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Lots of fishing action in August

By Don Daniels
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Drifting down the Campbell River. Photo by Don Daniels

By Don Daniels

The spinning gear is out and those who fly fish are out in the Campbell River going after pink salmon.

If you choose not to fish you can snorkel with the salmon and get an underwater view of the spawning cycle of the pinks. A number of people will set out at the upper Campbell River and float down to the estuary.

Already a number are fishing the top end of the river in the fly fishing-only zone but Sandy Pool is a busy area to fish for pinks from shore and you can view what goes on at the old logging bridge. This also is a popular area for viewing the canyon view trail and getting out for a nice walk.

I had a chance to view the fishing action from the bridge and the pinks are in and a few of the springs that came into the river can be seen quite clearly. The pinks are silver at the moment but will darken as the days stretch out into the month of September. I have seen people fishing at Sandy Pool and keeping really dark fish for the smoker.

Fly anglers will hook and release as many as 10 pinks a day then head home.

There are pinks being caught in Discovery Passage by fishing in 60 to 70 feet of water. The fishing zone will go past Salmon Point all the way to Kitty Coleman.

Those fishing the Tyee Pool this month can keep a spring salmon over 80 cms. The first two Tyee catches of the 2019 season have been recorded and more catches are expected by Sept. 15. Tyee 1 was caught Aug. 7 at 9:10 p.m. It was a 30 pound spring and was caught on a spoon by Meagan Dougan with rower Mike Dougan. Tyee 2 was caught also on Aug. 7 by Roma Boutilier using a plug. The fish came in at 34 pounds and the rower was Floyd Ross.

Each day you will see more and more boats out in the pool and both anglers and rowers will fish the old fashioned way determined to get into the record book.

I call it walk-on fishing on Discovery Pier and pinks, springs and coho salmon can be hooked anytime of the day but the best time seems to be around 7 a.m. On July 28, a 30 pound spring was caught and released by Vicky Nicoll. If you have never fished on the pier, rods are available and remember you need a fishing license to begin with. If you hook into a salmon, nets are available and people are there to help you land your catch.

The first annual Salmon Festival will be held Saturday, Aug. 31 from noon to 4 p.m. at Straits View Café in Sayward with all proceeds going to Campbell River Salmon Foundation. There will be live music and a barbecue and admission is free. Painters Lodge donated a fishing trip and one night stay and a raffle will take place that afternoon.

I get to Sayward Wednesday and Friday and I will attend the event on Saturday and fish the dock that afternoon. I have a number of fishing flies that I am donating for the event and I look forward to meeting those who attend and support salmon enhancement on the Salmon River. All fish from the Salmon River are catch and release.