Rainy day out

Yesterday was a wet one. The day started early in the morning on the Vedder canal to see if any pink salmon or coho had made their way up to the river yet.

We went up just above the highway bridge and beached the boat on an island bar. We fished the river for about an hour. The river was looking in great shape and we did see a few risers. However we did not fish it long and did not hook anything. Hopping back in the boat and heading down stream we discussed where we would fish next. The plan was to drift the river to the mouth and then zip out to the fraser to target sturgeon. On the drift the only action we saw was from a greedy pike minnow that couldn't manage the larger hook and spat it out half way to the boat.

Sturgeon was looking promising. We were soaking wet from the on and off rain we were having in the area but full of anticipation. First stop was up near Cattermole in a spot that had proven fruitful in the past. We anchored up and dropped our lines. The baits we had were pink salmon pieces, pinks salmon roe and eulechon. The pink salmon pieces were the ticket early on. After a couple of early bites the action died... then out if the blue my rod danced and I set the hook. I love that feeling of setting the hook with authority only to have your efforts siezed by a tremendous weight at the end of the line. A smile instantly hit my face as I felt the weight of the fish and the head shakes. This fish felt big. The fish began peeling line, reel screaming and rod bent in half i held on tight. The head shakes were boucing the tip of my rod and then... POP... nothing.. slack line and all I could feel was the lead weight on the end of my line. Sigh.... oh well it was early and there was bound to be another chance.

Despite my optimism we only had a few more bites throughout the day, tried a bunch of different locations and came up empty handed. The day ended with us defeated by the mighty sturgeon of the Fraser river and soaking wet from the down pours we experienced. However there is always next time and plenty of fishing adventures in the future. A day without fish doesn't keep me off the water. After all, every day out is a good day.