EG,
Couldn't resist the fly only comment, could ya I agree that other circumstances (environmental)have to lead to the demise of this run, and that all the "blame" can not be placed squarely on any one factor. Whatever the case, if they ever did open it for any type of fishing I would be there, playing by the rules. The upper stretches of the Nisko is some of my favorite water in the state.
Todd,
I didnt live here in the early 80's and can not comment on what the tribe did with their nets back then or before. However, I can tell you for fact that they still net it during the chum run EVERY year and EVERY year they still kill wild steelhead in their nets. THe numbers may not be very high but doesn't every fish count, even the early ones?

RL

I like floating the Nisko in July to scout for the king run. I bring a fly rod and try to see what will bite. In the last 3 years, I've been having a hard time keeping unclipped steelhead smolts off the flies. There's been a ton of them. Something is producing them. I like to think that a naturally spawning population is building, and that is good news.

Regardless of your "opinion" as to why the steelhead have declined in the Nisqually River, which did not appear to begin until about 1989, winter steelhead declines were reported at about the same time by the other western states and BC. This would suggest that the declines may be the result of ocean survival and not in river problems. However, the declines also indicate that all the remaining fish are required if we are to recover the stock. The Nisqually Tribe does still harvest a few fish during the directed chum fishery but anglers also report the harvest of wild fish on catch record cards. Both groups are limiting maximum recovery potential.

An estimate of escapement is also being conducted in the Mashel River. Unfortunately, a redd based estimate has never been conducted so it will be years before an annual estimate can be labeled as week or strong. I can tell you that we are pleased with the numbers so far. Remember that the agreed to escapement estimate of 2000 fish is for the main stem alone and doesn't include Mashel fish.