Snohomish/Skykomish get screwed
- Thread starter skyrise
- Start date
Paige
Wishing I was fishing the Sauk
Well the Skykomish is now 100% closed 
FISHING RULE CHANGE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
July 31, 2023
Snohomish system closure update
Action: Closes all fishing upstream of Highway US2 Bridge for Skykomish River. Maintains previously announced Snohomish system closures.
Species affected: All species.
Effective dates and locations:
Closed to all fishing beginning Aug. 2, 2023, until further notice:
Skykomish River, from Highway US2 Bridge (above Big Eddy) to confluence of North and South forks.
Currently closed to all fishing, until further notice:
Snohomish River, from mouth upstream.
Snoqualmie River, from mouth to Snoqualmie Falls.
Skykomish River, from mouth to Highway US2 Bridge (above Big Eddy).
Skykomish River, North Fork.
Skykomish River, South Fork, from mouth upstream.
Cherry Creek.
Raging River.
Sultan River.
Tolt River, from mouth to confluence of North and South Forks.
Wallace River, from mouth to 200 feet upstream of water intake of salmon hatchery.
Reason for action: Chinook presence has been observed in the Skykomish River in the area near Reiter ponds. Due to limited allowable take of wild Chinook in the Snohomish system, strict controls are needed to conserve Chinook impacts for pink and coho fisheries later this fall.
Additional information: The Snohomish wild Chinook population saw a record low return of 1,023 in 2019 - the year when dominant age class four-year old Chinook returning in 2023 would have been hatched - there is now significant concern for a poor return of wild Chinook to the Snohomish and its tributaries this year. For additional information, go to the WDFW blog.
Information contact: Team Mill Creek, 425-775-1311.
FISHING RULE CHANGE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
July 31, 2023
Snohomish system closure update
Action: Closes all fishing upstream of Highway US2 Bridge for Skykomish River. Maintains previously announced Snohomish system closures.
Species affected: All species.
Effective dates and locations:
Closed to all fishing beginning Aug. 2, 2023, until further notice:
Skykomish River, from Highway US2 Bridge (above Big Eddy) to confluence of North and South forks.
Currently closed to all fishing, until further notice:
Snohomish River, from mouth upstream.
Snoqualmie River, from mouth to Snoqualmie Falls.
Skykomish River, from mouth to Highway US2 Bridge (above Big Eddy).
Skykomish River, North Fork.
Skykomish River, South Fork, from mouth upstream.
Cherry Creek.
Raging River.
Sultan River.
Tolt River, from mouth to confluence of North and South Forks.
Wallace River, from mouth to 200 feet upstream of water intake of salmon hatchery.
Reason for action: Chinook presence has been observed in the Skykomish River in the area near Reiter ponds. Due to limited allowable take of wild Chinook in the Snohomish system, strict controls are needed to conserve Chinook impacts for pink and coho fisheries later this fall.
Additional information: The Snohomish wild Chinook population saw a record low return of 1,023 in 2019 - the year when dominant age class four-year old Chinook returning in 2023 would have been hatched - there is now significant concern for a poor return of wild Chinook to the Snohomish and its tributaries this year. For additional information, go to the WDFW blog.
Information contact: Team Mill Creek, 425-775-1311.
HauntedByWaters
Life of the Party
No more “trout” fishing?
Haven’t there been good returns after poor adult returns and poor returns off of good adult returns in the past?
I guess “significant concern” is now part of the “let’s just shut things down, its easier” management regime.
SF
I guess “significant concern” is now part of the “let’s just shut things down, its easier” management regime.
SF
Easier
You’re onto something
AKA "good for the smoker" according to half the people I saw at the Snohomish lol. The bigger the hump the sweeter the meat and what not
TylerSadowski
Just Hatched
The kicker is those fish that are trucked have become ESA listed too!
I genuinely wonder if trucking Rainbows upstream is actually hurting the wild Rainbow population in the South Fork Skykomish. As far as I understand, resident fish are pretty healthy in terms of population, it’s migratory fish that are disappearing. As the Skykomish wild Steelhead, run trickles out of existence, shouldn’t we be letting those resident fish remain resident so that they become a genetic reservoir that could be used in the future to reintroduce anadromy if conditions ever improve?
I used to fish under that bridge when I was a kid, Stocker owned the field and it was private property. If you paid him $5 he would give you a card that said you paid for access to his property and when he would send his kids down to kick everyone out I would end up with the spot all to myself. Bet it's going to be a mad house now that the boat launch is in that very same field.
WonderBrad
Steelhead
So from the boat launch to the first rail road bridge looks like about 200 yards of river. Another railroad bridge crosses about 400 yards further down. Am I reading this right or is WDFW really trying to cram at least a thousand Hook Huckers in a 2-400 yard stretch of the snohomish river?
999
I’m not going
Paige
Wishing I was fishing the Sauk
Stopped by at Reiter as I had work in that area. River is so low you could walk across it, makes me wonder if there is any fishing to miss right about now. Less pleasant was stopping at the Wallace and seeing tons of Summer chinook that Washington tax payers effectively had no opportunity to catch. Interesting enough, at the intake I saw a large school of smaller salmon with bright red color. I couldn’t get a look at the tail but I’m pretty sure those were coho, didn’t realize those came in so early
Paige
Wishing I was fishing the Sauk
Fish will still move up even under very low water, there simply isn't steelhead around anymore.
