Pretty sad state of affairs on the Kalama, in my opinion.

WDFW FISHING RULE CHANGE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov
May 24, 2012
Spring chinook must be released on the Kalama River
Action: Kalama River anglers must release all spring chinook salmon.
Species affected: Chinook salmon.
Effective dates: May 29 through July 31, 2012.
Location: From the boundary markers at the mouth to the upper salmon hatchery.
Reason for action: Through May 18, six hatchery adult spring chinook have returned to Kalama Falls Hatchery, well below the hatchery broodstock goal of 390 fish. The pre-season forecast anticipated a return of 700 adult spring chinook to the river system.
Other information: Creel sampling surveys have shown light catches and there is no evidence of large numbers of fish holding in the river. Kalama hatchery returns will continue to be closely monitored.
The lower Kalama remains open to the retention of hatchery steelhead.

Information contact: (360) 696-6211. For latest information press *1010.

Simply SAD...

Used to be such a fun river to fish...

What's the issue? Predation? Strain of fish used, or not planting enough?

Keith

That planting more always seems to work . . . .

Isn't that entire Kalama spring chinook run artificial?

Seems I read awhile back that historically, there were no spring chinook in the system. Always perplexed me why most years that run struggles since the little guys just have to make a right turn at the mouth and it's a short shot to the estuary. I know it's not that simple but they don' t have any dams to contend with either.

Inferior stock used? Reduced plants?

i think sthlheader1 knows the situation better than most here, something to do with the hatchery stock used in that system.

the last couple years had been fun without all the pressure that the system was starting to see the last few good years(like drift boats parked in holes overnight, and having to be up in the canyon at 3am to get a bank spot), but it truly is a sad state of affairs down there.

same goes for the lewis, what a shell of a river it is compared to 10 years ago...

The good ol days!

Time to switch that river to Carson stock fish!!

I caught my first few springers on the Kalama when I was just getting started. It will always be a special fishery to me and I hope this fishery gets turned around soon.

Does anyone know if they transfer fish from the Cowlitz to help with egg take on the Kalama when the count is low? I see they have "shipped " over 900 from there so far. I do know for a fact that they share eggs on the Willapa/Naselle/Nemah. It would make sense as they are the same drainage area and should have the same disease resistances.

Lots of good memories from the Kalama...

There was a small historical run in the Kalama. It numbered in the dozens and was a lower river spawning fish. They have been messing around with the strains they use and obviously are using the wrong strain now!!. I think the Carson strain was the more successful one. Haven't talked to the guys in the hatchery for years.

I too was weary of trying to find an open hole. Guys sleeping in their boats all night..............unreal.............

I agree. This is sad, disappointing, and frustrating.

This is the 5th year in a row WDFW has closed the Kalama river early for spring Chinook because they may not get their escapement. The last good year was 2007, when over 7000 springers returned to the Kalama. That was twice as many as the previous record (which was 3500). Since 2007, they've struggled to meet the spawning escapement goals. They've closed it early in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, and now in 2012. I believe they're using Willamette stock, which doesn't seem to be getting the results anyone is happy with. Perhaps it's time to switch back to the Carson stock.....

Just for the record, I've landed two springers on the Kalama this year. A 13lb wild fish that went back to spawn, and a nice 18lb hatchery hen that I kept. Gottem both on sand shrimp under a float. I got that 18lber on Friday morning. I suspect the recent rains brought in some fresh fish.

I betcha the Alaskan gillneters got em!!! Or their just late....

MG - If they're late, it won't matter since WDFW closed the season on springers in the Kalama. Regardless of the number of adult springers that ultimately show up at the Kalama Fall Hatchery WDFW never re-opens the season once they've closed it. The hatchery will probably make their escapement goal (~400 fish) but the season is still a huge disappointment.

The Alaska gillnetters didn't get them. In fact, nobody really knows where spring Chinook go after they are released. They move thru the lower Columbia estuary fairly quickly, head into the open ocean, and disappear. The return a couple years later as adults. Unlike fall Chinook, springers don't turn up in any fisheries along the Pacific Coast (according to the tagging data). Very rarely they've been seen in Japanese fish markets but other than that, the information on their ocean travels remains elusive. The migration patterns of fall Chinook and, to some degree, summer Chinook are well documented. But springers are a real mystery.

From the Hatchery Scientific Review Group 2009 doc:

The program currently releases approximately 500,000 from Fallert Creek Hatchery and Gobar Pond. All releases are adipose-marked and approximately 250,000 are adipose-marked and coded-wire tagged. Approximately 300 broodstock, collected at the ladder at Kalama Falls Hatchery, are needed to support the program.
The Kalama River hatchery broodstock was originally taken from Cowlitz and Carson hatchery stocks in the 1970s. Since then, this stock has been propagated largely from returns to the hatchery; however, eggs and adults have been brought in from numerous lower Columbia hatcheries including Eagle Creek and Willamette (Oregon), Cowlitz and Little White Salmon Rivers.
The program uses single family pairing. Few jacks are incorporated into the broodstock. Average smolt to adult survival for the hatchery program has been 0.17% for brood years 1990 through 1998. The HGMP for this program indicates that contribution to fisheries has been extremely low, with total annual catch from the program averaging less than 300 fish for return years 1995 through 2001.
The current hatchery program is described as an integrated harvest program. However, since no natural-origin fish are included in the hatchery broodstock, the current proportionate natural influence (PNI) is zero. The current estimate of the proportion of hatchery-origin spawners (pHOS) in the total spawning population is 52%. Hatchery returns are projected to exceed broodstock needs by approximately 1,200 fish annually.
 Estimated Productivity (with harvest): 0.54.
 Projected Average Natural-Origin Escapement: 146 fish

BTW, the HSRG made recommendations regarding the control of BKD (Bacterial Kidney Disease), which has been a problem with the Kalama's hatchery chinook stocks. Apparently, releasing 500,000 salmon smolt only produces a large return if they are healthy salmon smolt.......