There is only one Hood canal stream that I know of that gets a good native coho and steelhead run for it's size. It is however very small in comparison to the rivers that we on this board frequent. I know the steelhead cannot take much pressure and even though I know there are some really monster fish there I won't fish it. It does get some pressure from salmon fishermen but only at the mouth and as soon as the first good rain comes it is all over. There is no tribal netting allowed there for coho so that is a plus also. I have fished virtually every fishable river and stream that enter the Canal from the bridge south and most of them really don't have the fish they should unless they are hatchery fish. It is very sad. When I was a kid I could go down to the rivers and catch everything from native sockeye to kings to summer run chum and steelhead (yes, I said sockeye). I believe the sockeye are extinct, the kings are on their way out and the silver numbers are declining, and it is a miracle that native steelhead even exist. Even the cutthroat fishing isn't what it used to be. Very sad indeed. One river still gets a pretty good sturgeon run for it's size but I am not even sure if it is still open to fishing for them. I caught a 7 1/2 footer on a fly rod one time, man what hoot.

I know you guys think we are one in the same Hi from ltlcleo.

I would like to throw a few things in the pot.

Out of countless hours on the Dose,Duck,and both forks of the skoke this fall I have Not caught a single steelhead hatch or not.I am not new to the timing or the behavior of these fish.

The Dose, Duck and Hamma rivers andromonous reaches are relatively short.They are blocked by falls or were blocked by falls.The longest being the Dose the shortest being the Hamma.It really did not take much sport preasure on these streams to really shock the gene pool.Once upon of time these streams recieved a good amount of preasure and severe fish retention.Just ask the general.

What I see hapening here is the closing of these rivers to andromonous fishing.The only reason they have stayed open because of sparce plantings only ment to justify a season not to offer a fishery.These fish have been trucked in 10,000 or so at a time and planted where ever the truck driver wants.This has enabled me to prowl my favorite water but has not done the wild fish any good.

What scares me the most is that they will keep them open for some sort of trout fishery during the spring and summer.The majority of the fish that are caught in the existing bait fishery are smolt of silvers and steelhead.This I believe is a big factor on these rivers with such short andromonous habitat.

You also have to realise that the Hood Cannal Enhancement and Long lLive the kings are working out hatchery reform issues on the canal.There initial findings do not suport the state on there existing practices.This I am sure is one of the reasons the trout hatchery is dropping there steelhead psogram.I am taking for granted that they will continue with the rainbow and cutty programs.

The Skoke is a differant river in its self.It has suffered severe abuse By simpson and Tacoma power.Its habitat is definately the seveest hit of the rest of the canal.

But surprisingly it has the healthiest trout fishery and I would have to say the healthiast steelhead.There is alot of this rver that see little preasure if any as I am one of the few to go in to these reaches.In these secluded spots are good numbers of resident steelhead,Dolllys and a few steellhead.I think that the biggest reason are the longer reaches for our saltwater fish.I have not given up yet on the good old simpson brown.It has the ability to come back.Just needs to be left alone.Never happen but that is all it would take.I have hiked from the gauging station completely to the oxbow on the south fork and there is something prehistoric about that drainage.Matter afact some of the oldest fish fossils we have come off that river.

Greg

This is not necessarily the opinon or feelings of foggedin but that of Ltlcleo