Taking salmon from Winooski to hatchery??

[Matt]

I came across this info from the fish lift in 2010, and if you look at the bottom it says 24 fish were taken out of the river and transported to a hatchery?

(Click follow link to read update)
http://www.mychamplain.net/forum/winoos ... er-15-2010

Have they always done that, and are they still doing it? I hadn't heard anything about it, although I've seen transport trucks there every year.

[raz]

Interesting...
Matt, have they set up and started the lift yet this year?

[Boatless in BTV]

I think taking fish to the hatchery was an alternative Fish and Wildlife started using after they stopped taking fish upstream because of VHS concerns, but I'm not positive about that. I don't think they did it last year because the return run to Hatchery Brook was so big, but again, you'd have to check with the people at the lift for confirmation.

The lift has been running since for about two weeks now. I happened to be there to see the first two salmon of the year tagged and released last week, but I haven't been back to the Winooski side of the Salmon Hole since so I don't know where the counts stand now. Definitely down from last year, though, because of the low water.

[Dockside]

I walked across the Winooski today. It was ankle deep where I have needed chest waders for the past 20 years. No flow bro!

Dog River looked clear with the fall leaves floating past.......It is time! Happy fishing to all you river monsters out there

[Matt]

The river is low, but there are fish holding in deeper sections. I watched a big salmon porpoise in front of me the other day and my friend got a 16" steelhead. Not many fish in the rivers yet, I think they're waiting for some higher water...I bet there are a few setting up downstream though.