Hunting Washington Forum

Other Activities => Fishing => Topic started by: Stein on August 12, 2019, 09:34:33 AM

Title: Lake WA Sockeye lowest on record
Post by: Stein on August 12, 2019, 09:34:33 AM: 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

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

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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.
Title: Re: Lake WA Sockeye lowest on record
Post by: Fishmaker57 on August 12, 2019, 10:08:07 AM: 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!
Title: Re: Lake WA Sockeye lowest on record
Post by: Bango skank on August 12, 2019, 10:09:05 AM: You guys dont actually eat fish out of lake wa do you? :puke:
Title: Re: Lake WA Sockeye lowest on record
Post by: h20hunter on August 12, 2019, 10:11:54 AM: I did sockeye many years ago!
Title: Re: Lake WA Sockeye lowest on record
Post by: Stein on August 12, 2019, 10:14:40 AM: Quote from: Bango skank on August 12, 2019, 10:09:05 AM
You guys dont actually eat fish out of lake wa do you? :puke:

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.
Title: Re: Lake WA Sockeye lowest on record
Post by: 7mmfan on August 12, 2019, 10:16:43 AM: 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.
Title: Re: Lake WA Sockeye lowest on record
Post by: ctwiggs1 on August 12, 2019, 11:09:51 AM: Quote from: 7mmfan on August 12, 2019, 10:16:43 AM
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.
Title: Re: Lake WA Sockeye lowest on record
Post by: eglseder on August 12, 2019, 09:56:47 PM: 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!
Title: Re: Lake WA Sockeye lowest on record
Post by: hhack on August 15, 2019, 05:02:15 AM: Tribes catching the crap out of them right in front of the locks. 6 dollars a pound in the round at docks.