Eel Salmon Survey - 1/1/14

Made another great run down the Eel on New Year's Day with Pat Higgins of Eel River Recovery Project (http://www.eelriverrecovery.org/) and fellow local river advocate Sunshine Johnston.  Pat and I ran in my X-Factors, and Sunshine rocked the killer smooth bottom Dagger Prophet canoe.  A cold southeasterly breeze had us bundled in the morning, but it died down and the sun warmed us through the day.  We documented the usual numerous redds, dozens of carcasses to 40"+, and plenty of live fish on redds as well as in transit or holding in holes.

Unfortunately, we also witnessed where four wheel drive vehicles have been driving all over a massive redd complex below High Rock.  Hopefully people will manage to not be such douchebags at some point...   

This extremely dry year has proven to be an extraordinary opportunity to see wild salmon spawning along the main stem of the Eel, and even though it's really low, it's also very alive and beautiful.  I'm making another trip with the Project in a few days.  Might have to take the dive gear...   

 

 

 

 

Protect the Wild.   

Thanks for posting!  Hoping you post again from your most recent trip.  A few days ago I hiked a remote stretch of the eel from bell springs creek up nearly to spyrock. Fish were not abundant but one hole had 20 adults with 4 bald eagles hanging nearby.  The eel is a jewel and we are blessed to live here!

Very cool Eric.
I was up on the North fork over New Years and boy 'O' boy we need some water bad!
We saw no fish

I was under the impression from talking with fisheries biologists at HSU that most of those main stem Eel reds are not viable. Is that correct?

I was under the impression from talking with fisheries biologists at HSU that most of those main stem Eel reds are not viable. Is that correct?

I'm no fish biologist but I don't think that is entirely correct.  I think the problem with mainstem spawning on the eel is that our typical heavy rains and erosion prone franciscan soils create a tough environment where eggs get either blown out or buried under sediment.  This is why the fish on the eel seek the tributaries where mass movement of spawning gravel is less likely to occur and where there is less sediment in general.
This year however there have been no real rains so its likely that the reds are fine so far. They may even be doing great! These are chinook we are talking. The coho may indeed have a disastrous year, and the steelhead will need some rain in the next month or two.  They must reach the smaller streams since their young will over summer there and need the cold water not available in the mainstem.
This is what I gather from what I've read, from conversations with pat higgins and others, and from a number of years living in the basin. Hope it helps. Sorry for the long winded post. Maybe eric has a different take?
Have you seen many salmon in the north fork before?

Thanks for posting, Greenminnow - that's good info and I agree with your assessment.

The redds are definitely viable, and some hatch should have hopefully already occurred.  Fingers crossed that we don't get all the rain at once.