MHRon,

Never a hard feeling here. I wonder if the Skok could be a great river. I'm trying to learn more about it. It seems like most, if not all, Hood Canal wild steelhead populations are at very low levels. Then to add insult to injury, the Chambers Creek hatchery stock doesn't seem to perform well. What's left? It might work to have a locally adapted steelhead hatchery broodstock, but that's what I'd expect WDFW to have by now, but maybe not.

I see some hope on the horizon with mitigation for Tacoma's Cushman dams. They're going to be forced to increase flow to the north fork, sooner or later, depending how long the litigation lasts. The north fork is already a good coho stream and is becoming a better chum - summer and normal time runs. With more water, it could eventually support spring and summer chinook again that would be separated by timing from the hatchery fall chinook, and that should be a good thing.

The south fork is another story. The habitat is so beat up, that it's likely to be at low productivity for a long, long time. If you've got ideas, I think there are interested parties. Simpson has an HCP in the watershed, and others may be looking for opportunity too.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.