McKenzie River Hatchery Trout Update — Stocking Plan 2010

ODFW recently released the 2010 stocking plan for McKenzie River Trout. According to District Biologist Jeff Ziller, there are a few changes in the program that will benefit wild trout.

-The biggest boon for wild fish is on the lower river. ODFW will no longer stock below Hendrick’s Bridge — opening up five additional miles for wild fish only. Jeff said the lower river has the most productive rainbow habitat, so these five miles are pretty important.

-Ziller also said ODFW has reduced the number of boat plants from 21-14, (they’re making it up with more boat ramp truck plants) but the idea is that by cutting down on the number of boat stockings it will reduce competition with wild fish and probably mean less fishing pressure.

-Overall stocking has been reduced, from 139,865 fish to 131,115 fish.

Native fish advocates will need to get ready for some fund-raising and volunteer work. It’s going to be very important to document any increase in wild fish populations in the new wild fish only section on the lower river. ODFW hadn’t planned to study the wild fish rebound in that section, but the McKenzie Fly Fishers have been pushing to take on the task. We’re looking forward to the update on the topic.

-MS

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11 Responses to McKenzie River Hatchery Trout Update — Stocking Plan 2010

  1. Joe Palanuk says:

    I will work closely with the Fly Fishers Club in Portland to get them engaged as much as possible. We need to get other clubs on board as well.

  2. Moon says:

    “ODFW will no longer stock below the Taylor boat ramp at river mile 25 — opening up five additional miles for wild fish only. ”

    Question:

    Did they also include a regulation change to accommodate the stocking change? If not, why not?

  3. Jim Terborg says:

    This is a great start and thanks to everyone who helped make this happen.

    But, there is more to do as there still are 131,115 too many “pellet heads” being planted in the McKenzie.

  4. Randall Clark says:

    gotta start somewhere…great job to all you folks involved in this.

  5. Anthony says:

    Maybe someone could setup an activity to get out there and fish them out as a group.

  6. steve jost says:

    Unless they also modify the regulations to restrict Hendricks to Hayden as artificial flies and lures….natives will still be caught and killed…

    Bait needs to be removed from the entire McKenzie River. This will offer a huge protection blanket to the wild fish.

    Steve

  7. b-christ says:

    Steve is spot on . The world does not need bait to catch any salmonids. Good work guys ,but lets not rest on our laurels . Small turns of the dial until we get what we want!

  8. Karl Mueller says:

    Steve–

    The Districts (ODFW’s) plan right now is to put forward an emergency regulation change to get rid of bait on that section as bait angling would be in non-compliance with the Oregon Administrative rules now that that section is not stocked.

  9. steve jost says:

    Good news.

    Thanks

  10. Tony Torrence says:

    A less than 7% reduction in hatchery fish hardly sounds like a victory. It sounds more a miniscule compromise on the part of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and Mr. Ziller without making any real change in the policy or practice of placing hatchery trout in the McKenzie. We also need to think about the areas that now will have higher concentrations of hatchery fish completing with the wild fish for food. This will only guarantee some tough times for the wild fish in those areas, and a possible detrimental effect on those stocks of wild trout.

    I’m not trying to say that we have failed in our efforts to remove hatchery fish from the McKenzie River. Only, that what seems to be a step in the right direction is the smallest of changes the ODFW’s practice of planting hatchery trout in our precious river.

    I suggest that remain vigilant, and united in the completing the goal we started–the preservation of wild Trout and Salmon in the McKenzie by stopping the planting of hatchery trout.

    -TT

  11. Rob R says:

    And stop planting hatchery steelhead!!!! Spring chinook and bull trout are the species of concern, and the summer steelhead program, with the resulting guantlet of anglers, needs to stop. Managing the McKenzie watershed for trout alone would be short-sighted, in my opinion.

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