The Russian on Thursday

[flirodr1]

What a year on the Russian. We probably will not see something like this for another 25 years.http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u27/flirodr/DOUGB004.jpg[/img]
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u27/flirodr/pics2006-2007156.jpg

[lee s.]

Soooo true with the vinyards pumping mud at the slightest run-off and for soooo long after any freshet.
.....lee s.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Great Doug

I heard you guys were getting them this year.

[sculpin]

Wow what a beautiful steelhead .

Mark

[bigtj]

Let's hope we see years like this every year for many to come!!

[MSP]

Now that's a pair to draw to. Beautiful, now that's what a Steelhead is supposed to look like.

[flirodr1]

Let's hope we see years like this every year for many to come!!

From a selfish point of view, you are right. The fishing was really good. But I am worried about the fish. The fish that usually go up and spawn in January had to wait for the rain or do thier job in the river. I caught bright spent fish in the Russian in mid-January, that tells me that they spawned close to Guerneville and there is no way they were going up the creeks. I also caught bright spent fish on the Gualala the other day, they would have to walk to get the creeks.

Time will tell how the runs will be.

Doug

[lee s.]

I am quite certain, Doug, that this is not the first drought this species has endured. Nor will it be the last. WE are still the reason for it's demise. And that reason is not our stick and string. :wink:
Saw many fish spawnng below the bridges on the Smith a couple weeks ago too.
.....lee s.

[flirodr1]

Lee,

Of course our anadromous fish have survived droughts through their history. And yes, man is the cause for their decline. Despite the continued decline of our fish stocks, the politicians continue to give away our timber, our water and our land. I applaud those that work on our river systems to help preserve what is left, but they are continue to run into roadblocks to help a species that is on the brink of extinction. Take a look at the Gualala. Logging continues on the river and it tributaries despite the FACT that the fish runs are a mere percentage of what they used to be only 15 years ago. The volunteers that rescue juveniles from the creeks continue to have difficulties with land owners and with our own Fish and Game. My point is that someone would like to see another drought so that what few fish are left will have a difficult time surviving, whether at the hands of man, otters or seals.

Fish spawning in the lower reaches of the Smith is much different than fish spawning in the lower Eel, Russian or Gualala. Consider all of the silt being carried down river that potentially could cover the reds, this usually does not happen on the Smith.

[lee s.]

I hear you Doug,
If it ain't logging it's grapes.
Even if our local fish DO get to the tribs, there are continually fewer and fewer tribs without that open ground under the vines right next to them.....something any construction company would have to pay dearly for. You would be surprised at some of the places we hauled "erosion" straw for vineyards in the last several seasons. It is no wonder to me why the Gualala, Navaro, and the Russian smother so many redds for so long after a rain.
Thank God there are still a few fish occassionally around locally to pester. :wink: