"Salmon Water Now!"

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwdkD-yeOQ0&fmt=18

When I was a kid (1960s) anyone could catch salmon and stripers in Nor Cal because there were so many.

American Shad were so think you could land 100 a day?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iu7R58Hc3UU&NR=1


If we had the fish we had 50 years ago we would have a huge economy just from that.

[STEELIES/26c3]

Thanks Bill for being an active and outward voice.

Yes very sad indeed... but fight we will... to overturn this creeping malaise and apathy

><;(());'>

[huntindog]

Every time I see a video like this my emotions well up and I cry a little. The first clip where the politicians are trying to justify the destruction made me so angry I cant get over it right now. I literally cried while watching Rivers of a Lost Coast the other night. Most people look at the resources we have destroyed in California and think of it as a shameful part of our history yet we continue to wipe out habitat, species and livelyhoods that are dependant on these resources.

I sat down on the feather the other day, without a rod, and watched 3 pairs of salmon spawning on a riffle that should have had 300 salmon. I can't help but wonder if it is the last time I may be able to see this. I think of my sons and wonder if they will ever get to go out on the ocean in California and catch a fish. I have taken my oldest son (8 years old) to BC so he could have the experience and I will take my youngest son as soon as he is able. This is a fight we absolutley need to keep up. DAMN SHAME is the only thing I can think of.

[Dabalone]

Every time I see a video like this my emotions well up and I cry a little. The first clip where the politicians are trying to justify the destruction made me so angry I cant get over it right now. I literally cried while watching Rivers of a Lost Coast the other night. Most people look at the resources we have destroyed in California and think of it as a shameful part of our history yet we continue to wipe out habitat, species and livelyhoods that are dependant on these resources.

I sat down on the feather the other day, without a rod, and watched 3 pairs of salmon spawning on a riffle that should have had 300 salmon. I can't help but wonder if it is the last time I may be able to see this. I think of my sons and wonder if they will ever get to go out on the ocean in California and catch a fish. I have taken my oldest son (8 years old) to BC so he could have the experience and I will take my youngest son as soon as he is able. This is a fight we absolutley need to keep up. DAMN SHAME is the only thing I can think of.

Last Fall 2008, I drove up to the Feather out of curiosity, stopped at a couple of my favorite stretches that just a few years ago were loaded with spawning salmon, their backs out of the water everywhere you looked. No salmon to be seen, it was a uncomfortable and eerie feeling seeing the river empty of salmon, I didn't even go to look this year.

[Ned Morris]

The Yuba River (which is has a 100% wild salmon run) had an average to slightly above average return in 2009 according to DFG statisticians I talked to on the river last month. Current reports on the Smith say this is the best return of of salmon to the system in many many years. Sad to hear about the current status of other River drainages and things are still very bad. There are some glimmers of hope. Get involved, join a Salmonid restoration group (SPAWN is a good one here in the Bay Area) and keep in mind the current administration elected appears to be on the side of the fish (read about Ken Salazar-Sec. of Interior in the last TU quarterly). Write to people in Washington that advocate fisheries (i.e. George Miller D- Martinez) and who fight guys like the ones in the attached clip Bill sent.



Last Fall 2008, I drove up to the Feather out of curiosity, stopped at a couple of my favorite stretches that just a few years ago were loaded with spawning salmon, their backs out of the water everywhere you looked. No salmon to be seen, it was a uncomfortable and eerie feeling seeing the river empty of salmon, I didn't even go to look this year.

[wjorg]

They call him the Terminator for a reason. He is working behind the scenes with Feinstein and her Husband(!!). I let you read about him, dont want to spoil ALL the fun.

Feinstein is neither a democrat or conservationist(although republicans are supposed to be conservative!!?! by nature).

Go to stopcanal.org or other groups like it an stop the NEW perepheral canal being pushed through under the Sacramento tables, along with the creation of the comission of governor appointed comittee memebers who will have sole power over our water resources.

Stop catching your trouty steelhead on the American for a week and go knock on capitol doors, make calls.

Why dosent kienes organize a board call in to Sacramento?

[Tony Buzolich]

Bill,

You hit it right on the date. It was about fifty years ago that my dad got me started fly fishing for shad under the old Fair Oaks bridge. We'd drive the old De Soto in on Pennsylvania Ave. and right out on to the rocks at the shore. There were no gates or park fees or any of that stuff then.

Sometimes we'd just wade up stream and get to the end of a small island where the current seam funneled the shad into a tight slot. Other times we'd launch the old 12 plywood rowboat (no trailer, just slid it in on the rocks) and motor up above the bridge. There were stripers there then too. My dad would often throw white shad darts into that deeper water against the bluffs there and take stripers.

Geez, it feels good to reminisce,
TONY

[Frank Alessio]

Tony... It is great to think about the past.... Now We need to look to the future... At some point next year the WHOLE state will be voting on a new Canal concept, this one will be right through the middle of the delta. Talk about salt water intrusion... All this so they can grow COTTON in the desert..... Frank

[Darian]

Frank, Tony,.... As I understand it, there's a thru Delta conveyance that's a federal project already in process and looking for some shared funding. It's being touted as a set of gates that are being placed to help endangered delta species. :-|

The state has proposed to provide a portion of the funding needed to go ahead with the project. The money is to come from the bond issue that funds the Bay-Delta Conservation Plan.... :nod:

[Frank Alessio]

Darian.... What would the Gates do for the Delta? Thanks Frank

[Darian]

I haven't seen the proposal on this but the gates are supposed to benefit the fish by slowing currents in the spawning areas of the Delta Smelt and other species to reduce entrainment. Haven't seen the description of these gates but they've been discussed on Blanton's BB. Apparently, the placement of the gates is going to cause boaters who want to fish the south Delta major detours (unless they launch in that area).

I read about the states participation in reviewing the bills in the recent water package. It's all part of the plan to plan. :nod: