Originally Posted By: DrifterWA
Originally Posted By: seabeckraised
Making sure that I’m following this correctly. The steelhead (including native) that are released above the dam/lake to spawn have no way to make it back downstream after spawning?



That is my understanding..........

Just a comment on the "spawn out steelhead".....Because of where I live, its easy to drive to the Black Ck. boat launch, when we had seasons, get there about 2:30, hang around an hour or more as the drift and jet boats were coming in....saw bright fish, dark fish, ugly fish.....lots of the ugly fish in December, January were summer run or the very early winter run.



Definitely some late summer spawners around that time of year. Caught a summer run last December on that same drift. Super colored up, VERY skinny. Obviously hatchery clipped as well. My initial comment is regarding unclipped fish in specific. Based on the size and color, 99% sure they aren’t summer run fish.

Still amazes me that there’s no chance for natives to repeat spawn if they go above the dam. Not sure how it would even work if they attempted to outmigrate after spawning. Would they just get to the base of the reservoir and then get caught in the turbine system?