Clackamas Conspiracy Theory

[AnotherBlindSquirrel]

Fished the Clack Sunday the 28th. saw one caught, saw alot of silvers role. Figured the h2o was to warm for a bite. Thought more and came up with this.
Here's the Theory: The Hatchery fish are used as spawners for the next generation (inbreeding?). So the fish used are the ones that for the last 30+ years are the least aggresive, so least likely to bite. The river is full of fish that won't bite and seem to come back to the river earlyer during warm water conditions also decreasing the bite. If you queston the fishery you are told of record numbers of fish to the hatchery which do not spawn. only a few are choosen for the hatchery as brood stock, to milk, ie not spawn in the river. The rest either die or are killed (not sure if they do this on the Clack system. I know they did it at the Alsea Hathcery). Anyway, would like to see hatcheries use natives as their brood stock to keep a little more agressiveness and have all return fish spawn so one day we won't need hatcherie's therefore the conspiricy. They breed dogs in this way just select a few, for certain traits, to pass on to the next generation. Good thereoy? or just to much time in the sun yesterday? Like to hear your thoughts.
My fingers still stink.

[freespool]

Clackamas native coho return in Dec.&Jan. That may not work for the hatchery,having fish spawning well into the winter.

[BrokeItOff]

You have stolen my theory! :grin: I have been telling friends this for years... hatchery breeding (name as species) seems to be selecting for less aggresive fish. It may be a half-baked theory but I really am beginning to believe it. :shrug:

[rob allen]

thats great for the clack but in about every other Columbia river tributary the wild coho runs are gone and have been for years..

[foxer]

The clackamas silvers you are fishing for know are Eagle Creek fish I believe. Anyobdy know how many are in the hatchery? I have caught fish well into November..there is still time..Fish are in, saw some rollers last night

[BUGLEMAN]

They should switch to native broodstock, or at least to a latter arriving broodstock.

[CATCH AND EAT]

You boys are so condensending. :wink: :smile:

Better wash your anchor rope in lemon joy or something to improve the bite.

Not looking good for EC this year.

[FishinMission]

Yeah..******...I think my Alzheimer's is kicking in. Forgot about that one!!!

Mark

[FishinMission]

Gosh...Do you think the water temp could influence the aggressiveness of the fish??

Mark

[Nanook]

Or the fleet of net boats yesterday, impact the numbers?

[GoFish]

This theory about taking all the biters out of the hatchery gene pool has been around as long as I have. You know what? A new season always seems to produce a new batch of biters. I don't think that its possible to breed out the instinct to eat.

[garyk]

This has absolutely no bearing on the original question about coho, but in regards to wild fish being more aggressive biters, some very interesting statistics have been coming from the Deschute's steelhead surveys for many years.

Basically (and I'm going from my often foggy memory) - wild steelhead which comprised only ~10% of the run were producing something like 60% of the hookups for anglers.

From this, it would not be correct to say that that the hatchery steelhead were "non-biters", but the numbers show that the wild steelhead were much more inclined to strike a lure or fly.

[lost_sailor]

As long as they'll bite in the ocean and the estuary, I can live with it.

Maybe they should have volunteers screen them at the hatchery, we'll only raise those that hit flies!

:cheers: