At smossys request, 3 largest kings ever pictured

[6x6in6]

I can remember back in the day ( 1960's - 1970's) the commercial fisherman, and gill netters on the Columbia (Illwaco) landed quite a few extra large salmon. Many in the 80 plus pound range. Of course this was LONG before people were concerned about state records, just trying to make a living.

Hunterman(Tony)

My grandfather had a gill netter out of Illwaco that he did for fun from the late '50's until he passed away in '72. 
I was lucky enough to go out with him a couple times in the late '60's with my Dad and older brother.  We had a few over the 70# mark.  I don't really remember a whole lot about those trips since I was only 6 when I went for the last time.  But I do remember my grandfather saying "son, that isn't anything, I would haul in at least 3 over 90#'s every time when I first started doing this."   

[Angus]

I can remember back in the day ( 1960's - 1970's) the commercial fisherman, and gill netters on the Columbia (Illwaco) landed quite a few extra large salmon. Many in the 80 plus pound range. Of course this was LONG before people were concerned about state records, just trying to make a living.

Hunterman(Tony)

Commercial caught fish don't count for the record books.

[Bullkllr]

By gawd those are some impressive chinook. Can you even imagine just seeing one of those, let alone hooking one with rod & reel?

Most experience and data points to smaller and smaller average size all over the whole range of chinook. Most common causes you hear about are:
-(as mentioned) habitat lost to dams, etc.
-gillnetting -over generations- keeps selecting out larger fish
-constant harvest pressure on feeding fish- trolling and sport- fish simply do not live as long- selects for fish returning earlier to spawn
-lower populations of feed/prey herring, krill, etc.

Whatever- its a shame we lost them.

[wildweeds]

They may not count but they do show you that they are around to possibly catch,the biggest I ever saw on the dock in blaine,the tail hung over the tote on one side and the gillplate and head hung over the other side,those totes have to be 5 foot wide,monster delievered by a seiner.My buddy was seining week before last,they made a set and came up king heavy,tried to revive but could not save 30 fish over 30 pounds,those all went over the side to feed crab.This state is so F'd up it isn't funny,those fish could have fed the derelicts at the mission for a week off of one boats by catch.DUMB dead fish from a net should be brought to shore,not paid anything for and fed to the unfortunate familys that are having a rough row to hoe period.Pure WASTE!

I can remember back in the day ( 1960's - 1970's) the commercial fisherman, and gill netters on the Columbia (Illwaco) landed quite a few extra large salmon. Many in the 80 plus pound range. Of course this was LONG before people were concerned about state records, just trying to make a living.

Hunterman(Tony)

Commercial caught fish don't count for the record books.

[h2ofowlr]

Nets, nets, nets.  New hatchery species exist.

[johnnyaustin44]

My old skipper when I seined did a study once for Alaska on the survival rate of fish that have been netted and released and apparently most will live once being released within a reasonable amount of time from hitting the deck. 

[wildweeds]

My buddy said all the little ones were good to go and off like rockets and for whatever reason the big ones just can't be coaxed/nursed into getting it together,The next set they made in a different area they just opened the bag and let the whole works go.If you don't get paid for by catch it's a helluva lot better than feeding crab,but then again they were all interloper canadian fish headed to the fraser river so who cares.My uncle has been an alaska state fisheries biologist since 1980,it's amazing the science that goes into it and how well they manage it,washington state needs a lesson.

My old skipper when I seined did a study once for Alaska on the survival rate of fish that have been netted and released and apparently most will live once being released within a reasonable amount of time from hitting the deck. 

[SemperFidelis97]

Wow amazing fish.

[Angus]

My old skipper when I seined did a study once for Alaska on the survival rate of fish that have been netted and released and apparently most will live once being released within a reasonable amount of time from hitting the deck. 

Says the skipper of a seine boat.

[Angus]

If you don't get paid for by catch it's a helluva lot better than feeding crab,but then again they were all interloper canadian fish headed to the fraser river so who cares.

Really? I know a lot of people who care.

[wildweeds]

You missed my sarcasm

If you don't get paid for by catch it's a helluva lot better than feeding crab,but then again they were all interloper canadian fish headed to the fraser river so who cares.

Really? I know a lot of people who care.

[Houndhunter]

My grandpa grew up on the columbia, fish avg was 40lbs for chinook. Boy how times have changed

[MLBowhunting]

Wooow