Nearly a quarter of a million steelhead have crossed Lower Granite Dam this year, making it one of the biggest runs on record.
But the vast majority of those are A-run fish. The 2009 B-run won't break any records. According to the latest predictions of fisheries managers, about 43,000 B-run steelhead will make it at least as far as Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River. That compares to more than 93,000 last year and 51,000 in 2007.
If historical averages hold true, about 34,000 of this year's returning B-run steelhead will make it back to the Clearwater and Salmon rivers in Idaho. That means the larger-sized B-run steelhead will comprise about 14 percent of the run. That pales in comparison to the record pace the A-run is setting, but it isn't awful either.
"It's not a dismal number by any stretch," said Sam Sharr, a fisheries biologist with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game at Boise. "It's probably going to come in better than the 2003 and 2004 runs did."
In 2003, 38,500 B-run steelhead made it at least as far as Bonneville Dam. In 2004, the number was 37,400. Sharr said in most years about 80 percent of the Bs counted at Bonneville make it all the way to Idaho.
A-run steelhead typically spend just one year in the ocean, are 23 to 26 inches long and weigh 5 to 7 pounds. B-run steelhead generally spend two years in the ocean, are at least 31 to 32 inches long and can weigh between 10 and 20 pounds. Most B-run steelhead return to the Clearwater River and its tributaries, but some hatchery-bred Bs return to the Salmon River.
Fisheries biologists don't know exactly why the A-run is doing so well this year and the B-run is average at best.
Joe Hymer of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife in Vancouver said the A-run fish probably experienced both good ocean conditions and good river flows when they migrated to sea last year.
"When they went out, the conditions were better than the previous year when the Bs went out," he said.
Sharr said salmon and steelhead returning this year after just one year in the ocean are all doing well.
Steelhead are the best example, but the spring, summer and fall chinook runs saw huge numbers of jacks return this year.
Most chinook spend two years in the ocean. Chinook that return a year early are known as jacks.
"As one-ocean fish, they obviously encountered some really good conditions in the ocean," he said. "The B-run is composed of a high percentage of two-ocean fish. We are probably just seeing returns off those fish that are not quite as good."
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Chinook season looks strong for 2012
Chinook season looks strong for 2012
It's only a matter of time before the first migrating spring chinook is hooked by a lucky angler in the Lower Columbia River.
We already know this fish will be among a strong forecast of 414,500, which could lead to the fourth-largest return of upriver spring chinook on record.
Fishing is open daily from Buoy 10 in the Lower Columbia up to I-5. The fishery expands upriver to Beacon Rock from March 1 to April 6 (closed March 20, March 27 and April 3), and possibly longer depending in the catch rate.
Area tribes begin annual fish sales
Area tribes begin annual fish sales
The Nez Perce, Umatilla, Warm Springs and Yakama tribes have begun their annual fish gill-netting and fish sales program at several locations along the Columbia River.
Salmon, steelhead and coho are available from tribal fishers now, but the chinook run should peak in the tribal fishing areas about the second week of September.
The large run of salmon and steelhead should result in ongoing sales of Columbia River fish for the next several weeks.
Chinook salmon fishery opens near Chelan
Chinook salmon fishery opens near Chelan
OLYMPIA -- The state Department of Fish and Wildlife will test whether anglers can successfully catch summer chinook salmon in the tailrace of the Chelan County PUD's hydroelectric powerhouse in Chelan.
The new fishery is scheduled to run through Oct. 15.
"This opening will test whether we can conduct a fishery in such a small area," Jeff Korth, regional fish manager for the WDFW, said in a news release Friday. "Starting this year, a lot of hatchery-reared fish will be moving through the tailrace, and we'd like to give anglers a chance to catch some."
Commission calls for early end to sturgeon gillnet season
Commission calls for early end to sturgeon gillnet season
The Coastal Conservation Association is calling for an end to the winter sturgeon gillnet season in the lower Columbia River to reduce handling of the dwindling population.
"It is an unneeded season on fish that are in serious trouble,'' said Bruce Polley, CCA Oregon government relations committee chairman. "Because this season is unnecessary to access the commercial quota, it results in an increase in discarded sturgeon in fall salmon/sturgeon gillnet fisheries.''
Historically, the winter sturgeon season has been in January and early to mid-February.
Proposed killing of sea lions moves forward
Proposed killing of sea lions moves forward
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Service has accepted an application under the Marine Mammal Protection Act to lethally remove California sea lions from Bonneville Dam.
The application from Idaho, Oregon and Washington asks that a task force investigate the effect sea lions have on Endangered Species Act-listed salmon and steelhead.
The Pinniped-Fishery Interaction Task Force will review information following a public comment period.
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