Lots of Fish!
My son Chris and I went to ODFW on Friday morning and met up with Kevin and Casey. They had a big day planned with two trips down to moonshine to release steelhead, an all day process. I informed them that we were only going to be good for one trip. Chris and I were to meet my wife Kathy at the Siletz tribal government hill for the Siletz all staff meeting and picnic. Chris and I drove to moonshine park and left my truck then Chris rode with Kevin and I rode with Casey.
After arriving at, and opening up the trap we found it to be full of fish. Casey estimated around 200 fish to be in the trap. We proceeded net and tag fish putting the hatchery fish into the pens. We placed 10 native steelhead, and one jack salmon in the release pen. Kevin did a tissue sample and scale test on the jack salmon before releasing it. Kevin, Chris, and I loaded up 62 hatchery steelhead and transported them down river to Moonshine park and released them at the boat ramp. Casey stayed at the trap to get started on the next 60 steelhead to be relocated down river. Casey estimated that there would be at least another 10 natives to go up river in the second group. The basic plan was to release the natives, and to transfer at least 120 fish to Moonshine Park. We dispatched three return hatchery fish and recycled them to the river for stream enhancment. I am sorry that I don't have an accurate trap count for the day because we left early. I do know that there will be a lot of fish for them to work on Monday with what were to be left plus new arrivals over the weekend. There was no wildlife spotted and it was a beautiful day up in the gorge. For everyone that has not taken the opportunity to participate in this project you are really missing out.
P. S. It was a good picnic!
Good Fishing!
Electric Bill
