Randy Garrecht, 33, was fishing just off the popular Old Orchard Road access point in Chilliwack last Tuesday when he slipped from the rocks and fell into the river. A friend jumped into the river to help, but had to be saved himself.

Chilliwack Search and Rescue immediately started a search but was unable to immediately find Garrecht.

On Thursday, his body was found near Mission.

Lang's Fishing Adventures guides Lang Nguyen and Matt Pace were heading upriver to meet a friend when a fellow boater waved them down and pointed out the would-be rescuer on the other side of the river.

"I could see hands flopping and splashing," Nguyen told freelance videographer Wayne Price.

The two guides managed to pull the man onto their boat. Pace said he had been in the water for about 10 minutes and was so weak upon being rescued that he could barely get in the boat.

But far from being happy that he was rescued, the man was downcast.

"I couldn't explain his face, so sad. He said 'my buddy is dead,' " Nguyen told Price.

When the men on the boat looked back, they saw Garrecht's body floating face down in the river. But before Nguyen and the man's friend could grab the body, it slipped beneath the water.

The rescued man told Nguyen that Garrecht had worked all week and was "gung ho" about going fishing.

He apparently fell into a back eddy that was 30 to 40 feet deep and could not swim out of it.

"He couldn't have fallen in a worse place," said Pace.

RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Lea-Anne Dunlop said the death is a reminder about the danger of water and the importance of wearing a lifejacket, even when standing near shore.

She said police have heard reports of fishermen falling into the river, pulling themselves out and going right back fishing.

"They call it the mighty Fraser for a reason and people really need to calm their excitement about how good the fishery is this year and put their safety first," Dunlop said.

Nguyen agreed and urged fishermen "not to rush it" while seeking sockeye.