WDFW Q & A Thread - Questions for Stacie Kelsey, WDFW

[SculpinKing]

Just a reminder that I still am looking for volunteers to do some electroshocking. If you're interested contact me at [email protected]



stace

I'm another one of those, "I'd love to go if it was closer" folks as well. Have you tried posting it on iFish? You may be familiar with it, but the site appears to be geared towards Oregon fisherman but has a lot of folks from southern Washington as well since there's a lot of crossover as well.

[Stacie Kelsey]

I think there wasn't enough done to deal with the sedimentation issue. And I hope I'm wrong but I don't think they did enough to make that determination. They keep comparing it to other dams like the one on the Sandy and it's not remotely the same.

[Anglinarcher]

I think there wasn't enough done to deal with the sedimentation issue. And I hope I'm wrong but I don't think they did enough to make that determination. They keep comparing it to other dams like the one on the Sandy and it's not remotely the same.

I should say I don't have a dog in this hunt, but sooner or later blowing up dams will impact all of us.

Blowing up Condit was not done to save or increase habbitat IMHO. It was done because it was too old to re-licence, too costly to re-build, too easy to use the tree hugger montra of "blow up all dams" as an escuse to do nothing.

What you saw with sedimentation is small compared to what will happen if they blow up the Snake River and Lower Columbia dams. Not only would we loose the power, but we will impact the habbitat in ways we cannot even imagine.

I hope that in some small way there is/was a lesson learned with Conduit. I also hope that the sedimentation flushes down stream faster then I think it will.

[Stacie Kelsey]

You are 100% correct. Plus the fact that there is now that nice huge drop off that may or may not allow fish to go past it. Definitely a lot of lessons will be learned. I really do hope it goes better than I think it will. People that get paid way more than I do sure seemed to think so.

[Teal101]

I've seen pictures of the river on other forums, all I can say is wow. The sediment bar at the confluence with the Columbia is MASSIVE, as well as the sediment deposits all along the river. I can tell you this, any fish or redd down stream is now toast.

I also questioned the survivability of the salmon redds above the dam. They transported 700 Tule Chinooks above the dam prior to the blast so they wouldnt spawn and ultimately have their redds washed away. Salmon spawn in the main body of rivers as long as the water is flowing, and it's quite plausible that many redds were left high and dry above the dam after the water dropped. IMO a controlled water release would have been much better, if at all possible.

[Kfedka]

When will the pdf file for the 2011 FWIN be posted?

[YellowBear]

Look for it next year Kfedka.

[muskyhunter]

Hey Stacie,
Hope you had a Merrrry Christmas. Did you ever get down to Merwin and do a shock for the muskies? Just wondering how it went. Happy New Year to ya too! Todd

[piscatorialPete]

Hi Stacie,
I just joined this Forum and I already met someone I know.. YOU!
I was the General Club Leader for the 4-H Sportfishing club the "REEL ANGLERS". I heard it dissolved a few years after I left it, what a shame. As you know kids are our future, they are the ones we will be handing the torch over to in hopes of maintaining and improving our wonderful sport. I wish I had a nickel for every Zebco outfit I strung and added a bobber, weight and hook to for the Kid's Fishing events, I could fill up my boat with fuel!
Beside saying hi I do have a question......
The "stocked fish" table on the WDFW website says that Lacamas Lake gets planted this month, has that happened yet?

Thank you Stacie.

[Stacie Kelsey]

Hey all!

Sorry I disappeared again - been swamped.

Lacamas has been stocked and we are getting revved up for our winter/spring fishery stocking. Lots of big fish getting stocked!!

Been doing some other work and will be getting geared up for warmwater sampling shortly. Those that were interested in participating in the warmwater surveys I will be contacting you to see if you are still interested.

Hope all has been going well!

stace

[MarkFromSea]

Just a reminder that I still am looking for volunteers to do some electroshocking. If you're interested contact me at [email protected]



stace

Interested, Sat-Sun only days available, after this upcoming 3 day weekend. Where should I look for further details, requirements?

[Teal101]

Hey all!

Sorry I disappeared again - been swamped.

Lacamas has been stocked and we are getting revved up for our winter/spring fishery stocking. Lots of big fish getting stocked!!

Been doing some other work and will be getting geared up for warmwater sampling shortly. Those that were interested in participating in the warmwater surveys I will be contacting you to see if you are still interested.

Hope all has been going well!

stace

Good to hear from ya Stacie! Hope all is well!

[Stacie Kelsey]

Contact me and I will be able to get you further specifics - it may be possible to do a weekend survey if I have enough folks interested. And it's a great opporunity for you guys to get involved in what we are doing for warmwater fish.

So contact me at the email listed and I will add you to the list and send you out more specific information!

Thanks Teal! Things going good! Some awesome projects getting lined up for warmwater work and it's gonna be a fun summer!!

[Natebg1]

Hello Stacie,

My question for you is in regards to the Northern Pike issue going on over in Eastern, Washington on the Pend Oreille River?Being that most anglers are aware of the financial struggles that the WDFW is experiencing why is there such a massive outcry and why is so much money being pumped into trying to eradicate the Northern Pike from the River?
Thanks
Nate

[Stacie Kelsey]

Hello!

I don't work with the Northern Pike issues so I'm not really in the loop as to what is going on over there. I know it's an important issue for both sides. My best recommendation would be to contact the bio's over in that area to find out what their objectives are for what is going on with the Pike. I know that depending on what they are trying to do with fish populations it could be a big deal in making sure that Pike are not in those waters.

They will be your best bet. Let me know if you need some contacts.

stace

[Anglinarcher]

Stacie, the WDFW people have been speaking out both sides of their mouths over here. Their actions are what causes us to question and distrust WDFW in general.

[MarkFromSea]

Bill Baker, Colville Biologist

[YellowBear]

Good morning Stacie.
Last spring you had mentioned there would be some work done for the warmwater species in 2011.
Reports from the IFPAG meeting also mentioned this.
Could you tell us what was done? and what is planned for this year?

Thank you for your time.

[returnofthefish]

Hi Stacie,

I had a question regarding a difference in what the reg book and what the press release says.

In the reg book for the Columbia River (523 Longview Bridge to I5 Bridge),Jan 1 to March 31, the daily limit is up to 2 adult hatchery chinook.

The news release from 1/26/12 (http://wdfw.wa.gov/news/jan2612a/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) states the limit is one adult hatchery chinook down river from the Bonneville Dam.

My question is why was the limit reduced when this upcoming return is the fourth largest expected?

[G-Man]

The conspiracy theorist in me would say the sports fishermen are limited to one adult hatchery chinook so as to discourage a large number of recreational fishermen from making the trip to the lower Columbia. This in turn will leave more fish for the commercial fishermen to harvest, which is ultimately what their lobbyists are paid to do.