The Outdoor Line Forum

It's always good to get the North of Falcon process kicked off.

At the meeting in Olympia today, the official 2012 Salmon Forecast was released.

With this "raw material" the process of crafting our salmon seasons can begin in earnest.

The next NOF meeting is Monday, March 12 at 0900 in the Natural Resources Bldg Rm 172 in Olympia.

Nelly good to see you there - sorry about the "red boat" comment.

Yes the annual rodeo for developing Washington salmon seasons (called North of Falcon) is now officially underway with yesterday's forecast kick-off meeting.

If you are really interested in the salmon season, have a potential fishing opportunity you are interested in, or other concerns now is the time to try to insert your ideas/concerns in the process. This can be done by attending the NOF meetings, the side meetings (there will be one at Mill Creek which may be a Saturday - March 24th), emails to WDFW, by contactiong/joining one of number of organizations that have representatives at the meeting or talking with one of the small but dedicated group of NOF regulars.

A couple impressions from the forecasts.

As noted coho numbers expect for the coast numbers look to be mediocre. Except for the Columbia some very good forecasts for the coast; the Columbia numbers are down from last year (especially the late run).

Chinook summer/fall forecasts across the State look to on parr with last year's. The Columbia numbers are similar to last year with a very good forecast for up river brights. On the coast Willapa Bay, Grays harbor, and north numbers look to be generally up over last year. The Puget Sound numbers look good at about last years level though a closer look shows that is being driven by hatchery fish with a distrubing recent downward trend in those key "S" river wild stocks. Fishing impacts on those 3 "S" stocks as well as the Mid-Hood Canal stock will have to watched closely.

The Puget Sound chum forecast is once again well below (about 1/2) of the recored levels seen a decade ago. The Stillaguamish and Skagit runs are expected to be below escapement goals though the Snohomish looks to be slowly rebounding from recent very low escapements with a forecast a bit above its escapement goal. Generally look for fishing opportunities similar to last year.

While many of us are looking forward to a summer and fall of chasing salmon in various waters of the State, the pain of NOF over the next 5 weeks will dteremine when and where we will be fishing.

Tight lines
Curt

Good to see you there as well and I'm always on the lookout for those moments of elloquence when you speak up and inject some common sense into the conversation.

Good point about the Saturday March 24 @ 1000hrs meeting too!

Local anglers need to PACK Mill Creek that day! Baker Sockeye and other opportunities are definitely worth fighting for!