Springer Update

[Lure Dragger]

Since we are on the topic of catching springers I was wondering hoe early they start catching the springers in the Longveiw area. My girlfriend and I went down there last April and we did pretty well. From the sounds of it they had been catching them for at least a month or so.

[slabhunter]

LD I believe the first keeper we got last spring was around St. Patrick's Day. We fished near Cathlamet.

[WheresMyBobber]

Around mid March there should be fish to be had in the Longview area.

Your profile says La Grande - do you know any of the Procsals or Cornfords?

[24 on/ 48 off]

Caught my fisrt springer last season on Feb 28, in St. Helens

--spud-- :smile:

[Lure Dragger]

WMB, I have heard the names but I don't know them.

[fishchaser]

I will believe the Springer rumor when spring gets here. Alot will happen between now and then. Biologists will change their stories around Feb. and than the Gil-netters will get they're share and we will be left out in the cold again.

Like I said I will believe the rumor when spring gets here.

[finclipped]

I came across this article in the Columbian, which I thought was encouraging. It deals with mortality splits between the groups and also gives a "preliminary" forecast of 350,000 above Bonneville and 90,000 for the willamette. :dance:

http://www.columbian.com/11202003/sports/92422.html

Bring on the SPRINGERS!

[WheresMyBobber]

90,000 prediction for the Willamette is good to hear, especially since the predictions are usually several thousand lower than what actually comes in. Any time we get 100,000 fish, it's a good year. I can't wait!

[Lure Dragger]

Good article, I can't beleive that the mortality rate for wild fish is not a lot higher for the commercial fishery. You got to beleive that a wild salmon caught in a gill net and then released has a very good chance of survival, in fact if they even get released at all. I would say that the mortality rate for commercial fisherman on wild salmon would go as high as %70 or %80. Let the commercial fisherman and the indians go out in their boats and fish with as many fishing poles as they want and keep all they can catch, just get rid of the gill nets We have just as much right to the salmon as the gill netters if not more.

Just my oppinion

[David Johnson]

We're still fishing fall chinook and now springer feaver is in the air :cheers:

I can't think if springers yet, there are way too many steelhead to hook between now and then.

[Riverliver]

:dance: Springers yahooooo

[finclipped]

LD, they make the commercials use Tangle nets (smaller mesh) for the spring fishery, to reduce the chinook mortality. The problem is that if you use a smaller mesh to avoid killing salmon, it kills more ESA steelhead.

[WheresMyBobber]

I know what you mean David, but I'm still hoping to catch a January springer! Feb 10th is my earliest so far, maybe one of these years I'll get one in January.

[Trick]

Great news.....I have caught springers the last two years in a row in February. Two years ago it was around the 25th or so and last year it was on the 15th. Might try for a Jan. fish, think that would be a tough one to score???

[Full Freezer]

Thanks everyone. I really appreciate this thread. Now I can't sleep at night. :tongue:

Full freezer

[finclipped]

Fishchaser, have faith they are coming. The Willamette estimate is very conservative IMO. They had a huge spring jack count this year which usually means a better adult return the next. My uneducated guess for the Willamette would be in the 150,000 range (based on strong jack counts.) They are coming!

As far as the gillnetters go, I hope you all wrote letters of support for this fishery.