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[sassyboy]

This may be a stupid question but here goes,
there seems to be a lot of small 4-6lb  jack springs in the river right now, are they: residents waiting to go out to sea, or returning fish, if they are returning why so small and are they spawners? 

[sassyboy]

thanx fulcrum   

[chris gadsden]

Two thoughts on these spring jacks which I believe are 2 ocean fish, meaning most likely 3 year olds.

Natures way of making sure there is enough males on the spawning grounds to fertilize the eggs.


 Helps keep the gene pool seperate from the same brood year, meaning the females from the same year this jacks were born would not be returning to spawn until 1 to 3 years later so cuts down on the chance of inbreeding.

Others may differ on these unscientific thoughts of mine.

[Redeye]

Actually I was told by a conservationist that jack springs should be killed and not allowed to spawn because they carry a defective gene which is carried on thorough the offspring.  The reason they return early is because they carry that defective gene.

I don't know how much truth there is to that, but that's what he said.  Just sharing the info.

[Rodney]

Jacks are opportunists. It's a life strategy that allows them to be successful when it comes to passing on the genes. Jacks are sneaker males. Because they are small, they can sneak in to dump off his goodies with a female while the bigger males are busy fighting.

[johnny]

Jacks are opportunists. It's a life strategy that allows them to be successful when it comes to passing on the genes. Jacks are sneaker males. Because they are small, they can sneak in to dump off his goodies with a female while the bigger males are busy fighting.

read: horny teens.

 

[pepsitrev]

 ;Dbunch of horny fish hehe must say never seen a jill fish though.

[~IvAn~]

Whats a jill? lolz!

[Matuka Jack]

Actually I was told by a conservationist that jack springs should be killed and not allowed to spawn because they carry a defective gene which is carried on thorough the offspring.  The reason they return early is because they carry that defective gene.

I don't know how much truth there is to that, but that's what he said.  Just sharing the info.

A conservationist that advocates 'genetic cleansing' does not make sense to me.  IMHO, they are exterminationist that are trying to fool people that may not know any better.

There are some genetic characteristics that are bad for the individuals concerned, but good for the whole population.  An example of this is sickle cell anemia.  It is bad for individuals where it was expressed, but good for those who are just carrier --it gave them imunity to malaria.  Hence, the populations' survival is somehow safeguarded as far as malaria is concern.

Now, as far as the jack spring is concern --they have the ability to get through obstacles that a large chinook cannot.  I think this is specially important characteristics in cases where streams are partially blocked.  They will be able to get through and fertilize the eggs.  Their offsprings may or may not be expressing and/or carrying the genetic characteristics.  So I believe that they are important in the populations' survival.

As a conservationist, I seek to understand the reason why things are the way they are naturally.  This way I would not destroy things that nature and/or God has created.

[JP PATCHES]

The existence of jacks is probably a species reproduction defense mechanism. Coho, steelhead & chinooks all have jacks in their runs. Not all rivers have jacks though. Any run of fish with multiple age classes is a healthy run & keeps the gene pool diverse.

Young jacks probably smolt in the early spring & return to their home rivers the following fall, a marine residency of 14-18 months.

Another theory is the #'s of jacks probably help out the outnumbered adult males. Spawning is commonly more stressfull for the sexually polygamous male & the presence of jacks probably helps out lonely females.

[chris gadsden]

Another question why is their very few chum, pink, and sockeye jacks?
Sort of shoots holes in some of my theories I guess.

[JP PATCHES]

Chris, I believe chum, pink, & sockeye have very few documented cases of jacks because all these species use abundance of #'s as their main reproductive strategy......just a thought.

[Koho]

Thats an interesting point, JP. 
That may be why the even year pink run in southern BC is either non existent or very weak.  If there were humpie jacks, the even run could be just as strong as the odd run. 

[JP PATCHES]

Another interesting point is that pinks & spring jacks have almost the exact same life history & are almost identical in size. They smolt & return at the almost the exact same time.

[Fish Assassin]

Whats a jill? lolz!

Female jacks