What Makes a Tyee?

What 4 things make a #Tyee a true Tyee?

A photo posted by Jeffish (@jeffishbilly) on Oct 5, 2016 at 9:45pm PDT

To gain membership in the prestigious Tyee Club of B.C. there are a few requirements.  Spring (Chinook) salmon weighing over 30 pounds

caught in the Tyee Pool of Campbell River, British Columbia from a boat that is being rowed or paddled using single barbless hook attached to an artificial lure on 20 lb. test line.

tyeeclub.org

Grit and Glory

This year I've had the pleasure to contribute to a number of activities in support of the Burrard Inlet Marine Enhancement Society. 

Last Thursday was a gorgeous day to get outside, pull up the hip waders and work in Port Moody's Mossom Creek mouth.

Community volunteers, some keen students from Heritage Woods Secondary and a couple of experts from EcoFish research all pitched in to restore salmon spawning pools.  

We lifted boulders, wheeled barrows and passed buckets of gravel in the water. 

I got to meet and work with a number of cheerful characters.  Neighbours who granted us road access to the site Wally and Damian generously supplied their energy and equipment.  Nancy made some decadent homemade cookies.  We followed Dave and Jered's professional insights on how to shape the pools and where to build up gravel bedding.  Marine biologist, Bruce shared facts about a protected tailed frog seen earlier that day and put in a massive effort expertly replacing rocks.  Segrid, Matt, Ben and Osman shovelled and shovelled and shovelled like champions.  

In the afternoon the sunshine peeked through the trees and helped nourish us as we all as we enjoyed a tasty pizza and fresh lemonade lunch.  

There were sculpin darting around, caddis fly pupas clinging to the bottom of rocks, water striders skidding and a couple of mosquitos said hello too.  We left the creek looking clean, revived and ready.  If I was a salmon returning home to spawn this would be a beautiful place to do it.

Thanks very much to all for their efforts

photo: Ruth Foster

Learn more:
Mossom Creek Hatchery
EcoFish Research

Ups and Downs

Today was my first day as a casual part-time custodian at the Capilano River Hatchery.  I have never been so excited to wipe toilets and mop floors!  The staff there are all very pleasant and a few of the guys are certified fishaholics like myself.  Lunch break was speckled with our smartphone photos of recent catches and freshly tied flies and jigs.

On a sadder note, I learned that one of the hatchery's longstanding brood fisherman, Eric Carlisle passed away.  I did not know Eric well but I had bumped into him a few times fishing the cable pool.  He was very friendly and we chatted about fishing for brood stock and the 2014 rockslide on the Seymour River.  I also learned that Mr. Carlisle has quite a reputable history as a conservationist and author.  His book was in the lunchroom and will be my next read.  RIP Eric Carlisle and thank you.

RIP Eric Carlisle

A photo posted by Jeffish (@jeffishbilly) on Sep 27, 2016 at 6:48pm PDT

My first small mouth bass.

Elk Lake in Victoria, April 2015

Oct.5/14 - Flatfish