steelhead stocking

[choo-choo]

I read on another site that the salmon river was just stocked with tens of thousands of extra steelhead.I actually caught/foul hooked a few of the tiny little parr marked cuties.I'm not sure if that number is correct, or that they were an extra , surplus stocking...i did not call the hatchery, but there are a ton of them in the upper river.

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[bandrus1]

yep... I caught 9 last weekend

[choo-choo]

Just got off the phone with the SR hatchery....there was a large surplus of steelhead...about 250,000 ....so they decided to stock them in the SR. These little steelies did well growing at the hatchery, with very few problems with diseases.So there was a surplus. I'm not sure what the survival rate is stocking them this time of year....but. hopefully many will make it .

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[Tim Bromund]

well this is the time of year they stock the coho as fall fingerlings and they seem to survive just fine and smolt the following spring, so I'd guess they'll be ok. Gotta be better survival than pitching the surplus in the dumpster

[choo-choo]

well this is the time of year they stock the coho as fall fingerlings and they seem to survive just fine and smolt the following spring, so I'd guess they'll be ok. Gotta be better survival than pitching the surplus in the dumpster

You are right Tim....The hatchery/fisheries biologists seem to think many of these tiny surplus steelies will make it ok. especially the larger ones .Plenty of insects and eggs for them to eat in the salmon river.They like to stock them in the spring when the conditions are not so harsh, and the fish are a little older and larger by then to fend for themselves in the wild.They told me the young steelies will live in the river system for 2 years before heading to the lake....unless summer conditions get to warm. Then Many will find spring holes , or head to the cooler river feeder brooks, while some might venture to the big lake earlier than planned.Anyway, any of the surplus fish that make it will be a bonus for us all...both out in the lake , and when they return up the river. They must know that the river and lake can handle extra thousands of fish without disrupting the balance.The fishing out in the lake , and in many of the tribs has been unbelievable the last few years....they are doing a great job ,.... and I hope the fishing continues to be terrific for many years to come.