Do shad climb Willamette Falls?

[Paddlefish]

Do shad ascend Willamette Falls? They're never listed in the fish counts. A number of years ago, however, I heard a "friend of a friend" story about catching them at the Tualatin mouth. It seems funny that they wouldn't, as they certainly aren't shy about climbing the Columbia dams --- by the millions. Anybody know? :whazzup:

[Ramstrong]

surprisingly, they don't. Must not like something about the fish ladder.

[omnivore]

If they don't go over the falls, then where do they all go??? [img]graemlins/1zhelp.gif[/img]

[jet]

My freezer...

Jet~~~

[Ramstrong]

I believe they all pretty much spawn below the falls. I don't know if any go up the locks, but if I'm not mistaken. Very few, if any, wind up using the fish ladders at the falls.

[hookem]

They must go over the falls!? If not where do they spawn? in the main river or under the falls?
Do they die after they spawn?

[Paddlefish]

They spawn in open water, near the surface, and typically, as I recall, late in the evening. They just broadcast their eggs in the open water and let chance take charge of fertilization. Though, with as many of them as there are, it doesn't seem too chancey.

They're likely spawning right there in the Oregon City area, just below the falls.

I remember seeing what must have been a shad **** just below the old Bonneville navigation locks one evening. Lots of splashing and fish activity goin' on at the surface. :blush:

(Oops. Looks like I can't say that word. :blush: Starts with an "o" and ends up with an "rgy.")

[David Johnson]

I've heard they use the locks, but not many of them do. A few times they've come up the Clack but that's usually around the forth of July.

they also use the locks at Bonneville.

[Hoosier Daddy]

I have heard that they do go above the falls. Talked to a guy from PGE once and he said they get juveniles all the time coming downstream from above the falls. They just don't like the ladder itself.

[CrazyHorse]

hmm, that's wierd about the shad not wanting to use the fish ladder. They go up through the fish ladder on the umpqua all the time. maybe the ladder is built differently on willamette falls or maybe the shad on the umpqua are just braver :grin: Either way, another couple weeks and they will be invading my favorite shad fishin spot on the umpqua and I'll be there :smile:

[SailCat]

As it was explained to me, shad don't like an enclosed ladder like the one at Willamette Falls. They won't go through a 'pipe.'

~MT
The Guide's Forecast

[CrazyHorse]

Yep that makes sense as the one on the Umpqua is open topped...more like a narrow channel than a pipe.

[Orange bobber]

I talked to the ODFW employee who counts the anadromous fish crossing Winchester Dam. He has seen a few shad in the ladder's lower steps but never documented one crossing the narrow threshold where the fish funnel past a video camera. Smallmouth bass do not like swimming up the ladder much either. Sometimes its nice to keep the invaders out of places where they really shouldn't be.
Out.