Published January 06, 2008

Officials expect strong run of spring chinook on Columbia

http://www.theolympian.com/outdoors/v-print/story/318997.html



PENDLETON, Ore. - Fishery officials project a strong return of spring chinook to the Columbia River this year, but a weak showing on the Willamette.

A panel of federal, state and tribal officials forecasts 269,300 spring chinook to return to the mouth of the Columbia, the largest return since 2002.

The forecast is largely based on the big return of spring chinook jacks - sexually immature 2-year-old fish - last year. More than 16,600 passed Bonneville Dam last spring compared with 2,908 in 2006 and a 10-year average of 8,234, according to numbers from the Fish Passage Center, which collects data on juvenile and adult salmon passage through the mainstem hydrosystem in the Columbia River Basin.

Though the forecast for spring chinook on the Columbia River looks good, the spring run on the Willamette River is expected to be the lowest since 1997 - about 34,000 fish.

If the predictions come true, "2008 will mark the only time in recent years in which the expected Willamette run is weak and the expected Columbia River run is strong," according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Fishery officials monitor fish runs during the season, primarily via dam counts and fish catch data, as Oregon and Washington fish and wildlife agencies plan and execute commercial and sport fisheries on the mainstem and tributaries.

Strong chinook run likely

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004110112_chinook06.html?syndication=rss[/b][b]

Some say the Willamette is one of the most polluted rivers on the west coast , doesn't take much to ruin a good run anymore. See you at the Drano Zoo!

Don't hold your breathe. The trollers will get their 60% before they ever see the river and then the netters on the river will get their take. The sportsmen will be lucky to see any time on the water because the State was wrong again.


I figured I'd get it out of the way and say it. Watching boards for the time I have there is always one to make this statement or one close...

Drano 500.Good luck,
STRIKE ZONE

Dear lord, when is the state going to learn to stop trying to predict the numbers that are going to return. They never seem to be right in the end and the seasons always get screwed up anyway. Holy crap.

While the upriver/ summer stock appears to be doing well; the system must be managed to preserve the weaker stocks, winters/springers in the system.

There are only a few reports of these fishes being caught offshore. Mortality of released fish at 40% gillnets vs 10% sportfishers (before the leave the unclipped fish in the water.)

So, are gillnets viable? I was told at a Commission meeting that they were to provide for commercial harvest and recreational opportunity. Well, I see what harvest meens to Staff; where is the opportunity???

I think they were talking numbers of Sea Lions, not Springers returning to the Columbia. They should allow 1 Sealion for every Springer to be harvested by the Gillnetters, should control some of the problem. the gillnetters can take them home and make some fine rugs!

As biased as I am, I could probably lend some support to a sea lion gillnet fishery, er, I mean lionery, or lion hunt, or whatever it would be called. When those things roll up along side the boat it's kinda' spooky. Just don't want to have my hands in the water when it happens, but I've heard from a couple guys who have.

Talk about spooky...

Check out this YouTube sea lion special:


click here