Spawning time

[ycflyfisher]

ycflyfisher wrote;

There is no distinction via ESU listings for a spring run vs seperated fall run of Chinooks for the Feather. It's all considered one run hence the DWR personel telling you they don't make a distinction between the two despite drastically differing arrival times.

That is surprising considering the bag limit regulations on the Feather River were changed a couple years ago because the hatchery was not receiving enough early run fish, suggesting that they do consider them to be different runs. Surprising also that even though the DFG felt it necessary to reduce the bag limit before July 15 because the run was being impacted, there has been a complete absence of law enforcement on the river this year with plenty of illegal activity taking place. Time to call somebody.

I agree with what you're getting at. It makes no sense to me either how these fish can be managed as unique, yet not be recognized as being any different than the rest of the fish in the same ESU. These fish obviously have drastically different survival strategies. I don't think you can attribute this failure to create/recognize a new ESU as the fish being hatchery products/progeny of hatchery products. There is at least some consistancy in the failure to recognize drastically differing survival strategies and run timing by the powers that be in Ca. Take for instance, the last remaining runs of summering over steelhead that we have left in Ca. They're all wild and have not been affected adversely by spawning interactions with finless frankenfish. Yet they're also lumped into the KMP and Eel river ESU's even though they're managed differently as a "sensitive species" than the bulk of the other fish that comprise those ESU's.

[sculpin]

I have no scientific info on the subject, just my own observations. The spring and fall runs do spawn close together in the fall. The Springers are a different fish in that they carry large fat reserves to hold them till fall. That's why springers are the desired fish for the table . As far as I'm concerned fall fish don't make the grade as a table fish. It makes me sad to see guys with sacks of the black things .

Mark

[steve sullivan]

No, not now. This is just a question that I've had trouble answering.

Do all of the salmon in our rivers spawn at the same time?

By this I mean, do the springers we see now wait it out till fall to spawn? I realize that some fish come into the river system early and some come late but I've been told that there really is only one run and that they all spawn about the same time.


TONY

This should be easy to any chicoans. It is plainly explained on Big chico creek. The spring run come up in the spring, hide at the bottom of deep holes, then spawn in the fall.

Also, steelhead fishers on butte creek clearly see spring run salmon spawning in butte creek (in november).

Why do spring run fish spawn in november? Because all salmon spawn the same time. Why do they travel up in spring when they dont spawn till fall?
Because historically it is the safest time to get to where they need to get to on that particuliar stream, and maybe also for genetic reasons.

[Digger]

“Because Chinook salmon exhibit a great diversity of life histories, any life history aspect characterized as “the rule” is subject to many exceptions. For example, as is typical of Pacific salmon species, most Chinook salmon spawn in the fall – in September, October, and November. However, in every month of the year there is at least one Chinook life history form that is spawning.

The Sacramento river basin has four major races of Chinook salmon - known as spring, summer, fall, and winter races, or runs – based on the time when the adults return to fresh water on their spawning runs. The winter-run race enters the river mainly in January and February, and spawning peaks in May. The winter-run Chinook of the Sacramento River is the only Chinook known to spawn in spring (like rainbow and cutthroat trout) in its native range.”

[steve sullivan]

“Because Chinook salmon exhibit a great diversity of life histories, any life history aspect characterized as “the rule” is subject to many exceptions. For example, as is typical of Pacific salmon species, most Chinook salmon spawn in the fall – in September, October, and November. However, in every month of the year there is at least one Chinook life history form that is spawning.

The Sacramento river basin has four major races of Chinook salmon - known as spring, summer, fall, and winter races, or runs – based on the time when the adults return to fresh water on their spawning runs. The winter-run race enters the river mainly in January and February, and spawning peaks in May. The winter-run Chinook of the Sacramento River is the only Chinook known to spawn in spring (like rainbow and cutthroat trout) in its native range.”

I certainly have not seen a salmon spawning on the feather in spring, and in the low flow one would know!

[Darian]

I'm confused, Steve.... Are you agreeing with the points made by Digger Other than the reference to the Sacramento River basin I don't see anything in his post that points to spring spawning in the Feather....

I recognize that the Feather is tributary to the Sacramento River but, I thought that Feather fish are seen as a separate run from those in the Sacramento.... I guess I just don't understand...

[Digger]

“Because Chinook salmon exhibit a great diversity of life histories, any life history aspect characterized as “the rule” is subject to many exceptions. For example, as is typical of Pacific salmon species, most Chinook salmon spawn in the fall – in September, October, and November. However, in every month of the year there is at least one Chinook life history form that is spawning.

The Sacramento river basin has four major races of Chinook salmon - known as spring, summer, fall, and winter races, or runs – based on the time when the adults return to fresh water on their spawning runs. The winter-run race enters the river mainly in January and February, and spawning peaks in May. The winter-run Chinook of the Sacramento River is the only Chinook known to spawn in spring (like rainbow and cutthroat trout) in its native range.”

I certainly have not seen a salmon spawning on the feather in spring, and in the low flow one would know!

Perhaps you are correct, however my post was quoted from a book of one of the best known sources on the subject, which addresses the general question originating this thread.

That being said, because one may not have seen this happen in the Feather, does not mean it's an absolute for all/any other Sac basin tributary.