Will netting effect fishing on Sunday?

[Blue Water 23]

How much do you think last night and this morning's netting effect fishing on Sunday?

About how long do you think it takes springers to get up to St. Helens.

How long do you think the netting will go on?

Just wondering what other's thoughts are.

[fishchaser]

they can't net them all. I'd go, but I'm moving.

[luguando]

I just read a thread by Pete that indicated that the nets will be in on Sunday March 7th. He called it a test fishery so I'm not sure if that's the same thing as commercials??

[Pete]

Test fisheries are done a couple days ahead of the commercial netting. In a Test fishery, about a half dozen boats go out and do some netting to estimate how many fish are in the river and what stocks are represented to ensure a lowest impact on protected fish. The fish caught in the test fishery are returned to the river.

When the full commercial fleet is out, they might get as many as 2000 fish in a day. That would be an exceptional day. Last year, in the mainstem Columbia, the nets only took a little over 3000 fish all spring. Considering that the run is almost 500,000 fish over 10 or 12 week period, it might slow fishing down for a day or so, but it wouldn't be a reason not to go.

[Silver Hilton]

Aanyone know what the distribution of netters was? Were they all down low?

I'm heading out, regardless of the answer. Somebodies got to get the one fish left in the river.

[Lured In]

The current netting areas are from Kelly Point down (commercial zones 1-4).

Given most estimates on the time it takes the fish to move, a day or two is all it takes to 'refill' the river. The reality is that netters do not take 'all' or even the majority of fish in the river. Especially this early when the fish are really spread out and in low densities.

Like Pete said, when the nets pull 2000 in a day (rare), that is when there are 5000+ piling over the dam a day.

[Beerbelly]

Went out this morning saw the gillnetters going in , Fished until 3 got one wild stealhead and that was it. [img]graemlins/berry.gif[/img]

[Killertraylor]

And, the netters did horrible last night. I heard it was about a 4 fish per boat average - anyone have access to the real numbers yet? The guy I talked to only got 3.

[Got Fish?]

I heard that the netters only got about 4 fish per boat average too. Remember those nets that they are using don't catch chinooks all that efficient as well. (9 inch) I'm going to hit the river hard tomarrow reguardless of what they caught!

[Wreckless]

The nets may effect it, but I'm goin' anyhow!! There should be some fish.

[Elwix]

What Wreckless said.