North Fork Alsea Question

santiamslayer · 12-07-2003, 01:59 PM

I caught a fish today that had its maxillary clipped. Does that mean it is one of the brood stock fish? Just curious.

Oregonh2o · 12-07-2003, 02:43 PM

Yes

The broods have an adipose clip and the right maxillary clipped as well.

Give us the details.

-Blade

Oregonh2o · 12-07-2003, 02:45 PM

Wait....

You caught it today?

I would have assumed that the water was chocolate and raging. Did you see any others caught? Did you check the hatchery counts?

-B

santiamslayer · 12-07-2003, 07:00 PM

I got a little buck about 5 pounds. It was very crowded and there were a few caught. Most of the fish were I saw caught were fairly colored up already. The river was on the rise and starting to gain some color most of the day.

santiamslayer · 12-07-2003, 07:02 PM

Didn't check the numbers but it looked like there were a couple dozen in the pen. These fish were also surprisingly dark.

Grant Scheele · 12-07-2003, 07:31 PM

These Alsea broodstock fish should be on the small side. If it is anything like the first year we had returnees from the Siletz broodstock program, there will be a ton of 3 to 6lb steelhead. Let's hope yours is a good sign.

Was is a right max clipped fish? The Siletz fish have the left max clipped.

SSPey · 12-07-2003, 08:53 PM

if brookstock fish are taken from wild parents each and every year, then why should the first year's broodstock returns be smaller than any other year?

aside from the fact that Alsea fish run small...

Oregonh2o · 12-07-2003, 09:14 PM

They will be smaller because these will be 2 year returns. Hopefully they wil be a bit bigger when the 3 year fish come in next year.

-B