[Gillie]

I was wondering if anyone out there could share how the runs have been on the Squamish the last few years. Would like to try a trip out to BC and the Squamish is on my short list.

Thanks in advance
Gillie

 

[kush]

For Steelhead? The Squamish runs have been severely depressed for a number of years now. There are some in the Cheakamus (the major trib) but they are still a shadow of former years and the Cheakamus is not a particularly fly friendly river.

My fishing Club has a fishout every spring, while fish are caught it is primarily an ode to the days when there were fish. Sadly the outing tends to be more of a social event. I guess the most poignant statement would be that my river of choice for spring steelheading is the Skagit/Sauk - and I live in Vancouver...

Now if you want to catch chum or coho - there are lots and they are there now.

 

[Gillie]

I know this relates back to the whole Thompson closure issue but it strikes me that the salmon do so much better than the steelhead. Any idea why salmon returns remain viable in some of these rivers but the steelies are so depressed ?

Gillie

 

[RLN]

salmon are doing better mainly because of spawning times and the amount of time they spend in the system before leaving dor saltwater. When the steelhead spawn in the spring they need to use the small tributary creeks. Most of the salmon species use both creeks and some mainstem. There is also hatchery work done on chinook and coho, plus lots of spawning channel work done for both chums and pinks. In the squamish it's self, most of the spawning creeks used to come off of the mountians and meander along the mainstem river for a few kilometers and then merge. Now , after the logging and floods that followed, most of the creeks are very short and provide little spawning room. Some creeks that used to be 7-10kilo's in lenght are now .5-2 kilo's long. This is a very short version of some of the many problems that the local steelheaqd face.

 

[Whistler]

Cheakamus not a fly friendly river? Have you been there lately?
BN

 

[Gillie]

Whistler,
I know you guide in that region. Do you have any insight into the future of the Squamish and the Cheakamus ? I have read about those rivers and have dreamed of fishing them. It's sad that the runs are so depressed.

Gillie

 

[kush]

Brian - when are you taking me?