October 2012

Stream Keeping

On the long weekend I drove over to Ucluelet and was surprised to see most streams on the way over bone dry. This corresponded with most of our small streams on this side, no rain no flow what will the fish do? Wait, the only thing to do. The fish seem to know, thousands of years coming and going has allowed them to survive conditions of draught until it rains sufficiently to return surface flows to allow them to transit the stream to the place of their birth or close enough. Nanoose Bay allows for a nice safe environment for holding fish awaiting the rains, full of feed and relatively few predators they can socialise and prepare for the last leg of their ocean odyssey into the stream of their birth.

Down in the estuary two dead Chum recently killed by being stranded when the tide went out were in the process of becoming lunch for the Gulls and Crows. With the coming of nightfall other predators will emerge from the forest to take their share of the coming bounty, Bear will be right at home after feasting on apples over the past weeks, Raccoon will join the feast along with Otter and Mink; nutrients will be spread throughout the forest benefiting all plants which in turn will provide shade and nutrients back into the stream to nature the eggs and eventually the fry next spring. The Black Bear that seems to be the resident fisher has already got his trails cleared to his favourite fishing holes. Several live Chum were thrashing around in pools barley deep enough to cover their backs awaiting  the returning tide which will flood the lower reaches allowing them to move further up the streams to deeper wetted habitat. This year the Chum is on average a larger fish than other years with lots 10 pounds with some close to 15/20 pounds. One monster male Chum surfaced and swam around the pool looking a good 15 pounds plus as we stood and watched.

By the time you are reading this I hope to see some wild Coho returning into the streams as the small amount of rain we have had so far [20^th] is barley returning flow though up in the upper watersheds flows are beginning to return and in time will reach the estuary of the dryer streams hopefully by November. Some fishing [catch and release] is going on down in Nanoose Bay from the shore for Coho feeding on forage fish [Herring, Sand lance, Smelts etc] who use Nanoose Bay as a rearing area relatively free from predators.

As Fall progresses more fish will return to our streams and hopefully we will see good returns of both Chum and Coho. Along with the return of the Salmon we also are treated to one of natures other gifts at this time of year, fungus or to give it a friendlier name mushrooms. Around the watersheds the silent mushroom picker wanders throughout the forest in search of Chanterelles, Pine Mushrooms, Porcini and many more good eating fungi, but beware to only eat mushrooms if you know what they are. Have a great fall and try to get out into the woods once in awhile.