Coho Salmon and Steelhead in Big River Mendocino

This report is not a traditional fishing report. I just wanted to write a little about the experience I had today.

I attended training for salmon and trout snorkel surveys in the Big River and tributaries. We met up at the parking lot just south of the stop light and on the opposite side of the town of Mendocino. Matt Coleman, volunteer coordinator for the Mendocino Land Trust (http://www.mendocinolandtrust.org/?Big_River) met me but though we waited a while the other volunteers flaked out.
We went up Little Lake road to The Woodlands where we put on our wetsuits and mask and snorkels and crawled into the stream with flashlights.

We saw lots of sticklebacks, juvenile steelhead and coho salmon. Matt told me how to tell the species apart, mostly by looking at the shape of their dorsal and anal fins and the coloration of their eyes.

We hope to sample several pools along the tributaries and main stem of the big river and document coho salmon using the river for reproduction. Coho are obviously making it up the stream and spawning as evidenced by the juveniles but it remains to be seen if they will survive the heat of the summer to eventually migrate back out to the ocean. Stream temperatures become warmer than is traditionally thought of as tolerable for coho but most data has been gathered in Oregon an Washington. Could the coho here in Mendocino county be better adapted to warmer waters?

The trip was fun and enlightening. I love to get in with the fish and see how they use structure. It's surprising how much more there is to a stream when you experience it in three dimensions rather than just looking at the flat surface.

Good stuff, Asa!   

Interesting report, Asa--totally different perspective than that from our floating recliners!

I belong to two kayak clubs that camp at Mendocino every September and October. I usually paddle the rivers (Big, Albion, and Noyo), but I've also paddled out of Russian Gulch and Van Damme (not too far, though, after a paddle-gripping ride back to RG from Pt. Cabrillo Lighthouse ). However, I have never fished in the area. Do you have any fishing tips for that time of year?

Janice aka "Big J"

Janice:

I fish that part of the coast alot...lemme know when your headed over.

cool experience and cause.   A wise man once told me that the knowledge gained in 1 day of snorkeling a stream was equal to what you learn in a entire year of just fishing.

  Hi Asa and everyone,

Thanks for the post about the fish studies in Big River in Mendocino. I've been working with Matt Coleman/ Mendocino Land Trust on Big River also, as I live only about a half mile from the river.  We take out my little electric Bobcat boat (not quite a kayak but a great little tandem fishing boat: bobcatboats.com) and do ongoing water monitoring (temperatures, salinity, etc..).
   
I'll take any excuse to go on the rivers in our area but going up river with Mr. Coleman is an added treat, as he is very knowledgeable and a great teacher.   We monitor about once per month and hope to do so regularly for many years, to build up a long-term database.   So far the water might be almost too warm for Coho Salmon and Steelhead, but there are a few, and we're hoping that as the river banks grow more dense in foliage that the river might cool down a bit.   Another problem is that there are few good egg laying areas.   As you know Big River was very heavily impacted by logging, but now that it's a State Park, it seems to be slowly healing and is a kayakers' paradise, though not for fishing.  For fishing one would probably have to go out on the ocean, which can be a little hairy around here and I'm a little old for that.   I'm not much of a fisherman but I enjoy all wildlife and would like to get down to the Navarro River and do some crayfishing.

I recently bought a Hobie Sport pedal drive and am looking for river kayaking partners in our area (Noyo, Mendocino, Albion and Navarro), just to meet other kayak folks and have safety partners.   Do you kayak here or are you stationed in Humbolt now?

sincerely,
-HobieSport

Coho are obviously making it up the stream and spawning as evidenced by the juveniles but it remains to be seen if they will survive the heat of the summer to eventually migrate back out to the ocean. Stream temperatures become warmer than is traditionally thought of as tolerable for coho but most data has been gathered in Oregon an Washington. Could the coho here in Mendocino county be better adapted to warmer waters?

Is this more related to the lower disolved O2 in the water or is it directly related to water temp?

-Brian G

Sean--I saw 10 boats at the mouth of the Russian saturday. Do you know if they're gettin' any?

Did someone say, Fishing the mouth of the Russian?????  I wonder if they are targeting Salmon?????  Sean do you have a reply.

sometimes the salmon pile up at the mouth of the russian when the mouth is closed from lack of river flow. if you saw a lot of fishing boats outside the mouth in october, i'll bet they're catching salmon..

i'll bet they're catching salmon..

Just Because it's legal Doesn't make it Right. Let's leave those fish alone some party boats do a number on them. If we respect the Russian salmon Run. Maybe in a few years we can fish the river for them.

Mickfish, Its not legal to target the salmon on the Mighty Russian.  Your like me. that River is home away from home.  We need to keep her safe.

KB

Mickfish, Its not legal to target the salmon on the Mighty Russian.

Andy they are talking just off the mouth in the Ocean where it is legal to target the same fish that are protected. Makes a lotta sense doesn't it

Asa, I envy you. If you need volunteers next time - send me a PM. I just got my wetsuit and I'm very interested in what you guys are doing.

Asa, I envy you. If you need volunteers next time - send me a PM.  I'm very interested in what you guys are doing.

Me too! A good friend of mine is a Director at E Center in the fisheries program and would also be up to volunteer.