Cowichan River

[Big Green Machine]

why don't you just say it's the rambling fishermen?

The old one or new one lol

 

[chevyshaulass]

why don't you just say it's the rambling fishermen?

I guess I didn't find it as necessary as you apparently do, since im not trying to trash the guy or his business, just using that as an example of what maybe should not be done at this stage of the season. It's not the first, and prob wont be the last time this kinda thing happens.

 

[Rum Buddies]

The old one or new one lol

both


But why not hold people in the fishing community accountable? By speaking up maybe people will change their ways, or better yet send him a direct email -- maybe he just doesn't know any better?

 

[Fins -n- Skins]

Yes we are getting a 50/50 mix but have no intention of giving up fishing until the end of March.. The March run is still coming in and people like myself and others are going fishing. Some people are targeting reds and that goes on in the upper and lower.. Fly guys are just as guilty as the gear chuckers.. Its your choice to chevy to not fish and i respect that..

 

[eroyd]

Curious . . . is there surveyor tape tied in branches above prime lies on the upper river? Casting targets for novice's? Some sort of fish counts? I noticed them last spring around now. They would have to have been placed by boat. What other purposes could they have served?

 

[Mooseman250]

How's the hatchery system working for the Stamp these days? For the amount of money pumped into those hatchery steelhead they are getting a pretty pathetic return. The artifical bubble burst. The few caught are pretty darn expensive "keepers". Enhancement money should go into enhancement, not plugging the river with inbred robots. . . . . And yeah! Those netting steelhead at the fisheries present state should be hung by their peers.

Actually really good this year

 

[CowCatcher]

There's obviously a wide variety of viewpoints regarding the state of the river and the vitality of the steelhead population that lives in it. That's okay because obviously everyone is entitled to their opinion, but is there any organized group that actually monitors what's going on and/or lobbies government agencies to try and achieve any changes or improvements? I'm looking forward to (hopefully) fishing here for years to come and would love to see an upturn in the overall health of the river and its fish population.

 

[onefish]

Ten days ago we got into a dozen fish during a drift from stoltz down. One was confirmed fresh, another was long range released and assumed to be fresh the rest were kelts or very colored fish. So 2/12 were decent 10/12 were not. I have not been back and will not be going back to harass a bunch of tired, colored fish.

 

[chevyshaulass]

Ten days ago we got into a dozen fish during a drift from stoltz down. One was confirmed fresh, another was long range released and assumed to be fresh the rest were kelts or very colored fish. So 2/12 were decent 10/12 were not. I have not been back and will not be going back to harass a bunch of tired, colored fish.

this ^^^^^^^^

 

[Carmanah]

Over fishing is probably one of the minor and easiest to control problems this river is going to encounter in the near future, low and warm water this summer and in the future is what's going to wipe out a bunch of salmon and steelhead before they even get into the ocean. Calling out a guide in this thread is pretty weak too btw there are lots of guys still hitting this river hard guided and otherwise.

 

[SPRINGER]

sad that so called pro guides have to exploit dark and actively spawning wild steelies………..

 

[Fins -n- Skins]

Just read an article in the Island Angler from the Lake Cowichan area report.. Quote ( April and May on the Cowichan River is still excellent steelhead fishing ) The report does go on to say most are mended kelts.. I am done for the season but the river is still open to fishing so people are within there right to fish.. Not so bad when we had a Hatchery program but now its just these so call Wild steelhead ?? Never did hear what happened with the Netting and the out come ?? Can we look forward to the same crap next year ?

 

[Jwolfe]

Just start hucking hay bails off the bridge during high water that will take care of the Nets

 

[Derby]

Lots has been done...Just cannot put it out on the forum....Be assured that we are working on it and starting to built a relationship.....If u require anything else...please feel free to pm me and I can give u a call..

 

[Carmanah]

sad that so called pro guides have to exploit dark and actively spawning wild steelies………..

The majority of drift boats on the upper on Saturday were private boats.

 

[Aces]

Any guide that believes in fish stewardship wouldn't be molesting those spawned out fish

 

[steeliehead]

The whole Cowichan needs to close to steelhead fishing from March 15 - April 15, to give the few remaining fish some piece and quiet.

 

[Big Green Machine]

The whole Cowichan needs to close to steelhead fishing from March 15 - April 15, to give the few remaining fish some piece and quiet.

I agree, if people want to stick dropbacks, go to the Stamp!

 

[eroyd]

The whole Cowichan needs to close to steelhead fishing from March 15 - April 15, to give the few remaining fish some piece and quiet.

I could live with that but there are many who target a very good trout fishery on the upper river, and if done right barely bother the steelhead at all. Lets not forget that the Cowichan has a significant run of "March run", fish. Or at least it did. Typically 4-6 lb fish.

The three driftboats that passed me a week ago at the 70.2 trestle area made effort to give fish on cleaned gravel wide berth. Pretty sure two were guides. (K, JS)