They want it to be constantly monitored, and they're going to hire/assign someone to do 5 days a week, so they close it for the two least-used days of the week.Well that's some good news. Still, gotta' wonder what the rationale is for it being closed on Mondays and Tuesdays when it's over a thousand fish above the threshold for a 7-day/week season.
No, that's not how it works.And so what is the tribes take on a nearly non-existent run that probably no one should be targeting. If it is half then that leaves what 2500 fish and C& R mortality and over stressed fish reduced to very poor spawning results leaves what maybe 2000 fish at the very best.
This is pathetic to even think anyone with a conscience would net or catch what little remains of once was one of the largest runs of steelhead in Washington.
Go fort it people maybe you will get the reward for catching the last wild steelhead on the Skagit, and be proud! as you hang your trophy on the wall with the caption. "The Last One"!
Dave
In addition, the tribes use most if not all of their impacts during the June chinook fishery. The steelhead they catch incidentally are fish that have already spawned and are returning to the ocean.No, that's not how it works.
The fishery is managed on a sliding scale to ensure enough fish make it to the spawning grounds. A larger run = more fish can be harvested, a smaller run = less can be harvested (on both an absolute # and relative % basis).
A run size of 5,211 fish allows a 10% maximum mortality/harvest rate. 10% of 5,211 is 521, so let's round down to 520. That means a maximum of 520 fish can be "harvested". FYI - A run size below 4,000 allows 0% harvest, which is why last year there was no season.
Of the 520 fish, tribal fisheries are allowed to harvest 260, rec anglers the other 260.
Of course, rec anglers aren't allowed to actually kill/harvest fish, this 260 is simply based on an assumed 10% mortality for encounters (which would be 2,600 encounters).
So, assuming both tribal and rec fisheries maximize their allowed impact and 10% of all rec caught fish that are released somehow die, then the run size goes from 5,122 (projected) to 4,602 (projected), which is significantly different than your 2,000 figure.
Uninformed comments like this are not only irresponsible, but paint a completely false narrative of what actually happens. Plus it makes you look kinda foolish. But we've all fucked up a time or two...And so what is the tribes take on a nearly non-existent run that probably no one should be targeting. If it is half then that leaves what 2500 fish and C& R mortality and over stressed fish reduced to very poor spawning results leaves what maybe 2000 fish at the very best.
That's what you do on Monday and Tuesday!Now let’s see come march/April do I fish the river or go float around on a nice lake somewhere ?
River!!!Now let’s see come march/April do I fish the river or go float around on a nice lake somewhere ?
At the lower end of the range. Because the river changes season by season, as do ocean conditions, there is no "hard" number.Are 5000 fish even close to capacity for the Sauk and Skagit systems combined?
Last I was out there was January last year. From gov't bridge to Native the river had jumped to run along the highway where the flats used to be. Not sure when that happened. The take out at Native still leaves a bit to be desired.Anyone have recent float intel on the Sauk from Darrington to the mouth?
Couple massive high-water events since the last CnR season, wondering what kind of river we'll be workin with.
Roadie with the Clacka back to Washington is damn near the most excited I've been in awhile, and I get excited about everything