After looking over the regs when they were first released earlier this year, I noticed they changed the coho limit in several of the Chehalis tribs to one adult HATCHERY coho.

No one else I’ve talked to had a good answer, but in my experience, I’ve only caught wild and/or unclipped coho in the nooch for example. I was under the impression they had a plan for planting that river, but are they only planting unclipped hatchery fish? Yes, I could keep wild Jacks in that river, but at this point, I’m looking at not touching that river again until late December.

Anyone hear any word on hatchery fish in that river other than strays from other local rivers? Thanks.

I've caught a few clipped coho (strays) in the Nooch over the years. With no chinook retention and no clipped hatchery plants of coho in there, it is basically a chum fishery this year for retention. I don't understand why it is opening on Oct. 1. Early for chums. The Oct.1 opener will be inviting mortality on wild coho.

9/17/2021

There are 2 people that have worked on Wynoochee Mitigation for many years, I AM ONE of them.

The Mitigation has been going on since 1992. Money, 2.4 million, has been in a bank account until "things could be worked out between WDFW and the QIN. Now you have to understand no one outside WDFW and QIN, knows what goes on at these meetings. QIN not happy because they want a hatchery close to the dam, WDFW won't tell anyone what their plan is.

I made 4 or 5 presentations to the Commission, at a couple of the meetings, Commission members told WDFW Director to get this Wynoochee Mitigation taken care of..............still not done!!!!!

Oh so you know the Mitigation was for clipped hatchery Coho and winter run steelhead. Getting close to 30 years, nothing, I repeat NOTHING has been done except meetings, meetings, meetings.............grrrrrrrrrr

There should be HATCHERY COHO in the Wynoochee since the mid 1990's.

Wynoochee used to have legal fisheries for Chinook, Wild Coho, Chum, BIG winter run steelhead and summer run steelhead(since 1980).

I live 4 miles from this river, have fished it since 1968......the people that were/are in charge of this river should all be fired.

WDF had a hatchery designed for near the dam. Since it was pre-merger it had to be in the early 90s.

The money was for mitigation for a specific number of fish produced. Some in WDF wanted to use it for habitat restoration but were unwilling to tie the work to actual numbers of fish to meet the mitigation agreement.

Then, it died.

Thanks for the info. Definitely a bummer to say the least regarding the lack of progress and clarity on having a hatchery program. More than a few coho in the teens that would make for an excellent broodstock program. I just don’t understand why they would change retention two years in a row, from 2 coho, to 1 coho, and now to 1 clipped coho. All this will do is make other rivers in the system (we know which ones) more packed. Two that come to mind are already a zoo from Friday to Sunday.

That said, if anyone is ever looking for someone to pay turnaround fee on these rivers, or would like to join me on my drifter, feel free to PM me. I’m fishing this area almost year round.

Last plan I heard about the Wynoochee mitigation money was that the dollars were going to be used to produce fish at other, existing hatcheries in the basin (Bingham and Stevens, maybe?). Won't do a lick of good for the Nooch, but it would create more harvestable fish for ocean and gillnet fisheries, which is WDFW's ultimate mission.

Haven't heard anything in a while, so maybe that idea has disappeared as well...

As Drifter would say, GRRRRRR....

but they never did anything ...

The news release refers to sending the plan first to Tacoma Power for review and then on to FERC as part of the relicensing process. Just keep in mind it took the Corps of Engineers eight years to finally say NO to the Point No Point ramp.

how many yrs do they need?? its been going on for 30yrs

I'd be a smart ass if I responded with something along the lines of we'll have the answer when it is done.

Seriously, it reads as if any plan which is reviewed and approved will ultimately become a part of the relicensing process.

Final Answer!

Were I Tacoma I would ask for the money back. It was part of a mitigation agreement for lost fish production. WDF/WDFW obviously believes that there was no lost production because they have done nothing for 30 years. Give the money back.

09/21/2021

BS to the "wire coding" concept. As one of the people that has spent 100's of my time working on the Wynoochee Mitigation, I want to see adipose clipped Coho in the Wynoochee.

Reason, the Wynoochee River has been shut down because of the lack of adipose hatchery Coho. Fishermen are knowledgeable. catch a fish with adipose hatchery fish are making it back to the Coho home river......wire coded tag, can the average tell if it is a hatchery raised Coho.....I think not!!!!!! Do I trust WDFW, not when it comes to fish in Region 6.

Satsop River, Wynoochee River, Chehalis River, above South Montesano has a closure, starting 10/01/2021, on Wild Coho........How would WDFW deal with a closure on the Wynoochee, in future years, if in fact there is no way to tell Wild Coho from wire coded Coho?????

I do believe that was the intent, not to be able to tell the difference that is.

the nooch mitigation will never happen !! they (wdfw) for some reason dont want hatchery coho in the nooch.. could it be the same reason they plant a small number of winter steelhead in the satsop?

09/21/2021

If in fact, the hatchery Coho are "wire coded" who will be get the task of wanding all the Coho that return to the trap and what do you do with the fish??????

Wynoochee Dam Mitigation agreement was reached in 2019.

https://www.kxro.com/almost-600000-fish-to-be-placed-due-to-impact-of-wynoochee-dam/

The final bullshittery reached is better named the Satsop Fish Grab as 80% of the agreed upon half million hatchery coho production will go into the Satsop. The other 20% will go into the Wynoochee.

But here's the catch.... none of coho going back to the Wynoochee will be marked. In other words ZERO of the mitigation coho destined for the Wynoochee will be available for harvest.

WDFW BULLSHITTERY AT ITS FINEST.

Sorry to the BOYZ at Region 6, but a spade is GD spade.... just tellin' it like it is.

10/06/2021

Thanks eyeFISH......

My comments from someone who fought to get hatchery Coho and more steelhead in the Wynoochee, from the mitigation monies is that WDFW higher ups NEVER wanted clipped Coho in the Wynoochee River.

I truly believe that the real goal was to ne able to say "this is a wild Coho River", and if need be there could be a complete closure to protect the Wild Coho. Can I prove that????? no but what other reason was there but to keep sportsmen in the dark about Coho salmon caught in the Wynoochee River.

It's not going to be too many more years and the GH streams will become to ESA listings for various salmon species. I suspect that WDFW is trying to get ahead of that curve and confine hatchery fish to only a few sites.