Wandering pink salmon set record return in Columbia River


Pink salmon — not commonly found in the Columbia River — have been counted at a record number this fall at Bonneville Dam, with some traveling as far upstream as the Snake River.

Through Tuesday, the seasonal tally of pinks, also known as humpies, at Bonneville is 3,672. The old mark was 637 in 2003, said Joe Hymer, a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist.

Tuesday’s daily count was nine at Bonneville, as the run is nearly complete.

Thirty-five pinks have made it as far upstream as Ice Harbor Dam, the first dam on the Snake River.

Pinks are the smallest of fall-spawning salmon, .... http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/oct/06/wandering-pink-salmon-set-record-return-in-columbi/

Can you say nutrients, this has to be a good thing

Maybe they are a niche oportunistic species. Other slamon runs drop their numbers increase.

I've read before that the Toutle used to have huge runs of pinks back in the day.

Sturgeon bait!

Well that means the snaggers can come out an play on the Columbia as well. It's an odd year so they travel all over the place. It adds to the fishing adventure.

Todd