NISQAULLY STEELHEAD!!

[jackmaster]

Can someone tell me why the nisqaully is shut down to sportsmen but not the tribe? From what I see is the numbers in there are amazing , I know a couple guys that would take steelheadn over you know what and they are the ones that told me but they can't find any reason that sportsman can't be allowed to fish it!! Back in the 80s before I left for the army the fishn had got pretty bad but was still good for steelys and now from a recovery effort the numbers are some of the best on the west coast!! Does ANYONE have some legit honest to God info so I ain't just getting hear say? Thank you

[teanawayslayer]

Can someone tell me why the nisqaully is shut down to sportsmen but not the tribe? From what I see is the numbers in there are amazing , I know a couple guys that would take steelheadn over you know what and they are the ones that told me but they can't find any reason that sportsman can't be allowed to fish it!! Back in the 80s before I left for the army the fishn had got pretty bad but was still good for steelys and now from a recovery effort the numbers are some of the best on the west coast!! Does ANYONE have some legit honest to God info so I ain't just getting hear say? Thank you

the tribe says it all. It’s not the only river closed

[JimmyHoffa]

WDFW avoiding any kind of confrontation would be best guess, seems to be their way.

[Crunchy]

I have fished that river for about 10 years and have never seen a steelhead caught.

[Bullkllr]

Like most things fish related these days , it's complicated.

Short story- starting in the late 80/90's the population crashed from around 6,000 to a low of 200.
This trend happened in rivers all over Puget Sound pretty much simultaneously.


Population graph.
https://data.wa.gov/w/sv8y-v2ea

I don't believe the tribe has had a targeted steelhead fishery for about as long as we've been shut down. They have netted for late chums, which certainly takes some steelhead. Chums are not doing so well lately either.

There's been a ton of discussion on this. I would like to see current estimates on run size, but from the graph above it was still around 200 fish in 2011. I'd actually be shocked to see numbers recovered to allow a season. If they did open it (with all the other closures in place) it would get swarmed anyway.

[jackmaster]

Like most things fish related these days , it's complicated.

Short story- starting in the late 80/90's the population crashed from around 6,000 to a low of 200.
This trend happened in rivers all over Puget Sound pretty much simultaneously.


Population graph.
https://data.wa.gov/w/sv8y-v2ea

I don't believe the tribe has had a targeted steelhead fishery for about as long as we've been shut down. They have netted for late chums, which certainly takes some steelhead. Chums are not doing so well lately either.

There's been a ton of discussion on this. I would like to see current estimates on run size, but from the graph above it was still around 200 fish in 2011. I'd actually be shocked to see numbers recovered to allow a season. If they did open it (with all the other closures in place) it would get swarmed anyway.

thank you for the info, that helps me understand things a little better, I wonder what caused the crash, I heard at one time the puyallup along with the stuck were world reknowned steelhead rivers but that was way before my time!! As for the nisqaully I would like to see the actual numbers now!!

[jackmaster]

I have fished that river for about 10 years and have never seen a steelhead caught.

hiw are you fishing it? It's closed 

[spoonman]

I have fished that river for about 10 years and have never seen a steelhead caught.

You aren't fishing it when the run of steelhead are in the river. At least in any numbers. Later run on that Nisqually.

[WSU]

Here’s some info

https://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01856/wdfw01856.pdf

Looks like around 2000 in 2016 and has been down for a while.

[Jake Dogfish]

Nisqually Steelhead are a Endangered Species, even with no targeted fisheries since the 90’s.
Just recently historic Steelhead strongholds in B.C. were listed “Critically endangered”.  Upper Columbia river Steelhead had there lowest return ever.  Olympic Peninsula streams are also declining despite a end to Wild Steelhead harvest.  I suspect in a few years the ESA listing will be expanded, possibly Coastwide.
If you really want to catch a Wild Steelhead you should fish the upcoming Skagit reopening.Fly fisherman have been fighting to get a fishery on the last river that has a few Wild Steelhead left.  I don’t expect this fishery to continue once this run gets hammered into shape like the rest of them. 

[Crunchy]

I have fished that river for about 10 years and have never seen a steelhead caught.

You aren't fishing it when the run of steelhead are in the river. At least in any numbers. Later run on that Nisqually.

True that I am not targeting them but I fish it from July through October.  Used to fish the chums until about 2 years ago.  I just figured of the hundreds of people fishing someone would catch one.

[lokidog]

I have fished that river for about 10 years and have never seen a steelhead caught.

You aren't fishing it when the run of steelhead are in the river. At least in any numbers. Later run on that Nisqually.

True that I am not targeting them but I fish it from July through October.  Used to fish the chums until about 2 years ago.  I just figured of the hundreds of people fishing someone would catch one.

Unless the fish are not there during that time period....      

[jackmaster]

Knew off topic but we drifted the satsop a couple of weekends ago and got 3 all around 14 pounds and all wild , but that goes without saying, any fish I catch, salmon or steelhead always seem to be wild fish  everyone else catches hatchery fish except me.. haha, I heard the sol duck is going pretty good incase any of you were interested, a girl I know went and drifted it a week ago and caught 5 all of them hatchery fish but she released everyone !!

[jackmaster]

Here’s some info

https://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01856/wdfw01856.pdf

Looks like around 2000 in 2016 and has been down for a while.

thank you

[JimmyHoffa]

Nisqually Steelhead are a Endangered Species, even with no targeted fisheries since the 90’s.
Just recently historic Steelhead strongholds in B.C. were listed “Critically endangered”.  Upper Columbia river Steelhead had there lowest return ever.  Olympic Peninsula streams are also declining despite a end to Wild Steelhead harvest.  I suspect in a few years the ESA listing will be expanded, possibly Coastwide.
If you really want to catch a Wild Steelhead you should fish the upcoming Skagit reopening.Fly fisherman have been fighting to get a fishery on the last river that has a few Wild Steelhead left.  I don’t expect this fishery to continue once this run gets hammered into shape like the rest of them.

There wasn't an end to the harvest of wild steelhead.  The state gave up its 50%, of which usually only about 5% or so was ever kept anyways.  Lots marked it down on the catch cards but actually released their fish to buy them time in the river.  By around May or so when the state determined they didn't get their full share or there was higher than normal escapement and the tribes could net the remainder, it was kind of late to do much damage and springers are a bigger deal anyways.  Now, they get 100% of wild steelhead harvest.  The other thing is with no or reduced hatchery plants, the nets now focus on wild fish.  They used to really net a lot end of December and early January and then chill until blackmouth fishing, now the netting is more for February and just do more elk hunting in Dec/Jan.  Only having a handful of rivers open for all the state's fishermen isn't really helping.
Sorry for the sidetrack jackmaster.