Wouldn't be that close if they didn't have that 404 week in there. I still say there is no way that is correct.
Mike-
I have heard 2 theories, not saying that I agree with either of them, but:
1- the bar was open most all that 404 week and ocean coho catch was strong, especially closing day Friday, ODFW checker just asks about catch (does not look at tags for catch location) so ocean caught coho could have been getting reported to the checker as river caught coho. Or the checker just was entering all coho has river caught by mistake on one or more days that week.
(we were out on the river that week 4 days and didn't see many boats fishing the jaws, with the good weather any boat that could was going out over the bar, I do not buy the 404 coho being caught in the jaws theory)
2- the count is totally goofy and numbers are just made up....this would be bad, NOAA approves our coastal coho season based on ODFW ability to get a good count, allowing us to catch 5% of the predicted run, if confidence in that counting process is lost, we could lose our coastal coho season....
PS- the river is now full of coho, no doubt about that, they are going acrobatic all over.