Blown

 

If you go, let us know!

 

Ya, and Muddy!

 

fished couple times, which is a first for me... what a beautiful little river, I was there last sunday, river little higher than two weeks ago, good visibility, didn't hook anything, but what a good stretch of water next to the Red Barn... did see quite a few drift boat, not alot of swinging water, definitely good if you have a drift boat....

 

Kalama Report:

I was able to hit the river this morning, 6:00 am -12:00. I didn't get skunked, but all I caught was a few young Steelies. I did most of my fishing above the hatchery.

Water high (actually the highest I've ever seen it)
Water pretty murky
Weather Sucked Lot O Wind and Rain

I have never asked or heard.... Are there trout in the upper reaches of the river, fly fishing only? I am almost certain there is not, but notice I said almost.

SHARP

 

There are upper reaches, above the upper hatchery. This area is where the wild fish are released, and fishing is C&R only. I love this whole river, but the upper is where you can get away from the "other" fishermen. It is disturbing to me that as of 3/9/11 only 95 wild winter fish have returned and been released into this section (as per the WDFW escapement reports). With only 95 wild winter fish returned can we really justify fishing this section?

 

In a word...NO

 

I kinda get what your saying.... But not really!

At what point to we say, It's time to stop fishing for Natives all together? Do we say stop when 95 fish are released or when there are still 2,000 being released?

I fish this area to get away and learn some new water, that is close to home! Water that is not plagued by beer cans and garbage left from the other half. Water where there is still and opportunity to catch a true Native Steelface.

The chances I (or anyone for that matter) land a Native (one of only 95) in about 15 miles of river are very slim! And if I do, isn't that the idea? I would consider it a great privilage to catch such as fish. Not to mention the work needed,as well as time to find a fish in this much water. Shit!

I mean lets just stop fishing all together, if this is your the solution.



Maybe someone should have had this discussion about 20 years ago.....

 

Sharp,

You are totally right. At what point do we stop fishing for them? I guess that is a personal question that each of us has to ask ourselves and only we can come up with our answers. I've reached mine.

 

Well stated John. I have minimal experience with that river system but it is one of the most beautiful. It is a shame that the will of man over the ages has pushed the fish that used to call this river home to the brink.

 

Sharp,
Below the upper hatchery there are hatchery fish. These fish need to get caught. The precious wild fish must run the gauntlet of the lower river and all the pressure this river sees. For a small river the lower Kalama gets MUCH pressure. I'm saying the precious few fish that make it to the safe grounds (past the upper hatchery) deserve to be left to spawn. Perhaps a big surge of wild fish will come in yet. I hope so very much.
I've contemplating fishing the upper river this month, but cutting the end of my fly off at the bend. I'd still have the joy of fishing this beautiful, uncrowded river for wild fish. I'd still get to feel the grab.

 

Guys, I have fished above the hatchery twice (today was the second time). I've caught many a hatchery brat on lower sections of the river. But I wasn't fishing the yard balls today! I was fly fishing, which last time I checked was OK to do in the upper river? With a hook.

So, what I am gathering from your posts is...... All who have landed or caught a Native Steelhead on a river with declining numbers, is in part responsible for the declining numbers of Steelhead as a whole! Is that correct? Because in a way, that is what your implying....

Personally I dont think the issues are a result of Fly Fisherman. Now there are some jackasses out there, but for me, I can say with 100% certainty, not one Steelhead had been lost to my hand. Not even hatchery Steelhead. I prefer steak!

Now don't get me wrong, I am a full supporter of sustaining WILD Steelhead and I do believe in limiting seasons, gear restrictions, whatever is necessary. But this has not happened on the Kalama! Well it has, FLY FISHING ONLY upper river.

You said it yourself, these fish run a long gauntlet of river and pressures. This river in-particular has many challenging runs. However, I will guesstimate that 95% of all fishing and human pressure is on the lower sections of this river, for both Hatchery and Wild fish. Do we know how many Natives have been lost on the lower river this season? No! Because that would be nearly impossible to know. If the numbers are declining, that rapidly (and returns are this low, 95) than the lower river should be closed. Right?

I think these fish are extremely resilient and amazing creatures! I am a firm believer that if you are lucky enough to catch/land a Native Steelface and you handle the fish properly and with care, no harm is done. And yes, there are some cases where fish can be lost when fowl hooked (depending on how bad), but rarely. But fishing the FLY ONLY/ CATCH AND RELEASE water is not going to push them into extinction.

I also understand your decision to either not fish for Steelhead period or cut off your hook! But, does fishing with a hook equal more pressure on fish? Or does standing in the same water and runs, swinging hookless provide the fish with less pressure?

I also have the privilege of being form Michigan. Michigan's Steelhead runs are 100% self sustaining and hatchery free. Maybe we should take some lessons from them....

SHARP

 

I think these fish are extremely resilient and amazing creatures! I am a firm believer that if you are lucky enough to catch/land a Native Steelface and you handle the fish properly and with care, no harm is done. And yes, there are some cases where fish can be lost when fowl hooked (depending on how bad), but rarely. But fishing the FLY ONLY/ CATCH AND RELEASE water is not going to push them into extinction.

SHARP

I have been told from biologists that about one in ten steelhead caught and released will still die from the lactic acid buildup during the fight.

 

Sharp,
Just saying in "my" opinion these upper river wild fish are precious and this year, so far, are few in number. If one takes great care in playing and releasing these fish you probably won't cause mortality. I have personally found dead wild fish in that upper section. Can't say for sure they died from fisherman over playing, handling, foul hooking, or whatever, but seems most likely to me.
It would be very interesting to know how many nates are lost in the lower river. There has been much illegal harvest on this river in the past, and perhaps still today.
You're not breaking any law by fishing there and am not trying to start an argument. The point of my post was to point out the low return this year so far and hopefully instill caution to those not aware of the current situation.
The dwindling run of wild summer fish is up there also, so there's more than 95 fish to catch.
No implications here. Maybe I'll run in to you up there.
Good luck
Dan

 

AS the nobility of the beautiful and legendary "Steelhead" fades and is cheapened, more and more will continue to take them and the river's they live in for granted.

"Steelface...demystifying the food fish."

 

In the upper stretches you may find an odd resident trout or two, but the majority of all little guys are going to be steelhead smolts. I personally wouldn't target them. As far as I know, the holy water in the winter is a native only fishery, in the summer they are letting brood stock hatchery fish over. I talked to a WDFW employee last summer season and that was the news I got. I dont know what they are planning on doing this year. The biggest sin to me isn't allowing barbless fly fishing up there, it's all the damn new river bank construction that has been allowed in the past 5 years. Also the intense logging in the upper,upper river the last year and a half. Last Wed I started the day with about 2-1/2 feet of viz, ended the day 5 hours later a foot higher and 3" viz, all while log truck after log truck went up and down the river, then on the way home stopped by the east fork to find a beautiful steelhead green river. This equates, to me anyway, that the once in a while native being caught by a fly dude is not a huge concern, but all the historic spawing grounds being washed away and silted up in peoples back yards is more to blame than any of it. And I know for a fact (because I called them in) that some of the home owners, not all so don't beat me up, dont care about the extra fin, or that the natives are paired up spawing, if they see it, it gets snagged and dies.
In my own opinion, the best thing that could happen to that river, is to take out all the chinook and coho hatchery programs. The fall chinook are not even native to the Kalama anyway-hence the lower wier-and we would see a TON of dirtbags loose interest and leave. I absolutly love this river and friends to this river are friends of mine. It sucks watching it be expolited so bad over the last 15 years. Looking at everything we have thrown at this little river, its hard to believe there are any native fish left at all. Nature is pretty effin' tough.

 

ozcast,
Well said! :thumb:

 

WTF is a "steelface" anyway.

 

Steelface, Metalhead, Chromedome, Grey (Gray) Ghost......Steelhead!

There maybe more.....

 

By the way Ozcast I couldn't agree more.

And too you Mr. Page, I do understand where you coming from.... As Ozcast mentioned above, these are the pressures effecting fish and their ability to spawn successfully.

See you on the river!

 

The Kalama and Cowlitz have been a playground for overproduction of hatchery fish for a long time. In short; they're meat farms. It's a sad state of affairs, but they're two rivers that I doubt will ever see a return of quality native genetics.

On the other hand, in keeping with the DFW's new policy on creating wild fish sanctuaries in select Columbia tributaries, the Kalama will provide a place for people to fish that want to catch and eat, and keep traffic down on those rivers where native fish stand a chance. There are a number of other local rivers that have much healthier (note healthier, not healthy) native runs, but they won't stay that way for long without the draw of numbers that the Kalama and the Cowlitz throw to the rabid hordes.

 

On the other hand, in keeping with the DFW's new policy on creating wild fish sanctuaries in select Columbia tributaries, the Kalama will provide a place for people to fish that want to catch and eat, and keep traffic down on those rivers where native fish stand a chance. There are a number of other local rivers that have much healthier (note healthier, not healthy) native runs, but they won't stay that way for long without the draw of numbers that the Kalama and the Cowlitz throw to the rabid hordes.

I don't agree. The meat fisherman don't go where there is a native only run, and they wouldn't on the Kalama either. Nature didn't physically build the Kalama to withstand the overwhelming pressure it recieves. The Cowlitz and NFL make more sence(still shitty). I have talked to people who drive all the way from SoCal in August to snag silvers and fall chinook at the mouth. When you get a river that gets so low and clear and overproduces so many fish (salmon) its gong to be a no-brainer poacher fest. I don't buy the "one river is more important than the other" mentality. There is no reason the Kalama should be on the meat farm list. If you get rid of the Salmon hatchery programs, the steelhead and steelheading will greatly increase and the overall pressure will drop. I don't want to sound narrow minded, but as a whole, Salmon fisherman are different than steelheaders. If you think otherwise, go to the guard rail below beginners hole in Sept and see for yourself. The main reason for the overproduction is commercial fishing at the mouth. Honestly, why else would there be a return of up to 7000 silvers and 3000 Fall Kings in nothing more than a trickle August flow? I understand the need for Washington State to sell licenses, and to do that they need to make the majority happy with fish to catch, but there needs to be a balance. The Kalama still has enough going for it, that it could be a great native return river. Just until a few years ago, It was actually a "gentleman's" river. It's just the last 7 or so years it has gotton real bad with poachers. The state needs to put the all mighty buck aside for a minute and look at the future of the watershed. To have such a gem of a river this close to a major city (2 in fact, lots of Seattleites drive down) and not protect it is a crime. The same with the Cowlitz and NFL. To think of what the NFL could be or was before the dams really gets me fired up, but that's another thread all together. You want to get even more mad, call Olympia to get some answers, and see if the "Salmon Manager" calls you back. Anyway, enough complaining. I love the PNW, I love all our watersheds, I will never give up on any of them.

 

Sharp
I'm glad you started this thread as it has allowed some good facts and opinions to come out. I agree totally that the least impact on wild fisheries is C&R by fly guys. Gear guys do fish this upper part at times with spoons and anything they can do to stay within the "fly fish" definition.
John,
Forgot to say howdy. I do remember that day I ran on to you on the Cow. You were fishing that nice LeCie rod.
Flyborg,
As we all know the Cow is the #1 meat factory in the Pacific NW. The Kalama is disturbing to fish at times when the runs are on and gear guys are in full force, but as you say, those guys need a place also. I also doubt the Cow will ever be a natural fishery--I really doubt the goal of HSRG to return the Cow to a natural fishery. I belong to CCA and question this goal of their agenda,--pure fantasy and a waste of $$ in my opinion for the immediate future.
But, the Kalama has a core of native fish that maybe could be salvaged with correct management. Don't claim to know what that would be. I know the biologists in WDFW there seem to have a genuine desire to make it happen. Looming budget cuts in critical areas don't add to optimism. It's time for the biological truths (vs. political truths) of the situation to direct fisheries management.
I love this river too much to give up on it. What a shame it would be to lose this one.

 

I know that getting rid of the salmon factories would make the K a better experience for steelhead anglers. Unfortunately, they're the minority. I'm also more than familiar with the shit-fest the fly only area turns into in September--I live ten minutes from Beginners Hole, my mother-in-law lives one minute from it, and I've fished the river weekly for twenty some odd years. Salmon fever does odd things to people, even the steelheaders who turn a nose at the thought of swinging to spawning steelhead will stand on salmon reds and wonder why they can't hook them in the mouth.

I still stand by the assertation that all those guys will just go fish somewhere else. You can find low water on just about any river in September, and if you know where to go, you'll see the same type of crowd snagging fish. Both the Cow and the NFL, despite being more suited for salmon production, both have the same snagfest shitholes the Kalama does. At the same time, just like the Kalama, on any river you can find those who don't need to snag fish to get their fish fix. There are plenty of places on the K that are worthwhile to swing in September, with decent depth and flow. Yes, on September 1st I can count on sharing a run that had previously been empty the prior two months with ten other people, but I don't really mind. If you do, just head upriver until you find an empty one.

While I don't believe that every Columbia trib needs a hatchery, I'd hate to see them all go away, salmon and steelhead included. Those that don't get them or get 'em shut down should be the ones with the best opportunity to maintain native genetics. I doubt the Kalama is that river--two summers ago hatchery fish were getting above the second hatchery, interbreeding with the native stock that were being passed up by the hatchery workers. There was a hole in the "iron curtain" that fish were managing to get through. Several anglers tried reporting it but were ignored until the visual fish-count got some biologists involved.

 

My understanding is that summer fish were deliberately released into upper waters. I have caught several unclipped fish over the years in the upper river. Most had the "please release me" tag. The latest was only 6 weeks ago, but had no tag. I don't understand the logic there. If the goal is to increase summer #'s it must be a last ditch effort.

 

Now I'm just confused????? To many ideas... All in all we all love Steelheading and I personally think we are different and a more respectful type of Fisherman. Yes there are dumb-asses that fish for Steelhead, but all in all us Fly and Spey guys get it!

I did read that they are looking to spend up to 5 million on improving this Hatchery See Below...

KALAMA FALLS BROODSTOCK & MODROW TRAP MODIFICATIONS

SCOPE
Description Notes
Scope Includes project development, feasibility studies, design, and permitting tasks associated with Mitchell Act Funded
Hatcheries. There are two sites under this project: 1) Kalama Falls Hatchery: Provide project development, feasibility
study, design and permitting services to construct an adult fish handling system at Kalama Falls Hatchery. The project
includes extending the current fish ladder, constructing new adult/juvenile holding ponds, and constructing a new adult
processing facility to minimize impacts to listed wild stocks. This project is a continuation of remodeling the facility
(new intake in 1998, incubation settling pond in 2006). 2) Modrow Trap: Provide project development, feasibility study,
design and permitting for modification of the Modrow Trap (lower Kalama River) to allow for fish to be transferred to
fish truck through a water transfer system. Fish will be hauled to Kalama Falls Hatchery for sorting for disposition.

It seems as though now may be the time to put your two cents in to stop hatchery funding!

SHARP

 

Unclipped fish should all have the "please release me" tag. Several untagged hatchery fish got upriver, and we were told it was due to a fault in the iron curtain. If it's still happening, there's a problem.

 

Caught a clipped fish above the 2nd hatchery only a about a month ago... It definitely looked like either a summer fish or a smaller winter fish that had been in the river for a while. lots of color.

 

Flyborg,
I dont agree that sutting down all hatcheries is the answer at all either. To be completly honest, as a guide on the river, I depend on the steelhead hatchery for my business. My whole piont is that I think the salmon hatcheries are, for that river, bad for steelhead and the overall well-being of that system as a whole, thats all. I just think the salmon should stay in their native streams. As far as the coho, Im not sure if they are a native Kalama fish or not. My hunch says no, but I could be wrong. I think the Kalama could do with the same attitude as the state took with the South Fork of the Toutle. Strong wild fish restoration and LOTS of enforcement. The state hit a home run on this little stream. I would LOVE to get checked everytime I go fishing, and I would LOVE to be checked for a valid guides license at least once out there. I think what really pisses me off more than anything, and why I get so heated is that the Kalama is now well known for its snagging problem and it get worse every year. The fact that people make a destination trip to abuse the river drives me crazy. Ive been fishing this river for 16 years, guiding it for 5, so seeing all this happen is kinda like someone talking shit and abusing your best friend. I hope you can understand.

 

Definitely--not only does the snagging issue ruin it for legit anglers, but the landowners see it happening and attribute all anglers as a source of the issue. More enforcement would definitely help, but the river is not even on the radar for local LEA aside from once-a-year stings in conjunction with WDFW. I talked with a Cowlitz County Sheriff just a few weeks ago and he was completely unaware of fishing rules for the river, even ones that need enforcement like the night closure between Mar-Oct. He told me straight up that they don't keep up with the DFW regulations, they generally only respond to the few landowners who "own the river bottom" and call in trespassing complaints. I had a few things to say to him about that as well