Chehalis River---Jack Salmon Report

9/15/2020... 8:30 a m

The Chehalis River "jacks only" season is about to end. The season was from 8/1 - 9/15. In general, for those that fish Jacks, this was a VERY good season.

This has been a favorite fishery of mine for 40+ years, and over the years there are many other fishermen that also take part and enjoy the fishery.

Pretty simple fishery, while jacks can be caught with many things...spinners, spoons, plugs the MAIN BAIT is eggs, salmon or steelhead work....

Good jacks areas will have people fishing, both low tides...if day light hours are in your favor.

Today 9/15/2020 ends the "jack only" fishery. Hatcheries reports will show that jack salmon are killed and sold for cat/dog food.

The killing of these fine eating, smoking, and good sport....lead me to write the following email to Region 6 personnel...

This was addressed to Mike Scharpf but was sent to many other WDFW personnel and many sports people.


Mike:

This is a request that the Chehalis River be allowed to stay on the current NO ADULTS until September 30, 2020. There is a abnormal amount of Coho jacks this year.

It was nice to see the amount of kids with their parents, enjoying fishing the current run on Coho jacks, granted the vast majority of fisherpersons are retired or senior citizens.

The impact on the resource/total adult can not be very great. The history of “jacks” that make it back to the hatchery, is that they/jacks are resourced.

I’m on the river daily, lots of jacks in daily bag limits……not many Adult fish are being hooked, around where I’m fishing…NONE are taken/killed.

It would be a positive decision and help the image of WDFW to allow this fishery.

At this time, no answer but that has been the norm with most emails to Region 6.

it was just in my email and they said NO... gave all kinds of bull [Bleeeeep!] as a reason ... but if there wasn't any jacks they sure would have closed it !!!

Getting a positive answer from WDFW is frustrating. They just are NOT capable of acting quickly within a season. Last year, when coho were closed in several drainages, I called to see if there might be an in season adjustment and was told they didn't have the ability to do that. So, While I was "steelhead" fishing with spinners, I was releasing CHROME hatchery hens by the boat load.

As I approach retirement, WTF am I gonna do?

I HATE GOLF

Fly like an eagle.

Wednesday....9/16/2020

Well, I'm done until 10/01/2020 in the Chehalis river.......guess I'll have to find a place below the 101 bridge and fish the Marine area, starting the 10/23.

I can tell you that the area around the "pump houses" was on fire during the afternoon tide.

Fished with my 13', 6 - 10 weight Lamiglas rod.......got limit of jacks 5 Coho and 1 Chinook. Rain started about 5, poured like a "cow pissing on a flat rock", was glad I had rain coat in boat.

Any one know why the jack limit is 6?????? Seems to me, that if hatcheries kill off Coho jacks, that WDFW would increase limit size, to say 10....would help budget by selling more punch cards.

Limit on jacks has been 6 for as long as I can remember or fished salmon....50+ years....

You forgot to mention how much fun it was to run down river with the "Smoke on the Water" (Deep Purple). At times 10 yards of vision to run over a Bankie if they were there. It was really awful. The rain seemed to push the smoke down to the water.

Rain knocks the condensation nuclei out of the air. These tiny "bits" are what the moisture "glooms" onto. Rain just "washes" away the bits.

Time to get creative in "river rules".......

I know there are lots of Coho jacks in the Chehalis system right now, I've voiced my displeasure at closing the Chehalis system completely.

I also know that river rules and Marine rules are governed by different agencies, just have a hard time with the "release of Wild Coho" in the Marine area, while in the rivers it is a driving force to shut down a fishery resource, Coho jacks, that will be killed/resourced when they get to a hatchery.

I would even be in favor of fewer days fishing, per week.....like is done in Westport Marine area.

Opening a closed river, in Washington State, is done quite often, Columbia River for salmon or sturgeon.....just not in Region 6.

u know that wdfw has to get permission from the Quins to do anything in this region..

I didn't see where it said to release un clipped cohos

In the Chehalis it started with protecting Springers with a zero impact rational which to achieve that resulted in a total closure for all fishing including game fish. I seriously doubt the Nation would have objections to the jack fishery but the hooking mortality in releasing adults I think would be another matter entirely. In the past the Nation's position was released adults mostly die, WDFW not many die at all and the reality is nobody knows. C&R a salmon in transition salt to fresh, in a high stress environment, or a number of scenarios fish die. How many is the question and nobody knows. That is the issue.

As to the Nation controlling things, look to Willapa and that unholy fiasco to see what WDFW does when left to their own means. The Nation acts from a self interest perspective to be sure but frankly we are better off with them rather than have WDFW only managing things.

From Rivrguy's post: ". . . frankly we are better off with them (QIN) rather than have WDFW only managing things."

Now that is a sad state of affairs.

There was a study up in AK where they C&R'd coho in the estuary of a small stream, I believe. 100% post release mortality. There is a window where you should simply keep the fish, as it's gonna die. There is literature on it, there in Chehalis watershed in formation on this.

Hell, I seem to remember when there was a C&R net study where recoveries of released fish were pro, zip, nada. But, since we needed a number to justify a fishery one was imported from an entirely different circumstance.

I would not trust WDFW on a conservation issue any more than I trust the White House to tell us how to deal with Covid.

Heads up........As of 10/01/2020

NO Chinook jacks are legal....where I fish, Chehalis System...


Best check your river, know the rules !!!!!!!

Wow, the jack fishing that was very good....turned to xhit.

I fish everyday, like to fish Coho jacks.....Monday - Wednesday, lot's of hours, lot's of good eggs, perfect jack water....... 3 jacks, grrrrrrrr

Tuesday 7 guys, lots of hours ----- 6 Coho jacks, NO adults.....

All fishing was done in the Chehalis River..... could the jack run be done ??????

October 12, 2020

Chehalis River is a muddy mess.....Upper Chehalis to and including area below the Wynoochee River.

I went for a boat ride, today, around the Chehalis River pump houses......the river was a real "brown out". Flows from the Satsop and the Wynoochee are decreasing but any increase in rain will have a negative affect.

opps, just watching 11:00 p m News, heavy rains forecast......fishing will be xhit.

Even the QIN has reduced pressure....both Gill nets and the set nets.

Stay safe, and Vote !!!!!!!

October 13, 2020

Rained hard in the night, not showing on "USGS" yet BUT it will. Chehalis River at Porter is 4000 Cubic feet per second.....AND the river is up about 5 feet in 4 days.

I use the Satsop and Chehalis Porter gages because they reflex the areas below the Satsop that I fish most often.

IF no more rain I'll be fishing by Friday.....but tide and water clarity will determine where below the Satsop my boat will be parked.

Stay safe.........

The river is mint.
Everyone in the state should head there fast.
Faa King WA is a joke.

Combined flows of >6000 below Satsop as I type tonight... and another 1500 below the Wynoochee. It'll be pretty late on Friday before it's fishable for most.

And more rain forecasted for Friday.... I think I’ll stay home and rest.