Well folks the other day I was cruzing around area 10 and on the way home I saw a boat full of natives throwing buzz bombs at the indangered Chinook. I also was wondering why the natives can net the mouth of the creek by my house for kings. We can't keep them then why can they net? I am not trying to make anyone mad I just want to know why. Big One can I have your opinion also.
Thanks......

Chris, I live next to the bay. I was wondering if they were fishing near the mudflats. I think the Suquamish plant the creek. Maybe they think they own the fish. Last year they were netting at the head of the creek also. I'll check it out tommorrow afternoon.

Chris,

If you are referring to Miller Bay, these chinook are not endangered. Remember, only wild chinook are listed in the vast majority of cases. These fish are the result of a hatchery program begun by the Suquamish Tribe in the late 70s on Grover Creek. It's located right off the highway midway between Suquamish and Kingston. Since it's a hatchery run, the tribe conducts what is known as a wipe out fishery in the bay. That is, only a relatively small number of the chinook are needed for spawning requirements at the hatchery, and the rest are considered harvestable. If you take a look at the creek, you'll notice it's anything but prime habitat for chinook. It is, or was, well suited for coho, chums, and cutthroat, however. I think it's pretty amazing that a hatchery chinook run would become established there.

As for who gets to fish where, I have no information. As most of us have come to learn, that is often the result of court or policy decisions that may, or may not, be logical.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.

Are all of the kings hatchery??? There isn't that many coho left in there. I am now saddened that those are hatchery kings because I took so much pride in making sure people weren't poaching them last year. Well, tight lines.....

Chris

Oh, one more thing I thought that this might be alittle something to think about. I have accidentally caught 5 kings this year 2 mature and 3 skakers. 4out of the 5 are from hatchery.

Salo g,
Are the miller bay fish marked???

Oh yeah, are the kings that go up liberty bay and dogfish creek hatchery too or are they endangered too?

Chris,

Some of these fish may spawn naturally, but they are far more likely than not of hatchery origin. I don't know if the chinook are marked or not. Tribes have usually not been inclined to mass mark hatchery fish, but there are probably exceptions.

I don't know about the Liberty Bay chinook, but Dogfish Creek doesn't look like a chinook river to me, either. I would guess somebody has a hatchery program there as well.

One thing to be careful of regarding fish and fishing generalities, is that there is generally an exception. The Suquamish Tribe probably has a fisheries office that you could call and get specific answers to your questions.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.

Thanks Salmo......