2017 Hoko River Fishing Report

2017 Dungeness River Fishing Report
November 13, 2017
2017 Snake River Fishing Report
November 16, 2017
steelhead

 

Lunker Alert!

 

11/14/2017

 

2017 Hoko River Fishing Report

 

WDFW FISHING RULE CHANGE

 

Hoko River hatchery steelhead may also be identified by dorsal fin height

 

Action:  Changes the definition of hatchery steelhead returning to the Hoko River to include steelhead with a dorsal fin height of less than 2 1/8 inches or those with a clipped adipose or ventral fin.

Effective date:  Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017, at 12:01 a.m.

Reason for action: Returning hatchery steelhead are typically identified by a clipped adipose or ventral fin and a healed scar at the location of the fin. However, the hatchery steelhead smolts released from the Makah Tribe’s hatchery on the Hoko River in the spring of 2016 and in spring of 2017 were not fin clipped because of fish health concerns due to warm river temperatures. These fish will begin returning in the coming winter steelhead season. Dorsal fin heights of hatchery steelhead are shorter than comparably sized wild steelhead. The standard of 2 1/8 inches has been used elsewhere to identify unclipped hatchery steelhead.

Further Information:  Hatchery steelhead are released as yearlings, and return after 1 ½ or 2 ½ years at sea as 3-year-old and 4-year-old fish. Identifying these fish by the height of the dorsal fin will remain an option, along with clipped fins, for the next several seasons to allow the harvest in the Hoko River of most returning hatchery steelhead from the 2016 and 2017 releases. Hoko River steelhead smolts scheduled to be release in spring of 2018 have been marked with a clipped adipose fin.

Information contact: Region 6 Office, (360) 249-4628.

 

This concludes our 2017 Hoko River Fishing Report.

 


Hoko River Water Levels


 


For more info on the Hoko River such as fishing maps, spawn charts and more CLICK HERE!


 

Click Here for more, Hoko River fishing reports!

 

Click here to go back to the most recent Washington Fishing Reports!

 


Lunker’s Guide 2017 Hoko River fishing report!

 

 

 

Comments are closed.