Fish trap

[Aton]

Howdy all,
Happy day before the day before Christmas!

Went up to the Siletz this morning, saw a couple roll, nothing seemed to want Jigs or spoons or spinners so we decided to head down 101 and take a peek at the Siusilaw. So the reason for this thread is to see if anyone can make rhyme or reason. The trap is closed, yet...their steel and beam barricade is still not assembled. So I have to think one or three things. Either they (the hatchery folks?) know that no fish have arrived yet therefore there is no reason to put up barricade yet. Or...a few hatchery fish making it up Whitaker creek to spread their inferior milt all over native eggs won't be much of a problem, or...they don't have enough volunteers to put it together??? Granted the water is rather low and it would be tough to make it up the creek but not impossible??? Anybody out there care to enlighten me? or us?:sad:

 

[eugene1]

I have no experience with the operation there other than seeing it, but I would guess that it is a timing thing?

The Florence STEP people who maintain it would know more.


Best,

 

[rogerdodger]

I got a STEP email on the 12th that they were installing the trap on Monday 16th. That is the last update I have from Florence STEP group...roger

 

[Aton]

Interesting,
for some reason I was made to believe that the Letz Creek Hatchery reared the smolts that were released at Whitaker. After sitting here thinking about the day, and how my son and I saw a few salmon carcasses laying in the creek, I realized that, they may wait for wild Chinook, Coho and maybe even Cutthroat, to make their way upriver prior to installing barricade.

 

[jamisonace]

I checked it out about three weeks ago and there was no structure there. I did see some salmon carcasses in the river though. I bet this lack of water has thrown off their schedule a bit. I bet you're right that they're waiting on the other species to get by first.

 

[plumb2fish]

I have never seen the whittaker trap in before Christmas. I believe they aren't allowed to put it in until a certain date. I also know that the volunteer go upstream and "herd" the majority of hatchery fish and terurn them below the trap. At least that is what I have been told.I

 

[bran_man]

Yeah they don't assemble it just yet due to the salmon spawning. And although the run does come from a strain from the siletz, I'm almost positive they are not the ones who deals with the trap and all that type of stuff.from what I've heard it's from a volunteer program type deal....?

 

[rogerdodger]

Interesting,
for some reason I was made to believe that the Letz Creek Hatchery reared the smolts that were released at Whitaker. After sitting here thinking about the day, and how my son and I saw a few salmon carcasses laying in the creek, I realized that, they may wait for wild Chinook, Coho and maybe even Cutthroat, to make their way upriver prior to installing barricade.

I am new to the STEP group in Florence, this group is in charge of the trap and the coho and steelhead hatchery program for the Slaw, my understanding is: the smolt come from Siuslaw fish caught in the trap, processed at the Munsel Creek hatchery in Florence where they "eye". I think they then get moved to an ODFW location hatch and perhaps a second to reach correct size, come back and are planted. So it is possible the Letz Creek Hatchery is the last location for our Siuslaw smolt before they come back and are released...

I have not heard back from my contact at STEP but it sounds like things are as expected, the trap in place but barricade open...

cheers, roger

 

[Aton]

Thanks for input guys, I feel like I know a little more now. All the pieces for the barricade are laying right there in a stack (for all I know it was there all summer, but I doubt it) so It could be put together in a few short hours. And whomever is raising the smolts they've been releasing, I hope they've been clipping the fin, but leaving the legs intact. If we don't get some real rain soon, the fish are going to have to walk upstream:chargrined:

 

[JeannaJigs]

It's usually not up before mid January depending on flows. Plumb is right about the herding, I've seen them doing it. Chasing fish in the creek like fools lol, quite a sight.

 

[rogerdodger]

I heard back that all is correct with the trap and barricade. They install the weir section around the first of January to allow most of the Coho to get past it first. cheers, roger