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Clearwater chinook fishery slow

The annual chinook fishery held each August on the Clearwater and North Thompson rivers was quite slow this year
Keith McNeill
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Tumbler Ridge residents Ken and Jen Marsel angle for chinook salmon on the Clearwater River at the Kettle on Tuesday - the last day of the annual fishery held each August on the river. The couple caught several fish during their stay and even let a 25-pounder go (a female loaded with eggs). Ken Marsel has relatives in the area and has been fishing the Clearwater every year since he was 12 years old.

The annual chinook fishery held each August on the Clearwater  and North Thompson rivers was quite slow this year, with low returns of chinook expected, federal fisheries officer Monte Bromley has reported.

“The angling effort was lower than usual likely due to the expected low chinook return and also higher than usual water on the Clearwater and North Thompson for this time of year. The higher water can make it more challenging for anglers to catch salmon,” he said.

“We will have to wait until DFO (Department of Fisheries and Oceans) does their annual fish count in the fall to see what kind of numbers we got for spawning escapement,” he added.

Bromley noted that the Clearwater and North Thompson Chinook sport fishery closed at the end of Tuesday, Aug 21.

 

Anglers can no longer fish for chinook in the Clearwater area for the remainder of 2012., the fisheries officer said.