Hey Lester,

I will be moving back to that area for a while due to a good job offer. When I started looking at what has happened to Ringold I was shocked. I grew up fishing there and in the reach. Those skamania fish were a class act(10-20lbs). As I understand the wells fish are coming back around 4-5lbs, and are not spawning but returning directly to the hatchery.

If they really want to bring back the wild fish that spawn in the reach, above Ringold. They should catch or trap some of the wild fish that are currently spawning in the reach, and use those for the brood-stock. And not use a clone strain that is similiar to the wild stock. Like you said Ringold could be a world class hatchery, for brood stock, with the location of the many miles of spawning area just above.

I just don't understand not having even a catch and release fishery; 181,000 wells fish are planted at Ringold, 172,100 wells at Wenatchee river, not to mention the other plants(around 60,000 wells). Those are all lot of hatchery fish being planted with no fishery. It is a shame.

Mike