Lower American River Steelhead spawning data

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

http://cahatcheryreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Hannon-and-Deason-2005-LAR-steelhead-spawning-2001-2005.pdf

[hwchubb]

Bill,

Thanks for posting this. Would love to see an update as so much spawning gravel has been added. It also shows the need for a closure above Sunrise, certainly until March 1, preferably until April 1 (as we had in the 90's). Way too many people fishing the redds our license fees helped create (and proudly posting their pictures here and elsewhere) - would love to see if we could increase the wild fishery again.

[Walter]

Bill,

Thanks for posting this. Would love to see an update as so much spawning gravel has been added. It also shows the need for a closure above Sunrise, certainly until March 1, preferably until April 1 (as we had in the 90's). Way too many people fishing the redds our license fees helped create (and proudly posting their pictures here and elsewhere) - would love to see if we could increase the wild fishery again.

If you live locally you(and arguably even if not) you are a stakeholder in the interest of the river. So is Kienes as a business, as are the guides and local biologists.

You have the power to organize, communicate, and propose a regulation change. You can ask Adam Grace for more details. I explained it more completely to him.

[hwchubb]

As a local who lives just off the river, a former SARA board member (and current advisory board member), and long time user of the Parkway and the LAR, I understand my role as a stakeholder, but thanks for the civics lecture nonetheless.

There was an opportunity last year when F&G - I guess it's F & W now - wanted to revise and simplify the American River regs, but they then changed tack. Informal surveys on the river - that is, my suggesting closing the river above Sunrise through March to just about every fisherman I talk to on the river - suggests it would be an uphill battle, even among the fly crowd.

[Walter]

As a local who lives just off the river, a former SARA board member (and current advisory board member), and long time user of the Parkway and the LAR, I understand my role as a stakeholder, but thanks for the civics lecture nonetheless.

There was an opportunity last year when F&G - I guess it's F & W now - wanted to revise and simplify the American River regs, but they then changed tack. Informal surveys on the river - that is, my suggesting closing the river above Sunrise through March to just about every fisherman I talk to on the river - suggests it would be an uphill battle, even among the fly crowd.

Sorry, no lecture was meant for you. My post was mainly for all I've heard complain about the issue. And you are correct, the foxes wouldn't want the hen house guarded. Separating the emotional reaction towards redd rapers and concentrating on the impact of those anglers may be the key. Many unpopular but beneficial reg changes have been adopted. A slot limit for stripers in the bay and ocean, even rivers, would be another good rule, potentially unpopular.

So with the Fisherman who target redds. Maybe the impact to the redds can be quantified. All the damage from people walking over and distrubing silt onto redds...

But then you look at the data Bill posted above and you see there are redds even down at Watt Ave.

So why just close the river above sunrise. Why not everywhere there are redds???

Can of worms. And no I am not trying to be a troll. Just thought provoking.

[Troutsource]

As a general rule, when (what month) can one stop worrying about stepping on salmon and steelhead redds?

[Walter]

As a general rule, when (what month) can one stop worrying about stepping on salmon and steelhead redds?

.....exactly, they spawn the whole winter. There was some rhetoric in my point. And they don't just spawn above Sunrise.

Because of Nimbus Dam, your whole stretch of river is a terminal spawning tributary. Too bad they cant get into the forks of the American to spawn. You would have a hell of a lot more wild fish.

[Rockman]

Just curious, I'm sure a study has been done to research the cost of fish ladders for Lake Natomas & Folsom Lake to open up the forks of the American, and all of its tributarys. Could this cost be partially funded by some of the great fishing organizations, grants, and maybe even a voluntary enhancement stamp at the time of your yearly lic. purchase. I can not even imagine the salmon & steelhead possibilities. Anybody know when the last study of this kind was done?

[Frank Alessio]

Just curious, I'm sure a study has been done to research the cost of fish ladders for Lake Natomas & Folsom Lake to open up the forks of the American, and all of its tributarys. Could this cost be partially funded by some of the great fishing organizations, grants, and maybe even a voluntary enhancement stamp at the time of your yearly lic. purchase. I can not even imagine the salmon & steelhead possibilities. Anybody know when the last study of this kind was done?

Great Idea....

[Walter]

...you catch my drift.

Even with all the clean water you want, a length of river with spawning gravel, no matter how much, can only support so many "wild" fish redds. If you want more wild fish, you have to provide more spawning gravel in waters best suited to spawning.

Salmon want a certain gravel size range and steelhead perfer another. Having shaded tributaries as well as mainstem river, not prone to drastic flow changes, would better facilitate wild fish recovery.

A challenge with such a plan is dealing with the associated jevenile smolt mortality during outmigration through the dams.