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[armytruck]

Good point mark

[GoldHammeredCroc]

All very true points but what also must be considered is how many of the whites returning to each river actually lived all their freshwater feeding lives in concrete or earthen ponds and were fed by taxpayers dollars?  They get the royal pellet treatment until released downstream and wouldn't really have as much impact on the natural feed as the rearing wild coho fry and smolts. The same goes for the hatchery coho smolts.  Indeed there are going to be wild chinook in the system but i have no idea what percentages the hatchery expects to return as I'm not sure if they are clipped like the coho. 

Where do you work as a tech Mark and are they hiring  ?  I haven't worked in the field for two years now but what I do now covers the basic bills but isn't as fun for sure.

[Islanderguy]

When I started fishing the Vedder in about 1989 we used to limit out every time on coho and a 20+ coho day would not be uncommon, but the numbers of springs at the time were very low.  Now the spring numbers are through the roof and the coho numbers are getting worse every year (never seen so many wild fish as this year or is that my bad luck??)

 GHC, wait a couple weeks untill the springs finish spawning, you will see spawned out dead springs everywhere, probably a hundredfold what the hatchery produces, survival rate may not be as good but their smolt numbers will no doubt have an effect on any wild  coho numbers.

[armytruck]

[GoldHammeredCroc]

Good to know Islanderguy...I am relatively new to the Vedder system and certainly have had my fair share of springs though and as you said, I only managed one wild coho last year there and so far none there this year.  My initial thoughts were that most springs on the system were hatchery reared.  If there are so many springs successfully spawning, does the hatchery even need to take brood stock then for future years at both hatcheries and why not just concentrate on the habitat enhancement and creation for wild coho production?   I certainly like the springs but the coho are by far my favourite fish.  Everything about them is amazing.

[Eagleye]

a prime example is the springs are not even native to the vedder river therefor it is upsetting the balance and ecosystem of that river.

makes sense to me

why not just concentrate on the habitat enhancement and creation for wild coho production?

I agree they should focus more on habitat enhancement for wild salmon. I also think the should stop production of hatchery whites and try to get some wild vedder river red chinooks for brood stock.

[Stratocaster]

When I started fishing the Vedder in about 1989 we used to limit out every time on coho and a 20+ coho day would not be uncommon, but the numbers of springs at the time were very low.  Now the spring numbers are through the roof and the coho numbers are getting worse every year (never seen so many wild fish as this year or is that my bad luck??)

 

Yes I remember those days! Nary a spring in sight and coho so aggressive even a newbie like me (at the time ) could limit out.

The good coho fishing was mostly due to the increase in production in the early 80's, the so called "Expo Coho"

[wagz]

In '86 I used to fish the big boulder at Tamihi. My dad and myself would be the ONLY ones there! Lots of coho chewing roe. No need to fish the fast water, and no springs!

[cohokid]

i like the springs.. here and there for a bttle once and a while, but some times they just become anoying and take all your gear. i think they shouldnt let spring into the hatchery and just let them spawn were ever. and try to get the coho returns up. just a thought

[Islanderguy]

If you want to see the coho come back, remove the single retention of the springs and let people take 4 ( would also make people get their 10 a year limit quicker  and relieve some of the fishing pressure if they stayed home once their lisence is filled up...)

[mark]

I must agree with you Islanderguy. Up the limit and put a bounty on the springs heads.

[summersteel]

best idea yet!!

[funfisher]

And cut the retention of coho in  half.

[armytruck]

I agree funfisher , go back to two fish limit on coho 

[Sterling C]

Why reduce the coho limits. Every year they have surplus at the hatchery and its not like they want hatchery fish spawning out in the wild.