SALMON RIVER , SALMON AND STEELHEAD THREAD...

[Thor]

I have no dog in this fight, but I always thought that it was pretty much settled science that most salmon and steelhead return to their natal streams.  Attached is a link to a scientific study looking into the Genetic Effects of Straying of Non-Native Hatchery Fish into Natural Populations.  What's really telling is the number of citations to other scientific studies researching this topic noted toward the bottom of this study.  It appears that this topic has been well studied.

This study mostly talks about salmon, but it also refers to steelhead.  Steelhead appear to be the subject of many other studies referred to in the citations.  Here is an excerpt taken from the study:

By way of historical perspective, it was accepted by about the 1870s that most salmon homed back to their natal streams and rivers to spawn, although some biologists remained unconvinced until the 1930s. A report for the U.S. Commission of Fish and Fisheries stated that ". . . it is an established fact that adult [salmon] will always return to the place where they first made acquaintance with the water, passing directly by the mouths of streams or tributaries better adapted to their purpose, to gain their original home" (U.S. Commission of Fish and Fisheries 1874, p. lxxxii). Biologists also recognized that salmon could swim several hundreds of miles up a river to their natal areas. A later report to the Commission pointed out that a stream near Elko, Nevada "is one of the many that form the headwaters of the Columbia River, and to this point, eighteen hundred miles from its mouth, the salt-water salmon come in myriads to spawn . . ." (U.S. Commission of Fish and Fisheries 1876, p. xxviii-xxix). Milner noted "[t]he generally accepted fact in the habits of anadromous fishes that they are disposed to return to almost the exact locality where they passed their embryonic and earlier stages of growth . . . . Observations of the shad brought to the large markets shows considerable difference in the physiognomy and general contour of those from different rivers. The suggestion is natural that they are distinct and separate colonies of the same species, and thus slight characteristics are perpetuated because they breed in-and-in and do not mix with those of other rivers" (Milner 1876, p. 323).

http://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/publications/scipubs/techmemos/tm30/quinn.html

[paul young]

I wonder why some fish return to the upper fly zone? Could it be that that is where they hatched and spent the early part of their lives? Those fish swam right past beaver dam brook on their way upstream.-Paul

[stratos122]

Great picture of the lighting snagger! I always enjoy seeing the pictures you post of the storms.

[SNAGGER]

  Trapper  my question was about the salmon river stockings, how does sage creek fit into why salmon go straight too the hatchery?  you said fish have no homing instincts? right? well they all seem too find the hatchery.  your points are valid but have nothing relavant too do with my question.

[SNAGGER]

  Well that took all of 3 minutes too find , 1996 stocking sheet, 15,000 steelhead stocked in grindstone, got anything else you want me too prove you wrong at trapper?

[coachwarner]

[SNAGGER]

coo coo that is the  opposite of what I said  ...I said   salmon  steelhead and  browns  stocked  in the  great lakes   do not return to the place  they were stocked  ,rather they  follow  current  ....snagger  said that was   not true ...I  said if  fish  returned to the  points  that they were  STOCKED  then those  fish  would   stay in the  lake  where the  barge  dropped  them off ... salmon steelhead  and  browns  run streams  that were  never  stocked!  not  one  fish  was  ever stocked  in   rice  creek in Oswego,wine  creek in Oswego ,nine mile  creek  in  scriba ,the  church camp creek in scriba  , catfish  creek in new haven ,butterfly marsh in new haven , sage  creek in  new  haven ....  never  had  a  fish  stocked  not one  yet  those tribs  produce salmon  steelies and  browns  ever year  now that's  just  10 miles  of  lake  Ontario  shoreline ........I stand  by my statement  these  fish  DO NOT RETURN TO JUST WHERE THEY ARE STOCKED AT ALL OR RAISED   but rather  FOLLOW any current  the  incounter ..........the  proof  is  in  over  45  years  of  those  streams  produceing  fish ....and  by the  way  close  as  I remember the  only place  little salmon river was  ever  stocked  was at the  mouth  at mexico  point as that was the only  state  access

and  mother  nature  had  nothing to do with bring pacific salmon  to  the  great lakes  nor  rainbows  browns  or  steel  head  ...and    I never seen a  fish  return  to find  another  stream that's  foolish  they  turn white and  die  right in those  little  streams .....

I  do not misquote you please  give  me the  same  respect and  understand  I am  entitled  to my opinion  just as much as  you and  I have  been  fishing  those  rivers and  streams  before  salmon  were  ever  introduced ....

[trapper2000]

your  chart  shows browns and  rainbows  being  stocked in grindstone  brookies were  too  those  are trout stream  fish not  steelhead ...the  steelhead  were  stocked  at Selkirk at the  mouth then off the  pier I think  5000 were stocked .....

my point  was  first   snag  I thought your  observation was  interesting  and   the  reason  why my point has merit is  the  fish  out of beaver creek are  showing up in every trib on lake Ontario!  point blank  and  as  paul young stated  why is he  catching fish in the  fly zone  above the  hatchery ...I never  wanted to  fight  but anyone that belives  these  fish only return to where they were  stocked  believes  in fairy tales  ... and  the  orginal point was  why  are  the  steelies  numbers  down  ... and  the  number of  fish do appear down  in salmon river .I understand  you have  a  reason  to disagree with that  but it is what it  is ....

[SNAGGER]

  notice the 1995 steelhead numbers, 47,000  that's it, they stocked 147,000 last yr.  down from well over 372,000 8 yrs ago

[SNAGGER]

your  chart  shows browns and  rainbows  being  stocked in grindstone  brookies were  too  those  are trout stream  fish not  steelhead ...the  steelhead  were  stocked  at Selkirk at the  mouth then off the  pier I think  5000 were stocked .....

my point  was  first   snag  I thought your  observation was  interesting  and   the  reason  why my point has merit is  the  fish  out of beaver creek are  showing up in every trib on lake Ontario!  point blank  and  as  paul young stated  why is he  catching fish in the  fly zone  above the  hatchery ...I never  wanted to  fight  but anyone that belives  these  fish only return to where they were  stocked  believes  in fairy tales  ... and  the  orginal point was  why  are  the  steelies  numbers  down  ... and  the  number of  fish do appear down  in salmon river .I understand  you have  a  reason  to disagree with that  but it is what it  is ....

  no there steelhead.

[trapper2000]

rice  creek  gets  350  brown trout above  the  dam  on  104 they  again are  for trout fisherman shane   theres a  dam  duhhhhhhh they can't make  it to the  lake Ontario .....I was  born and raised  here  I might know these streams   pretty well son

[trapper2000]

no snag there  not theres a  dam those are rainbows and  browns

[SNAGGER]

  Whats the STHD next too grindstone stand for?

[SNAGGER]

  keep trying trap, you won't win.  know all about fernwood fished it since 81.  I know you fished it longer, but your wrong about stockings.

[trapper2000]

snagger  sorry  rich creek has  a  dam  at 104  everyone  in  Oswego knows  granby  where the  fish are  stocked   are way above it   go on  google  earth  .... those  fish never  see lake  Ontario