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[roeman]

Take the dog for a hike there a couple times a week and a few days ago there were 1000's of fish (5")around the train bridge and down 50 yards.  All gone 3 days later.
Would these be salmon smolts? Did not think they would be that big already..
Also up in the back waters on the Harrison / Chehalis a couple days ago and there were lots of fry, but only an inch long.. Seems strange the size would be that different from different systems. 
Any ideas?

[Rodney]

More likely to be threespine sticklebacks, which have been spawning in the tributaries.

[Darko]

More likely to be threespine sticklebacks, which have been spawning in the tributaries.

must be some big sticklebacks, I've only seen ones max 3 inches

[RalphH]

this post from 3 years ago may be related:

https://www.fishingwithrod.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=42794.0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yI4ieCgZjVE


the fish in the video link look like they could be close to 5 inches. What on line info I found suggested 3 spin stickleback seldom reach 3 inches let alone 5 but the particular fish are anadromous (?) so may get bigger.

[clarki]

If those were stickleback in Suicide Crk, that would be super interesting. I've been interested to know where the anadromous stickleback, that Chris documented, spawn.

[firstlight]

Maybe Redsided Shiners?

[RalphH]

I would think those fish would be spawning pretty much where they were seen. Can't imagine they would be headed for the Thompson or the Adams River. I have also seen shoals of large (ie 5 inch) stickleback in some local streams though not the number Rod and Chris filmed.

I also wondered if maybe those little fish are delicious? You know if those stickleback attack salmon fry the way they do much fly imitation they could pose a real threat to our vulnerable salmon populations. I mean often they impale themselves on my fly as they try to rake that little bastard salmon with their spines. If these fish are delicious and a threat to salmon (more work for Dr Carl) maybe we could organize a FN seine fishery? Perhaps China would make the perfect market for them. They probably need that more than seal fur! Of course that idea would be dead as soon as China invades Taiwan. Politics is such a b**ch!

 

[clarki]

Interesting. During their spawning migration, they remain in the Fraser system for several month.
 
Stickleback "in the spring they ascend the Fraser River as far upstream as Chilliwack (about  100 km) and in  August they migrate  downstream to  the Strait  of  Georgia"  https://www.researchgate.net/publication/238004343_Prolonged_and_burst_swimming_in_anadromous_and_freshwater_threespine_stickleback_Gasterosteus_aculeatus