At just two years old, Ronald Peter Jr. was casting a fishing rod twice his size along the Cowichan River Tuesday. He was taking part in an annual tradition that brought his dad to tears.
“Oh it’s so great,” said Gregory Joseph, a 34-year-old Duncan man.
“The way my dad taught me I teach them exact the same.”
Since the Cowichan man lost his dad Ronald, the fall return of salmon has become a way to connect with him all over again he said.
“It brings me closer to my dad,” said Joseph.
“I love it so much.”
It was a similar feeling for Jonathan Sylvester who was spearfishing near Cowichan Bay as he waited for spawning salmon to move up with the coming rains.
“It will bring the fish up,” said Sylvester.
Storm clouds approached Vancouver Island Tuesday. It’s a weather shift that signal salmon pooling at the mouth of the Cowichan River that it’s time to head up stream.
“It’s always exciting to see what is going to come back,” said Fisheries and Oceans Technician Stewart Pearce.
“We wait in anticipation every year.”
According to Pearce, the fish can feel the pressure change and even smell the rain, which then sends them racing for rivers.
“With the low water, they hang out at the mouth of the river waiting for the rains to come,” said Pearce.
“But we’ve got some rain coming this week.”
The advancing storm is forecast to deliver 100 millimetres of rain to parts of Vancouver Island. Officials expect it to swell rivers with salmon in the coming days.
“So we’re on pins and needles right now because obviously we want to get a good reliable count on the population,” said Pearce.
“But Mother Nature is playing her cards, so all we can do is wait and see.”
Workers were clearing debris from the fish counting fence on the Cowichan River Tuesday ahead of the rain.
Skye Ryan
