Lake WA Sockeye lowest on record

[Stein]

Unfortunately, it looks like sockeye in Lake WA may be a thing of the past.  Thanks to all groups that are suing to keep hatcheries closed as well as the locks full of seals.  Also thanks to WDFW for 100% blaming this on global warming.  Sure, warm water has an impact, but you can't ignore the other challenges.

https://www.kuow.org/stories/slowly-slipping-away-sockeye-numbers-at-ballard-locks-reach-record-lows

As of early August, 17,000 sockeye had returned from the ocean, compared to hundreds of thousands inat their peak years.

Aaron Bosworth Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist blames global warming.

Life is getting harder for sockeye salmon in the oceans, with warmer water and less food. Things are also worse for young salmon upstream. For example, other fish that eat them are more active as Lake Washington heats up earlier and stays warm for longer.

[Fishmaker57]

Lake Washington has one of the highest populations of Bass and Cutthroat in the state, but somehow the department thinks the Sockeye released in Cedar Creek can navigate this gauntlet of death with suffering huge impacts? So easy to truck them around and avoid this, but instead they want to study the predators to verify the impact....no common sense!

[Bango skank]

You guys dont actually eat fish out of lake wa do you?   

[h20hunter]

I did sockeye many years ago!

[Stein]

You guys dont actually eat fish out of lake wa do you?   

Lake WA sockeye are on my top 3 best tasting fish list.  It's also arguably the most accessible fishery in the area, something that would have a huge impact to the economy if they could figure it out.

Once again, no talk of a recovery plan from WDFW, just cross our fingers and hope the carbon tax passes.

[7mmfan]

There is also a massive pike minnow population in there. I talked with a gentleman not that long ago that was fishing cutthroat near the mouth of the Cedar. He was marking huge schools of fish deeper than he was fishing. Finally curiosity got the best of him and dropped his gear down. Instant double on 15" pike minnow. Caught as many as he wanted. This was spring time, right before the fry out migration. I'm sure it was a feeding frenzy. 

[ctwiggs1]

There is also a massive pike minnow population in there. I talked with a gentleman not that long ago that was fishing cutthroat near the mouth of the Cedar. He was marking huge schools of fish deeper than he was fishing. Finally curiosity got the best of him and dropped his gear down. Instant double on 15" pike minnow. Caught as many as he wanted. This was spring time, right before the fry out migration. I'm sure it was a feeding frenzy.

Those are good size pike minnow.  They must be getting fat and happy down there.

[eglseder]

I read an article by the same Biologist that said Perch were actually doing a lot, if not most, of the damage. And there are massive amounts of perch in that lake!

[hhack]

Tribes catching the crap out of them right in front of the locks. 6 dollars a pound in the round at docks.