Does anyone happen to know why the plants for the Nooch for this year are half of what they have been for the past 6 or more years? Is this the plan for future years or is it just this year?
Pressure on the river has increased significantly this year again and I get the feeling that most these folks do not know about the decreased plants for this years returning fish.

Glad you asked that question....I thought maybe you looked at the wrong numbers BUT YOU ARE CORRECT...

I went to the WDFW web site, they have the plantings listed there from the year 2002 - 2015...I won't give the actual counts by year but you'll understand what I'm doing:

Year 2015 ---- plant was 88,740, add 2 years and that's when they are back.

Year 2008 --- plant was 104,540
Year 2009 --- plant was 140,380
Year 2003 --- plant was 141,500
Years 2014, 13, 12, 11,10, 7, 6, 5, 4, 2 were all in the 170,000+

I have a call into the hatchery, of course it went to voice mail....I'll post what I hear when I get the phone call....

I was not aware....and I live close....

Just so the readers understand......100 % of the meeting, in general, the topic is SALMON, how many, what species, and who gets what % of the total....QIN, NT, Marine Sports, and In River sport.

Steelhead are not talked about, at any North of Falcon meetings...

Thanks again for asking the question...

It will be a xhit year !!!!!!!

Never fished the Notch but from what I hear from customers is since the Cowlitz A run was done away with, the masses (and guides) moved over there. With less plants yet, I could say a two fold cause for complaint. Although the Cow B run has been good for most the last few seasons. Don't really claim to know all the peculiars but this is what I hear anyway.

I was out the other day. Less access for boaters and bankies. Guides all over the place. Half the returning fish there use to be. Don't come here !

It's another one of those "use to be" great rivers.

Got call from Lake Aberdeen hatchery......The following happened in 2015

1. Water stoppage at incubation trays, result was major demise of at that part of the fish rising process.

2. Indicated that there was no alarm system, AT THAT TIME.

Bottom line.....plant for that year was 88,700 and not the normal 170,000+.

Enjoy the river, many will be on a full day of boat rides, with not many fish......bumper boats!!!!!

Well, there's always perch fishing to fall back on.