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Post date: Jun 03, 2014 2:52:14 AM

6/2 Fieldwork Update

Another successful week of fieldwork completed. It was a bit drizzly but the creeks never rose significantly, precipitation must've got absorbed in the uplands. Fish appear to be wrapping up spawning and are moving around in Willow Creek, likely feeding to replenish their strength. Aerial survey results helped us locate important spawning areas in Willow and Little Willow drainages.

I was able to capture some great underwater footage of one of our tagged rainbow trout holed up in Lower Deception Creek with a group of other post-spawn fish. It is cool to see how closely associated they are with large woody debris. Several of the fish look a bit tattered and worse-for-wear after having completed spawning. Check it out:

I recaptured one of our tagged fish after we tracked him to a pool, and inspected the healed incision from the surgery and overall condition of the fish. The trout appeared healthy and the incision had healed cleanly.

After normal tracking this week, next week we will begin supplemental snorkel surveys to quantify abundance in different habitats, and will also begin working on the remainder of the aquatic habitat measurements we need to complete for the project.

Fishing is good right now, and there are more reports of kings showing up in the drainage. Hoping to hook into a king on the fly when we are out this week.

-Kevin