Steelhead Run on the Way

Steelhead season may not be as hot as the past three years but Idaho fisheries biologists say numbers are still on target to meet the10-year average. Biologists monitoring the Columbia River estimate 260,000 steelhead are headed up river, 30 percent short of original predictions. Idaho Fish and Game biologists estimate between 91,000 and 101,000 steelhead will cross Lower Granite Dam this season. While this is significantly lower than the last three years, the numbers are close to the 10-year average for the years from 1991 through 2000. Warmer temperatures at Bonneville and Lower Granite dams have prevented biologists from sampling the composition of the runs. This means statistics including size and the ratio of hatchery to wild fish are undetermined at this point. However, over the past five years, on average about 85 percent of the steelhead crossing Lower Granite Dam have been hatchery fish. Biologists expect the same outcome for this season. Variables in recent years prevent biologists from predicting proportions of A-run and B-run steelhead. Idaho Fish and Game will continually update the website with creel and dam count information so visit http://fishandgame.Idaho.gov for more information.