In the past week or so, we have seen the 2014 Sockeye return hit mainstream news outlets in a big way. DFO has released it's prediction for the coming summer, and we are now anticipating a record number of Sockeye in the Fraser River!!
Check out these stories for more scientific/numerical/data-oriented info:
Globe & Mail - March 5th
Global News - March 6th
CTV News - March 6th
Now, of course, these are all still early season predictions, and anything can happen. However, when you get the majority of experts in an industry all saying things like "record year", "massive return", and "best fishing in years!" I tend to listen to them.
I wasn't around the Fraser fishery in 2010 - which was the last big opening that we had, but I have heard the guys speak of that season with a type of exhausted reverence that only comes with working long days, catching more fish than you care to clean, and spending more time in your boat than at home.
By all accounts, we are setting up for another such summer. If the opening is similar to 2010, we could see Sockeye fishing open as early as late July, and stay open until the end of September.
Already, this year is shaping up to be the stuff of legend. At the BC Boat and Sportsmen's show last weekend, I spoke with one old timer (very actively involved in the fishing community as an angler, he sits on multiple committees, and knows just about everyone who fishes the Fraser on a regular basis) who says that he has already heard that the call is out to anyone in North America who owns a reefer: "Get to Vancouver this summer! They won't have enough freezer space, and you will be in high demand!!"
Knowing this particular individual, some of the details may be exaggerated. I know what you're thinking - a fisherman stretching the fish story?? No....But it has been known to happen.
Now whether or not there will truly be fleets of reefers converging on the Lower Mainland is besides the point. What we can say for sure is that canneries and processors are preparing for a busy summer.
For recreational anglers, this is all a great sign. If we get the run predicted, there will be more than enough fish to go around!
We are expecting the run to peak between mid-August and mid-September, and we are already getting some very busy days booking up during this time frame.
The Sockeye fishery can be a great way to introduce your kids or grandkids to the sport - there is lots of action, and with the size of the fish they can reel them in all by themselves.
Why not create some great memories this summer, all while filling the freezer with delicious, wild, Sockeye salmon? Sounds like a winning combination to me.
