From the Outdoor Section (By Allen Thomas) of the Vancouver based newspaper The Columbian.


"There's already a bit of bright news on the horizon for 2002.

This year's return of jack chinook, fish which come back a year earlier than their siblings, is tracking about 50 percent of the 2000 count.

But remember, the 2000 count was a record high. The 2001 jack count is about five times the 10-year average.

That portends a goodly number of 4-year-old chinook for next season. This year's massive number of 4-year-olds should mean a healthy bunch of 5-year-olds in 2002.

So while it's far too early to make any predictions for 2002, there's some reason for optimism."