I would like to explore in a thread here what has been happening to the Cowlitz River fishing. I have read and heard a few things, but they still don't seem to add up to why the largest sportfishing and historically most productive river in the northwest could so quickly go 'belly up' for fishing!?! What I have heard is that the NMFS, and possibly the WDF&G?, and Tacoma City Light want to attempt transforming this river from a put and take hatchery river to a C&R nate river only. I'm not clear, is this correct? If so, why would they choose a river that has one of the poorer chances to successfully pull that longshot off? I used to fish the Cowlitz years ago, primarily for winter steelhead and then a combo of springers and early summer steelhead. And it was one super productive river! The few times I've fished it lately with Oly friends it has been drearily slow; with an exception for silvers one day last fall. The reports about steelhead fishing have been terrible. While many regional rivers had terrible brat runs this season, they have had pretty good nate returns - NOT the Cowlitz! There is another poor report about the river in Chris' (dcrzfitter) "Cowlitz" fishing report request thread. So, with so few nates left, if any genuine ones at all, what are the motives to change this particular river into a 50 year native fish test-tube project that may not work? Perhaps likely won't. I know TCL's motive would be money; not having to invest in hatchery production. Thanks TCL (how about voting in de-regulation of the power industry as a "thank you TCL" jesture ). As for the NMFS, I can't understand what their motive could possibly be!?! Campaign contributions to Wash. D.C. NMFS power backers (such as from TCL, and from the NW Indian casino big money for Columbia River favors)? That is NUMBER 1 on my suspiction and educated guess list. ....

As for trying to bring back some healthy non-hatchery nate only runs in some worthy rivers, I think that would be great! There would need to be fish biologist studies to determine the proper presence of enough genuine native fish indigenous to a particular river to even start such as project, in my opinion. I doubt there are many of those around anymore, but probably a few. They would know the best candidates for that scenario I'm sure. They may not fit into the behind the scenes agenda of the power guys in the upper eachalon within the NMFS though. I would really like your opinions and ideas of what may really be going on here! .....

As for the 'Cow', it has been a top producer and fishing pressure absorber for better than half a century. It can support and produce large runs of hatchery fish for sportsmen - taking undue pressure off many other regional rivers. I don't know of any other rivers capable of doing this. The only one that comes to mind, size wise, is the Skagit; but it is much less centrally located - and among large rivers I think has more potential to bring back natives runs. I hesitate to post my opinion of good nate only river candidates on here, in case that could send the odd trophy nate kill hunter that way; but there are a number of better ones out there than the Cowlitz. ....

Also, I have heard that the Cowlitz springer return projection is the worst in that river's history; as few as 1500 this spring in one report! With upwards of a half million springers coming up the Columbia, because of such good ocean survival the last couple years, and some tribs getting very early big returns already, what does that tell us? They must have not have even planted springers in the 'Cow' for the last few years. What the hell does that have to do with steelhead policies?!? Is there some other factor there I haven't heard about?...

Whazzup?????

RT., I think you're probably right on about the politics of the Cow. That coupled with low flows has caused a dismal year for steelhead this year.
From what I've learned, there are no native steelhead in the river, only hatchery fish.
I've only been at this for a short time, but I've managed to get in front of 6 fish. Four of them were long line released by my partner, "Thumbs". I released my biggest fish ever, about 18 lbs, because I thought it might be a native. A real beaut.. At the time I was'nt really fishing for meat, so I didnt mind releasing it.
I cant speak about the springer situation, but it seems with all the fish returning to the Columbia, the survival factors have been in place for the fish. So it appears you may be right about no stocks beeing planted in the river.
Perhaps the group known as "Friends of the Cowlitz" can offer better enlightenment on the topic.
I had been under the impression that in order to dam the river as it is, Tacoma Power was to maintain and operate the hatchery program there. It appears they have not. I have been told that one year, (I dont know how long ago,) they(either the State or TPL) allowed a season's worth of fry to become diseased, and they were destroyed.
Perhaps that would have been this season's salmon.???

Howdy, Cowlitz affiliate here. I too have heard the rumors surrounding the Cowlitz and turning it into a C&R native river. I think that is hilariously stupid...scary, and very real.

I cannot agree with RT anymore on his comments about the buffer this river is for the crowds of people. The only other river that comes to my mind that could handle these kinds of crowds is the Columbia River.

As far as putting an end to the rumors with an answer, I can't do that...just yet, but I'll work on it. You didn't hear it from me, but I'm a member of the FOC. As far as information goes from that group....it greatly lacks and it really aggravates me.

You can visit their website @ www.friendsofthecowlitz.com

They just revamped the website a smidget, but it's still the same sh!tty website. The pictures have been there forever with no new picks. There isn't and never has been a President's message (Don Glaser). They used to have a link on the main page that said "president's message". Of course it was always blank.

I sent a disconcerning email to whomever receives them at the office of the FOC about 2 or 3 months ago. I got no reply back and I was very courteous for a pissed off redneck. I basically asked why the website sucked ass. Asked about why the President of the organization doesn't have anything to say, why the pictures haven't been updated (when I know Donny's store has a bazillion pictures....and I contributed to that picture peg board), how does one get to be on the Board, and why the website overall just sucks to put it lightly. I even asked for the website to be turned over to me to organize and maintain.

I got no reply back via email or phone call.

Funny twist now is this; I know they received my email. "How do you know that redneck?" you say. Well other than being psychic (freak tractor accident), I received this month's issue of the FOC newsletter. Low and behold, on the bottom of the back page it asked for people to send in pics and other things that I covered in my email.

Whomever is in the office isn't going to like my phone call I will place today, just for the BB's entertainment value. I will post what I find out....especially on how to be on the board. They don't want me to run that lil bit....muh ha ha ha ha because I'll just use my quote at the bottom of this post to their dismay.

What Salmo said!

Actually, I was going to mirror his comments but without writing a thesis (sorry Salmo!...just kidding, you gave a good account.)

One issue I find interesting is that there has been no mention of the ozone treatment facility at the trout hatchery. Remember when that went in not so long ago? It was designed to treat incoming river water and more or less sterilize it from aquatic parasites and bacteria thus giving the hatchery smolts more of a fighting chance.

I was under the impression that it was having some success. They spent millions on it and did extensive testing beforehand to insure the money would be well spent.

Apparently, they should have done some more testing eh?

Thanks much Salmo. Somewhere along the line months ago this subject of the Cowlitz being managed as a wild fish sactuary became a controversial thread. Then we had these terrible returns on winters and springer projections that lead to my speculation that the Tacoma Power had not planted smolts as they should. So now I hear from you that their hatchery is in disaray and has been allowed to go to substandard conditions putting out diseased inferior smolts into our watersheds, despite the legal requirements to run it properly. How could that be allowed to happen under the supervision of the WDF&G?!? It should never have been allowed to come to this. I just hope they do come forth quickly with what you are telling us they plan for a state of the art facility for the Cowlitz River.

RT

It is easy to sit back and slam the F.O.C. from your deck at home if you don't like the way things are go to the broad metting. or the events like the easter egg hunt on Sunday talk to the people face to face.Or be QUITE I personaly don't think this C&R thing is any more than rumer There are a few wild fish but NO nates left in the Cowlitz

Actually Chieftain, not everybody can make it to the easter egg hunt. Go to the board meetings? Dude, I'm there. As far as sitting on my deck and home and *****ing, I'm at work *****ing about it.

If folks want to ***** about their organization and can't make it to the meetings, then I think their voice matters just as much as the ones that go to the meetings. 2 phone calls and 1 very professional, detailed email. That's 0/3 in replies from them so far. You haven't heard *****ing yet, but if you sit on your deck at home long enough, then I imagine you'll read some more *****ing, bro. If you don't like it, then cry me a handful, but this is how things work when you want changes implemented.

Over 50% of the U.S. population is online now, so don't you think that providing information is essential if you are trying to promote your cause and your organization? You don't have to answer that question because I already know the answer.

I belong to several more organizations whom are very courteous about replying to messages and emails, and if they piss me off, then I'll ***** about them too until I see some changes.

Oh, and one more thing, I'm not the only one *****ing, chief, just the loudest.

As long as everybody is pissing and moaning, I thought I'd throw my 2 cents worth in. First I'd like to say that the Cowlitz has got to be the most mismanaged river in the state. There, that being said, I'd also like to say that it is my opinion that this latest thing with trying to turn the Cowlitz into a Native C&R river is destined for failure. IT WILL NOT WORK! The River has become too dependent on the hatcheries making fish to support the runs, and it just isn't feasible to expect that a river that gets as much pressure as the Cowlitz could ever revert back to a "wild" river. I know that there's a lot of "Purists" on this site that hate hatchery fish but in this case we need those fish. Plus, I'd like to remind everybody that the companies that oporate the dams on the Cowlitz are obligated to continue to stock fish in the river. If you ask me it all boils down to the all mighty dollar. What should be the best river in the state is turning into a totally sterile river because the big power companies (and our fisheries department) aren't doing their jobs. A few of you guys have good points when you say that we as sportsmen need to get involved, but is it so much to ask that the people who get paid to look after the welfare of our fish runs do the jobs that we pay them to do? Why do we even pay these outragous license and usage fees if it's up to us to do the jobs that our license money is supposed to pay for?