How Can You Tell if it is a Broodstock

[Navigator]

I think I understand the concept of a broodstock fishery. Wild fish are caught out of a river and used for propogation in a hatchery. The hatchery fish are raised (perhaps with a bit more naturalness in their hatchery environs) and released. The goal - augment the wild runs with genetically similar fish and at the same time provide a catch and keep fishery.

My question is, on rivers like the Wilson or Nestucca - where none broodstock hatchery stocks make up a sizeable fishery, how does one know the fish is a broodstock. Are broodstock returnee's clipped different. Do they look different?

Since we are hearing it in the reports, i.e., went 3 for 6 with two being broodstocks - I thought I would ask. (Obviously, I wouldn't know if a I had a broodstock if I every got one.)

[fishon]

If it is a broodstock fish its adipose fin will be clipped and a vent fin will be clipped.

[David Johnson]

fishon is right when talking about the Wilson. For the Clackamas it's the adipose and maxilary bone. (found on the side of the mouth)

[Navigator]

Hmmm. That is interesting because on the Sandy, winter hatchery fish are adipose and maxillary clipped (where summer hatchery, Skamania stock, are just adipose clipped) but the winter fish are Big Creek fish, not broodstock (though I understand they will or are shifting toward broodstock for hatchery winter steelhead on the Sandy). Hopefully they will leave at least the tail fin on those ..... :grin:

[Trick]

I caught one the other day that had been recycled twice (two hole punches in the gill) and they cut the dorasl fin off? Anyone ever see one with a dorsal cut off? It was one Frankenstein looking fish.