While local rivers provide year-round fishing for catch-and-release trout, salmon runs come and go and fly anglers and spincasters get out and enjoy countless hours of fishing.
You’ll see all types of fishers from beginners to experienced fly casters.
Here we are, in the second week of November, the daylight hours are shorter and the weather will be changing on a daily basis and, at times, shortening fishing time on the water. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we do things and we are well accustomed now to social distancing.
Signs are posted around the Quinsam, Oyster and Campbell rivers and there are more people on the trails fishing, walking or walking the dog.
Those fishing for coho are still out there and the run of coho is coming to an end and yes, a number of gumboots are in the river. I learned that the term gumboot referred to a salmon or trout that is spawned out and is at the end of their life cycle.
Fly anglers will try a number of patterns and the best results have been drift fishers using wool. The coho run was good starting in October and now it’s done.
You can fish the rivers for trout and there is no retention and all hooks are single barbless and no use of bait. There are a number of fishable pools on the Quinsam River and weekends are busy.
A good starting point is at the location known as Eric’s Riffle, which is easy to get to, and the picnic table is there with a garbage can.
Last week a number of liquor bottles were thrown in the trees, along with empty beer cans and fishing line that was tossed out. Any garbage you take in, you take out. You can put garbage, wrappers, etc. in your tackle box and sort it out when you get home.
Nature will take care of any spawned out salmon and the smell of rotten fish is quite evident especially in the Quinsam.
For most people, the fishing season is over and they have put their boats away in storage, some are gone hunting.
In the first week of November, some winter springs were being caught at the Lighthouse and on the good weather weekends, the local boat launch areas are busy and trailers can be parked with ease.
There are salmon guys around and a heated boat during this time of year is a pleasure but in other cases, dressing warmly is the key to spending an afternoon to get your last salmon-catching fix in.
For the fun of it, nothing wrong with getting on Discovery Pier and catching a few perch or even a winter spring.
The concession is closed and so are the washrooms. Garbage cans are located in the parking area and at times, people have been throwing masks into the rocks and not using the garbage containers.