Just wondering what effect this flood will have on the fish trying to spawn this year? Cant be good. But how will this effect future returns?
For puget sound rivers, we are already working with low returns.
Can the fish hang out through this high water to reproduce later on?
Usually we have this high water and flooding late in november and early december.
I am counting on the toughness and determination of our wild fish to make it through (hope!).

Well, it's probably not good, but look at it this way. If floods like these killed all the fish, by now, there wouldn't be any fish, would there?

The redd making behavior has surely evolved in order to ensure that the babies make it through the floods. Doesn't always work, but I have confidence.

True enough SH, but I think it's important to note that Ma Nature didn't plan on a fisheries' model to allow "just enough" fish in the system to carry things onward.

No question, there will be some lost spawn in some areas (no digging method will ensure that a redd in one foot of water that is now a 7-8 foot deep spot will survive), ... hopefully, there were enough to start with that we won't all see the effects down the road.