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Spring came early to the Bulkley Valley this year. By May 1 the
Sandhill Cranes with their Jurassic trumpets had already passed
through to their Alaskan breeding grounds, two to three weeks ahead
of last year. Most of the lower trees in the valley were budding
out, and the main trout lakes had shed their hard coats.
The Bulkley is running high and dirty with the early runoff, as
are all the downstream rivers. The beautiful mountains surrounding
this valley have much less snow than this time last year. For the
angler it is bittersweet. Too high and dirty to fish the rivers
that are open but also knowing that an early runoff will make way
for some great fishing when the Spring Salmon return in June.
At the Cabin
Here at the cabin the loons came to the reunion,
taking up residence in the same place. The gander is again patrolling
the
shoreline
uttering fowl language and threatening gestures to all other
avian trespassers and protecting his nearby nesting mate. The light
colored
coyote is back; patrolling the shoreline looking for a slow goose
as he regularly did last year. No luck but a coyote has to try.
The red winged blackbirds are flashing their epaulets to the
returning females with their pick me call. The ospreys are sitting
in their
favorite resting and eating perch as they scan the lakes finny
smorgasbord. And the ruffed grouse is back at his drumming log,
beating out his love song, about every two minutes, all night
long. The snipe are overhead doing their rise and fall on the evening,
whooshing mating flight. Everything just as it was last year.
You
get the feeling of continuity, of oneness.
Remain the Same No matter what else is happening in your life, in your world,
some things remain the same. You
feel the universe is unfolding as it should, some things need to
remain the same. I’d like to think it is the same birds or
animals returning every year, it may be their offspring, but it
doesn’t really matter, as long as they return.
(All previous issues are stored in the ARCHIVE for
your convenience)
Bob's
Weekly Fishing Report is back
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Spring is the promise season. The promise to renew, to regreen,
to brighten the landscape from the drab of decay to the verdant
stirring of life. The fresh smell of new growth, reemergence.
Promise
It also brings those human promises to spend time
with old friends, meet new friends and spend more time doing the
things important
to you. A promise to visit new places and hopefully some promises
to revisit those places and times that were good for you.
Promise to hike a new trail, fish a new spot, take a kid fishing,
and introduce a new friend to the outdoors. Promise to revisit
a great lake, a beautiful campsite, take more pictures, and renew
an old friendship that has drifted apart. And promise to keep
a diary so you can return to those memories whenever you want.
Predictions
A new season teases with promises. The early runoff
may mean we will have great access and water conditions for the
return
of
the
salmon. Fisheries and Oceans tease us each year but I really
like their come on this year. They are predicting a very good return
of Chinook and Coho, probably better than last year. The returns
in the last couple of years have been great. Talking to my Prince
Rupert contact today, he has noticed some really good early trends
in the saltchuck.
Sockeye Salmon returns are predicted to be quite a bit better
than last year and ensuring another fishery on the Skeena and
Babine.
There is even talk of an increased limit on the Skeena if returns
come as expected.
New Licences
New licences were due on April 1. Check to see if you have a current
licence for the fresh or saltwater. Not many changes in the new
regulations. New changes are highlighted in green. Important to
note that Doris Lake is now no fishing for Lake Trout {Char}. All
Lake Trout must be released.
Limited entry forms and tags are now available. Best to send these
in early and avoid that last minute courier fiasco so common at
closing date.
Let us know your thoughts. Email
me and
give us some input.
Check for new photos on the Photo
page
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