Chrome,

The timing of Quinault sockeye is an anomoly. Run timing is usually correlated to the distance from the ocean to their spawning grounds. For example, the early Stuart run in the Fraser enters the Fraser in late May/June to migrate 800 miles to the upper Stuart and Driftwood Rivers, while the later running sockeye in August/September spawn in the Pitt River and Cultus Lake, which are quite low in the Fraser system. The Quinault sockeye have the longest run entry timing of any sockeye population I know anything about. They spawn predominately in October, and their migration is quite short for sockeye, so some other factors would have to explain the mystery of their winter through early summer run timing. Like a summer steelhead, those early entering sockeye have to carry a significant fat reserve to sustain them a long while in Lake Quinault as they wait, and wait, and wait for the spawning urge to move them into the upper Q.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.