Fraser River

[3nails]

 Thought I'd start a thread to see who's going to fish it this year. I'm surprised by the lack of chatter about this fishery. More fish return here yearly than the Columbia but it get's little press. Up to 72 million sockeye are predicted to return this year. We have the knowledge of the fishery to share for those interested. It opens July 16th for kings under 77cm until the 27th. It then should open to any king over 62cm. Most fish average about 20 lbs. My biggest up there is 40. Sockeye will open depending on the test fishery. Once it looks like the return is strong enough they'll open it. I'll guess around the first week of August. These average 6-7 lbs I'll say. Our biggest was 15! Lots in the 10-12 range some years. It can be fished from the gravel bars but is best fished by boat. Due to the size of the river a sled is not always necessary. Let me know if you are interested in this fishery. If you are solo this may be a good way to hook up with someone else. Especially if you have a boat.   

[notellumcreek]

Gonna be fishing about 6 miles south of the mouth of the Fraser monday and tuesday of this next week, I will report of any activity when we get back. hopefully we will have some success but this is gonna be the first time targeting sockeye for me. We have been successful in catching kings, when we put in the time. All that talk of 70 million has got me excited, a couple of years ago when they had the other big run they were jumping everywhere out there but we didn't know how to fish for them and couldn't catch any 

[3nails]

 How about picture motivation? A few kings from there. We rarely take pics anymore because it just looks like the same fish over and over.

[notellumcreek]

those are some hogs 3nails!  makes me want to focus on catching kings this week!

[klikboom]

Hey 3Nails, I'd really like to learn more about this fishery. Fraser and Area 9 share the same king season, so I'm thinking I'll probably fish that season down here, but I'd like to get up for the sockeye if it looks like they're coming in as predicted. In the past what was the daily limit? How far up the river are you going? Are you camping up there?

Is there a more informaiton place for info on the sockeye regs? http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/tidal-maree/fraser-eng.html

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Looks like some pretty country to catch fish in. Nice kings!

[Ripper]

I want to hit it this year. I've never fished it so any info would be appreciated. Where to launch, when to go, baits? I know nothing.

[3nails]

 Everything opens and closes through fishery notices. They could post it open effevtively immediately then post it closed the next day. Very rare for abrupt closures though. This is the link to the notices.
http://www-ops2.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fns-sap/index-eng.cfm?CFID=8995217&CFTOKEN=51563027

 Every day they do 2 gillnet test sets to determine how the return is progressing. Link here:
http://www-ops2.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fos2_Internet/Testfish/rptdtfdparm.cfm?fsub_id=242.

 As you can see sockeye are starting to show. King numbers are delicious! You can change the parameters to look at past years and see that this is shaping up to be the best king run since 2010. Can't wait!

[3nails]

 The sockeye limit is generally 2 with the king limit being 4 but only one over 62 cm. We try and fish just across the border between the island 22 boat launch and the Aggasiz bridge. We'll usually go up on an afternoon, fish that evening and sleep in the boat or under the stars on the bar then fish the next morning. 2 limits, one trip.   

[BOWHUNTER45]

I really need to start heading that way ...just makes a guy sink seeing fish caught like that  Do a lot of people fish from the bank up there ? Noticed the one guy trying !

[3nails]

 You can catch the socks from the beach but pretty rare to land a king. These fish aren't referred to as "stumpys" for nothing. They've got shoulders!

[h2ofowlr]

Are the locals still messing with your rig if it's from the states?

[RB]

Nice fish!

[trophyhunt]

Been up there 3 different years with Oly's fish tours, great guy!  Kept us on the water till we caught our fish, hours didn't mean crap to him, it was all about killing a fish!! Is bottom bouncing still illegal? We did very well the year we could bottom bounce, tougher the years we couldn't.  If you want a great guide give him a call.

[3nails]

Are the locals still messing with your rig if it's from the states?

You definitely want to park in a secured area like Island 22 otherwise it's a gamble.

[klikboom]

Hey 3nails, at the Island 22 regional park page it says if your rig is left after hours it'll get towed... is this the place your parking overnight?

http://www.fvrd.com/SERVICES/PARKSANDTRAILS/EXPLOREOURPARKS/Pages/Island22.aspx

[notellumcreek]

Well not much luck south the mouth the last 2 days, with winds being a strong factor we couldn't launch our small boat Tuesday morning. Managed to get out Monday for 5 hours in the afternoon... without a bite  I guess long lining and tide lines full of seaweed doesn't help too much either... saw a couple jumping yesterday finally so I think the sockeye are starting to come around, but no indians netting out there yet so I don't think the bulk of the run is quite in. We are gonna try to hit it hard again next Monday Tuesday, hopefully the weather cooperates for what we can manage.

[Stein]

72 million sockeye and a 2 fish limit?  Seems pretty absurd. 

It sounds interesting, but that's quite a drive to buy yet another license, get 2 sockeye and have my truck messed with.  There are many closer choices for both kings and sockeye that are going to be red hot this year unless I am missing something.

[Ripper]

Does anybody have any word on what's happening up North? Anybody hit it recently?

[3nails]

Does anybody have any word on what's happening up North? Anybody hit it recently?

First trip up tomorrow. Those I haven't pm'd back I will tomorrow.

[crow360]

goog luck up there!! thanks for all the information!

[3nails]

 We caught one king yesterday about 20 lbs. Had to let it go. That same fish will be legal starting tomorrow. We saw three other fish hooked. I had some computer problems so if I didn't return any pm's please resend.

[Crunchy]

Well where are the updates on the Fraser?  I am headed back up in a few hours for second trip.  First trip was awesome, except we couldn't get passed the sockeye to catch our kings.  I think I alone caught 40-50 sockeye in two days and was completely worn out.  Kept four nice 6-8 pounders.  Let a couple of bigger ones go because I had already bonked my two each day.  Hopefully we will all get our Kings and Socks tomorrow and Friday.

[3nails]

 Fished it Thur, Fri, Sat, and Sun. My son and I put 16 socks in the freezer and I added 2 kings. One about 18 lbs and the other about a 28 lb white. I have a pic of the smaller king but I think I put the other sd card into a trail cam on accident. I'll post the other pics later. I'll be up again this weekend.

[grade-creek-rd]

Not sure if I can get the link to post/work but here is a report/blog on the Fraser:

http://nwsportsmanmag.com/editors-blog/fish-em-fraser/


G-C-R

[Dhoey07]

Not sure if I can get the link to post/work but here is a report/blog on the Fraser:

http://nwsportsmanmag.com/editors-blog/fish-em-fraser/


G-C-R
[/quote/]

2 fish limit seems a little odd for the numbers that they have back.

Kinda funny that flossing is the norm up there

[grade-creek-rd]

From my understanding...Its a Sockeye fishery...and most rivers with current that have an open Sockeye fishery allow "flossing"...such as the Kenai & Russian rivers in AK...the anomily is here in Washington we have fisheries like Lk Washington, Baker Lk, Lk Wenatchee, Brewster Pool where you can actually use dodgers and bare red hooks...can't do that in rivers where a 3 oz cannonball barely makes it to the bottom!

G-C-R

[h20hunter]

http://nwsportsmanmag.com/editors-blog/fish-em-fraser/

[grade-creek-rd]

I have thought about the 2 fish limit as well...I wonder if it is to keep people from staying on the river all day long, as a lot of people fish for them, so maybe it's a get two, move on and make room thing...or it can also be the fact that the water is really warm so there is going to be a higher incidental mortality rate if people keep fishing...most up there that I have found will get their 2 fish and move on (go to work, go home, whatever)...only those visiting will stay and keep fishing for a Chinook all day. One cool thing I have found about the Canadian fisheries in BC for salmon, especially Sockeye, is that they don't open it based on predictions...they open it after they test net it (Game Dept) and once they figure the bulk of the run is in the river they then spot open it, subject to change daily, which means you can be up there and they close the retention of Sockeye the next day! What a concept, to actually monitor a fishery to make sure it can sustain a harvest and then keep tabs on the harvest and close it before the run is depleted...hmm....

G-C-R

[3nails]

 Well said, G C R. Compare that to our fisheries opening up the Skagit on a predicted size and now it looks like a third of the fish are returning that they thought would.
Another reason for the sockeye flossery is because of there being no visibility in the river. It's the only way to harvest them and is widely excepted up there. And boy are they deliceous!

[BOWHUNTER45]

Sad thing is the news isn't really covering it. Google mount polley mine spill.

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You nailed it Sundance .. I just missed hearing the whole thing last week but I did hear the part about the spill and fish wouldn't be getting threw as normal ...

[singleshot12]

Might as well bust the whole thing open, no limits. All those fish are going to die anyhow. The mine spill will destroy that whole ecosystem. Fish up river have their skin peeling off. Sorry but the Fraser is screwed, 10 million cubic yards of toxic mining tailings.

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That is terrible news especially since a big % of our migrating salmon and sturgeon our Fraser fish. Hope it gets cleaned up some how

[hookedonquack20]