Salmon smolts,American

[bart]

They are back to planting smolts on the American.No acclimation,they just dunped a million and with thier underwater camera you could see the confusion.This is how you lose two species.

[Mrs.Finsallaround]

They are worried about "straying"... According to this year's count, 72% of salmon that came back to Nimbus were NOT American River salmon. They were Feather and Mokelumne...

Good article about it in the Bee: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/05/11/2741383/salmon-release-changed-to-prevent.html

[Larry S]

This from DFG this morning -

California Department of Fish and Game News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 10, 2010

Contact: Harry Morse, DFG Communications, (916) 322-8962

DFG to Release Three Million Salmon Smolts Near Mouth of American River

Three million young Chinook salmon, or smolts, will be released at the mouth of the American River the week of May 10. They were raised at Nimbus Hatchery on the lower American River by the Department of Fish and Game (DFG). The release site was selected based on new information and studies that show young salmon released near the mouth of their home river are more likely to return to that river two to five years later to spawn.

"Our goal is to increase the spawning returns of fish reared at Nimbus Hatcheryto the lower American River," said Senior Environmental Scientist Joe Johnson of DFG's Central Region."Last year more than half of the salmon returning to the American River originated from the Mokelumne, Feather or Upper Sacramento rivers. This year we're taking clear steps to ensure that more fish return to the waters where they were raised."

The adult salmon's journey is tracked through the use of coded wire tags that show when and where they were tagged and released. Starting in 2007, 25 percent of 32 million salmon smolts released in the Sacramento River system were imbedded with these minute tags.

A major goal of river releases is to improve the genetic integrity of each river's salmon populations. DFG biologists are working to decrease straying rates between rivers, where adult salmon return from the ocean and spawn in a different river than the one they were born in.

The Jibboom release site, which is located slightly down stream of the mouth of the American River, was selected after biologists reviewed release and return data from numerous sites. They found that a large number of smolts released from the Jibboom site in previous years were returning to the American River.

To ensure the highest survival rates of the smolts on their down river migration, DFG and the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) are coordinating release timing, flows and closure of the Cross Channel Gates operated by BOR during the short migration period.


Larry S

[Mr. Striper]

DFG must of put their TOP guy's on this one. They were releasing them rite in front of 2 700lb+ sealions that feed there ALL DAY LONG. Real smart DFG.

[ted1]

I'm not sure I would be worried about 2 sea lions eating many smolt, I would think they would be too busy bothering shad, and fish over 3".:drool:

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I think it would be worth the test to see if this would get more fish to return to our river instead of staying off somewhere else.

When they planted them in the Delta I heard it was a real slaughter by the
Stripers.

[wjorg]

Im sure its always a slaughter by the stripers, black bass...and other invasive species....

[huntindog]

DFG must of put their TOP guy's on this one. They were releasing them rite in front of 2 700lb+ sealions that feed there ALL DAY LONG. Real smart DFG.

what part of the river would you like them to release the fish in?..like there is a spot in the river not saturated with predators.

[Covelo]

I'd bet flow and water temp are as great of a determinant in which river these fish decide to spawn in as the river of origin, especially when they are released downstream or in the bay/delta. With the trickle of water that has been flowing out of the Feather and American Rivers the past 2 years, it has to be difficult for a salmon to decide where best to take a warm bath. The location of this release does not perturb me as much as the fact that they did not pen acclimate them. This would at least give them a chance to get their bearings before they get swallowed.

[Kevin Goding]

Pretty sure they home in using their sense of smell. So sounds like either some water mixing occured somewhere along the lines, probably via irrigation ducts.

[BigOkieWhiteBoy916]

Honestly hearing that the Mokelumne fish strayed into the American doesn't surprise me since most of the Mokelumne hatchery fish came from Nimbus. The Feather River fish straying makes me wonder though.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Over 40 years ago, before they started releasing the salmon and steeled smolts in the Delta, we had actually more Stripers in the lower American River.

I worked in sporting goods stores where we sold many lures for Stripers in the lower A.

We sold top water plugs, diving Rebels, and Hair Raiser jigs by the dozens...

Back in the 1960s there were thousands of Shad, Stripers, Salmon and Steelhead in the river. Everyone caught fish then, even people with very little fishing skills.

I think they let the smolts go in the American River then.

__________________________________________________ ________________________

Around 1965 one of the top Shad spots on the lower American River was the upper Goethe Park run (way above the bridge). On the weekends tons of people from all over drove to the Lower American River to Shad fish. There was maybe 50 people lined up there, mostly all casting fly rods.

Late one evening below there out in that big flat water a school of Stripers came up to the surface like tuna in the ocean eating Shad like sardines. It was actually shocking to see.

This was before they built the walk over bridge at Goethe Park.

I fished the river since about 1960 and sold tackle for the river since 1965 so I have seen all these changes in the river.

I think more people actually fished around Sacramento in those days because everyone caught fish. Seemed like everyone had a small aluminum boat on a trailer in their driveway too.

During the salmon run in the fall there were hundreds of boats trolling at the mouth of the American River with lots of fish being caught.


During the spring Striper run there were boats anchored fishing sardine fillets from above Sacramento in the Sacramento River all the way down south to the Delta.

On weekends we would drive the river road along the Sacramento River mid-day and count the Stripers on stringers out the back of the anchored boats to see where the best fishing was. Sardines were the bait of choice in those days.

[OceanSunfish]

I know these memories you share with us are what keep you motivated. Still, I have to think that it must be quite astounding and, sadly, depressing that what is understood as progress in this state didn't include the proper management of the wondrous natural resources that were enjoyed by long time Californian residents.

IMO, the demise of the ISE show is San Mateo is purely because most residents of the greater bay area (Wine and Cheese Californians) don't view hunting and fishing as the routine activity that is was back in the 70's and earlier. For example, there should be an incredible more amount of public outcry regarding the collapse of the fisheries...... However, if there was a proposal to close Starbucks, we would have anarchy.

IMO, Bill Kiene is more qualified to be Governor of CA vs. the candidate that is from NY and has lived in CA (Menlo Atherton - Lots of Wine and Cheese, BTW) since 1998.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I can only imagine how popular fishing would be today if we would have taken better care of the fisheries we once had here.

Imagine if you actually caught fish most times you went out????

I would be retired with a home in three or four good fly fishing destination by now.

Let's see......

One in Montana, one in New Zealand, one in Florida and one in Argentina???

Actually some people do.........