TULE facts

barnettm · 08-27-2002, 04:06 PM

What follows is what I learned by visiting the Spring Creek National Fish Hatchery. The "TULE" breed of salmon is in fact an original stock from the mid-Columbia Rivers. These white fleshed fish are natural to the area and they are the reason for the mid-Columbia tributary names like "White Salmon River" (near Underwood, Wa.) and "Little White Salmon River" (ie, Drano Lake). Roughly half the fall Chinook run is comprised of Tule salmon, and almost all of them come from The Spring Creek National Fish Hatchery. As a group they tend to migrate about 2 weeks later than the upriver brights and the biologists count and tabulate them over Bonneville Dam as a separate group (You can see this data at www.fpc.org). The Tules are a big strong fish and are what the Westport/Ilwaco mid summer ocean crowd are after. It is only after they enter fresh water that they turn from prince to pond scum. They darken rather quickly and it is most likely because of the relative short run to their natural spawning grounds.

Pete · 08-27-2002, 05:43 PM

Nice information, glad you shared it!

And, by the way, Welcome to Ifish! Glad you've joined us!

08-27-2002, 05:58 PM

Thank you. Welcome. :smile:

Bob Barthlow · 08-27-2002, 06:03 PM

Thanks for the info. and welcome to the community.

Slayer · 08-27-2002, 06:11 PM

A little clarification finally. I think lots of people think they know what Tules are, but don't. I also believe that there are a lot of people don't know at all. Thanks again for the knowledge

Up-4-Air · 08-27-2002, 06:19 PM

An interesting post. All this time I thought the Tule's were in the rivers and hatcheries below Bonneville. Only the URB's went above Bonneville. I'm pretty sure the Spring Creek hatchery is located on the Washington side between the White Salmon and Little White Salmon. If almost half of them come from the Spring Creek hatchery I wonder where they are released. There are alot of Tule's in the lower Columbia rivers, like the Lewis and Cowlitz. :whazzup:

fishbait · 08-27-2002, 06:22 PM

Additional info, Big Creek Federal Hatchery, located just off Knappa Slough (approx 10 river miles up from the bridge) usually releases (last time I checked) between 4 - 6 million tule smolts each year, at 40 to the pound, so small fish, but dumped in directly to the esturary... Also natural spawning in Bear creek (also lots of Silvers, tons, but now closed to sport fishing) and Gnat creek, and the Lewis and Clark river plus the rearing ponds (also on the L&C) and net pens sponsered by the Astoria area gill netters :blush: Association

[ 08-27-2002, 07:24 PM: Message edited by: fishbait ]

Navigator · 08-28-2002, 10:00 PM

And do not forget the run of Sandy River Tules that spawn around Oxbow Park.

Great post Barnettm. And welcome!

[ 08-28-2002, 11:02 PM: Message edited by: Navigator ]

will_e_fish · 08-29-2002, 03:19 AM

Tules are in the Clack as well does anyone know if they are native? I have heard they were planted but not anymore. They are so black when they get there.
Barnett and Fishbait thanks for all the good info!

DJFISHS2XS · 08-29-2002, 06:10 AM

Ok so are the white flesh kings that I catch each year in the samish river tules or are they ust white kings that are in all rivers????...DJ

baitslinger · 08-29-2002, 08:29 AM

Caution........***** alert!!!!!!

BUGLEMAN · 08-29-2002, 09:59 PM

DJFISH from what I understand from reading posts is that our tules are not like your white fleshed salmon. These have a more prehistoric look to them with almost the appearance of another type of salmon very squatty with huge fins.

Miss B Haven · 08-29-2002, 11:13 PM

DJFISHS2XS - I agree with Bugleman - Tules are not the same as the "white meat" chinook salmon. Tules are just chinooks that mature very early. Some have very orange/red meat, some are washed out if they are more mature but still have a hint of orange.
I've seen the white meat salmon you are refering to (I think- didn't know the Samish had them), they are white their whole lives.
The Fraiser River fish are that way. It was really hard for me to believe at first because I had been told that the color of the flesh (on bright fish) depends on the feed (more krill/shrimp = redder).
We caught a mint bright small (15 or so pounds) Chinook at the North end of the Coov Island. It's meat looked like it came out of an old green and white striped Chum. It was amazingly pale/white. The locals told us they thought it was a Frasier fish.
Weird huh