Water went to heavy colored last night down to about one ft visibility and fish are moving, Coho are chrome scales not set in tide water, and they are up the river and I mean way up the river. I am told the bay fishery is good to OK just depends on the fisher. The strange one is Chum are coming up chrome ( no stripes ) with some stripers in the mix.

So in tide water fish are moving but showing little on the surface and seem to be 20 to 25 ft down choosing to travel deep water.

One of the fun things that has happened to me, while working traps, is when the run hits. Small creeks and suddenly a couple hundred coho or chum or a bunch of steelhead. Often on a freshet, sometimes at night so we stayed late.

Speaking of odd chum, I once passed a fish through the trap that was just above head of tide. Nice clean fish, somewhat silver. Next morning on a spawner survey I found her dead about 100m further upstream. And 100% spawned out.

10/05/2021



Thanks for posting this web site...... Pages of bidding stuff, and other pages that probably not meaningful to the average person...BUT the drone videos are really good. Gives a really good view of the work that needs to be done OR the Satsop mouth will continue to move West.

As a person that spends 100's of hours fishing down river from where the Satsop enter the Chehalis....gives me a better understanding of all the gravel, trees, and dirt that is now 3-4 miles down river. There are gravel bars being built higher, changing where people can safely run at lower tides.

Sure gives me a better understanding of "where all the mud is coming from".....

Habitat work done for now:

WDFW partners with local communities to restore river habitat to benefit salmon and other aquatic species in the Chehalis Basin
Construction work done for this year, will continue in Summer 2022 on Satsop and Wynoochee rivers

OLYMPIA – Construction work to restore habitat in the Satsop, Skookumchuck, and Wynoochee rivers has wrapped up for the year. This summer, crews worked to restore 12,700 feet of river shoreline and treat 288 acres for invasive plants to benefit salmon and other aquatic species in the Chehalis Basin.

As the second-largest watershed fully within Washington, the Chehalis Basin sustains southwest Washington communities, economies, and some of the most important salmon runs in Washington. It is also home to the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation and the Quinault Indian Nation.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is sponsoring five river restoration projects as part of the Aquatic Species Restoration Plan (ASRP), a science-based plan designed to effectively rebuild and protect a productive ecosystem that is resilient to the impacts of climate change. These five projects are taking place on the Newaukum, Satsop, Skookumchuck, and Wynoochee rivers, and on Stillman Creek, a tributary to the South Fork Chehalis River.
The ASRP Steering Committee with the support of the Chehalis Basin Board received funding from the Washington State Legislature in 2019 through the Department of Ecology’s Office of Chehalis Basin and the Chehalis Basin Strategy to complete these projects. The projects will provide critical habitat for fish and wildlife and inform future river restoration efforts throughout the basin.

The first WDFW-sponsored project was completed in September on the Skookumchuck River restoring over 4,700 feet of shoreline and protecting 102 acres of land to provide critical habitat for salmon and other aquatic species.

This summer was the first season of construction for the Satsop and Wynoochee River Restoration Projects. The second and final season of construction is expected to be completed in 2022, with a combined total of 8,000 feet of shoreline restored.

“We appreciated people’s patience and understanding during in-water construction work this summer on the Satsop and Wynoochee rivers,” said Celina Abercrombie, Chehalis Basin Strategy Manager for WDFW. “Access to sections of these rivers was restricted from mid-June through August, and the same restrictions will be in place next summer to protect public safety during construction.”

To view maps of restricted access areas during in-water construction on the Satsop and Wynoochee rivers, visit WDFW’s website.
Much of this year’s construction on the Satsop took place on over 100 acres of permanently protected land acquired by Forterra to support restoration efforts in collaboration with private landowners. This fall, crews will enhance this area with native plants.

The Grays Harbor Conservation District has also been a steadfast partner on the Satsop and Wynoochee projects by bringing landowners and project partners together to advance these large-scale restoration efforts.

Restoration projects on the Newaukum River and on Stillman Creek will begin in summer 2022.

Each of the WDFW-sponsored river restoration projects includes installing native trees and shrubs, removing invasive species such as blackberry and knotweed, constructing engineered log jams, and reconnecting floodplain and off-channel habitats.

Rivers in the Chehalis Basin provide important habitat for Chinook salmon, coho salmon, and steelhead, as well as other native fish species, including mountain whitefish, rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, Dolly Varden, and bull trout. Olympic mud minnow, a species of concern in Washington, are found in nearby wetlands and sloughs. Freshwater mussels and various amphibian species, including the western toad and Van Dyke’s salamander, may also benefit from these habitat restoration projects.

WDFW works to preserve, protect, and perpetuate fish, wildlife and ecosystems while providing sustainable fish and wildlife recreational and commercial opportunities.

Tide water is a total mud out and not showing much. Stay out of the foam line as a ton of garbage is hanging out. Also DW got the Nations numbers up but I thought I would duplicate it for those who follow this thread.

10/06/2021
QIN numbers for 1st Schedule days, 9/26---29

Chinook------995
Chum--------- 21
Coho---------2276

So lots of dirty water and fish at this moment are scarce or in hiding!

Had to wait but the ugly mud was at low tide and thinned at South Monte. It is high tide now and the water is much better but back to the light grayish color. Hopefully the tides will move it this afternoon. Ugly coming your way Doc!

QIN updated numbers for Humptulips and formatting is off but you can figure it out.


2021 Fall fishery
Date Stat Week Chinook Chum Coho Steelhead White Sturgeon
Sept 19 - 24 39 545 0 582 0 0
Sept 28 - Oct 1 40 47 0 336 0 0
Oct 5 - 8 41
Oct 10 - 16 42 CLOSED
Oct 17-23 43 CLOSED
Oct 24-30 44 CLOSED
Oct 31 - Nov 5 45
Nov 8 - 11 46
Nov 15 - 18 47
Totals
Chinook Chum Coho Steelhead White Sturgeon
592 0 918 0 0

https://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/rfc/

and the 10 day forecast says we have a rain bump 11th and 12th on the Olympics side but minimal on the upper Chehalis. Short event that will effect the Satsop the most. You can get the precip info by hitting Forecast precipitation / 240 hours.

Plan a head because South Elma down fishing is going to be about mud and the fish's calendar catching up with the weather. Early part of the run is way up and we will be fishing on just what swims by that day. Add that to tribal fisheries and mud off weather events it will be a day to day thing for Recs.

Given the current management paradigm of squeezing the last possible "harvestable" fish out of a run I think a nice series of storms, say every couple days, from September into mid-December, would be neat. Not gully-washers, just high enough water to put some cold in, quite a bit of leaves and sticks, and so on. But, then again, I'm warped.

You know, you must really hate rec. fishermen to have an attitude like that, you must be a former wdfw worker, why so much hate for fishermen who are already getting fuc*ed by the state? The conditions you wish for screw over folks who are NOT responsible for the current state of affairs. You are right, you are warped, and an ass*ole to boot. Why come to this board and bitch if you are not a fisherman who wants a fair deal for those who should be the LAST group to be shut down. Forcing us to fish in blown out conditions is as fuc*ed as having the tribes and dicks fishing our fish in Canada and Alaska low hole us time and time again.

Well now for something different. Yesterday the Chehalis on incoming had a foam line full of debris that ran from Cosy to South Monte. The river was everything from pure mud to bad full of crap of all sizes. No idea why as I am told up river has cleaned up. Today looks better as to the water color but the garbage is still out there and I imagine will be running back and forth. The Nation goes in tomorrow at noon for two days ( out Tuesday noon ) then are done until Nov.

Truth...

I don't hate the recs. In fact, I prefer recreational fisheries in rivers as the most appropriate management. But, I prefer even more to see good levels of escapement and since current management achieves 5-10% of that...........

And while yes, I did work for WDG, WDF, WDFW I pushed for enhanced and expanded recreational fisheries in rivers.

Well, now for a fishing report. After all, isn't that what the thread title suggests? We fished the opener outside of the Hoquiam river after a not too crowded launch at 28th street. Melanie took the 1st fish on a vip spinner and in-line flasher, 9 to 10 lbr. I took a 6 lb. buck chrome bright. Done by one. 2nd day I was skunked on herring and Melanie took a nice 8 lbr. and a coho jack, plus a coho smolt which convinced her not to swap out her spinner pattern. 3rd day I was skunked on herring one more time but had a few drive-bys, Melanie took a nice 9 lb. buck. We took Monday off, Melanie worked Tuesday and Wednesday we went clamming on a northern beach, got our 40 by sunset. We heard that some fish were caught around Lakeside, but the same folks were going up towards Monte the next day as more fish were seen there. We fished the river below the launch at Monte, caught our two by one and beat it. Next day I took a 6+ lb. hen and Melanie had what we believe was a monster king that took her on quite a trip before pulling the hook about 10 yards out, never saw it which was the clue to species. Didn't want to think about it being a huge silver. Lots of crap in the water but high tide cleaned it out

Hey CM most of the younger guys are not aware of your efforts back in the years and I still rate you A+ on note taking despite the F- your superiors graded them. I still love the " Dave expressed his displeasure bluntly and loudly " one. Bob you got the wrong dog with this one but your right about conditions. When Rec's loose Sept for a normal season we loose about everything if it rains. Over 10 inches in the Olympics so far takes care of that one so tide water fishing has been the worse than I have seen it in many years. Mud, crap, flows jumped the front of the run way up and about the time it clears you have nets in tidal water. Dream come true inland as this is as good as it gets inland.

These are the dates for the non treaty nets.
44 24-Oct-21 cheh 3
45 31-Oct-21 cheh 2

These are the remaining tribal dates.
45 10/31-11/6 cheh 2
46 11/7 -11/13 cheh 2
47 11/14-11/20 cheh 2
48-53 11/21- 3

Oh, and other people? 3/4 of the people we saw and talked to did NOT catch fish, the 1st day we saw about 30 boats out, declined daily after that, even though it was the weekend. Always ample parking at both launches, even on the opener. The tribe nets 2000 coho in two days that the state keeps us out of the water, how many fish got caught by recs? My guess, no more then a couple of hundred. How's that for 50/50?

Again, as is often pointed out, the 50:50 is for all harvest in WA. Those GH coho taken in the bay and ocean by recs count against the recs. So long as we have marine mixed stock fisheries, most of the in-river catch will be by the Tribes at a 50:50 sharing.

The only fishery I am aware of where the in-river catch itself was supposed to be 50:50 was steelhead, as essentially nobody fished much in marine waters for them.

Ideally, I suspect, from a WDFW perspective, taking the whole NI share "outside" is preferred as those fisheries generate more money and there are much fewer on the water conflicts.

And, yeah, Rivrguy, taking notes was fun. Especially making sure all the information was there.

So fishing report, well with the rain shot gunning things upstream tide water sucks. What I know is this lots of Coho jacks with size and quality. Coho adults I am not sure because of the rain and timing but frankly at this moment I am not sure the run is as large or larger than forecast. We will have a better idea when the Nations second set numbers are posted.

Chinook on the other hand appear to be different and the nations catch on the first set was way past modeled expectations. In Sept the entire tidal reach from 101 bridge to South Monte was just plain loaded with Chinook, seals, and Sea Lions chasing fish constantly slowly moving up. I have only got a hold of 3 Coho adults but damn I was turning loose 3 or 4 Chinook a day. About half were in the three year old range judging by size and a couple really nice ones in the mix and way more furry guys bite marks mostly near the tail than I am used to seeing. So I stopped fishing a week before the shut down waiting for different conditions.

Not fishing today but again the last few days have been the same, cannot buy a Coho but Chinook are still coming strong and we either have one god awful number of three year old adults, larger than expected run size or ............. something ! Again it is darn near impossible to get a real feel for things because of the substantial rain events messing everything up.

quins fish the 10th to the 12th oct

Talking to fish counters on the satsop: “not seeing any more fish than average” after trying to count in high muddy water. When I asked about what that means; if there were plenty of fish would they bump the limit up by one hatchery coho? He said that’s not his decision (obviously) but honestly he said if they counted 10,000 coho they wouldn’t be likely do it.
What Bull$hit.

Before the opener, well over 5000 (likely 7-8000) came up the satsop. (One of the biggest fish movements iv ever seen in just 3 days)

The WDFW is inept at in season management. Period. People who spend most days on the river have a better pulse of the fishery. It doesn’t take a degree to understand how many fish are or are not in the river.

I’m so sick and tired of a bunch of pencil pushing a$$hats with out a clue trying to manage fisheries from a computer. Plant fish, make in season adjustments and for god sake listen to the largest user group and their needs, not the minority.