Blue Creek & barrier dam

[cem3434]

That's what happens when Tacoma power wants to stop raising fish and they try to make hatchery rivers into wild gene banks.  The good days are over friends.  The only way the Cowlitz is ever going to see an abundance of fish back is if the hatcheries produce more!

Not sure there is any truth to this statement. Check with WDFW and ask them about the predation issues they have had at the hatchery over the last couple of years that they tried hiding from the public. Trust me, it is going to get a lot worst before it ever gets better.

[SkookumHntr]

Next year is the first summer when the missing fish should be showing up, so ya, gonna be getting much worse! I hope whoever was responsible for that got *censored* canned!

[CallMeBigPapa]

We fished from 2:30pm - 9:00 Friday night and got one, normally I would have had 8 in the box in that time. Pretty sad !!

[Taco280AI]

Yeah I was amazed at the lack of fish. Never had a problem catching steel in previous years. This year was a total bust fishing wise. No steelhead, no tuna. Did see some beautiful country on the drive out, saw a buddy, and some family. Good trip, even with nothing in the freezer coming home.

[fowl smacker]

That's what happens when Tacoma power wants to stop raising fish and they try to make hatchery rivers into wild gene banks.  The good days are over friends.  The only way the Cowlitz is ever going to see an abundance of fish back is if the hatcheries produce more!

Not sure there is any truth to this statement. Check with WDFW and ask them about the predation issues they have had at the hatchery over the last couple of years that they tried hiding from the public. Trust me, it is going to get a lot worst before it ever gets better.

What part of my statement are you referring to?  Tacoma Power has publicly admitted they don't "want" to raise fish, they'd rather focus on making power.  That statement is true, I was at the meeting.  The good days are over, that statement is true, as long as our management keeps doing what they are doing, the Cow will never be like it once was.  The Cow has dams with no fish passage, thus if the hatcheries don't produce fish, we will not see an abundance like we used to have, that statement is also true.  I guess I'm having trouble understanding what part you say is untrue!  I guarantee you that ducks were not responsible for the thousands of smolt lost!

[HntnFsh]

Tacoma Power doesn't want to raise fish. But they have to raise fish. Its part of their licensing! And actually its not TPU raising the fish. Its WDFW with TPU footing the bill! Heads rolled over last years smolt fiasco. Bet that doesn't happen again. Heres a funny 1. This year they raised a million smolts. Released 1.2 million.    Dang counters again!

[cem3434]

Tacoma Power doesn't want to raise fish. But they have to raise fish. Its part of their licensing! And actually its not TPU raising the fish. Its WDFW with TPU footing the bill! Heads rolled over last years smolt fiasco. Bet that doesn't happen again.

  The fish numbers will rebound, but it will be a few years before it's a decent fishery again. TPU will continue to follow their permit requirements, WDFW will continue raising fish and hopefully the smolt issue is a thing of the past.

[hunthard]

They either need to start shooting all the cormorants that hang out at the hatchery or turn a blind eye to someone who does.