North Fork of the Skykomish river

[Quillback]

Got this email from the Wild Fish Conservancy, caught my first steelhead on this river, but never caught another one there.  Did catch some bull trout however on other trips.  Wasn't the greatest river for numbers, but was a neat river to fish with fantastic scenery.  

A Photo Essay: Snorkel Surveying in the North Fork Skykomish River

This week, Wild Fish Conservancy, several hearty volunteers, and partners at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) spent their days out on the North Fork Skykomish River conducting snorkel surveys as part of a five-year effort to monitor the river's wild fish populations. Snorkel surveying is an extremely valuable tool for studying fish populations and assessing habitat use, fish abundance, run timing, origin (wild or hatchery), and the presence of unauthorized recreational fishing. This week's monitoring on the North Fork Skykomish will improve information on the river's ESA-listed summer steelhead population, data vital to measuring the effectiveness of efforts to protect and recover this threatened fish population. Working in teams, the group collectively surveyed over 18 river miles of the NF Skykomish from a waterfall at the upstream extent of steelhead distribution, to the mainstem Skykomish in Index, WA. This week the teams observed adult summer steelhead as well as Chinook, sockeye, coho, bull trout, and mountain whitefish. Though bone-chilling and physically demanding, viewing a relatively intact PNW river from below its surface is an incomparable experience that provides a fish-eye perspective and valuable insight into the health of these fragile ecosystems. As importantly, these snorkel surveys provide an opportunity for WFC and WDFW staff to work together, shoulder to shoulder, filling fundamental data gaps to improve the management of our wild fish populations.   This research, funded by the state, is part of a five-year monitoring and snorkel survey effort on the North Fork Skykomish and South Fork Tolt Rivers made possible through a settlement agreement between WFC and WDFW. The project resulted from concerns raised by WFC about impacts to wild steelhead resulting from the state's use of Skamania hatchery steelhead in Puget Sound watersheds. Learn more about these concerns and the settlement agreement in this article from our winter 2020 Wild Fish Runs e-newsletter. We hope you enjoy the photos below taken by WFC staff that tell the story of this resesarch. North Fork Skykomoish River on a smokey morning. Birds-eye view of a fish-eye view. WFC's Jamie Glasgow records fish observed. // Photo: Conrad Gowell Snorkeler observes a juvenile summer steelhead.  Bull trout. Snorkelers work in teams of two.  NF Skykomish Wild Coho Salmon Juvenile wild Chinook. Taking a break to enjoy the stunning scenery. Learn More About WFC's Research and Advocacy Projects to Recover Wild Steelhead The Minority Report: Standing Alone for Science-based Steelhead Recovery For the past three years, WFC's Jamie Glasgow served on the Steelhead Advisory Group, a panel of passionate recreational fishing representatives tasked by the state to develop a guide to restore Puget Sound's endangered steelhead. The group's QuickSilver report released last month makes several  recommendations intended to provide more short-term steelhead fishing opportunities for recreational anglers and more license sales for WDFW, but at the unknown cost to the recovery of ESA-listed Puget Sound steelhead. In the article below, Jamie describes why he cast the sole dissenting vote and submitted a minority report that explains why QuickSilver is unlikely to be successful in recovering this iconic species. VIDEO: The Columbia River Fish Trap Today, incidental mortality of ESA-listed salmon and steelhead in commercial salmon fisheries is a huge obstacle to recovering wild salmon and steelhead, with devastating impacts for Southern Resident killer whales and coastal fishing communities. For half a decade, WFC has been researching the feasibility of commercial fish traps as an alternative commercial fishing method that can harvest healthy or hatchery populations while releasing threatened and endangered fish with no measurable impact. Defending Science-based Hatchery Reform Policy Washington's Fish and Wildlife Commission is working to quickly approve fundamental changes to Washington's Hatchery and Fisheries Reform Policy, revisions that abandon best available science and reverse commitments made in the initial reform policy. The article below provides a background on the history of hatchery reform in the northwest, the changes proposed by the WA Fish and Wildlife Commission, and WFC's efforts to prevent the undermining of science-based hatchery and fishery policies in Washington. Share Tweet Forward

[Foghorn]

Beautiful scenery and water. Spent the summer of '69 in Tacoma and really enjoyed the fishing. Got up in the mountains with the head groundskeeper for the AAA baseball team and had a blast.

[Quillback]

16 hours ago, Foghorn said:

Beautiful scenery and water. Spent the summer of '69 in Tacoma and really enjoyed the fishing. Got up in the mountains with the head groundskeeper for the AAA baseball team and had a blast.

The old timers would always reminisce about the glory days of fishing up there in the 60's and 70's.   

[kjackson]

The closest I came to fishing the North Fork was cruising timber for a sale on one of the tribs.  Beautiful water but too far from home.

 

[Gavin]

Drove over it a few times on the way to go ski. Never fished it. Beautiful part of the country!