POS Clerk

My personal definition of what a "scientific fact" means, would be something that has been openly and fully studied by persons who have the ability and expertise to do such studies. The study can vary depending on what one is looking for. The "facts" of a "scientific study" are the ground work that the science is to be based on and only facts are used for the foundation of the study. The facts would then be reviewed by experts within the field of which the study was done to see if all factors were considered. Then a summary of best know facts would result in a "finding" of science. Science in itself is always open for change, especially when new information or new "facts" are found.

"Scientific facts" may change upon new knowledge of new facts. I wish I knew a lot more fancier words to use, but I don't! Sometimes we complicate things way more then they really need to be. When I used that term in my posting it was directly related to the science that is used by WDFW, and others when projecting smolt to adult survival rates.

There is a science that is used by WDFW to extrapolate the number of retuning adults that directly relate to the number of healthy smolts that have left a healthy system.

As far has answering you question about my understanding of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and how it could influence the total of adult spawners returning to this system. Well, I have to plead to be ignorant on that one. I don't even know what that process is. Maybe you can enlighten me and most likely a few others, and then I can give you a better more intelligent answer! Salmo G has all those answers! He gets paid to know them (I thing)! He will let me know if I am wronge.

You got to remember, I am not a biologist, am just a retired old fishing guide who has spent the last 16 years of his life trying to restore the fish runs on the Cowlitz. I by no means know what all the "technical terms" are or mean, but I do know what's happening on the Cowlitz. Hopes that answers your questions.

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Robert Allen3

I tend to agree with you in the most part. But when you have nothing left to try, what's the harm in using a hatchery fish that has been in that system and surviving for many years and cycles?

What's good for the Cowlitz certainly would not be good for all the other river systems, but it can work on some of them. It just depends on the river and its history.

Anyway, that's just my personal experience and opinion!

Cowlitzfisherman

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