2011 SALMON RIVER - SALMON AND STEELHEAD Thread

[drowndin dots]

 Man that looks good Drifter..What is it?

        Milled around my house today.. so took a walk up to the Altmar bridge for the first time since like early May... Now that all the pools are trenched out from the flood, they are really good holding areas for all kinds of things.. seen largemouth, smallmouth, bluegills, a bullhead and a bunch of very small trout.. some 5 inches to 8 inches or so, then seen a pair of really black landlocks swim by, the female was about 9-10lbs.. male was about 13lbs..Only thing I didn't see was a walleye, but I bet a few are swimming around in there after the high waters last fall and again this spring...

ive seen wallys in the past while snorkelin , but what always amazes me is the smallmouths . both the amount and the size of them is really incredable . the lil trout are bows i think snag , there in there by the thousands and are really alot of fun on a 3 wt . try tossin an elk hair caddis any evening sometime you'll get multiple strikes on every cast and boy do they jump 

[adam2000]

Small mouths there's no smallmouths in that river. Lol tell a bucket of crawfish that. Lol

[drowndin dots]

   me n my bud dave play a game when we snorkel there , gotta find youre own line , hook , and bait and then biggest bass wins !! you can hand feed theose fish there

[So Saarie]

   me n my bud dave play a game when we snorkel there , gotta find youre own line , hook , and bait and then biggest bass wins !! you can hand feed theose fish there

that sounds awesome!!! A group of 10 of us do a tubing trip down the river every summer, from Altmar to Pineville. We always take LAX sticks, a football, masks & snorkels and sometimes a fishing rod (not always though, broke a few once during higher water, including a Loomis one year, that hurt!) Not to mention the inflatable boat with beers and snacks  This year I'm gonna try that DD, I know it's not too hard to find tackle, especially at the Trestle or at Elis. Pull a little line off the overhanging trees... Only question I have - can I use the weighted "spiders" this time of year?? 

[drowndin dots]

   we do the float too , awesome time and a good way to findnew holes . i guess you can if you find it there  use helgramites if you got the balls to put em on a hook  theose pincers are deadly 

[Drifter_016]

mmmmmm   do i detect a hint of sesame ?? lookin good drifter !

No sesame, sorry.
There is liquid smoke, hickory smoked salt, mesquite smoked salt, tex mex seasoning, spicy mesquite seasoning and smokey mesquite seasoning.

 Man that looks good Drifter..What is it?

      

It's a nice little 3-4 pound laker I got on Sunday.   

I got out today and got some great photos.
I know a lot of you couldn't care less but for Canadians and transplanted Englismen like myself it's a pretty big deal.
Prince William and Princess Catherine are in town here in Yellowknife today and I got a chance to bail from work and go to the welcoming ceremonies this morning.   
I got there early and managed to find a good spot and got some great photos and as an added bonus got to shake Prince Williams hand. My buddy got to shake Kates hand.
As i said, probably not a big deal for you Yanks but a big deal for me.
Here are some pics of the day.

[SNAGGER]

   me n my bud dave play a game when we snorkel there , gotta find youre own line , hook , and bait and then biggest bass wins !! you can hand feed theose fish there

       I used to snorkle for smallies all the time, it's a riot, they'll take the crayfish right out of your hands sometimes... Ever seen a chinook or a school of Skamanians under water, it will blow your mind.. There eyes bulg way out of there heads, they look like demon monsters swimming at you, I used to snorkel the church hole when it was filled to the gills with summer steel... really cool stuff...

[fishing mechanic]

Nice Pics, and story Drifter. I respect your showing of support and loyalty. I read an article regarding a group of haters giving them a very rude welcome, when they first landed in Canada a few days ago. Uncalled for in my opinion. A newly married couple, traveling around to see the world and give thanks to the people that adore them. Personally, I think all the publicity is not my cup of tea....but I also don't believe people need to be that rude towards a couple that hasn't harmed them in any way whatsoever also.....By the way, Us northern Americans grasp the "Yanks" slogan as a word of endearment nowdays.



Enough said....just my 02, Sorry to lay it out on your thread Snag.

[BAZOOKAJOE]

Cool pics drifter!   

[H.T.]

No sesame, sorry.
There is liquid smoke, hickory smoked salt, mesquite smoked salt, tex mex seasoning, spicy mesquite seasoning and smokey mesquite seasoning.


It's a nice little 3-4 pound laker I got on Sunday.   

I got out today and got some great photos.
I know a lot of you couldn't care less but for Canadians and transplanted Englismen like myself it's a pretty big deal.
Prince William and Princess Catherine are in town here in Yellowknife today and I got a chance to bail from work and go to the welcoming ceremonies this morning.   
I got there early and managed to find a good spot and got some great photos and as an added bonus got to shake Prince Williams hand. My buddy got to shake Kates hand.
As i said, probably not a big deal for you Yanks but a big deal for me.
Here are some pics of the day.

Very cool Drifter. thanks for sharing. problably once in a lifetime pictures

[fishbear]

Nice Pics, and story Drifter. I respect your showing of support and loyalty. I read an article regarding a group of haters giving them a very rude welcome, when they first landed in Canada a few days ago. Uncalled for in my opinion. A newly married couple, traveling around to see the world and give thanks to the people that adore them. Personally, I think all the publicity is not my cup of tea....but I also don't believe people need to be that rude towards a couple that hasn't harmed them in any way whatsoever also.....By the way, Us northern Americans grasp the "Yanks" slogan as a word of endearment nowdays.
Agree FM, except for one thing. I heard Boston Red Sox fans don't consider "Yanks" a word of endearment



Enough said....just my 02, Sorry to lay it out on your thread Snag.

[SNAGGER]

   It won't be too much longer now.... about 6 weeks til the First kings start running the Salmon River... Here's a little taste...


   The Kings showed up at our end of the Lake about 6 days ago and it's been good steady action ever since. Persistant north west winds have brought a broad area of temp to this end of the lake...  With more west winds rotating around that big  high pressure / heat wave centered out west, it should stay good..  My buddy Northwoods sent me some pic's...

Bart with a nice one..



There now up to 7 for 8 as of 11am...all kings..




They ended up boating 10 for 12 this morning...

[nightfisher]

Good to see they are starting to show up. Prolly see ya in a week or two.
finally gonna close on that house up there.

[SNAGGER]

   Found this reading through the some DEC reports....


The adult alewife abundance and biomass indices in 2010 were the lowest on record, 7% and 11% of
long term means, respectively. Condition of adult alewives remained high and was similar to condition
during 2004-2009. Abundance of age-1 alewife was 1.4 times greater than the long term mean and
represents the third largest year class in the last 15 years. The number of spawners fell to a new record
low, so even with above average spring-summer conditions, the predicted 2010 year class will be below
average. Because of moderate year classes in 2007-2008 and the relatively large year class in 2009, we
expect adult alewife abundance and biomass to increase in 2011 from the low 2010 levels as they did
following the previous record lows in 2006.
Expansion of the Sampling Frame
Lake Ontario


Status of Alewife
In April – May 2010, the abundance and biomass
indices for adult alewife (age-2 and older) in U.S.
waters of Lake Ontario declined markedly from
2008-2009 values to reach new low points for
both measures (Figure 2). The 2010 abundance
index was equal to 7% of the long-term mean, 3%
of the record high of 1989, and represents the new
low value for this time series. The 2010 biomass
index was equal to 11% of the long-term mean,
6% of the record high of 1981, and represents the
new low value for this time series. The decline in
abundance and biomass likely indicates low
survival of fish from the large 2005 year class,
and a low number of four year-old fish from the
small 2006 year class. However, at this time we
have only completed age estimates to establish
age-1 fish for 2008 - 2010 and do not have further
quantitative analyses of the age structure or agespecific
characteristics of the population.
We use the relative standard error (RSE; RSE =
100 * {standard error of the index / the index}) as
a measure of variability in abundance and weight
indices. In 2010, the RSE of the adult weight
index was 15%, which is below the long term
mean (22%, Figure 3). The RSE of the yearling
number index was 27%, which is similar to recent
years and the long term mean (26%).



The abundance and weight indices for Lake Ontario age-1 and older rainbow smelt Osmerus mordax
continued to increase in 2010 from the historic lows recorded in 2008. The abundance index in 2010 was
65% of the previous high abundance recorded in 2004 and the weight index was 18% greater than the
previous high, also recorded in 2004. Age 1 rainbow smelt constituted 41% of the population. Large
rainbow smelt remain rare in Lake Ontario as the percentage of fish greater than or equal to 150 mm
(0.7%) was the second lowest recorded in the 33- year time series. Based on data from 2010, the rainbow
smelt abundance has rebounded from the low abundance recorded in 2008; while the low proportion of
large smelt in the population suggests predation on the largest smelt remains high. New research
questions will focus on disentangling the influences of climate, lake-wide nutrient load, and predator
abundance on rainbow smelt abundance and will further our ecological understanding of this important
Lake Ontario prey fish.
Rainbow Smelt
In 2010, the abundance index and weight index
for age-1 and older rainbow smelt increased
relative to 2009 (Figure 1). The abundance index
was 65% of the most recent high recorded in 2004
and the weight index was 18% greater than the
most recent high, also recorded in 2004 (Figure
1). The percentage of large rainbow smelt (≥ 150-
mm or ≥ 5.9-in) in the 2010 population (0.7%.)
was the second lowest ever recorded in the 33
year data set. This percentage ranged from 6-28%
during the period from 1978-1985 however, since
1986 the percentage of rainbow smelt over 150
mm has been consistently low, averaging slightly
higher than 2% of the population. Overall, these
results suggest that large rainbow smelt
experience high mortality in Lake Ontario,
potentially as a result of salmonid predation.
The relative standard error (RSE =100*[standard
error of abundance index/ abundance index]) of
the rainbow smelt abundance index has increased
in value and variability over the past 20 years
(Figure 2). This increased variability of rainbow
smelt bottom trawl catches coincides with other
observed changes in fish distribution from the late
1990s and is likely a result of dreissenid mussel
colonization.



Status of Sculpins and Round Goby in the
U.S. Waters of Lake Ontario, 2010
B. C. Weidel and M. G. Walsh
U.S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center
Lake Ontario Biological Station
Oswego, New York 13126
M. J. Connerton
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Cape Vincent, New York 13618
Abstract
Slimy sculpin Cottus cognatus are the most abundant native, benthic prey fish in Lake Ontario and are a
critically important component of juvenile lake trout Salvelinus namaycush diets. Sculpin assessment has
been conducted each fall since 1979, although the establishment of dreissenid mussels has required
changes to the bottom trawl gear. Slimy sculpin abundance has generally declined over the course of the
assessment. From 1979-1991, the trawls caught on average 100 slimy sculpins per minute. From 1992-
2003 that average dropped to 56 sculpins per minute and since the various trawl changes began in 2004,
the average catch dropped to 10 sculpin per minute (2004-2010). While the various changes to the trawl
gear have made it difficult to accurately estimate the magnitude of the sculpin decline, the trend in
abundance is clearly decreasing.
Deepwater sculpin (Myoxocephalus thompsonii) were abundant in Lake Ontario in the 1920’s and at
least common into the 1940’s. By the mid 1960’s, they were rare and thereafter, some considered the
population extirpated. These fish typically inhabit waters greater than 90m and since 2006 we have
observed an increase in the catches of deepwater sculpin during our fall bottom trawl assessments. In
2010, assessment catches indicated the abundance and distribution of deepwater sculpin continued to
increase. The continued presence of juvenile deepwater sculpins in trawl catches indicates favorable
conditions for survival of young deepwater sculpins, perhaps due to reduced abundance of pelagic prey
fish that can potentially consume the pelagic deepwater sculpin larvae.
Nonnative round gobies (Apollonia melanostoma) were first detected in southwestern Lake Ontario in
1998 near the entrance to the Welland Canal and were first collected in the standard USGS spring
trawling assessment in 2002. Since then, the round goby population has expanded and they are now
found along the entire south shore of Lake Ontario, with the highest population densities in U.S. waters
just east of the Niagara River mouth. Since 2002, round goby number and weight indices increased
dramatically through 2008. In 2009, both the abundance and weight index decreased substantially and in
2010 the number index was similar to 2009 while the biomass index decreased slightly. The decreased
biomass observed in 2010 for roughly the same number of individuals as observed in 2009 indicates the
population size structure has shifted to smaller individuals. Additionally, the warm summer in 2010 may
have extended spawning for round goby
.
Sculpins
Slimy Sculpin
Slimy sculpin are the most abundant native,
benthic prey fish in Lake Ontario and are a
critically important component of juvenile lake
trout diets (Elrod and O’Gorman 1991; Owens
and Bergstedt 1994). Since 1979, the sculpin
assessment has been conducted by the USGS
Lake Ontario Biological Station at six transects
along Lake Ontario’s south shore from mid
October through early November


Washington Steelhead
Growth
Steelhead are sampled in the spring and, unlike
Chinook and coho salmon, do not reflect growth
during the 2010 growing season. Weights
reported here reflect conditions prior to and
including 2009. The mean weights of age-3
males and females were 4.7 and 5.4 lbs
respectively, 0.5 and 0.7 lbs lighter than 2009,
and 1.2 and 0.8 lbs respectively below the longterm
averages. The mean weights of Age-4
males and females were 7.7 lbs and 8.1 lbs
respectively, 1.3 and 1.4 lbs lighter than longterm
averages. Age 3 females were not
significantly heavier than those sampled in any
of the previous 21 years but were significantly
lighter than those from 5 of the years. Age 3
males were not significantly heavier than any
year in the time series, but were lighter than 16
of those years. Age 4 fish of both sexes were in
the lightest Tukey grouping in the multiple range
test (Figure 6).
Age Structure
Similar to age structures observed in recent
years, age-3 and age-4 steelhead dominated the
run again in 2010 (Figure 7). The age structure
of the fish sampled was 57% age-3, 40% age-4,
and 4% age-5 with none older

[Raquettedacker]

Cool pictures Dave...........

Good info Snagg...  I just had to put my glasses on and cover one eye...