Suttle Lake Sockeye?

[marshworm]

Hello Ifishers
In my constant searching for info on my favorite lakes I came across an article/letter from the Sisters Office of the Deschutes National Forest concerning salmon restoration efforts. It appears one day soon we may be able to see sockeye salmon once again swim into Suttle Lake on their way to spawn in Link Creek. I welcome news such as this as I grudgingly refuse to let go of the "good old days" when life was slow and simply simple.

Unsure to what extent this would have on the Suttle lake fishery but with the sockeye salmon being the longest migrating salmon we have, it would surely be something to see them spawning in Link Creek.

For those interested, search "salmon restoration deschutes national forest", and click on "dear citizen to read the letter from the Sisters DNF office.

With the spring snow melt ..good fishing to all

[Cannon]

I am not opposed to the migration of sockeye to the lake. I am however skeptical of the means by which they are going to get there. The original damage to the Eco system is not going to be undone. You have three dams to go over two of which have never had fish successfully migrate past and one serious falls to negotiate on the lower Deschutes. The "theory" at this point is wishful thinking. What are going to be the results of this "experiment"? What is the long term impact? They are going to drop the level of Suttle lake and modify major stretches of stream to accomplish this feat. This is going to happen at the billion $ plus expense of the taxpayer and it is all based on the assumption that is "might" work. I grew up fishing the Deschutes, Metolius and Suttle lake. That was my home turf. To date, I haven't seen government perform as though the dollars are coming out of their personal pockets. If that was the case, maybe it wouldn't just be "theory". Just call me "skeptical" in Oregon.

[marshworm]

Cannon,
Ditto to all saidespeciallythe government part

Lets assume everything the government does works and sockeye do return to Link creek to spawn what do you think the fishing will be like?

I read in a "normal" sockeye spawning situation after hatching the fish stay in the lake for two years before moving out down to the ocean, that being the case a two year old fish isn't very big what 4-5" max?

And I also would assume that by the time the adults arrived back at Suttle they would be well into their spawning colors?

And of course we can count on new regs to protect the run?

Be interesting to watch either way it goes

[dlm]

I stopped at the lake yesterday to check out the dam a bit. I remember there was a reference of buiding some type of channel around the dam or something to allow the fish to get up to the lake. WHY?

It appears to me that if they clean out the logs and do some arranging of the rocks/boulders below the dam, there would be nothing keeping a determined salmon from getting over the damn. There are parts that they could easily get over now.

I know the water levels may be a little high right know, but if they are spawning late in the fall the water should be about the same. We know when the Kokanee spawn, but I am not sure about the sockeye.

OR, why not just clean out the old fish ladder at the north end of the damn. It is obvious that this was filled in with dirt and rock on purpose.

At what the &(^( is the thing with all the new wood fence on the East end? Apparently the folks at Blue Lake found out they own the cabins on the W side of the road along with a bit of land near the restrooms. I have no problem with folks fencing off their property, and the fence looks good, but why the fence along the W side of the road from the cabin on the S side of the creek almost to the campground entrance. That makes not sense at all and could (should) end up as firewood.

[358norma]

Originally Posted by Cannon

I am not opposed to the migration of sockeye to the lake. I am however skeptical of the means by which they are going to get there. The original damage to the Eco system is not going to be undone. You have three dams to go over two of which have never had fish successfully migrate past and one serious falls to negotiate on the lower Deschutes. The "theory" at this point is wishful thinking. What are going to be the results of this "experiment"? What is the long term impact? They are going to drop the level of Suttle lake and modify major stretches of stream to accomplish this feat. This is going to happen at the billion $ plus expense of the taxpayer and it is all based on the assumption that is "might" work. I grew up fishing the Deschutes, Metolius and Suttle lake. That was my home turf. To date, I haven't seen government perform as though the dollars are coming out of their personal pockets. If that was the case, maybe it wouldn't just be "theory". Just call me "skeptical" in Oregon.

It's not gov dollars,75%PGE, 25% CTWS. Do a simple search and many of your questions and concerns will be answered.

[sturgeonboy]

Now that would be way cool to see them come back.


Rob