B4 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, March 10, 1999 CHRISTIANA WIENS) TERRACE STANDARD ae | - 638-7283 | . SKEENA ANGLER ROB BROWN oug Webb tock a trip to the Copper River on Wednesday, March 3 and counted seven fishermen fishing in the vicinity of the old and new bridges. Now, seven fishers may not scem like a tot, but it’s more than Webb had ever seen, and considerably more than [’ve ever seen on any one day over the last 10 winters when Finlay Ferguson and I regularly prowled that part of the Tiver in search of dolly varden, You can bet your fishing vest that there were more fishermen work- ing the river in the places Doug didn’t see. You can bet that the pressure has increased because of a regulatory loop hole I discuss below. The well-worn pathways to Webber’s, Blackie’s, the Wall and fo Baxter's testify to the heavy, suslained fishing pressure the Copper has endured this winter on all but the few days when it was run- ning under ice. The river is providing sport for fishers, and more- of those fishers are employing fly rods — a more sporting and generally, more conservative way to fish — ought to be reason for celebration, but, un- fortunately, those of us who have had a Jong history fishing the Copper and have managed to learn a little bit about the river over that time know the in- creased fishing pressure is cause for some concern. In the early days of the Copper River steelhead fishery generous bag limits were reasonable simply because there were more steelhead in our rivers. Only a handful of fishers fished them over the entire length of the river, and those fishermen ‘started fishing later in the season and quit carlier because of harsh weather. Until the onset of the rel- atively mild winters of the last decade, the Copper, River. was. sélé-réguilatiig, freezing sqlid, untit well, on into the spring. “ee : 7 : oon u abet he ‘During those years the river was open to angling year round. The Fish and Wildlife Branch first closed the river when they determined too much snagging was taking place in a pool below a natural obstruction in the canyon at what was then known as Eleven Mile, or Snagger’s Pool. One spring early in the 80s when the ice melted away carlicr than usual, Mike Whately, then regional biologist, heard that a large number of vul- nerable, ripening Copper River steelhead were being killed, Whately flew over the river on a bright sunny weekend then, after confirming that the reporis were accurate, issued a decree that closed the entire river. A number of us phoned Whately after that edic until finally Jim Culp convinced him to leave the section of the river below the canyon open during the winter months, Not much was known about the: habits of the Copper steelhead in that lower part of the river until about 10 years ago when some meim- bers of Northwest Branch of the Steelhead Society, overseen by MOELP biologist Mark Beere and technician, Ron Tetreau, made an assault on it one bitterly cold day late in November, In one afternoon nine of us beached more than 50 fresh steelhead. Radio tags were put in some of those fish so they could be tracked over the winter. Two of the fish found their way back into the Skeena in the next few days where they were lo- cated by Ron Tetrean from a helicopter, one near Oliver Creek the other even farther upstream. The rest stayed in the lower river moving so little that those of us doing the tracking thought they'd died and sunk to the bottom. They hadn't. In May they found new tocations, still in the lower river, then, seven months after we'd subjected them to the rigours of tagging, they spawacd, In the last days of May, Mike Whelpley used his jet boat to follow the last one down the Skecna to where its signal dis- appeared in the brine. The radio tagging program doesn’t give us a lot of data but it strongly suggests that there is a distinct run of steelhead that move into the lower Copper River and stay below the canyon where they are how subject to more pressure than the river has felt, Regulation allows an angler to kill one steelhead a year on the Skeena. That steclhead can come from the lower reaches of the Copper. My own unofficial census, based on conversations with anglers who have been fishing the Copper this winter, indicates that at least a dozen fish have been killed, and this docsn’t include the fish poachers take every year and will continue to take regardless of regulation, The mortality associated with catch and release in fresh water is low, but the chance a fish will dic in- creases with each hooking. We must also wrestle with the question of whether it is ethical to angle fish that have stopped moving and are holed up in a few, easily recognizable, easily found pools and runs that are more casily fished in the slower, lower winter Flows. Still, if there is to be any ‘recreational winter fishery on the Copper River is seems obvious that a book and release fishery is the only ecologically responsible approach to adopt. If the present regulatory regime remains in force more and more of what appears to be a small, distinct subset of Copper River steclhead will disappear ultimately forclng the fisheries division of MOELP to close the whole river once again. ; Records _ smashed at & local pool EVAN PALAHICKY knows he could do a lot better if stuck to his training routine. The 12-year-old usually admittedly trains less than he should and still managed to set a pool record in the 50- metre breaststroke at a regional meet here on Feb. 20-21. “My time would definitely improve, '’ said Palahicky about what his time could be with regular practices. At 1:18:81 Palahicky’s 100-mete breast stroke squashed another pool record set by Cory Holland in 1990, It’s a goal he says he’s had his eye on for quite a while. The performance earned him a spat at his first provincial mect in Victoria last week and shot him up to sixteenth spot in 100-metre breaststroke rankings in his age group. Its was Palahicky’s first performance on the national rank- ings. He’s not quite sure how it all happened so quickly. ‘‘I guess I just have some type of talent,’’ he said modestly, . “T guess I just have some type of talent.” He says the breaststroke is his favourite stroke and says swimming is kind of a family affair. Palahicky's older brother, and younger sister are also breast-strokers. Other Blucback swimmers who attended the provincial meet in Victoria March 4-7 are Thomas Demetzer, Jenine Barton, Kyle Narzt, Scott Vanderlee and Kaya Downs. As for Evan Patahicky, be has one more record left to break after the excitement of provincials wears off — the 200-metre breaststroke. Sabie WHAT A WEEK: That's Evan Palahicky at the Ter- race Pool last week, Palahicky broke a pool record Feb. 21, was named iri Canada’s national rankings and qualified for his first provincial meet in Victoria. Wrestlers compete in Ontario CALEDONIA returned from provincials tied for cighth place overall last week. Instead. «of... being:.. dis- ‘appointed inthe girls wres- ting team who entered the Abbotsford meet in second spot, coach Dave O’Brien said he was proud of his team, regardless of how they performed. It takes a special type of person to compete in a com- bative sport in front of 1,000 other wrestlers and coaches,’” he said, Seventy schools were represented at the championships. Pam Haugland lost in her final round to bigger, stronger rival from Camp- bell River. A fourth-year competitor, Haugland boasts an impressive resume. She is first in the Junior Nation- als, second in the juvenile nationals, and has two sec- ond, a third and a fifth place finish at provincials, She is a two-time zone champion. wrestlers ° ‘Juvenile | “She is probably the quickest, most talented wrestler of her weight class in Canada,”’ O’Brien said. -eHaugland’s: return: to! the “Nationals. in? Ontario next month will be ' her last high school tourna- meat, Grace Wittowski placed fourth in Abbotsford. O’Brien said she competed in one of the tournament’s toughest weight classes. In her three-year wrestling carcer the Grade 11 student has won second at the Cadet ‘nationals, third outa “sixth al proyincials and is a three-time zone champion in her weight class. ‘"Wittowski is known for her never-say-die spirit and can rise to the occasion of any competilion,’® O’Brien said. She suffered from lack of competition this year and dominated her opponents at the 1998 zones this year. Wittowski also plans to at- tend the natioiials “iit ear. wal has six years: of experi- ence and came in fourth at this year’s provincials. Jas- wal managéd to score twa points against the provincial champion and was one point down and in position to score at the final buzzer in the bronze medal match. O’Brien said Jaswal went relatively unchallenged in his high school career.. He has gone two for two in ear- lier championship rounds. Angie McRae, Mcelanic Krug, Robert Wickie and Jon Pelticr also have zone championship to their names, In Grade 12, .McRrae will be back to coach next year while Krug, Wickie and Peltier move into top-three potential next year. Braid unbeaten in round robin play By NAOMI THIBODEAU AS OF Thursday, March 4, Braid Insurance was un- defeated in the ladies soccer playoffs. And Trena Graham is turning out to be central to _ Braid’s wins in round-robin play, which started Feb. 23, She scored the only goal of Braid’s fast-paced game against the Back Eddy Bul- ~ Jets last Tuesday. She also takes credit for scoring the first goal of Braid's game against the Beginner’s Luck March 4. Minutes later, Laurie Sager responded with a goal and tied the game 1-1. Lianne Funk scored the go-ahead goal late in the game to give Braid a 2-1 win. Braid Insurance also won their game Feb, 25 in a 2-1 win against Artistic Hair, Artistic Hair then went on to lose to Beginner’s Luck 2-0 later the same day, The Blessings split their wins carly in the playoffs by beating the Purple Panthers 2-1 and losing to Flower Power 1-0. . They then faced Oasis Sports Club on March 4. _ Oasis came out strong in the first half and were rewarded with goals from Sheila Denomme and. Sue Alger (2). Blessings then came back in the second half with three goals to end the game 3-3, Kristina Adanic and Jody Frocklage (2) scored Blessings’ goals. Flower Power also looks strong in the playoffs, They won their second game of the toumament March 2 against the Purple Panthers. Fay Campbell scored the only game’s only goal. The playoffs continue Tuesdays and Thursdays (except during spring break) from 7 pam. to 9 pm. at Cassie Hall Elementary School, Finals are scheduled for Tuesday, March 30. Local skier misses national meet WITH JUST a slightly bet- ter giant slalom nin at provinicials, Mathicu Leclerc might have been on his way to the nationals Al- berta next week. Leclerc placed sixth out of 150 skiers in his second race of the men’s giant slalom for 13 to 15-year-old youth in Vernon on Feb. 24-26. Of course, the early mom- ing wipe out didn’t help ci- ther. It happened because his skis caught soft snow in heavy fog conditions, Leclerc said. He credits his racing helmet for saving his skull after taking out. a racing gate head first, | Leclerc also placed four- teenth in the men’s .super giant slalom and twenty- ninth in one of the men’s Slalom races. He camed three giant slalom gold medals from a race day at Shames earlier this season and (wo silver medals fom a Slalom race from Mount Timothy in Williams Lake. Aaron Gingles also put in two top-fifty performances in the giant slalom and came in forty-second in ihe men’s slalom race. . He has one silver medal at Monnt Timothy, two fourth place finishes and two fifth place finishes this year. Luke Harrison of Smithers “qualified for the Canadian ‘National Juvenile Competi- Hons In Nakiska, Alberta March 15-21. Harrison placed fifth and eleventh in his two super giant slalom races in Veriton, J3 skiers aged 11-13 also performed well at the Mount Timothy slalom. Shannon Kelly took home gald, silver and a fifth-place jinish. Leah Leclerc won two silver medals and Stacey Blake won two bronze medals. Courtland = Sandover-Sly won. a silver, bronze and fourth place finish, Michael Butler placed eighth and ninth and Darrin Rudder- ham. placed ‘eleventh and thirteenth, Shames.sklers next race is Smithers. The’ mid-April Mathieu Leclerc skiers "race is a super giant slalom the Team Championships in and the team’s last race of the season. ly. ~ Grade 12 student Ajit Jas- - Sports Menu Wednesday, March 3 to Wednesday, March 17 Oldtimer Hockey ‘League playoffs at the Terrace Arena. Friday and Saturday March 5-6 Grade 7 girls basketball tournament at Uplands Elementary School. Nine teams from Terrace, Thornhill, Kitwanga and Gitsegukla compete with semi-final. games starting at 2:15 p.m. Saturday. Saturday and Sunday, March 6-7 Shames Mountain Mogul Blaster Hillclimb, 10 a.m. start. Registration Friday, Mar. 5 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Northern Motor Inn, Post-event dance at the Thornhill Hall, 9 p.m. start with a midnight lunch and music by the Ac- celerators. Thursday, March 11 to Saturday, March 24 Recreational Hockey League playoffs at the Terrace Arena. Saturday, March 13 Or- ganizational meeting for the B.C. Seniars Games in the Elk Valley at the Happy Gang Centre, p.m. start, ~ Up: for discussion are . the “zone ‘playoff ‘action. : Bridge, Carpet Bowling, Cribbage, Five-pin bowl-. - ing and ice curling have already been scheduled tor March and April, Thursday, March 15 Ter- race Men's Saccer Asso- ciation organizational meeting at the Terrace Public Library, 7 p.m. start. Wednesday, March 24 The Terrace Tennis club annual general meeting at the aquatic centre con- ference room, 7:30 p.m, start, Call Gill at 635- 7613 for more informa- tion. pee! Score Board Recreation league Tuesday, March 2 Chapter One 10 Back Eddy Bulties 2 All Seasons 2 Skeena Cable q Saturday, Feb, 27 Precision Builders 4 Back Eddy 3 ‘Thursday, Feb, 25 White Spot 0 Precision Builders 4 Oldtimer’s league Sunday, Feb, 28 SRD Blues Northem Okies ou Saturday, Feb. 27 Timbermen 8 Northem Okies 4 Subway . 1 SRD Blues 3.- Wednesday, Feb. 24 Subway SRD Blues Northern Okles . Timbermen ta ln ta