03/19/08

SILETZ FISH TRAP:

This in from Bill--Be sure to read Bill's request in the last paragraph. Starting in April, Bill will take over the job of coordinator for the Siletz trap. Welcome back Bill. Bill is now taking signups for the April trap volunteers. At least one volunteer will be needed every Wednesday and Friday for the month of April.

Hi Friends

My day started at ODFW this morning and I met up with our very own Mr. Frank Stout there. Frank was there on official business to present Derek Wilson with his membership certificate. I met the new Siletz trap person Kevin Bastien he is a commercial fisherman and worked with our trap program last year on our off days. Kevin has helped with the traps, and other related programs.

Kevin and I went to the Palmer trap first. Our instructions was to get 5 pair of hatchery steelhead, and to transport them to the Alsea hatchery. As we arrived at trap our road in was blocked by a pickup. I walked the road into the trap and there were two guys looking at the stream and into the trap. One of the guys had a rifle slung over his shoulder. I called out the guys and told them we needed to get in to work the trap. It turns out that they were just a couple of guys out to go fishing and spotted some coyote tracks and were following them. They wanted to stay and watch and help if they could so we let them. Latter were very glad that we had there help. We easily were able to get our required 5 pair of fish. We then also pulled out 29 bucks and 25 hens out of the Palmer trap. We then went on up to the Siletz trap. We loaded up 16 Bucks, and 10 native Steelhead, and dispatched 3 bucks, and 3 hen hatchery fish. After loading up the Siletz trap we went back down to the Palmer trap, and picked up the 10 pair of hatchery fish, and loaded them into to the truck. We then headed out Kevin dropped me off at the Dairy Queen and headed to the Alsea hatchery. I had put in 7 and a half hours and was done.

I would like to put out a request to everyone the Siletz trap has a lot of sand and gravel in it. It would be great if 1 or 2 people could step forward and and help out on the Friday trip. We were just not able to work with the trap to day because of time and all of the fish. Our total count was 96 steelhead, 37 hatchery males, 33 hatchery females. There were 16 male, 10 female Natives it was a good day on the river.

Bill