Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum
Fishing in British Columbia => General Discussion => Topic started by: dave c on January 20, 2014, 01:14:59 PM
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Just curious about the patterns of Steelhead returning to their spawning grounds. How old are they before they return to their rivers for the first time. Once they return to the ocean do they return every year after that? What would be the average amount of times they return before they die assuming they are not killed by predators?
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Hey Dave,
I highly recommend reading "The Steelhead Trout" by Trey Combs. Its a great read and talks in depth about Steelhead life cycles/Life history, as well as steelheading history.
I think we met last year on the river, you know my friend Danny. Anyways, feel free to email me your number and I can shoot you a text next time I'm out your way... which will pretty much be every other weekend haha.
Cheers,
Michael michael.thom@hotmail.com
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Tks Michael. Sent u an email.
tight lines
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I actually just read a ministry paper on the average age of adult spawning steelhead on Vancouver Island earlier this afternoon. Think I can find the paper again? Nope it somehow vanished and I can't remember the search I used....
Regardless... they have a list of 20 or 30 diff rivers where samples for age were taken. Most rivers had the largest age class composed of 4 year old fish (most rivers the population was made up of 25% or greater of 4 year fish). Some rivers were made up entirely out of 4 or 5 year old fish, whereas others had very few 4 or 5 year old fish and a whole bunch of 1,2,3 year old fish. If I remember correctly, the Stamp had a large component of 2 year old fish (hence their small average size).
So, some fish return after their first year of salt water. Some fish return after a couple years, and some fish will spawn 3 or 4 times before they finally die (these are the big ones).
It's interesting. The last couple years of the very poor winter steelhead fishing, there have been very few small fish caught from my own observations and friends observations. Generally when fish have been caught, they have been fairly large. I'm wondering if there is some sort of event that is eliminating the 1st and 2nd year class fish right now (offspring of the past couple years) out in the ocean. I would assume the low survival would be during the smolting/going out to the ocean for the first time stage (this would make the most sense as the larger fish seem to be surviving fine returning to the ocean as adults, and coming back a 2/3/4 time).
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Everyday gave a good general reply. It really depends on the river system and what the obstacles are on that system. It also depends on the problems in the ocean when the smolts are going to sea. Most steelhead fry remain in a river for close to two years before heading to sea. But, in some river systems like the Thompson and a few in the Skeena system, the young steelhead stay an extra year in the river before migrating to the ocean. Changing ocean temperatures affect the outgoing smolts and cause added problems such as abundant, predatory mackerel that might wipe out one age class. In relatively sterile rivers, like many on Vancouver Island, the fry tend to go to the ocean sooner. In rivers with a good food source the fry might be larger and hence more able to adapt in the ocean. Nature always provides a few wild cards that migrate at different times (early or late) so in cases of natural disasters there are always a few that survive to continue the species.
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I can e-mail copies of some older (late 70's) reports by BC Fish and Wildlife about life history characteristics of local steelhead populations (Capilano, Seymour, Alouette, Chehalis, Chilliwack) and a Bob Hooten report on Van Isle steelhead ages to anyone who might be interested. PM me or provide email address by reply to this.
On second thought, I'll provide links to the reports tomorrow.
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Hey firebird i would love to take a look at those copies
provocop8@gmail.com
Thanks Matt
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5 reports sent via separate messages. Let me know if there are any problems.
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Hey Firebird. I'd also love to check em out.
thoprice@gmail.com
cheers!
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Total age of a steelhead can be a little deceiving and is usually broken down into freshwater growth and ocean growth. If we look at the Vedder system the smolts are either 2 or 3 years old when they go to the ocean. That is from egg to migration and assumes both occur in May or June. These age classes are approximately 50/50.
The adults then return at ocean age 2 or 3. It is the ocean age that is significant in the size of the returning adult with 2 ocean fish from 5-8 lbs. and 10 and up being 3 ocean. A 9lb. Dec. fish is usually a 3 ocean fish whereas a 9 lb fish returning in March-April could be a 2 ocean fish. Of course there can be exceptions where a 1 ocean fish would be a jack probably 17 - 20 inches although after reading thousands of scales and nose tags I have never seen a 1 or a 4 ocean fish.
It is interesting to note that the second largest fish on record from the Vedder a 25+ lb. fish caught in the late seventies by the master, was a first time spawner that was a 3 ocean fish.
So the age structure of Vedder steelhead is 2.2(2fresh 2 ocean)=4, 2.3=5 3.2=5 or 3.3=6
As far as returning fish go on the Vedder a late 1960's estimate of 6% was recorded and I believe that is fairly accurate from what I've seen, maybe even a little high. So about 95% of steelhead die after there first spawn. So for those of you that think steelhead are very resilient think again and handle with care. Sorry couldn't help but put that in there.
Of the returning 2nd time spawners, that we analyzed, it is very obvious on the scales the stress of the first spawn, as ridges of the previous years growth have been absorbed and no growth of the fish had occurred. Most of the second time spawners were small fish 6-7 lbs and were probably no smaller on there first spawn.
As pointed out other systems are different. The larger systems do have 4 year smolts and the systems that have short distances to the ocean (ie. Vancouver Isl) have a higher repeat spawning population.
Then again we read the scales two summer steelhead, caught on the high seas and thought to have originated from the Skeena system that had repeat spawnened 8 and 9 times and were 40 and 42 lbs. These fish did show significant growth between spawns.
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Firebird I would love to see those reports.
Email gteboek1@telus.net
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Here are links to the reports that I mentioned in my earlier post.
Seymour River
http://a100.gov.bc.ca/appsdata/acat/documents/r23614/Seymour_R_SH_1950-1977_1316735884943_4f3fee90374e9893791f5f23d92c173e613cce63420a6298935b3ed208e6d62d.pdf (http://a100.gov.bc.ca/appsdata/acat/documents/r23614/Seymour_R_SH_1950-1977_1316735884943_4f3fee90374e9893791f5f23d92c173e613cce63420a6298935b3ed208e6d62d.pdf)
Capilano River
http://a100.gov.bc.ca/appsdata/acat/documents/r23613/life_Histroy_SH_Capilano_R_1949-1977_1316734601526_4f3fee90374e9893791f5f23d92c173e613cce63420a6298935b3ed208e6d62d.pdf (http://a100.gov.bc.ca/appsdata/acat/documents/r23613/life_Histroy_SH_Capilano_R_1949-1977_1316734601526_4f3fee90374e9893791f5f23d92c173e613cce63420a6298935b3ed208e6d62d.pdf)
Chehalis River
http://a100.gov.bc.ca/appsdata/acat/documents/r23620/winter_SH_ChehalisR1948to1959_1316811201125_5a667078a27cf7279f7b1a5113d048d930cba90faa0d676257b72180c3e110d0.pdf (http://a100.gov.bc.ca/appsdata/acat/documents/r23620/winter_SH_ChehalisR1948to1959_1316811201125_5a667078a27cf7279f7b1a5113d048d930cba90faa0d676257b72180c3e110d0.pdf)
Alouette River
http://a100.gov.bc.ca/appsdata/acat/documents/r23616/winterSH_AlouetteR1950to1959_1316800486239_6f3b70760909df51e1e9cbfce7b8fabdd15afa864e9037d6fdb6dde7c69219e1.pdf (http://a100.gov.bc.ca/appsdata/acat/documents/r23616/winterSH_AlouetteR1950to1959_1316800486239_6f3b70760909df51e1e9cbfce7b8fabdd15afa864e9037d6fdb6dde7c69219e1.pdf)
Chilliwack River
http://a100.gov.bc.ca/appsdata/acat/documents/r23621/winter_SH_ChilliwackR1948to1975_1316812650256_5a667078a27cf7279f7b1a5113d048d930cba90faa0d676257b72180c3e110d0.pdf (http://a100.gov.bc.ca/appsdata/acat/documents/r23621/winter_SH_ChilliwackR1948to1975_1316812650256_5a667078a27cf7279f7b1a5113d048d930cba90faa0d676257b72180c3e110d0.pdf)
Vancouver Island
http://a100.gov.bc.ca/appsdata/acat/documents/r23634/1987steelheadVI_published_1317056655776_a497a14406a5fc895df9920a293e76bc9187ed8284348e87c0c2a0cbc9735951.pdf (http://a100.gov.bc.ca/appsdata/acat/documents/r23634/1987steelheadVI_published_1317056655776_a497a14406a5fc895df9920a293e76bc9187ed8284348e87c0c2a0cbc9735951.pdf)
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Thanks for posting the links :)
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Here are links to the reports that I mentioned in my earlier post.
Seymour River
http://a100.gov.bc.ca/appsdata/acat/documents/r23614/Seymour_R_SH_1950-1977_1316735884943_4f3fee90374e9893791f5f23d92c173e613cce63420a6298935b3ed208e6d62d.pdf (http://a100.gov.bc.ca/appsdata/acat/documents/r23614/Seymour_R_SH_1950-1977_1316735884943_4f3fee90374e9893791f5f23d92c173e613cce63420a6298935b3ed208e6d62d.pdf)
Capilano River
http://a100.gov.bc.ca/appsdata/acat/documents/r23613/life_Histroy_SH_Capilano_R_1949-1977_1316734601526_4f3fee90374e9893791f5f23d92c173e613cce63420a6298935b3ed208e6d62d.pdf (http://a100.gov.bc.ca/appsdata/acat/documents/r23613/life_Histroy_SH_Capilano_R_1949-1977_1316734601526_4f3fee90374e9893791f5f23d92c173e613cce63420a6298935b3ed208e6d62d.pdf)
Chehalis River
http://a100.gov.bc.ca/appsdata/acat/documents/r23620/winter_SH_ChehalisR1948to1959_1316811201125_5a667078a27cf7279f7b1a5113d048d930cba90faa0d676257b72180c3e110d0.pdf (http://a100.gov.bc.ca/appsdata/acat/documents/r23620/winter_SH_ChehalisR1948to1959_1316811201125_5a667078a27cf7279f7b1a5113d048d930cba90faa0d676257b72180c3e110d0.pdf)
Alouette River
http://a100.gov.bc.ca/appsdata/acat/documents/r23616/winterSH_AlouetteR1950to1959_1316800486239_6f3b70760909df51e1e9cbfce7b8fabdd15afa864e9037d6fdb6dde7c69219e1.pdf (http://a100.gov.bc.ca/appsdata/acat/documents/r23616/winterSH_AlouetteR1950to1959_1316800486239_6f3b70760909df51e1e9cbfce7b8fabdd15afa864e9037d6fdb6dde7c69219e1.pdf)
Chilliwack River
http://a100.gov.bc.ca/appsdata/acat/documents/r23621/winter_SH_ChilliwackR1948to1975_1316812650256_5a667078a27cf7279f7b1a5113d048d930cba90faa0d676257b72180c3e110d0.pdf (http://a100.gov.bc.ca/appsdata/acat/documents/r23621/winter_SH_ChilliwackR1948to1975_1316812650256_5a667078a27cf7279f7b1a5113d048d930cba90faa0d676257b72180c3e110d0.pdf)
Vancouver Island
http://a100.gov.bc.ca/appsdata/acat/documents/r23634/1987steelheadVI_published_1317056655776_a497a14406a5fc895df9920a293e76bc9187ed8284348e87c0c2a0cbc9735951.pdf (http://a100.gov.bc.ca/appsdata/acat/documents/r23634/1987steelheadVI_published_1317056655776_a497a14406a5fc895df9920a293e76bc9187ed8284348e87c0c2a0cbc9735951.pdf)
Thanks for the links. Interesting reading. Found it amusing to see reports published before the advent of computers.
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Thanks for the links. Interesting reading. Found it amusing to see reports published before the advent of computers.
Yes, those were the frustrating days of sticking keys and white-out :)
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Those are some GREAT reports!!
Interesting seeing the age and qty of returns of the reported systems
1952 was quite a year on the Chilliwack system, makes you wonder what brought about such a stellar year, number of anglers on the system or lots of fish?
Was a notation regarding the derby fish caught that year possibly skewing the report
Sure would have like to have been fishing that year in the derby 8) Cant remember hearing of 243 fish caught in Dec recently
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Firebird, do you know the year the upper Vedder above Slesse Creek was closed to angling? Someone had the foresight back then to help preserve the steelhead population. I hate to think what would be left if it had not been closed at that time. There is evidence the area continues to be fished, sighting worm containers on the log jams and lures hanging in the trees. It is sad there is little to no enforcement.
Once again, Dave and I will be doing our annual steelhead count this spring on the upper Chilliwack.
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Hi buck, the only info I have indicates that it was closed upstream of Slesse from at least 1974 onwards. I'd have to dig deeper to find out if it was closed before that.
Yes, the low level of enforcement staffing is unfortunate. It's really disheartening to see the signs of violations everywhere - use of bait in bait ban areas, retention of fish in non-retention areas, angling in closed areas and on and on. It's always good to observe, record and report, even if there doesn't seem to be any hope of a response. The reports are needed so that resource managers and CO's can verify the problem areas during planning and budgeting.
I hope to run into you guys on the river sometime this winter or spring.
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Those are some GREAT reports!!
Interesting seeing the age and qty of returns of the reported systems
1952 was quite a year on the Chilliwack system, makes you wonder what brought about such a stellar year, number of anglers on the system or lots of fish?
Was a notation regarding the derby fish caught that year possibly skewing the report
Sure would have like to have been fishing that year in the derby 8) Cant remember hearing of 243 fish caught in Dec recently
Looks like that huge number in 1952 must be Derby caught (most of it). Ya, it would have been quite a sight on that day, like turkey shoot all over the river. LOL.
Another point is that most Vedder steelhead spend 3 years in fresh water. I wonder if the hatchery now keep them fed for 3 years or they let them go at 2 years and the juveniles need to find food on their own for a year. I often threw the unwanted eggs when cleaning out my catch to the river, hoping that some juvenile salmon or steelhead will have a feast. If the steelhead juveniles stay one extra year in the river, then they need lots of food due to their larger size.
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I agree with buck, this system would be far less than what it is today without this angling closure. It was definitely closed during the 60's ... I know this because occasionally a few of us used to sneak in there and do some poaching! :-[
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A closure to fishing between Jan 1 and June 30 was enacted on the Chilliwack and all tribs above the "Allison Bridge" in 1949.
Then in 1952 the Chilliwack and all tribs upstream of Slesse and Slesse were closed to angling from Jan 1 to June 30.
In 1953, the closure of the Chilliwack and all tribs upstream of confluence with Slesse was changed to all year.
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A closure to fishing between Jan 1 and June 30 was enacted on the Chilliwack and all tribs above the "Allison Bridge" in 1949.
Then in 1952 the Chilliwack and all tribs upstream of Slesse and Slesse were closed to angling from Jan 1 to June 30.
In 1953, the closure of the Chilliwack and all tribs upstream of confluence with Slesse was changed to all year.
Good sleuthing firebird!