Record Size Chinook Salmon Found on California DFG Survey of Lower Battle Creek
November 14, 2008
One of the biggest Chinook salmon ever recorded in California was found dead of natural causes in lower Battle Creek near Red Bluff last month. Department of Fish and Game (DFG) biologists measured to estimate what the live weight of the dead fish would have been. A standard size-to-weight formula was used to determine approximate live weight. Based on measurements of the fish (51 inches long), it could have surpassed the current state angling record for a Chinook salmon. It was estimated to have been between five and six years of age.
“I have counted tens of thousands of salmon during my career and this is the biggest I have ever seen,” said Doug Killam DFG Associate Fisheries Biologist. “When alive, it could have weighed more than the largest Chinook officially recorded in California, an 88-pound fish caught in the Sacramento River.”
The monster salmon was found during a routine fall-run Chinook salmon survey conducted by DFG biologists. Biologists walk through the spawning reach on lower Battle Creek on a weekly basis, recording numbers of spawned-out salmon. Most of the salmon they find weigh between 20 and 30 pounds. The size of this salmon literally stopped them in their tracks. Killam was called and made a special trip to the site with camera in hand to record the size of the fish.
Because Pacific Chinook salmon die after spawning, surveys counting dead carcasses are commonly used throughout the Central Valley to estimate the number of salmon spawning in each stream. These monitoring surveys provide vital information on the number of salmon returning to specific areas, baseline information for establishing sport and recreational fishing seasons, evaluating hatchery programs, and evaluating habitat restoration and improvement projects.
Killam supervises a crew of employees that work year-round monitoring fish populations throughout the Upper Sacramento River Basin. The monitoring projects use state-of-the-art under water video monitoring techniques and traditional walking surveys to gather information. These surveys are cooperative efforts. They involve a number of different state resource agencies along with federal entities and non-profit groups and organizations. Four distinct runs of salmon are surveyed: winter, spring, fall and late fall-run Chinook salmon, and steelhead. The winter and spring-run Chinook salmon and steelhead are listed under the state and federal endangered species acts making information on their population size vital in recovery efforts and for state and federal water management activities.
“Hopefully this fish was entirely successful in passing on its superior genetic potential,” said Killam. “This is one of the few bright spots this year for one of California’s great sport fish, the Chinook salmon.”
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18th Annual Return of the Salmon Festival Takes Place October 18 at Coleman National Fish Hatchery
October 12, 2008
This is a family event to celebrate the fall Chinook salmon returning to Battle Creek and the hatchery. Visitors will be able to observe all aspects of the day-to-day hatchery operations; spawning, egg incubation, and juvenile rearing. Information sites are located on the hatchery grounds for visitors to learn more about salmon?s habitat requirements, and lifecycle. More than 50 exhibitor booths are expected including many government and community organizations which also participate in the festival.
This year’s activities include:
- Viewing of adult Chinook salmon and salmon spawning operation
- “Salmon aquarium”
- Resource information booths
- Fish tagging
- Recreational displays
- Children’s activities
- Safety fingerprinting
- Blood drive
- Food available by Junction Educational Foundation
- Demonstrations of Native American activities
Admission and Parking are Free. There are also free shuttle buses from the Wal-Mart SuperCenter in Anderson
Visitors will also be able to see the new fish passage ladder which opened Sept. 30. This was a joint Bureau of Reclamation and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service project to help improve managers’ ability to separate spawning populations of Central Valley spring- and fall-run Chinook salmon. Spring-run Chinook are threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. The ladder should contribute to the success of the Battle Creek Salmon and Steelhead Restoration Project, which is working to improve fish passage and habitat in the upstream reaches of Battle Creek.
For more information: (530) 365-8622
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work in California and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov/cno
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Salmon Fishing Opportunities Increase Along the Washington Coast Beginning Aug. 26
August 26, 2008
OLYMPIA – Anglers will be able to fish for salmon seven days a week along most of the Washington coast beginning Tuesday, Aug. 26, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced today.
The new rules will increase fishing opportunities at Westport (Marine Area 2), La Push (Marine Area 3) and the portion of Neah Bay (Marine Area 4) that lies east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line. Ocean waters west of that line in Marine Area 4 will be closed to all salmon fishing beginning Aug. 26, said Doug Milward, WDFW ocean salmon manager.
“Angler participation has been down along the coast likely due to higher gas prices,” Milward said. “For that reason, we can provide anglers who are fishing at these three ports with additional opportunities without exceeding recreational harvest quotas.”
Fishing had been restricted to five days a week since the season opened.
Anglers fishing at Westport and La Push may retain two chinook salmon as part of their daily limit, but those fishing in Neah Bay may retain only hatchery coho salmon, Milward said. All wild coho must be released in all three areas.
Salmon fishing is scheduled to continue through Sept. 13 if sufficient numbers remain in the quota, Milward said.
Although salmon fishing in Ilwaco (Marine Area 1) closed Aug. 17, fishing continues for hatchery coho at Buoy 10 just south of Ilwaco, Milward said.
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Michigan DNR Offers Women’s Fly Fishing for Chinook Salmon Workshop Sept. 12-14
August 12, 2008
The Department of Natural Resources Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program is offering an exciting program, Sept. 12-14, for women who are interesting in experiencing the thrill of fishing the Pere Marquette River for big chinook salmon using a fly rod while fishing from a drift boat.
The Orvis-endorsed Pere Marquette River Lodge is one of the premium fishing destinations in the Upper Midwest. Women will arrive Friday night, Sept. 12, for a get-acquainted party and guest lecturer. On Saturday and Sunday there will be an intensive eight to 10 hours of fly fishing instruction from the boats. There will be two women per boat with one guide.
“Participants will learn more on this trip about what a chinook does when it is hooked and what it feels like to fight a big fish using light tackle,” said Lynn Marla, DNR BOW coordinator. “In addition to providing invaluable instruction, these world-class fishing guides also will prepare a gourmet shore lunch each day.”
The workshop, which is limited to 12 participants, is $500. This fee will cover all room costs for two nights, two continental breakfasts, gourmet shore lunches and the Saturday night dinner. Fly fishing equipment will be provided, but women are encouraged to bring their own if they have it.
Workshop information is available online at www.michigan.gov/bow or by contacting Lynn Marla at (517) 241-2225; e-mail: marlal [at] michigan [dot] gov.
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New Salmon and Steelhead Regulations on Klamath and Trinity
August 5, 2008
New fishing regulations to increase the possession limit of returning adult fall-run Chinook salmon from four to six along the Klamath River system become effective Aug. 15. The California Fish and Game Commission adopted regulations increasing the possession limit at their June 28, 2008 meeting in Upland to reflect an expected increase in harvest opportunities that will be available to sport anglers.
“Based on predictions of a strong return of adult fall-run Chinook salmon, fishing on the Klamath River system is expected to improve this year,” said Neil Manji, DFG Fisheries Branch Chief. “This is good news following the closure of the California ocean salmon season and restrictions in the Sacramento River system earlier this year to protect diminished stocks of Central Valley fall-run Chinook.”
The anticipated strong return of salmon to the Klamath will provide an in-river harvest allocation of 22,500 adult fall-run Chinook salmon for sport anglers - up from 10,600 last year. It is the second largest harvest allocation in 30 years. Run size projections for 2008 are based on the number of fish that returned to the river by age class in 2007 and the expected number of fish harvested at sea during the course of the 2008 offshore fishing season. Offshore closures enacted this season combined with an expected strong return of 4-year-old fall-run Chinook salmon are responsible for the large 2008 in-river sport harvest allocation. The tribal harvest allocation is 27,000 fish.
The following is a summary of seasons, daily bag and possession limits on salmon and steelhead.
- Klamath River fall-run Chinook salmon: The season extends from Aug. 15 through Dec. 31 on the Klamath River and from Sept. 1 through Dec. 31 on the Trinity River. The daily bag limit is three Chinook salmon of which no more than two may be over 22 inches; the possession limit is nine Chinook salmon of which no more than six may be over 22 inches.
- Klamath River spring-run Chinook salmon: The season extends from Jan. 1 through Aug. 14 on the Klamath River; and Jan. 1 through Aug. 31 on the Trinity River. The daily bag and possession limit is two Chinook salmon. The take of spring-run Chinook salmon is prohibited on the Klamath River from Iron Gate Dam downstream to Weitchpec or on the Trinity River from the confluence of the South Fork Trinity River downstream to the confluence with the Klamath River during this period.
- Steelhead: The season is open all year. The daily bag and possession limit is one hatchery steelhead or hatchery rainbow trout on the Klamath River. On the main stem Trinity River the daily bag limit is two hatchery steelhead or hatchery rainbow trout and the possession limit is four. Hatchery steelhead and rainbow trout are identified by the lack of an adipose fin.
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Study Suggests Upper Klamath Lake Can Support Juvenile Salmon
July 17, 2008
13:11:53Young Chinook Salmon should be able to grow and develop in the waters of Upper Klamath Lake and the Williamson River, according to a new study. That could be the first step in a journey back to ancestral waters for fall-run Chinook salmon.
Researchers found that water-quality conditions in those bodies of water appear adequate for the physiological development of the salmon. The study was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and Oregon State University. The study examined Iron Gate Hatchery fall-run Chinook salmon, which are a potential candidate for reintroduction.
Chinook salmon historically occupied Upper Klamath Lake and the tributaries that flow into it. However, anadromous fish like Chinook salmon that live part of their lives in the ocean and part in fresh water have not had access to these waters since 1918. That was the year the first Klamath River hydroelectric dam was completed.
?Biologists were concerned about the effects of decades of habitat loss and declining water quality on the fish,? said USGS scientist Alec Maule. ?We wanted to determine how Chinook salmon would respond physiologically to being reintroduced to their ancestral waters after being absent for almost 90 years.?
The biologists studied how current water-quality conditions impacted young Chinook smolts that were kept in netpens in Upper Klamath Lake and in the Williamson River. Smolts are young fish that develop a readiness to migrate to the sea. The researchers found water quality to be conducive to salmon development and survival during the study. They also found no vulnerability to disease that would preclude or impair these young fish from properly developing in the areas where the tests occurred.
?This study is an important first step and will help state, federal and Tribal fish managers in their efforts to eventually restore anadromous fish to Upper Klamath Lake and tributaries,? said FWS field supervisor Phil Detrich. ?The findings suggest that conditions in Upper Klamath Lake and the Williamson River are sufficient to support the physiological development of this native fish.?
The study, which was conducted in October 2005 and May 2006, is available on the Web at: http://online.wr.usgs.gov/ocw/htmlmail/2008/July/20080715nr.html
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov. USGS provides science for a changing world. For more information, visit www.usgs.gov.
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Chinook fishery reopens on 3 Columbia tributaries; hatchery steelhead limit rises to 6 per day on 2 rivers
June 26, 2008
VANCOUVER, Wash. – Starting today, anglers may once again keep hatchery-reared chinook salmon they catch while fishing on the Cowlitz, Kalama, and Lewis rivers in southwest Washington.
Also today, the catch limit for steelhead will increase to six hatchery steelhead per day on the Cowlitz and North Fork Lewis rivers.
Pat Frazier, regional fish manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), said fishing rules for those rivers can be liberalized now that it appears enough fish are returning to meet hatchery production goals.
“Spring chinook returns have been nip and tuck this year for some hatcheries,” Frazier said. “But after a late surge of fish, it now appears that the hatcheries will get the fish they need for broodstock.”
In recent weeks, anglers have been required to release any chinook salmon they caught on the Cowlitz, Kalama, and Lewis rivers in response to lagging returns.
Under the new rules, anglers will be able to retain six salmon – including two adults – per day on designated portions of those three rivers through July 31. On the Cowlitz River, however, only one of those two adult salmon may be a chinook.
All wild chinook and wild coho salmon, which can be identified by an intact adipose fin, must be released.
On the Cowlitz River, the new chinook-retention rules will be in effect from the boundary markers at the mouth to Mayfield Dam. On the Kalama River, anglers will be allowed to retain chinook salmon from the boundary markers at the mouth to the Kalama Falls Hatchery. In addition, chinook retention will be permitted from the mouth of the mainstem Lewis River to the mouth of the East Fork and from there to Merwin Dam on the North Fork Lewis River.
Frazier said hatcheries on the Cowlitz and North Fork Lewis rivers now have all the steelhead they need to meet egg-take goals, allowing fishery managers to increase daily catch limits for hatchery fish on those rivers. Through last week a thousand steelhead had returned each of the facilities on the Cowlitz and Lewis and more are on the way.
“Boat anglers are reportedly doing very well fishing for hatchery steelhead on both of those rivers, although bank angling is somewhat limited by high flows,” Frazier said. “Steelhead fishing on the Cowlitz has been best around Blue Creek.”
The new six-fish steelhead limit will be in effect on the lower Cowlitz River from the Highway 4 Bridge at Kelso upstream to Mayfield Dam. On the North Fork Lewis, it will be in effect from the Interstate 5 Bridge upstream to Merwin Dam.
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Salmon Fishing in the Clearwater Mainstem Closed
June 16, 2008
Salmon fishing on the mainstem Clearwater River downstream of the South Fork Clearwater River closed at the end of fishing hours Sunday, June 15.
Fishery managers for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game estimate that as of June 8 anglers had harvested about 50 percent of the state’s harvest share of adult hatchery Chinook salmon returning to the Clearwater River drainage. By June 15, anglers had caught about 64 percent. Harvest is estimated by daily angler surveys.
To ensure sufficient fishing opportunities in the tributaries, the state’s remaining harvest share will be used to continue existing fisheries. These fisheries include North Fork Clearwater, Middle Fork Clearwater, South Fork Clearwater and Lochsa rivers. Fishing is expected to improve on these rivers, but so far have accounted for only 7 percent of the harvest.
To ensure sufficient harvest opportunities in the South Fork Clearwater and Lochsa rivers, additional closures could occur in the future on the North Fork Clearwater and Middle Fork Clearwater rivers. Fishery managers will provide an update on fishery status and potential fishery closures in the Clearwater River basin every Monday until the season closes.
By managing the remaining portion of the state’s harvest share in this manner, fishery managers expect some salmon fishing in the Clearwater River basin to remain open through the July 4 weekend. All salmon fishing in the Clearwater River basin will close once the remainder of the state’s harvestable share of Clearwater River hatchery Chinook salmon is harvested.
Jack Chinook salmon and adult Chinook are each defined by regulation and have separate bag limits. The jack bag limit is two per day and six in possession statewide. By regulation, jacks should not be recorded on the salmon permit.
Adult bag limits are fishery specific and all adults must be recorded on the permit card. An angler must cease fishing when he or she has caught the adult bag limit.
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Ocean Salmon Fishery Opens June 1 With a Focus on Chinook, Conservation
May 28, 2008
OLYMPIA – The sport fishery for salmon begins June 1 off the southern coast of Washington, where the first anglers of the season will cast off from Westport and Ilwaco a full month earlier than usual.
On June 3, salmon fishing begins on the north coast out of LaPush and Neah Bay.
This year’s early start will give ocean anglers an opportunity to catch hatchery chinook salmon before the bulk of the coho run arrives off the Washington coast, said Doug Milward, ocean salmon manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).
That is a key conservation strategy in a year when fishery managers are predicting low returns of coho salmon throughout the West Coast, Milward said. In Washington, this year’s catch quota for coho will be the lowest in a decade.
But unlike California, where the collapse of the Sacramento River chinook run prompted a complete closure of that state’s ocean fishery, hatchery chinook are returning to the Columbia River in sufficient numbers to support a fishery off the Washington coast, he said.
In all, up to 20,000 chinook salmon – up from 16,500 last year – will be available for harvest by sportfishers in the state’s coastal waters.
“We could actually have a pretty good chinook fishery in June,” Milward said. “There will also be a season in July, but there’s a good chance we’ll have to close the fishery earlier than in previous years to meet conservation goals for coho salmon.”
Under this year’s rules, anglers are limited to one chinook salmon per day from June 1-28. All other salmon species – including coho – must be released during that period.
Starting June 29, the daily limit will increase to two salmon per day, including one chinook. As in past years, anglers may retain fin-clipped hatchery coho, but must release any unmarked wild coho they intercept.
Salmon fishing in Marine Area 1 (Ilwaco) opens June 1, seven days per week. Marine Area 2 (Westport) also opens June 1, but fishing is restricted to Sundays through Thursdays. On the north coast, fishing opens June 3 in marine areas 3 and 4 (LaPush and Neah Bay) five days per week, Tuesdays through Saturdays.
Additional fishing regulations, including minimum size limits and area catch guidelines are described in WDFW’s Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet, available online at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regs_seasons.html.
This year’s 20,350-fish coho quota – the lowest in a decade – will likely be a significant constraint on the fishery, Milward said. In contrast, last year’s quota was 117,500 fish.
The low coho quota this year reflects a forecast of poor coho returns to the Columbia River, which produces more of those fish than any river in the state, Milward said. According to preseason projections, only about 196,000 coho are predicted to return to the Columbia this year, compared to an actual return of 462,000 in 2007.
Fishery managers have attributed the low coho returns expected to the Columbia and other rivers to poor ocean conditions in 2005 and 2006.
“The limited seasons we have crafted this year are carefully designed to meet or exceed our conservation objectives while providing opportunities to harvest healthy hatchery chinook stocks,” said Phil Anderson, WDFW deputy director. “Anglers who want to participate in this year’s fishery off the Washington coast should plan to go early, because we’re likely to reach the limited catch quotas earlier than usual.”
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Idaho’s Chinook Salmon Forecast Scaled Back
May 23, 2008
Idaho fish managers have scaled back their estimates of the numbers of Chinook salmon expected to return this spring and summer, but they still expect enough fish to provide excellent fishing opportunities.
“We’re still going to have a robust season,” Idaho Fish and Game fisheries head Ed Schriever told Fish and Game Commissioners during their meeting May 22. “There’s no reason to cut back seasons at this time.”
Spring Chinook fisheries in Oregon and Washington were closed recently when fish did not show up in the numbers expected and anglers exceeded the take of wild salmon allowed under the Endangered Species Act.
Salmon returning to Idaho, though not as many as expected earlier this year, still are expected in numbers four to five times as many as last year, Schriever said.
Fishery managers expect more than 50,000 hatchery f