Positive. I'm not sure if you remember me Snagger, but we were on the Salmon River Fishing Association together in the early 2000's. My timing might be bad, but this is my worse year in more than thirty. The runs were chock full into late April last year (partially because they were holding them because of the drugs they gave them) and there wasn't much of a drop back season with the high water. Now I haven't been to the hatchery until today and fish might have left, but fish were coming in today while I watched. Maybe they will fill up the runs, at least I hope they will, but I don't think so, something is wrong...
to be honest I lean toward freds side ....for what ever reason the amount of fish sure appears lower to me and the fish generally are smaller ......in the 90's 15 pound fish were common , I think the only reason fisherman may be spoiled has nothing to do with steelhead populations its the newer tactics of fishing for them...... the average fisherman today is a lot better equipped then 20 years ago.... hell we had to tie our own rods just to get a noodle rod and most of them were fly rod blanks tied with spinning seats .....no one had any idea about pinning or beads .....even eggs were not cured as well ...I remember first time estaz was used for flies on salmon river ...... I agree with you fred ,it's my opinion the numbers just aren't there ....
All I'm going too say, is if the hatchery doesn't dump extra steelhead in, get used too it, because it aint gonna change.