Angie (06-27-2001 01:04 p.m.):
Ahhhhh but aren't we forgetting boyz...
That the Deer Creek Run use to be the strongest, what was it 5,000 strong before the devastating mud slide due to careless loggers.
The WDFW claims that counts are at 2,000????
But alas Mike Kinney who lives and breathes the Stilly says it's at 500???
Now who's right?
Are they still endangered and should we be targeting endangered fish?
What if you accidentally killed one?
Wouldn't you feel bad????
The historical run size of the Deer Creek steelhead is estimated at 2,000 returning adults a summer (DeShazo 74, Kreamer 99). In fact the maximum sustainable harvest for the Deer Creek native summer runs is believed to be at about 910 (Kreamer 99). The MSH was developed by the infamous Bob Gibbons and published with other authors in 1985 in the publication "Methodology for determaining MSH steelhead spawning escapements." In short this means that atleast 910 adults are required to return to sustain the run and every fish over that 910 may be harvested. (I DO NOT AGREE WITH GIBBONS) The current level of the run is estimated between 500-1000 adults although some sampling shows that the population may be in fact higher (Kreamer 99).
I have nothing against Mike Kinney, in fact, I admire his skills and flyfisherman and especially as a tier. BUT, Mike does not fly over Deer Creek in the summer and Mike does not count adults and he also does not have the capabilities to estimate the size of the run as accurate as science can.
So will I be fishing for Deer Creek steelhead?? You betcha!! But I will also fight the fish as fast as I can, never stepping below a #7 and if I believe the water becomes too warm, I start seeing morts, or if the emergency closure is in place this year I will stop fishing the Stilly. (Not because I park myself at Deer Creek but because if fish are dying due to being caught at the mouth of Deer Creek, they may also suffer at the many great holes below.
And I would feel bad if I killed one but wouldnt you feel bad if you found out a Skagit-Sauk native you caught this yeaer could not make it??...especially in a year where the river did not reach its escapement goal!?!!?
DeShazo, J. J. 1974. Deer Creek study. Washington Department of Game. Olympia WA. 25 p.
Gibbons, R. G., P. K. Hahn, and T. H. Johnson. 1985. Methodology for determining MSH
steelhead spawning escapement requirements. Washington Department of Game, Olympia, WA. 39 p.
Kreamer, C. R. Management Brief: 1999 Update of on the Status of the Deer Creek Steelhead. Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, Olympia, Wa. pp 1-7