Fish Monger,

[Correction: 5/12/04. My buddy CFM reminded me that the Cowlitz steelhead in this program are RV clipped, not LV. Sorry, we used LV in another steelhead program on another river that I once managed.]

As others posted, LV clipped steelhead are from a rearing and release program in the upper Cowlitz River. If I recall correctly, if caught downstream of the dams, you're supposed to release them, but if caught upstream of the dams, I believe you're allowed to retain them.

However, I want to address the title of your thread. There are unclipped steelhead returning to the Cowlitz River that aren't scissor-misses by the hatchery clippers. Steelhead, believed to be of native Cowlitz origin by WDFW, NMFS, and others, have been reintroduced into the upper Cowlitz River system. It began with unmarked fry plants, left to rear naturally in the habitat upstream of the dams. Some of these fish have outmigrated and returned as adults. They, along with the LV clipped steelhead and surplus late winter hatchery steelhead, have been trucked above the dams to spawn naturally. The result is a managerie of naturally produced steelhead smolts, from both "wild" (i.e. naturally reared fish) and hatchery fish.

Based on the observed differences on other rivers in survival from wild and hatchery spawners, it's impossible for me to say how many of these smolts are from the "wild" spawners and how many are from the hatchery spawners, but this is what we have. Since the number of anadromous fish in the upper basin, excepting cutthroat, was zero, you begin with what you have. The upshot is that natural spawning and rearing of salmon and steelhead in the upper Cowlitz River system is again a reality. So far, the production of steelhead and chinook is fairly low, but increasing. Coho have retaken a firm foothold it appears. A result is that you will find yourself catching more wild coho and steelhead (and hopefully chinook before too long) in the Cowlitz as these runs increase. For now, we're required to release the unmarked fish - and the LV clips.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.