Nisqually River will not open to fishing for gamefish Dec. 1


Reason for action: Based on current run estimates, WDFW and tribal co-managers agree that winter chum salmon returns will fall short of conservation goals. Keeping the river closed to all fishing will increase the number of chum returning to spawn and help ensure future returns.

Other information: In order to achieve our shared conservation goals, the Nisqually Tribe is closing their fisheries on the Nisqually River as well.

The Nisq used to be a great chum fishery. Very abundant throughout the river, great spawning success and healthy, big fish....

I never recall any excessive pressure and the habitat has remained pretty consistent with the reservation on one side and Ft. Lewis on the other.

Wonder what the deal is with the crash in population?

Lots of seals and sea lions in the lower Nisqually during the chum run. In years past, when you could walk the riverbank almost to the mouth, we would see the chum being chased, caught and consumed by the pinnipeds. A tribal member told me they had counted two hundred marine mammals in the lower river during their fishing season. Along with the nets, that's quite a gauntlet for the fish to pass through on their way to the spawning gravel.

"excessive pressure" occurs when the spawning population is reduced to too low a level. That rate may not be very high. If the run is declining then there are too few spawners. It can be predators, fishing, changes in the ocean.

Right now, fishing seems to be the only part of the equation we are willing to even consider doing something about. Sad.

Among many other conditions, IMO it is all the T/NT commercial chum fisheries in the sound wiping them out before the reach the "safety" of the Nisqually.

Nisqually chum are a winter stock. Unless things have changed a bunch the only meaningful harvest is in the Nisqually River by the Tribe and recs.

I think all the PS chum salmon stocks outside of Hood Canal are fairing poorly in recent years. Over fishing probably occurred on some of the stocks during some years, but overall that doesn't appear to be the proximate cause of low returns. Nisqually chum are the latest timed run in PS. They have historically evaded the commercial chum net fisheries in Areas 9 and 10 in the northern PS. I cannot pin point any single cause, so I suspect it may be several factors in combination.

Let's review what we know.

This spring as part of the NOF process the co-managers released a winter chum (Nisqually) forecast of 23,000. According to WDFW's score page the escapement goal for those winter chums on odd years is 18,000. Both the south Puget Sound and Hood Canal fall chum runs had in season updates that nearly doubled the forecasted numbers.

Questions that come to mind is what information do the co-managers have to indicate that the winter chum run will be below escapement needs? Has as Sky-Guy suggests were significant numbers of those chum intercepted in other fisheries? Given recent lack of transparency in manage actions the last several years we are not likely to know the answers to those questions for sometime.

However perhaps the larger concerning issue is that closing game fish seasons on the Nisqually due to the lack of harvestable is just another example of new co-manager management paradigm of closing any game fishery on anadromous waters where there are not harvestable salmon. This has been an issue on the Skagit and Stillaguamish and in the last few months there are several examples of that paradigm spreading. These game fish closures effect not only robust wild populations but also fisheries directed at hatchery steelhead (both summers and winters). This does not bode well for those have enjoy various anadromous game fish seasons on Puget Sound rivers.

Curt

Yes, It's spreading even though the science supports keeping it open. Further, the fact that it is spreading is another symptom of our Departments failed strategy of "Cooperate and wait". They refuse to take a stand even on the smallest of issues in fear.

Things are indeed spiraling further and further out of control, yet all we hear and see from the Department is vague half truths if we hear anything. Their overuse of emergency notices is an attempt to manage a fishery that they no longer control. They closed Chum fishing from the start, yet left game fish on the book, open. Then, all of a sudden, another emergency notice, game fish closed. Reason, not enough Chum! If it weren't such a train wreck, it would almost be funny! Question is: Who's running the Department anyway?

I can't believe how fast the Chum run declined on the Sky. Just 10 years ago it was pretty healthy, though it seemed. Nothing like a Chum fight, those bastids would flat kick your a$$.

Chum seem to respond to broad oceanic cycles that are relatively independent of fisheries. The 69s and 70s were times of low abundance/productivity. This changed in the 80s/90s to abundance and higher productivity. We appear to be back into a low productivity regime. It is critical that managers have the institutional memory to evaluate these long-term cycles and then respond.

Piggy-backed onto this has been the explosion of pinks, and PS pinks have been known to depress PS chum. Couple this with water quality issues on the Sound, high changes in the ocean (the Blob) and I suspect there is too much information available for mangers to process in a timely fashion. Management would need to be significantly more conservative and that won't happen.

Pretty sure the skykomish chums got knocked out from nets. This is the first year since they disappeared that I've seen any numbers of them though, not a lot but it seems like they're on the upswing.

even with the breeching of the man made levies in the delta area have failed to help that fishery I do like the wetlands there now

While the levees were breeched they didn't magically become desirable habitat. The former freshwater/terrestrial forms need to die and decompose, the marine and estuarial forms need to invade, establish, and form new ecosystems.

It will probably take 5-10 years for the estuary to establish and begin to fully function. Say that this year, 2017, the new area hit 100% super functionality. First chum to benefit will be 2017 brood when they invade as fry. The first adults to have that benefit will be the 2020 age-3s.

I want to see Capitol Lake turned back into a natural estuary. That should be a nice habitat "shot in the arm" for the South Sound.

For some reason, most people in Oly prefer that milfoil-choked, snail-infested swamp....

The above could also create a cool SRC fishery between Marathon Park and the falls (which might never open, but hey, it's a cool dream). Probably help Percival Creek, which seems like a good chum/coho stream, too.

Percival used to be one of the major chum fisheries for the Squaxins.

The dam should be removed. Money being the big hold-up. That, and the need for consensus.

Sky river chums were kllied almost by the commercial nets in the bay in front of everett/Mukilteo. But this year numbers of pinks/coho were way down. So why not chum going down too? Course now days we have a headless fish/game agency. How long are we as citizens/anglers going to put up with this?

Skyrise -

To be fair we should remember that the adult pinks and coho that returned (or did not) this year enter the salt in the spring of 2016. The bulk of this year's chums entered in 2014. In addition the pinks, chums and coho all have different migration patterns as forage behaviors so it is not unexpected to see differential survivals as measured against the normal between the 3 species.

Curt

The chum run is also made up of broodyears 2012, 2013, and 2014. One good survival among the three can jump things. Pink were all 2015 and the vast bulk of coho were 2014 that entered the salt with the pinks.

I understand closing the Nisqually for chums.
With steelhead fishing being closed since 1993, what gamefish would people be targeting in December, searun cutthroat?
SF

Yeah, cutts. But it is also just the knee-jerk reaction that if it needs to closed for salmon, it's all shut down.

Does make the regs simpler though, which WDFW is trying to do.

The chum, squid, and pollock all feed along the same lines, temperature breaks.

The trawls ass pays to fund canal chum take?

I did not remember that it had been closed that long........ I only fished the Nisqually River once, late 80's out of my then drift boat. I do remember the water color was that deep green and a beautiful day.

2 of us in boat, caught one small native steelhead, you could keep natives at that time, never fished it again.

Wish the problems were less on this river.....I 5 people need a river to fish, that is closer to home....

History of this river.......following is a good read...

https://voices.nationalgeographic.org/20...shington-state/

Does anybody know how well Kennedy Creek was for chum this year? I saw lots of cars there on the way by earlier in November. If nobody wants to admit they fish there, I understand.

I looked at the WDFW creel checks and in early November they were getting about a fish per rod.

While normally I am not against C&S fisheries, I think this is a little unfair. So few fish that a full closure was necessary, but only when it is convenient. You can not convince me they did not have the ability to fill their freezers with Kings and Coho and can not go out in the sound and fish for black mouth. If it has to be chum, I am sure they could trade with the Muk's, who also have a chum opener this week to get a few.

NISQUALLY INDIAN COMMUNITY
EMERGENCY REGULATION 6-2017
December 7, 2017.
IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 14.23.02 NISQUALLY TRIBAL CODE, TITLE 14-Chapter 2, AS AMENDED BY THE BUSINESS COMMITTEE EFFECTIVE 7/31/91, THE NISQUALLY FISH COMMISSION HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING FISHERY OPEN EFFECTIVE AT 10:00 AM TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2017.
REGULATION SUPERCEDED/MODIFIED: NONE
SPECIES: CHUM
FISHERY TYPE: CEREMONIAL AND SUBSISTENCE-NO SALE OF ANY KIND PERMITTED INCLUDING EGG SALES
GEAR: GILL NET ONLY-ONE NET PER FISHER
OPEN DAYS/HOURS: TUESDAY THE 12TH AT 10:00 AM CONTINOUSLY THROUGH WEDNESDAY 13TH AT 10
A.M..
AREA: NISQUALLY RIVER MOUTH TO TOM BROWN’S LOG JAM
JUSTIFICATION: CEREMONIAL AND SUBSISTENCE
NISQUALLY FISH COMMISSION
MMMM

Big surprise

Although managers move in mysterious ways, they are "stuck" with an agreed-to number that says there are some harvestable fish. Since they don't do updates (and Nisqually chum had one of the sweetest ones I've ever played with) they are stuck in a legal sense. That they agreed not to intensively fish shows concern, and they may have other indictors like lack of chum in by catch, nothing showing in early surveys.

It will also be an opportunity, and many tribes take advantage of it, to collect age, sex, and length data plus get some catch per effort data.

Soem trasparancy on the whole situation would help immensely.

Cultural heritage is important. I'm sure we all have different customs and traditions we find important, regardless of our background. I am in agreement that the tribes have ceremonial fisheries, IF the state and tribal Bios agree a very limited harvest will not harm recovery efforts.

I appreciate the fact that the tribes included in the announcement that there will be no sale of fish or eggs. This is exactly the type of transparent communication that reduces speculation and rumors.

I believe if they included the small number of fish they intend to harvest in the announcement, and it is verifiable through records or direct observation, the sport fishing community should support a culturally important harvest.

It seems that straight ceremonial harvest are most likely to include a number. The subsistence aspect of this leave the amount open. I personally talked to a couple of netters on the skok that were aiming for 6 totes from one net (set as a trap) for the day. I was there in the afternoon and they had just filled up their 3rd and 4th totes.

During the king season, the Nisqually tribe states they took over 1500 fish a day. So, while the chance of them hitting it hard is very slim, they could. A simple cap would add a lot of clarity.

Would it be overly cynical to ask about tribal oversight and enforcement?????

I wonder what crime you would have to commit to have a chum salmon ceremony held in your honor?

Keta...it's "what's for dinner!"

Sorry Chief, I'd like to attend, but I have to organize my sock drawer that night.

Check the packages of smoked salmon at the airport and other locations. Keta salmon sounds exotic as does "silverbrite" on fresh fish in the stores. It's all about marketing.

Nisqually winter chums are a completely different animal than any other chums from around these parts...besides being bigger and much brighter, they also have very dark flesh and are of a much higher quality than a lot of the boot coho being dragged home by anglers this week!

Fish on...

Todd

I agree Todd. When fishing for them years ago I remember how often people would start yelling for someone to put fish back because it had to be a different species. They had never seen a chum that looked like the Nisqually fish. That's the reason it suck's so much to loose it. In terms of water shed, the Nisqually is actually fairly good. I believe the dams are at the site of a historically impassible water fall, so no habitat was lost. Hard to say how the scouring/flood differences are postitive versus negative, though there likely is quite a bit of effect. The lower river habitat has been greatly improved in the past few years. Much better than it was previously. I took a quick look at some of the in stream water flow for muck creek, a spawning tributary, and it appears that water flows were much lower at times in the past. So what caused the sudden collapse. It shouldn't be river or estuary issues, and if Kennedy creek, Perry Creek and Johns creek are considered, then the south sound conditions should not be the main cause. Which leaves us to the intrusion of pinks, which should be a only odd year effect. Since the crisis is both years, we can limit that some. So, what's left. Mainly harvest. I can not attest to the oceanic harvest, but the returns to other hoodsport, the skoke and minter should also be collapsing. Are they. Looking at just a few years data, I can see that the sports catch in the Nisqually went from over 2000 in the Nisqually and 500 in Kenney creek (1995) to 368 in the Nisqually in 2014 and 383 in Kennedy creek.
Since the Nisqually river fish face mainly an in river harvest, I think we can start narrowing in on the problem. Either an in river habitat problem up stream that is fairly new and mostly unknown, or a continuing over harvest.
Anyone have a better answer?

For clarity were you referring to Muck creek rather than "much" creek?

Otherwise, yes!

Muck Creek used to be a prime producer of steelhead (probably age-1 smolts) and chum. It is significantly degraded due to loss of water and in-channel weed growth. Loss of that stream may be one of the prime reducers of Nisqually steelhead although there were some harvest issues.

Chum go through decadal or more productivity swings. 60s and 70s were low while 80s and 90s were high. Salmon populations were never meant, despite manager's intentions, to be consistent. Fluctuation was good for the soul.

There is something really wrong with Deep South Sound, south of the Narrows. When I was involved, the problem was with everything that smelted as a yearling or older. Problem may have expanded. Although everybody sings the praises of the delta restoration, what has happened to the chum since? Perhaps, enhancing the survival and growth of Chinook came that the expense of chum. We have certainly seen that expansions in pink come at the cost of Chinook.

I am looking for the paper, but when looking for historical data on river flows for Muck Creek, it appeared to state that it historically has always had intermittent flows and that during a period in the mid 1950's or around then the flow was almost non-existent for a period. It was a very long technical paper and I was just skimming it, but that was what I drew out of it. What makes it funny is that when looking for it I came across the Muck Creek basin plan. The first section is a summary of the plan. It states that chapter 7 is about habitat and waterflow, but they appear to be missing and not addressed. The section phase of the plan has lots of technical data about water quality but not much in the way of a summary. The water flow data mentions a historical flow problem, but gives no historical data or context. Later it goes into a grant the tribe wants that blames it partially on tank crossings on the base. Makes me wonder, given that most of the money it looks like is being spent on habitat and stream flow why there is no historical data or information and why there is no summary on these in the main paper. I don't have the time to dig much deeper, but perhaps someone knows more about it. It almost looks like the data may not support the funding, but they do not want that information out there.

A bit cynical about a lot of what is in reports. This comes out a report on fish in the Nisqually. "Upstream from the two reservoirs, LaGrande and Alder, fish are resident rather than anadromousdue to the blockage of the river by Alder Dam."
But reading in the history of the dams I find this statement ". They hold back Alder Reservoir and the inaccessible two-mile long LaGrande Reservoir. Before the construction of the dams, a natural fish barrier prevented anadromous fish from ascending the Nisqually above what is now La Grande Reservoir.[5]"
The reference does not work but that brings up a lot of questions, including why the tribe is now trucking fish above the dams and who is paying for it.

Historic water records are pretty skimpy but can be found (or used to be) in USGS. What I heard was that the development of wells in the headwaters, probably coupled with sewers, exported water. Even by the 50s, wells could have been extracting too much. But, into the 80s it was still considered a good producer of steelhead. even intermittent, with good winter flows, could have made it a great stream. The canary grass choking the channel was one of the big issues I heard of.

Chums only need about 6 months flow, at the right time of course. In that system, start flowing in November, be done by April or May and you may really fit the chum. By drying out, the cottids and other predators would be absent meaning more fry make it at least to the mainstem.

I am pretty sure that there is a lot of historic data out there on flows, fish populations, distribution, size, timing, and so on that is not looked at for various reasons.

Sent out at 4:30 tonight, to keep us from responding quickly.. Love how the system works.... There is no way they will not get enough in the first 3 days to justify us having a complete season. Every day, however, takes away from the peak period.... If we get in. This should not be able to be done unilaterally, and probably wasn't. If they can do it, then so can the department. If just notification is enough, then the department should be sending back an email right now, along with a emergency opening. If they notified the department in advance, then we should be twice as ticked off that the department did not open it up too. Our take would be miniscule compared to theirs. Suddenly, out of no where, there suddenly is enough for a compete fishery for them, but none for us???



NISQUALLY INDIAN COMMUNITY
EMERGENCY REGULATION 7-2017
DECEMBER 18, 2017.
IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 14.23.02 NISQUALLY TRIBAL CODE, TITLE 14-Chapter 2, AS AMENDED BY THE BUSINESS COMMITTEE EFFECTIVE 7/31/91, THE NISQUALLY FISH COMMISSION HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING FISHERY OPEN EFFECTIVE AT 12:00 NOON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2017.
REGULATION SUPERCEDED/MODIFIED: NONE
SPECIES: CHUM
FISHERY TYPE: COMMERCIAL
GEAR: GILL NET
OPEN DAYS/HOURS:
DECEMBER 19TH AT NOON TO DECEMBER 22ND AT NOON.
STARTING DECEMBER 24TH SUNDAYS NOON TO WEDNESDAYS NOON UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE, BUT NO LATER THAN JANUARY 31ST.
AREA: NISQUALLY RIVER MOUTH TO TOM BROWN’S LOG JAM AT FLAGGING
Nisqually Commercial Regulations:

1. Chum-Any combination of 3 nets combined cannot exceed 250 feet in length. No singular set net can exceed 150 feet in length. No drift gill net can exceed 85 feet in length.

2. No net shall extend beyond 1/2 the width of the channel of the Nisqually River at low tide.

3. No net shall exceed beyond 2/3 the width of the channel below I-5 on McAllister Creek at low tide.
4. All nets shall be clearly identified with owner’s name (first and last) and fishing ID number to allow net identification by tribal enforcement staff.

5. All nets can be tended only by owner and or authorized assistant, we will help and assist as we always have done.

6. Fishing locations in freshwater areas shall be not less than 250 feet apart, unless otherwise agreed as per section 14.23.04 of the Nisqually Tribal Code, Title 14, Chapter II-Fishing.


7. All net mesh restrictions refer to stretched mesh.


8. All nets are to be removed from the river at the end of Coho season, noon November 22nd. If the either of the Chum ISU models allows for Chum opener nets will be removed the last day of the fishery. Nets remaining after the river is closed by the Nisqually Fish Commission will be considered abandoned and will be removed by the Tribal Law Enforcement Patrol.

SPECIAL SPECIES CONCERN: GREEN AND WHITE STURGEON
FISHERY TYPE: INCEDENTAL; ALL STURGEON CAUGHT DURING ANY DIRECTED FISHERY IS TO BE RELEASED ALIVE.

JUSTIFICATION: HARVEST OF CHUM
NISQUALLY FISH COMMISSION

Should be in the regulations...if waters are open for nets, they are open to sportfishing. Screw the conflicts; we're just fishing "in common". WDFW needs to open the Nisqually for chum fishing, NOW!

That would be Region 6. Call and ask the Fish Program Manager down there. Interesting to see the response.

I notice that the reg does not mention a mesh restriction. There are mesh sizes, used in the past on other systems, that avoided steelhead while taking chum. I think 6 1/2 minimum would do it.

[color:#FFFF66]Fish Program Manager, Region 6......Annette Hoffman[/color]

If you get any answer I would be shocked......if you'd ask for an email response, I'm sure you'll get no answer......How she got to Fish Manager, I don't know.....good thing she has bio's that can bail her ass out!!!!!

The easy answer is to just show up and fish! Get a ticket and take it to court!

Video any nets you see while you are fishing and video any and all interactions with anyone approaching you. It may cost a ticket, but if you are civil and do not incite violence, have video documentation you will have enough to call on any judge to question the circumstances. Might even make it in the news!!

If any of you can get down to the river, please take pictures of any nets, boats and post them here. Remember, don’t interfere in a tribal fishery or you can be arrested. Just politely take pictures. This is not a cultural fishery. It is a commercial fishery!

J F C ! ! !

YGTBFKM, right?

GDITMMM ! ! ! !

Here's the problem. The North of Falcon Treaty allows for the opening of a treaty fishery if the fish come in, but does not have a provision for the non-treaty recs. Basically, the worlds largest run could come in and our side agreed we would not touch them unless the tribes decide to let us. Why they agree to this is beyond me.

Tribal provision:
Chum Commercial Fishery Closed. Yelm Escapement ISU model will be used in season to determine if fisheries are possible. Projected ISU derived escapement must exceed 2,000 fish above spawning goal of 18,000 for fisheries to open (approximately 184 peak live in Yelm). Fisheries will be managed to the lower 6 miles of the River to protect projected spawners. Chum management wk 48 – wk 5.

Non-treaty provision:
(mouth to the military tank crossing bridge, one mile upstream of the mouth of Muck Creek)
tank crossing bridge, one mile upstream of the mouth of Muck Creek)
7/1 –11/15

As you can see, we agreed to be out of the river by 11/15 and not retain any Chum. They retained the right to do an in season emergency opening.
Sounds like a perfect sharing to me.

6 fish limit, 2 adults, 12” min. size; release wild Chinook and Chum

And release steelhead.

Ummmm... sorry to keep pounding on this drum, but was agreed to behind locked doors without any public knowledge.

I’m going down today to see how well my rod and reel are working. Gonna cast some lead. I’ll be on the Ft. Lewis side if anybody wants to check out their rod and reel too.

Region 6 Manager, Annett Hoffmann 360-249-1201 Annette.Hoffmann@dfw.wa.gov
case you want to call. I am!

I got a prompt reply from WDFW this morning that we are also getting a 2 fish opener from the tank bridge, and the notice will be sent out sometime today. Although with the train wreck, I imagine sports pressure will be pretty light.

I don't like "phone calls"......if push come to shove, conversations can get twisted....

Email.....only way to go !!!!!!!

Just found this in my email.
Hi Mark,
 
Our first priority in the Nisqually right now is getting fish on the spawning grounds.  Our escapement goal this year was 18,000 fish.  The number of live fish on the spawning grounds counted yesterday should get us there.  The sport opening is going out today and will open the Nisqually to fishing from the military tank crossing bridge to the mouth.  Daily limit two adult salmon.  For winter chum, greater than 90% of the non-treaty harvest takes place in freshwater so our objective for the sportfishing community is not to achieve 50% of the harvest but rather secure meaningful opportunity on a sustainable fishery.  In other words, I see the currency as “days on the water”. 
This year a low forecast limited our time on the water.  The good news is that we got fish on the spawning grounds in hopes of rebuilding this run and we can now fish confidently on what’s in the river.  All this being said, I’m open to suggestions that meet conservation objectives and give the sportfishing community an opportunity to harvest winter chum. 
 
Thank you.
 
James P. Losee
Fish Biologist, South Puget Sound
WDFW
360-902-2741

Should be posted any minute. Two adult, six fish. No game fish, barbless. Start fishing at noon!! Thanks to all that called and raised concerns!! We are “fishing in kind”. See you all down there!

You don't suppose that the decline of Chums has something to do with the popularity of Chum roe with sashimi eaters? I can remember when tribal netters were giving Chums away in grocery store parking lots.

http://finecaviar.com/category/product/salmon-roe-caviar.html

Fishing in common sounds great until you realize that while everyone is indeed fishing, the guys with the gillnets at the mouth are the only ones doing any catching.

Good to see that it's opening, but if it were me, I'd wait til' the nets come out to go fishing.

WOW! $57 / lb retail

I think you guys may be on to something.

Saw a lot of NT seiners on these chums down in MA11 salt a few weeks back, so WDFW must have given NT commercials a solid crack at these fish knowing there was a low forecast. Most of the NT share went to commercial interest. Rec's get a couple cracks in the last week or two of the season. . .woo hoo.

fb

I doubt that there would have been a commercial NI fishery that targeted Nisqually. More likely the tail end of the Fall chums which would have been Skookum and maybe Perry and McLain.

To my knowledge, WDFW has been, or was, pretty committed to staying off the Winter chum commercially. Even in Boldt, they were allowed to aggregate SS chum with all the Winters going to Nisqually and the NI share coming out of the Falls.

Area 11 wouldn't have the winters until sometime in December and a fishery by NI after 11/30 would be in violation of Initiative 77. Can be done, but...........

FISHING RULE CHANGE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
December 19, 2017

Nisqually River to open to sport fishing

Action: Open the Nisqually River to fishing for salmon and gamefish.

Effective dates: Immediately through 11:59 p.m., Jan. 31, 2018.

Species affected: Salmon, gamefish.

Location: Nisqually River (Pierce and Thurston counties) from the mouth to military tank crossing bridge (located one mile upstream from the mouth of Muck Creek).

Reasons for action: Recent surveys indicate that the spawning goal for chum salmon has been met in the Nisqually River and its tributaries, allowing both WDFW and the Nisqually Tribe to open their respective fisheries for chum salmon.

WDFW previously closed the Nisqually River to fishing for gamefish to protect returning chum salmon. The river is re-opening to catch-and-release fishing for gamefish under the rules listed in the 2017-18 sport fishing rules pamphlet. Anglers are reminded to release steelhead.

Other information: Effective immediately, anglers may retain up to 6 salmon, of which only 2 may be adults. Release gamefish and wild chinook salmon.

The Nisqually River and tributaries will close to all recreational angling at 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 31, 2018.

Information contacts: James Losee (360) 902-2741, james.losee@dfw.wa.gov or Gabe Madel (360) 902-2670, gabe.madel@dfw.wa.gov.

Yeah this woulda been early November.

Early November in Area 11 is not too far from the peak for SS Fall chum. Maybe a bit after it, but not all that far.