Pinks at Fish Ladder!

On Tuesday September 26, 2023 Comox young and old residents were delighted to see many pink salmon in Brooklyn Creek, after a big rainfall a few days earlier. Most were at the fish ladder just downstream from Balmoral Avenue. Thoughts were that they were misguided pinks that came from the nearby Puntledge River (UPDATE: or the Tsolum River article). Others thought that these fish were from the small run that was in Brooklyn Creek in 2021, just two years ago to almost the day. Article with photos here. Pinks swim to the ocean and return in two years. “Most fish I have ever seen in this creek” was a common comment many viewers said. The next day more had arrived, with estimates up to 100 fish in the fish ladder area alone.

Pinks are also known as “humpies” due to the males growing a distinctive hump on their shoulders when maturing. Below are some photos and video sent in by readers (send yours to the webmaster: ). Interestingly, several dead salmon had their heads removed, but none of the body parts (the row, the flesh) were eaten.

Dead pink salmon with missing head. Photo courtesy Paul Gort.
Video: two pinks swimming upstream. Courtesy Paul Gort. (7s.)
Pink salmon with missing head and body slash.
Dead pink salmon beside Brooklyn Creek. Courtesy Alan Pattinson.
Video: Salmon jumping up fish ladder. Courtesy Carl Graves (6s.)
Video: Salmon at fish ladder pool and jumping. Courtesy Carl Graves (13s.)

Video :

https://youtu.be/ABn1LWuVWrI
Video from YouTube (length 3:42)

The local Record Newspaper has an article (with video) about this exceptional Fink salmon run.

If you have good photos, videos or stories you would like to share, send them along to the webmaster, Alan at .

 

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One Response to Pinks at Fish Ladder!

  1. Crayg Liszt says:

    It would be GREAT if people did NOT allow their dogs in the creek. There are even signs asking dogs be kept OUT of the creek and that the dogs MUST be on a leash along Brooklyn Creek, but the signs are ignored by selfish people.

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