03-26-2012, 04:10 AM
03-26-2012, 05:51 PM
Its startinng but slow. Water is a little cold so they dont seem to be moving over the dam.
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03-26-2012, 07:51 PM
yeah it is slow but what im getting at is it has started. ill be checking it almost every day now.
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03-26-2012, 08:55 PM
Im with ya. Ive been checking daily since Feb. I was all excited when the lone fish came over in the middle of the month. LOL
IDFG has the regs posted. Same as last year. 2 adults 2 jacks. Based on a predicted 83,000 over granite dam. Be nice if they bumped it up to 3 adults.
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IDFG has the regs posted. Same as last year. 2 adults 2 jacks. Based on a predicted 83,000 over granite dam. Be nice if they bumped it up to 3 adults.
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03-26-2012, 09:02 PM
I'd rather see it stay at 2, and give us more time to chase 'em. The Feds are gettting pretty stingy with our ESA mortality...
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03-26-2012, 09:39 PM
my feelings
1. Usually by the time we run out of fishing time the fish arnt worth keeping anymore i.e getting dark and poorer table fare
still fun to catch BUT as the season progresses water temps increase
2. and mortality increases with water temps so fishing later actually hurts us.
3.The ESA mortality quotas havent changed.
4. I wish OR/WA would regulate thier fishing to better match thier actual fishery. ID supports most of the springer fishery in the lower river in March and April. 1/2 the predicted run this year is upriver fish. Most of the ID fish enter the river before fish bound for lower river streams. So most of the spring chinook caught in the early season are headed to ID. Most years a large % of the fish caught are ID fish.
Some will say so what
Well our fishing season is based on xx number of fish coming over lower Granite. If 80,000 are predicted and a large number get caught before reaching us and say only 60,000 come over guess who gets screwed?
The lower river fishery is managed under a 30% numbers buffer, but I think it needs to be much higher.
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1. Usually by the time we run out of fishing time the fish arnt worth keeping anymore i.e getting dark and poorer table fare
still fun to catch BUT as the season progresses water temps increase
2. and mortality increases with water temps so fishing later actually hurts us.
3.The ESA mortality quotas havent changed.
4. I wish OR/WA would regulate thier fishing to better match thier actual fishery. ID supports most of the springer fishery in the lower river in March and April. 1/2 the predicted run this year is upriver fish. Most of the ID fish enter the river before fish bound for lower river streams. So most of the spring chinook caught in the early season are headed to ID. Most years a large % of the fish caught are ID fish.
Some will say so what
Well our fishing season is based on xx number of fish coming over lower Granite. If 80,000 are predicted and a large number get caught before reaching us and say only 60,000 come over guess who gets screwed?
The lower river fishery is managed under a 30% numbers buffer, but I think it needs to be much higher.
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03-26-2012, 09:42 PM
+1
Things get shut down way too quickly with those higher limits.
I am really hoping to see some better managing of the SF Salmon this year. Especially since opening the lower sections, that one gets shut off way too quickly because they prematurely overpromote it. Maybe I need to do some more exploring, but my favorite holes are still on the upper section, and they have been shutting it down before the good numbers even get there.
I absolutely love fishing the SF, but to me it is not worth turning down a guaranteed slamboree in Riggins to say I was the first one to catch one on the SF.
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Things get shut down way too quickly with those higher limits.
I am really hoping to see some better managing of the SF Salmon this year. Especially since opening the lower sections, that one gets shut off way too quickly because they prematurely overpromote it. Maybe I need to do some more exploring, but my favorite holes are still on the upper section, and they have been shutting it down before the good numbers even get there.
I absolutely love fishing the SF, but to me it is not worth turning down a guaranteed slamboree in Riggins to say I was the first one to catch one on the SF.
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03-26-2012, 09:52 PM
You gotta realize the south fork doesnt get the numbers of hatchery fish the LS and Clearwater does. The ratio of wild fish to hatchery is much higher on the SF. Get used to quick closures there. Very unlikly it will ever stay open very long at least most years.
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03-26-2012, 10:39 PM
I am really with you on #4 here. This is something I have been screaming about for years now, and usually when I get talking and thinking about it, I get so upset I could spit. . . flames.
I run the numbers every single year, and every single year anywhere from 22-32% of [#ff0000]IDAHO'S PIT tagged spring and summer chinook[/#ff0000] (I have the figures for each of the major ESU's) disappear between Bonneville and Lower Granite (mostly before McNary). So to me that is anywhere from 1/4 to 1/3 of the run.
Now here is the kicker: that is only for the fish [#ff0000]that made it to and crossed Bonneville![/#ff0000][#000000] We all know how badly they slaughter them below Bonneville, so I don't even want to know how many Idaho loses down there. Wonder what our LG #'s would look like if there wasn't a springer fishery on the Lower Columbia until all of Idaho's PIT tagged fish had moved out of that part of the system. . .[/#000000]
I stopped complaining about sea lions years ago. They aren't taking a drop in the bucket compared to Oregon and Washington anglers fishing on IDAHO chinook with OR and WA rules and regs.
Here is a nickels worth of advice: if you have a chance to watch the YouTube videos of Lower Columbia springer fishing. . . DON'T DO IT!!! Only a trip to the nuthouse will cure ya.
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I run the numbers every single year, and every single year anywhere from 22-32% of [#ff0000]IDAHO'S PIT tagged spring and summer chinook[/#ff0000] (I have the figures for each of the major ESU's) disappear between Bonneville and Lower Granite (mostly before McNary). So to me that is anywhere from 1/4 to 1/3 of the run.
Now here is the kicker: that is only for the fish [#ff0000]that made it to and crossed Bonneville![/#ff0000][#000000] We all know how badly they slaughter them below Bonneville, so I don't even want to know how many Idaho loses down there. Wonder what our LG #'s would look like if there wasn't a springer fishery on the Lower Columbia until all of Idaho's PIT tagged fish had moved out of that part of the system. . .[/#000000]
I stopped complaining about sea lions years ago. They aren't taking a drop in the bucket compared to Oregon and Washington anglers fishing on IDAHO chinook with OR and WA rules and regs.
Here is a nickels worth of advice: if you have a chance to watch the YouTube videos of Lower Columbia springer fishing. . . DON'T DO IT!!! Only a trip to the nuthouse will cure ya.
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03-26-2012, 11:38 PM
I know exactly what you are saying Huntsman... I have noticed these PIT tagged fish disappearing before they get to LG as well. The guys below Bonneville slaughter our fish down there...and now they want to extend their season? That is crazy. Interesting how you see these guys holding up pictures of 12-15 lb. cookie cutters on the Lower Columbia that are identical to our Idaho fish.
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03-27-2012, 03:11 PM
Right now the lower river catch (recreational fishing below Bonn dam) is running about 70% upriver fish.
The thing of it is, all the fishing seasons are based on PREDICTED numbers. Yes they have a small buffer, but if the run turns out to be smaller than predicted, they still have thier season and we get hosed. IF the run is bigger, they extend thiers. They pretty much manage for a win win for OR/WA. It seems like every year ID's recommendations fall on deaf ears.
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The thing of it is, all the fishing seasons are based on PREDICTED numbers. Yes they have a small buffer, but if the run turns out to be smaller than predicted, they still have thier season and we get hosed. IF the run is bigger, they extend thiers. They pretty much manage for a win win for OR/WA. It seems like every year ID's recommendations fall on deaf ears.
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03-27-2012, 03:41 PM
I feel for you guys up north. Right now the cats are just insane at my honey hole we caught our limit last night 10 each and all over 10lb. we were throwing back anything 5lb to 9lb.. lol and catching them every few minutes.
It's on in the south. I will be bass fishing later this week and hopefully catch a better than my 20" 5lb 1oz...
Man the fishing is good in Arkansas right now.
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It's on in the south. I will be bass fishing later this week and hopefully catch a better than my 20" 5lb 1oz...
Man the fishing is good in Arkansas right now.
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03-27-2012, 03:55 PM
actually last year we were only aloud to keep 1 adult a day on the mainstem of the clearwater. until about midway through the season. then they bumped it to two fish. so that encouraging that its already at two adults a day.
i also saw that loan fish that came over and i was like YYEAAAHHHH!!!!!!!!!! I love catching chinook and im very greatful that we can.
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i also saw that loan fish that came over and i was like YYEAAAHHHH!!!!!!!!!! I love catching chinook and im very greatful that we can.
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03-27-2012, 04:12 PM
you guys have so many regulations up here... It must be hard for you.
sitting waiting ... waiting... for my 24 hour time out. So I can go catch more 10lb blue cats...
I obey the law.... so sitting ... sit...
Hey I could service my wife huh?
nope she is putting new line on her pole and going with us today, HAHAHAHA...
She told me, don't touch me. I'mma catch that 90lb blue that keeps breaking everyones line.
She is a fisherMAN... em woman..
hahahaah
we are out of here now to go catch more 10lb blues and hopefully that 69lb one that my old friend put back in this same spot two years ago when he caught her.
My wife is dillusional ... we have tried to catch that fish for two years now.
But who knows. The kids will ride the 4 wheelers today and we will drink beer and all bring home nice blue cats over 10lb.
When its this good its good in Arkansas...
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sitting waiting ... waiting... for my 24 hour time out. So I can go catch more 10lb blue cats...
I obey the law.... so sitting ... sit...
Hey I could service my wife huh?
nope she is putting new line on her pole and going with us today, HAHAHAHA...
She told me, don't touch me. I'mma catch that 90lb blue that keeps breaking everyones line.
She is a fisherMAN... em woman..
hahahaah
we are out of here now to go catch more 10lb blues and hopefully that 69lb one that my old friend put back in this same spot two years ago when he caught her.
My wife is dillusional ... we have tried to catch that fish for two years now.
But who knows. The kids will ride the 4 wheelers today and we will drink beer and all bring home nice blue cats over 10lb.
When its this good its good in Arkansas...
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03-27-2012, 04:51 PM
Yup, I've seen it. And they do look identical to our Idaho fish, because that's what they are.
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03-27-2012, 05:02 PM
You hit it on the head with this one phutch, they either get to overharvest due to overforecasting, or keep extending their season until they meet their quota down to the fish.
We on the other hand, usually get shut off shy of our quota. Usually when our harvest starts getting close to the quota, the fishing is red hot, and everyone is going. So they will shut it down prior to, or halfway through a weekend because the weekend harvest would put us over our quota, and they would rather undershoot the quota by 1,000+ than overshoot it by 100.
When have you ever seen an Idaho chinook season extended or quotas increased? Never. Our quotas are set in stone. Even when the hatcheries have met their trapping goals and the fish are rotting in the river at the traps, we don't get the season extended or turned back on like they do.
It's not really IDFG's fault either. They are doing a hell of a job with the resources they have, and the set of rules they have to abide by. I have talked with a few of the guys on the inside, and they are just as aware of it and concerned as we are. But there isn't much they can do. There is so much money and politics at involved in it over there in OR and WA, that it isn't a fair fight.
Falling on deaf ears for sure.
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We on the other hand, usually get shut off shy of our quota. Usually when our harvest starts getting close to the quota, the fishing is red hot, and everyone is going. So they will shut it down prior to, or halfway through a weekend because the weekend harvest would put us over our quota, and they would rather undershoot the quota by 1,000+ than overshoot it by 100.
When have you ever seen an Idaho chinook season extended or quotas increased? Never. Our quotas are set in stone. Even when the hatcheries have met their trapping goals and the fish are rotting in the river at the traps, we don't get the season extended or turned back on like they do.
It's not really IDFG's fault either. They are doing a hell of a job with the resources they have, and the set of rules they have to abide by. I have talked with a few of the guys on the inside, and they are just as aware of it and concerned as we are. But there isn't much they can do. There is so much money and politics at involved in it over there in OR and WA, that it isn't a fair fight.
Falling on deaf ears for sure.
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03-27-2012, 05:05 PM
Its funny... the whole issue of complaining about the lower river springer season ( Oregon and Wash hammering Idaho fish ... and then complaining that THEY are getting screwed because they shut down the season below Bonnie too soon ) is an annual shit show. By way of example... if you were to post any of the Idaho point of view on lets say " IFISH" for example... you would be kicked off the site and concidered an idiot.
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03-27-2012, 05:13 PM
Im pumped to see some fish come over the dams. I just cant wait until Im sitting on the Salmon River fighting those heavy fish. I dont get to go much, but I hope they have a good season on the upper river this year. That would increase my fishing a ton for this year. I have an addiction with the salmon. We hook up the computer to the TV and drink some brews and watch the fish come over.
It is very difficult for me to talk about the fish numbers and who gets what. Im not a selfish person and would like all people here to have a chance at the fish, but to over fish a resource is one thing that really ticks me off. I dont put much faith in management on the salmon. OR and WA need to get there crap together and actually stop abusing the resource. If we had 2 million springers coming every year they would still take to many because no one can stop them.
Well cant wait to see some numbers. Maybe I will run into you guys up there on the river....
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It is very difficult for me to talk about the fish numbers and who gets what. Im not a selfish person and would like all people here to have a chance at the fish, but to over fish a resource is one thing that really ticks me off. I dont put much faith in management on the salmon. OR and WA need to get there crap together and actually stop abusing the resource. If we had 2 million springers coming every year they would still take to many because no one can stop them.
Well cant wait to see some numbers. Maybe I will run into you guys up there on the river....
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03-27-2012, 05:29 PM
Its just that one way or the other the lower river guys always seem to fill thier quota. If they get shut down early they very often get opened back up...after filling most of thier quota on fish headed past thier states.
Problem is when it comes time to adjust for a low return WE take it in the shorts. Cant replace the fish already caught.
They should either open/adjust thier seasons later to allow a good percentage of upriver fish through the system or go with a bigger buffer for over harvest.
If you ever go to one of the official meetings its apparent they dont care much about the redheaded stepchild of the columbia salmon world even though 60%+ of the springers originate in ID
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Problem is when it comes time to adjust for a low return WE take it in the shorts. Cant replace the fish already caught.
They should either open/adjust thier seasons later to allow a good percentage of upriver fish through the system or go with a bigger buffer for over harvest.
If you ever go to one of the official meetings its apparent they dont care much about the redheaded stepchild of the columbia salmon world even though 60%+ of the springers originate in ID
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03-27-2012, 06:10 PM
When have the predictions ever been right??? NEVER!!! Idaho does a good job. I could never live in another state. People need to open their eyes. Where are the dams that kill majority of our fish? OR and WA... Where do most of the adults get slayed OR and WA... Idaho gets screwed twice... Ifish is one of the worst sites I have ever been on because those people are so greedy that they fight among themselves over who should be able to catch them (bankers or boaters)... Big changes need to happen and the only way Idaho will succeed is to get OR and WA on board. The lower Columbia is a mad house when it comes to fishing. You have a dam. you count fish at that dam. Let fishing occur when you KNOW how many fish we will have return instead of slaughtering them and then saying dang it its a bad year... I can only assume that stupidity plays a huge role in this cause there is no other explaination. Just my 2 cents.... Can only hope the west coast goes into the drink and idaho will have ocean front property and the best fishing in the world... lol
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