DOES ANY ONE KNOW ANY #S ON RETURNING STEELHEAD IN THE SAMAMISH SLOUGH, THEY USE TO HAVE A FISHERY BUT CLOSED DOWN SOME TIME AGO USE TO FISH IT AS A KID JUST WONDERED IF ANY CHANCE THER MIGHT BE A NOTHER FISHERY SOME DAY

Doug:
Don't hold your breath. But there is finally some hope in that the Issaquah hatchery has been putting their few steelhead above the weir (along w. some sockeye, I believe)where they can use the spawning habitat upstream. You might drop by the hatchery and ask the crew how it's going.
The new attention (for a very old problem) on kokanee in that watershed may also help things -- from getting worse, at least.
Obviously, Issaquah is "trashed" as far as its streams are concerned, and quality of life in general. My sympathies!

AM.. Doug, the decline of the steelhead fisheries in the Sammamish and Cedar Rivers parallel each other. When tribal nets and sea lions appeared near the Ballard Locks, the Game Dept. lost interest in augmenting these runs with hatchery produced fish. Native runs were pressured by development in the river basins, unchecked run-off, reduced summer flows, and four month long "catch-and-kill" seasons. Steelhead in these two rivers were nearing extinction. The Cedar River was closed to steelheading eight years ago, and is presently closed to all fishing. The Sammamish had a summer catch-and-release trout season in 1999. In recent years, Cedar River native steelhead were captured and spawned to produce offspring for planting in Sammamish tributaries. Last year, a biologist working on the Cedar estimated it would be five years before they could consider having a catch-and-release steelhead season on that river. The Sammamish could be even farther behind in recovery. A good source for info on Sammamish returns is the fish biologist at the Issaquah Hatchery.

PM.. Was in Issaquah, so I stopped at the hatchery and asked a few questions. The answers left little room for optimism. Estimated fifty steelhead have passed through the locks and fish ladder this year. All those observed were natives. No fish from the Cedar River/Sammamish enhancement effort have shown up yet. They would be "two-salts" this year. Most of the parent stock were "three-salt". Might be some hope for them next year. Hatchery returns have been extremely low through out the NW(0.1%-1%). High seas conditions are believed responsible for low steelhead numbers.

[This message has been edited by CedarR (edited 03-24-2000).]

[This message has been edited by CedarR (edited 03-24-2000).]

I used to fish the "Sammamish slough" alot(hunted ducks too). It used to have a fair steelhead fishery. The King and Silver fishing USED to be
good also.

Now with the population growth, pollution and the sea lions I don't think it will ever recover. Thirty years ago,in Sept., you could look on the N. side of the Kirkland-Redmond bridge and see 100 kings. Glad I got the memories but its a two edged sword.