7/27 Update

Post date: Jul 28, 2014 4:12:17 AM

7/27 Update

Once again I am lagging behind on updating the blog because of our hectic fieldwork schedule!

Our tagged rainbow trout are in the mid-upper reaches of Willow Creek right now, staying close to spawning Chinook salmon. Surprisingly, several of our fish have ventured far up into the canyon of Willow, presumably following spawning kings.

Weather and river stage height have been highly variable recently, with a number of spates due to precipitation events. Despite this, fishing has been excellent and we have tagged over 20 trout in the past several weeks. We plan to continue tagging until mid-August, at which point it will no longer be feasible to tag trout to only track them a few months through the winter.

Pink and chum salmon are beginning to show up in Susitna River tributaries, and once they arrive in significant numbers our tagging efforts will slow as rainbow trout gorge on the surplus of salmon eggs and flesh.

Enjoy your outings in the Susitna as summer wanes, and remember to check ADFG fishing regulations and emergency orders before you go fishing! Bag limits for pink/chum/silver salmon are posted, and be mindful of closures to fishing in each Susitna tributary. All grayling and rainbow trout over 16 inches must be released on Willow Creek. Please report any tagged fish you may catch by recording the number on the green Floy tag near the dorsal fin.

-Kevin and Mike