a 2 day limit. FYI
My 6 year old son was also with us. 3 adults. Sorry for the confusion
 
In Shearwater now.
No fuel here or in Bella until possible Tuesday. Just a heads up.

Closest alternates would be Klemtu and Ocean Falls - but might want to call before you go.

Edit: Not Ocean Falls. I misread the PY Blue Pages - that little fuel icon is not Ocean Falls - its the legend for the page..
And its a long haul to Dawson's Landing.
 

Attachments

  • 20250812_073915.jpg
    20250812_073915.jpg
    288.3 KB · Views: 2
Last edited:
Not to derail, can start another thread, but during a trip to Winter Harbour we processed and froze all our fish into portions everyday. We just had a clear labeling format. Got stopped at a DFO checkpoint and they were very happy with our system.

Interesting, I haven’t been stopped by DFO yet but always assume proper packaging and records go a long way. My practice is to keep one side whole (with pectoral and tail, backbone removed), cut flesh to skin as rockinjohnny stated and then freeze flat in a long fish bag. I usually cut the opposite side in half, or sometimes 3 if big enough and vac seal. If being particular I’ll put the vac sealed portions into the same long fish bag so one fish is all together. Labels each bag with date, name, area species and number of packages for completeness sake (I.e 1 of 3 or 1 of 4 etc).
 
Interesting, I haven’t been stopped by DFO yet but always assume proper packaging and records go a long way. My practice is to keep one side whole (with pectoral and tail, backbone removed), cut flesh to skin as rockinjohnny stated and then freeze flat in a long fish bag. I usually cut the opposite side in half, or sometimes 3 if big enough and vac seal. If being particular I’ll put the vac sealed portions into the same long fish bag so one fish is all together. Labels each bag with date, name, area species and number of packages for completeness sake (I.e 1 of 3 or 1 of 4 etc).
For our system each portion was labeled: species, date, number for the fish, letter for each portion.
 
No its 4 of each species
I was waiting for someone else to do the fish math on that post … not something I’d want to put on a public forum….and even if the math does math out , the whole limit / scorecard thing is a bit passé…not a good look for the sport ….if you’ll excuse my Monday morning quarterbacking…but sounded like a great trip otherwise
 
I was waiting for someone else to do the fish math on that post … not something I’d want to put on a public forum….and even if the math does math out , the whole limit / scorecard thing is a bit passé…not a good look for the sport ….if you’ll excuse my Monday morning quarterbacking…but sounded like a great trip otherwise
His initial post has been edited to remove the total number of fish kept. Ignorance is bliss. Sometimes it's just best to fall on your sword and admit you made a mistake. As for the 6 year old along for the party, he must have been taking the pictures. Hopefully he now understands the regulations for his trip next year.
 
His initial post has been edited to remove the total number of fish kept. Ignorance is bliss. Sometimes it's just best to fall on your sword and admit you made a mistake. As for the 6 year old along for the party, he must have been taking the pictures. Hopefully he now understands the regulations for his trip next year.
I only edited it cause a few people mentioned I shouldn't put what I kept on a public forum. Im pretty new to this forum i can now see why. We never kept over our limit.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top