Spawning Cultus Sockeye Salmon

[DaleC]

I did a basic dive today to check the weight on a new suit but took my camera just in case. Glad I did:

[video=youtube;epIpGTY40os]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epIpGTY40os[/video]

 

[MarkH]

Very cool. I've been trying to see spawning salmon here in the rivers on the South Island for a few years, but the semi-healthy ones seem to want nothing to do with me. The only ones that don't dart away when I get within 10' are the half-dead, half-blind ones on their way out. The ones in your video seem to be going about their business ignoring you. Did you come upon them at random or is that an established spawning ground?

 

[DaleC]

This is a known spawning site that actually occurs in Cultus Lake itself. This time of year they spawn here and later in Nov. chum salmon spawn at another area in the lake.
These guys didn't care about me much at all. It could be because of the murky conditions. This is at 45 feet but at 50' the vis drops to just about nil. Notice how clear the rocks are; the salmon actually sweep the silt away from these areas (called Redds). They are on humps in the lake bed that naturally resist detritus build up and I think that's why the salmon come here each year. Otherwise the silt would cover everything too easily.