Tagged native Steelhead?

Grant Scheele · 12-03-2000, 08:19 PM

We floated the Siletz today and caught an oddity. We landed what appeared to be an 7lb native Summer Steelhead. Nothing strange until you notice the yellow tag poking out of it's back. The tag had this to say. "ODFW 2758" Does anybody know what this fish was doing with a tag in it's back?

lippee · 12-03-2000, 09:12 PM

call your local ODFW department and ask them,i am sure if you give them the number you mentioned they can tell you where the fish was released and what hatchery it came from and also the year.i think thats pretty cool to catch a tagged fish. good luck!!!

Salmonator · 12-03-2000, 09:19 PM

Hey Grant, did the yellow tag cause it to taste any different?

12-04-2000, 01:42 AM

Hey Grant, apparently you missed the publisized info about the unique Siletz program? They're doing a study on C&R affects on the nates. When you catch one you change the number on the tag in their backs. I don't figure that fish was tough to catch because that means it had been caught 2,758 times already. You were supposed to change that number to 2759! It used to weigh 17 lbs. back around the first few times it was C&R'd. Geez, only about 7 lbs. now? Hate to have to tell you this Grant, but most of us Ifishers have had that fish before you. ....

I just can't figure out how a native fish could get a yellow marker in it's back. Probably not a nate. Maybe one of the released broodstock fish that was unclipped but tagged? ...

BTW, did the second e-mail I replied to you about the B.C. sites get thru? I didn't get a return confirm, so if not maybe let me know here. - Steve

Grant Scheele · 12-04-2000, 07:53 AM

It could have been a hatchery fish but the fins were so pretty. It even had the little white tips that usually get nipped off in a hatchery. I will call the F&G dept. and let you know what I find.

Grant Scheele · 12-12-2000, 08:04 PM

I talked with Bob Buckman of the Newport ODFW yesterday and got the scoop on my little native. I caught the fish Dec. 3rd. It had been tagged Nov. 30th about a half mile down stream and about a quarter mile up Mill creek which is the creek right above Rock creek. It turns out that the fish was a native summer and it had gotten caught in a trap designed to count the Silvers that run up Mill creek. It wasn't that Steelies week for sure! For the record, we released two 15lb plus native Silvers that day. Buckman said that they are seeing a lot of large Silvers this year.