Willamettte Falls fish count

[DrTheopolis]

I would like you to, instead of making condescending remarks, try and educate me and other new comers to this region and it's fishing.

I would like you to, instead of calling me out, to try and reread the above posts.

It would appear that my post generated a discussion, that lead to multiple people doing some research, which they shared, and I think it's safe to say we all learned something.

 

[plumbertom]

I would like you to, instead of calling me out, to try and reread the above posts.

It would appear that my post generated a discussion, that lead to multiple people doing some research, which they shared, and I think it's safe to say we all learned something.

Still not clear about what you were trying to say. I see some conflicting posts on whether or not winter run steelhead are endangered or not. Seems to me that an endangered run would be protected by the DFW by prohibiting fishing.
Also how does bait fishing figure in. Is it inherently more damaging to the fish? Does the use of circle hooks make it less damaging?
I personally don't know that fishing steelhead at any time with bait would be a responsible practice if what you seem to be implying is the case. After all there is always the wild catch that must be released.

 

[Aton]

Fish tend to engulf bait Tom, and the hook with it. Which leads to mortality. Yes winter run steelhead are on the endangered list in the UWR( Upper Willamette River) upriver to the Calapooia river. Not all adipose intact fish have to be released. Always check regulations for the body of water you are fishing, and furthermore, what section of a body of water you are fishing. For example, sections of the McKenzie have regulations requiring no bait, and limited hook sizes, in order to protect native cutthroat. Some sections require larger hooks. I don't even pretend to understand it all. Keep a copy of regulations with you(smart phones are great for this...download and save file).

 

[eugene1]

a summary is that the late run winter steelhead have no hatchery origin and have been "untouched" in the gene pool since they've been around (before Willamette falls fish ladder). Lots of good info. I still stand by "if its got a fin, it goes back in".

Glad you found that study, Steel4life.

I don't know the specifics of that, but I do know there is active research happening to determine if the non-native Skamania strain (summer run steelhead) are spawning with and diluting out the small run of native winter run fish.

The Army Corps has promoted the summer run plants as partial remediation for the dams that cut off spawning grounds to the native fish. Not very logical since there wasn't any summer runs in the Willy valley before the dams, but lots of us do enjoy catching them. Anyway they seem to favor the status quo.

Other groups are wondering if the relatively large numbers of non native summer run fish are having a negative influence on the winter runs. So, ODFW is spending some considerable time and resources to find out how much interbreeding is happening. Hopefully the science will show very little and both runs can continue. If not, say goodbye to town run fishing in the summer.

We shall see.

Best,

 

[Native Fisher]

Glad you found that study, Steel4life.

I don't know the specifics of that, but I do know there is active research happening to determine if the non-native Skamania strain (summer run steelhead) are spawning with and diluting out the small run of native winter run fish.

The Army Corps has promoted the summer run plants as partial remediation for the dams that cut off spawning grounds to the native fish. Not very logical since there wasn't any summer runs in the Willy valley before the dams, but lots of us do enjoy catching them. Anyway they seem to favor the status quo.

Other groups are wondering if the relatively large numbers of non native summer run fish are having a negative influence on the winter runs. So, ODFW is spending some considerable time and resources to find out how much interbreeding is happening. Hopefully the science will show very little and both runs can continue. If not, say goodbye to town run fishing in the summer.

We shall see.

Best,

Wait, maybe I have misunderstood, but ODFW has always said that there was no winter run. If that is the case then the current winter run do not qualify for any specific protections. I was always under the impression that springers and summers were the onlt anadramous fish in the eugene area, historically that is.

 

[Aton]

Wait, maybe I have misunderstood, but ODFW has always said that there was no winter run. If that is the case then the current winter run do not qualify for any specific protections. I was always under the impression that springers and summers were the onlt anadramous fish in the eugene area, historically that is.

Only spring salmon emigrated to Middle Fork Willy. Winters from Santiam stock introduced in the 50's, Summer run Steely were introduced sometime in the 60's. That link to the N.O.A.A. study is an exhaustive read, but the real interesting (to me) part was the history explaining the run pre fish ladder at the falls. Only the largest salmon had the power to make it up the falls(when flows subsided..June) at the right time of year. Now if you catch a 12lb. Chinook on the middle fork it is a big one...:sad:

 

[eugene1]

These winter fish are spawning downstream of Eugene.

Wait, maybe I have misunderstood, but ODFW has always said that there was no winter run. If that is the case then the current winter run do not qualify for any specific protections. I was always under the impression that springers and summers were the onlt anadramous fish in the eugene area, historically that is.

 

[plumbertom]

Fish tend to engulf bait Tom, and the hook with it. Which leads to mortality. Yes winter run steelhead are on the endangered list in the UWR( Upper Willamette River) upriver to the Calapooia river. Not all adipose intact fish have to be released. Always check regulations for the body of water you are fishing, and furthermore, what section of a body of water you are fishing. For example, sections of the McKenzie have regulations requiring no bait, and limited hook sizes, in order to protect native cutthroat. Some sections require larger hooks. I don't even pretend to understand it all. Keep a copy of regulations with you(smart phones are great for this...download and save file).

I do keep a copy in my truck cab, even though after reading them I get the distinct feeling that they are written specifically to enable the writing of citations for misunderstanding them.
Smart phone? What the heck is that? My cell doesn't do internet access, I only use it to text message, no voice calls, I'm too deaf to hear them, and to take the occasional photo when I remember it does that and how to do it.
I was asking about the circle hooks for the very reason that you mention while bait fishing.
My experience with them is that if they are used properly, they will almost ever time hook a fish in the corner of the mouth. It does take a bit of relearning about hook setting but they have allowed me to release hundreds of fish unharmed, caught using bait, that were either non targeted, undersized, or protected while fishing in Ca.
I would like opinions as to how they work on steelhead and salmon. I have a tendency to believe, based on what I've read, that they may be effective on steelhead as my reading leads me to understand they tend to eat what they bite. Where salmon usually bite and spit out what they go after more as a territorial or competitive adaptation.

 

[plumbertom]

Fish tend to engulf bait Tom, and the hook with it. Which leads to mortality. Yes winter run steelhead are on the endangered list in the UWR( Upper Willamette River) upriver to the Calapooia river. Not all adipose intact fish have to be released. Always check regulations for the body of water you are fishing, and furthermore, what section of a body of water you are fishing. For example, sections of the McKenzie have regulations requiring no bait, and limited hook sizes, in order to protect native cutthroat. Some sections require larger hooks. I don't even pretend to understand it all. Keep a copy of regulations with you(smart phones are great for this...download and save file).

I would also say I have yet to sink a line in the McKenzie river. I've fished the Suislaw one time and Lake Creek one time.
I'm almost exclusively limited most of the time to fishing the Willamette where it runs through town and where I know I have reasonably easy shoreline access.

 

[Aton]

they tend to eat what they bite. .

Yeah.....No!....They'll spit it out like...right now. I wish it was true, I'd have brought home two this evening:sad:

 

[JonT]

You can't fish for steelhead in Oregon.

 

[rogerdodger]

"You can't fish for steelhead in Oregon."...unless you first purchase a combined angling tag.

opcorn:

 

[plumbertom]

You can't fish for steelhead in Oregon.

Thank you. I find this answer tremendously helpful and, as my Limey buddy says, spot on.

 

[plumbertom]

Thank you. I find this answer tremendously helpful and, as my Limey buddy says, spot on.

Oops.

 

[plumbertom]

"You can't fish for steelhead in Oregon."...unless you first purchase a combined angling tag.

opcorn:

Yeah, I got one of those.