Baker River Sockeye

[Salmonstalker]

Anyone out fishing Sockeye? I see WDFW only updates the "Trap Count" on the Baker River when they feel like it. They finally updated this morning- it was Monday 6/25 until just a little bit ago. I went out for 4 hours last night, got one bite (probably a trout) had a king jump past the boat, and got annihilated by musquitos. I talked to several boats at the launch none have hooked into any thus far. The mornings are traditionally the best time for the bite, but with a busy work schedule, a guy has to get out when he can. I know it's tough to hook into one when the tribe is choking the river off 5 days a week- so my question is, anyone getting action?

[pianoman9701]

The tribe isn't "choking the river off". Reef netting, unique from all other methods, is very selective, catches runs in small batches, is almost completely safe for by-catch, and is highly regulated by the tribes to sustain the resource. They limit their catch to 20% of the run. The Salish Sea Nation of Tribes is responsible for bringing the Baker River Sox back from an almost extinct run of 95 fish in the early 90s to a current run of about 70K. I strongly suggest the fact that you aren't catching fish has little or nothing to do with the way the Lummis and other tribes work those fish. As a matter of fact, if you've caught any Baker River fish over the last 20 years, you should be thanking the tribes, not pointing fingers at them.

[head hunter]

I live and the skagit river and Thats the crazyiest thing I have heard in quite a while selective fishing in no way what they are doing, kings, sockeye, sturgeon, stealhead and what ever else swims into there net gets killed. And the funny thing is it's not about fish at all it's about money and power if the fisheries get back to what they once were there wouldn't be any gov. Money kicked back to the tribe for "fisheries enhancement ". People need to wake up they use the rive for chash cow. Hell my kid can't fish for kings in the lower river but they can swim up 200 yards into a native net. Yeah that's not breeding hate or anything.

[h2ofowlr]

The tribes go in today & tomorrow and again on the 1st and 2nd I believe.  Hopefully they regulate them a bit more this years vs. the last two where they fished to forecast and exceeded catches based on actual returns.
The best bite has been at first light.  If your casting out to the middle of the river, you are likely not to catch anything.  If you are 10' from the bank you may be to far out.  I anchor my boat into the brush and drop rods down behind boat.  If from the bank, find a deeper section and flip gear out 5' from shore.  Seems to work along with the right setup.

[head hunter]

News flash they have been in all month go to the spud house on the west of the river you can see the totes of kings and sockeye there on the beach

[WSU]

The tribes go in today & tomorrow and again on the 1st and 2nd I believe.  Hopefully they regulate them a bit more this years vs. the last two where they fished to forecast and exceeded catches based on actual returns.

That's exactly how WDFW manages fisheries too.

[baker5150]

The tribes go in today & tomorrow and again on the 1st and 2nd I believe.  Hopefully they regulate them a bit more this years vs. the last two where they fished to forecast and exceeded catches based on actual returns.
The best bite has been at first light.  If your casting out to the middle of the river, you are likely not to catch anything. If you are 10' from the bank you may be to far out.  I anchor my boat into the brush and drop rods down behind boat.  If from the bank, find a deeper section and flip gear out 5' from shore.  Seems to work along with the right setup.

 

Some areas you can't get close enough to the bank, they sit, literally a few feet out.

[Salmonstalker]

The tribe isn't "choking the river off". Reef netting, unique from all other methods, is very selective, catches runs in small batches, is almost completely safe for by-catch, and is highly regulated by the tribes to sustain the resource. They limit their catch to 20% of the run. The Salish Sea Nation of Tribes is responsible for bringing the Baker River Sox back from an almost extinct run of 95 fish in the early 90s to a current run of about 70K. I strongly suggest the fact that you aren't catching fish has little or nothing to do with the way the Lummis and other tribes work those fish. As a matter of fact, if you've caught any Baker River fish over the last 20 years, you should be thanking the tribes, not pointing fingers at them.

LOL! I've been gill netting and purse seining salmon for 25+ years (4th generation), I understand management works and this is not it. Start by getting the number of fish up the creek to spawn FIRST (this is called ESCAPEMENT), then start working on what's left- not try and salvage whats left. This should be common sense. There have been gill nets and beach seines  from set from deception pass, to the baker river dam for weeks. 5+days a week. This state and the tribes are corrupt and it is ALL about power and money. And as a matter of fact, I have caught my share of sockeye and I will certainly not thank the tribes for ANYTHING they claim they have "Co-managed." These runs have fallen dramatically since 1985 and NOT ONCE, has anyone come up with the bright idea to pull the nets out into the salt, and work on the fish there- just to see how that affects the strength of the runs. Keep drinking the koolaid 

Oh, and I got out yesterday and caught a limit- NO THANKS TO THE TRIBE.

[Salmonstalker]

 

News flash they have been in all month go to the spud house on the west of the river you can see the totes of kings and sockeye there on the beach

 

[pianoman9701]

Kings and sockeye are all legal catch in the Salish Nation right now - and abundant. So are the sturgeon north of the Willapa Bay, according to Seafood Watch. Just go fishing and quit making excuses because you aren't catching fish. This is a big sockeye run.

[Jake Dogfish]

Kings and sockeye are all legal catch in the Salish Nation right now - and abundant. So are the sturgeon north of the Willapa Bay, according to Seafood Watch. Just go fishing and quit making excuses because you aren't catching fish. This is a big sockeye run.

There is no sport retention of anadromous Sturgeon north of the Columbia river. 

[pianoman9701]

Kings and sockeye are all legal catch in the Salish Nation right now - and abundant. So are the sturgeon north of the Willapa Bay, according to Seafood Watch. Just go fishing and quit making excuses because you aren't catching fish. This is a big sockeye run.

There is no sport retention of anadromous Sturgeon north of the Columbia river.

These are tribal fisheries, not sport fisheries.

[Jake Dogfish]

Kings and sockeye are all legal catch in the Salish Nation right now - and abundant. So are the sturgeon north of the Willapa Bay, according to Seafood Watch. Just go fishing and quit making excuses because you aren't catching fish. This is a big sockeye run.

There is no sport retention of anadromous Sturgeon north of the Columbia river.

These are tribal fisheries, not sport fisheries.

Yes and tribes harvest 100% of the Sturgeon north of the Columbia all the way into Canada almost to the border of Alaska.  In the northern part of there range, Sturgeon have not had a successful spawn in over 20 years.
Yet some people want to close catch and release fishing. https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/fraser-river-sturgeon-catch-and-release-fishery-under-scrutiny
West coast Sturgeon are just as mismanaged as Salmon no matter what “Seafood watch” says.

[pianoman9701]

Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch is considered to be the foremost reference for sustainable fishing and purchasing worldwide. 10s of thousands of restaurants across the country use it to buy seafood responsibly. Do you have a better source of information? I'm certainly open to it if you do. Fish Choice is another that we follow religiously for selling seafood.

As far as the tribes harvesting 100% of the sturgeon north of the Columbia is concerned, that's because the WDFW has cut everyone else out. Maybe this is an issue you have with them. I don't know. Or maybe you have an issue with the treaties that Congress passed and the President signed. I don't know. And I don't know if your issue is fact based on scientific data or on emotions and bias. But I do know The Lummi Indians are good stewards of their resource and that the only reason you can catch Baker River sockeye at all is the work they've done with the government to fix the problems that almost made that run extinct.

[WSU]

Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch is considered to be the foremost reference for sustainable fishing and purchasing worldwide. 10s of thousands of restaurants across the country use it to buy seafood responsibly. Do you have a better source of information? I'm certainly open to it if you do. Fish Choice is another that we follow religiously for selling seafood.

As far as the tribes harvesting 100% of the sturgeon north of the Columbia is concerned, that's because the WDFW has cut everyone else out. Maybe this is an issue you have with them. I don't know. Or maybe you have an issue with the treaties that Congress passed and the President signed. I don't know. And I don't know if your issue is fact based on scientific data or on emotions and bias. But I do know The Lummi Indians are good stewards of their resource and that the only reason you can catch Baker River sockeye at all is the work they've done with the government to fix the problems that almost made that run extinct.

Seafood watch misses plenty. Peninsula steelhead are another local example.