Salmo G,

I didn't want to put you down; I just want every body to get the facts right about the Cowlitz. As you known, I always back up what I say with "facts". So I will try to give you some answers to your reply. First, your right about honest people can respectfully disagree. That's something that we both do offend!

You stated that you got your information from WDFW. That may have been your problem about not understanding or ever seeing the real timing that Cowlitz Winter runs originally returned. I will refer you to what was stated before The Federal Power Commission during the original licensing hearing (you should have gotten an e-mail of it last year) it was Exhibit #25 from Washington Department of Fisheries and Washington Department Of Game. On page 4 this was stated "Steelhead enter the Cowlitz almost every month of the year with the greatest numbers arriving between November and April" This was produced in 1951.

But the best facts about timing of the Cowlitz winter run comes directly from WDFW "A Profile of Cowlitz River Winter steelhead Before And After Hatchery Propagation" by Jack Tipping dated 1984.

I will just list a few Quotes " The first plant of hatchery fish was made in 1938 (3700 fish @3.5/lb). However plants became consistent starting in 1951 using Chambers Creek stock and continued annually through 1967 when only Cowlitz stock was used" "Run Timing; Historical run timing of the Cowlitz winter steelhead was probably best documented by Thompson and Rothfus (1969) although December and January peaked may have influenced by hatchery plants (figure 1) Fish first entered collection facilities at Mayfield by mid-November, peaked in April and tapered off though June" The report also states; "In two years of creel census by Smith (1947, 1948), he checked 27.2 percent of fish in December, 16. 2 percent in January 11.2 percent in February, 30.4 percent in March and 15.2 percent in April."

And finally, "Wild fish now make up about 1.6 percent of the run (table 4). Because of dominance of hatchery fish, most wild fish are probably progeny of the hatchery fish spawning in the river". Remember this was 1984! So there you go Salmo G… now you know the "facts". Now that sounds to me that these are drummed up "late winter stocks" that are being used for "restoring our wild fish". Will they be the savior of our Wild Cowlitz Fish? I think not!


Signed,

Cowlitzfisherman

Is the taste of the bait worth the sting of the hook?