Tule v. Upriver Bright

[Thumper]

Unfortunately tules are real bitey. If a chinook looks yellow it is commonly a tule. Let it go.

[sturgn]

Tules are very dark, sometimes red and have a huge adipose fin! Just things I have noticed on them.

[Fish Hunter]

Be advised that some copper tinged Up River Brights are being caught (mostly bucks) that are very nice and dark orange inside. Has anyone else noticed a few slightly darker URBs this year?

[NEUTRON]

Gary, Tules go over the dam. Saw them sunday
at the fishway about 50/50 split of brights.
12k chinook and 5.5k coho wow!!!

[ 08-27-2001: Message edited by: NEUTRON ]

[finclipped]

Tules are primarily a hatchery stock that comes from the Spring Creek Hatchery, located across from Hood River. There are small populations of spawning populations above the dam, but these are mostly colonized hatchery fish. They also use tule hatchery plants in the lower river with Lower Columbia Brights. Why they continually produce Tules in the hatchery's, is a total mystery to me?

The best way I have been able to identify them, is the huge Adipose fin on the males, along with a brown-gold hugh. The females are a little harder to identify, but they are also a darker color. Tules typically have a more developed slim covering. They still fight strong.

[Threemuch]

Could someone help out a newbie to this area and explain the difference between a Tule King and an Upriver Bright?
Are they different species?
How can you tell them apart?
Do different techniques target either specifically?

[NEUTRON]

Let Tules go....brown hue or even black as in
dark. Meat inside white or pale. They get
their spawning characteristics right away,
hooked nose, humped back etc. URB's- chrome
bright like brand new coin...

[garyk]

Briefly, the Tules and URB's are different stocks of chinook. The tules are lower Columbia spawners. I believe that Bonneville is roughly the dividing line -- but I'm not sure. Because they spawn in the lowermost reaches, they are more ripe when they enter the Columbia; making them less desirable.

The URB's have further to travel, hence they're in better physical condition -- necessary for the distance they have to go.

Historically, the Columbia's biggest chinook (the now extinct June hogs) were those with the longest journey to their spawning grounds.