They have been releases the same numbers from these hatcheries for years (decades). Survival is down and since everybody and their retarded brother got a boat and fishes the mainstem Columbia, I wonder what happened to the catch in the tributaries?

Folks have a very short memory. Until ~ the year 2000, there hadn't been any semblance of mainstem sport fishery for springers in 30 years! Now, the annual pressure in the lower river is huge by comparison.

Also, the hatchery springer stocks (Cowlitz, Kalama, Lewis) on the WA side are all that is left of the lower river, WA-side ESA-listed spring Chinook pops, they (WDFW) have to make escapement, hatchery or otherwise.

Just saying...