Radz Fishing restrictions intro

Radz
From pg. 4
Immediately, he knew he
had tied into the fish of a life
time.
With a flash like gold in a
blackened miners pan, the
trout turned and bored for
the pools boulder strew
bottom. With all that he had,
the old man denied his
destination. Beaten by his
first trick, the fish turned and
came straight towards
him. Sur-
prised, but again reacting
quickly, the old man speedily
took up the slack. Finished,
he was relieved to feel the
weight of the fish still on the
line. For a time, there was a
stalemate.
The trout sulked on the
bottom refusing to budge, the
old man fearing the hook
might pull loose, kept the
line tight, but was afraid to
try to work the still green fish
in. Then the trout turned and
made another attempt at
reaching the pools
depths. Once
again, he
denied
the fish
i t s
wish
and he
turned
him, this
time a little easier.
Then he began working him
in. The trout begrudged
every inch, shaking his head
as he came.
After a prolonged battle, he
finally got a glimpse of what
he had hoped would be his.
What he saw took his breath
away and he fought back
panic. Never had he seen
such a trout. Attempting to
THE STEELHEADER NEWS Early Sspring 2003 Edition 5
stay calm, he tried to beach slowly sank in, so did its some time, the old man held
him, rocking him gently
him, but the contest was far beauty.
from over. Mere feet from
Jewel like red and black back and forth. Slowly but
shore, the fish turned and spots shone from his surely, he felt the strength of
surged upstream. The old goldened hued sides which the river flow back into him
man followed the best he melded into a rich brown, and then, suddenly, with a
could. A few times he darkly mottled back. His flick of his tail, he was gone.
The old man gathered his
stumbled and nearly fell, but undersides shone like mother
gear
together and headed
by a stroke of luck was able of pearl. Its huge silver eye
downriver,
deep in thought.
to keep the rod tip high and was iridescent and seemed to
He
knew
that
what had just
the line tight.
be looking at him, contemoccurred was meant to be,
The trout didn’t slow until plating, in a fish like way, its
just as the first time. But that
he reached the next pool. fate.
it would never happen again.
There the fish made his final It was a miracle of his first
He thought of his dad, and he
attempts at regaining his trout experienced all over somehow knew that his time
freedom, again, boring for again, in a way, he had never was short and that he soon
the bottom, but each attempt expected. He gazed at it, and would be joining him, never
was less powerful. It wasn’t for a brief time, time itself to return to his beloved river
long before both knew that lost all meaning. Coming again.
the battle was finally over.
back to his senses, he had a He stopped briefly, one last
Resigned to its capture, the momentary urge to possess time to hear the singing of its
fish allowed himself to be him, but quickly his heart of waters. He silently thanked
landed. The old man could hearts told him what he must God that the same miracle
scarcely believe his eyes. do.
can happen twice. Then he
Before him was a brown of As carefully as he could, he turned and made his way
gargantuan proportions. It unhooked him and placed towards the car. As he did,
reached from his fingertips to him back in the water. The this time, tears ran freely
the crook of his arm. As this fish was exhausted, and for down both sides of his face.
B.C. fish farm under quarantine Fishing restrictions introPORT MCNEILL, B.C. - A fish farm in the
Broughton Archipelago has suffered an
outbreak of IHN, also known as sockeye
disease.
The farm in Sir Edmonds Bay has been
placed under quarantine and dead fish are
already being removed.
Dr. Ted Needham, the director of Heritage
Aquaculture which operates the fish farm,
says the problem came to light last week.
“We did some testing and they’re positive
for sockeye salmon virus, so we’re
harvesting them out and the site should be
empty in two, two-and-a half months,” he
says.
After all the salmon are gone, the farm will
lie empty for as many as three months to
make sure the disease does not return.
However, the Sierra Legal Defence Fund
says it still has concerns. Staff scientist John
Werring has written a letter to the province
claiming the farm has 24 net pens, instead of
the 12 allowed by permit.
“It’s contrary to their management plan
which says they are only going to have 12,
and it’s also contrary to their licence of
occupation and their aquatic licence,” he
says.
Sierra Legal is calling on the province to
shut down the fish farm, despite the fact that
it will be empty in three months as a result of
the IHN outbreak.
The outbreak occurred just days before a
protest was held recently in a nearby fish
farm operated by the same company.
Meanwhile, a government official says the
fish farm was already under investigation
after a site inspection revealed licence noncompliance.
The company was presented with an
official written warning last month because
of continued non-compliance.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and
Fisheries investigation could lead to a
licence suspension [cbc.ca]
Independent Power Projects: We understand there are large numbers of requests province wide
for approval of Independent Power projects on B.C. rivers and streams. There is a potential for
significant negative impact on fish stocks caused by water diversions. We are writing to enquire
what your ministries are doing to ensure environmental concerns are addressed. To date we and
the public in general have heard nothing from your staffs regarding safeguards in place.
We respectfully suggest that the issue of private power
projects on our watersheds not only raises concerns
regarding fragile fish stocks, but also questions pertaining
to private access to water sources belonging to all citizens
of the province. We believe that other organizations and the public in general supports an
extensive review including public consultation before we provide private access to our most
precious natural resource.
We strongly suggest there be a moratorium on approval of Independent Power Projects until all
concerns have been addressed. Dec 5, 2002, Ministry of Water Land & Air Protection, Hon.
Joyce Murray, Minister, Ministry of Sustainable Resource Mgt., Hon. Stan Hagen, Minister.
Rod Clapton, President BC Federation of Drift Fishers (BCFDF).
LETTER
COMFORT INN
duced to help rebuild stock
Ministry of Water, Land and
Air Protection
SMITHERS – New angling
regulations to rebuild lake
trout stocks at Tchesinkut
Lake have been introduced,
effective immediately.
The Ministry of Water,
Land and Air Protection, in
co-operation with the
Bulkley-Nechako regional
district and the Tchesinkut
Lake Protection Society conducted scientific stock assessment and creel surveys
in 1988 and 2001,
which confirmed the decline
in lake trout. Ministry fisheries biologists concluded that
continuing with the previous
regulations would have perpetuated the poor angling
quality and possibly contributed to further declines in
the lake trout population and
the quality of the lake trout
fishery on Tchesinkut Lake.
The ministry developed
angling regulations in consultation with the society and
the regional district. The
regulations allow residents
and visitors to enjoy fishing
while the lake trout stocks
are given time to rebuild
naturally.
March
kle
ac
Fishing T
7
Th Anniversary Sale
March15
is Casting Month
Reps @ the Store
What’s New in Store:
BBQ & Free Coffee
10am-4pm
“P-Line” Co-polymar line
Stronger than Maxima & 40% Cheaper
“Jig-Tactics” Marabou Jigs
With Gamakatsu Hooks
Hours: Sat, Mon-Thurs 9-5:30
Fri 9-9, Sun 10-4
“Sage” LE Series Fly Rods
Priced for your Budget
“Temple Fork Outfitter”
Drift Rods USA Quality
& Warranty without Big Prices
Things you Need for Spring:
Bear Spray $34.98
& Holster $6.98
G Loomis, Sage & St. Croix
Ball Hats 20% off
Call Toll Free: 1-800-228-5150
Ask for “PFISH”
Fishing Special
Starting at
$42.00 per person
(based on double occupancy) +taxes
Includes an early morning Continental
Breakfast and an in-room movie
to relax with at the end of the day
(604) 858-0636
Fax: (604) 858-0116
email:
email:cn235@whgca.com
cn235@whgca.com
www.choicehotels.ca/cn235
45405 Luckakuck Way, Chilliwack, BC V2R 3C7
Fly Tying Materials - 15% off
Start Tying Now - Iceoff is almost Here
$200.00 Purchase gets you “Free”
Polarized Sunglasses (Value $40.00)
1,000’s of New Flies, New Fly Lines,
Line Cleaner & Tippet Specials
Truck Tire Bladder Float Tubes
5MM Neoprene Waders
Trout Spin Combo
Graphite Fly Rod & Reel Combo
No Purchase Necessary for:
Draw for Float Tube
Draw for Fly Rod & Reel
Draw for Drift Rod & Bait Casting Rod
$159.00
$99.00
$29.00
$95.00
with Line
Daiwa Heartland Mooching
Combo
$135.00
(Pontoon Boat Raffle $4/Ticket)
www.gills-fishing.com
#4-19300 #10 HWY Surrey, BC V3S 6K2
Limited quantities
(604) 530-6266