Harbor-Hog, I am curious why you think WDFW should have opened "many rivers" earlier. I agree that as time continues the quality of the fish declines but the seasons are not set on the quality of the fish. Would you agree to a fishery that would terminate once a predetermined number of kings were caught? Remember that this would leave a lot of coho on the table. Sounds like your catching quite a few in the salt and are really interested in coho during the river fishery....as am I. Good fishing for the hook-nose.

R Ridgeway, No one estimates escapement by counting fish in the fishery. Those fish don't escape.....they are eaten. Both WDFW and AK along with BC and OR, estimate escapement in similar fashion, despite what you are sure of. When applicable, counts are made at dams or weirs. This is one of the most accurate way in most cases but I don't think we should go out and build dams on all rivers to get a good estimate of escapement. Weirs also work but are cost prohibited and difficult to maintain. The most common way escapement is estimated in Puget Sound is to count fish on the spawning grounds. This is conducted once fish enter the spawning grounds, and long after the peak of the river sport fishery. Estimates are made from both redd counts and in some cases live counts. Each river system is different and requires a different approach. Chinook surveys are just beginning and biologist are still weeks away from peak counts in many rivers. This is why we couldn't update the runsize based on escapement .......escapement has not happened yet and many of the pre-terminal fisheries are at or past peak.

This topic began by bashing WDFW for not opening the fishery given the great catch rates in the harbor. WDFW along with every other management agency in the NW could not update the runsize with the precision required to change tho opening date of the in-river fishery with the information available at this point.

This may be difficult to comprehend but rest assured there are bright minds working on this and many other issues. We are coming off of several years of great salmon fishing in WA and all I hear from many sport anglers is that WDFW does a terrible job. Once again don't lob insults from the sidelines.....get in the game.