[Big Nookie]

Anyone else notice a lot of jacks, coho and chinook, this year. It seems like at least the north sound rivers got tons of jacks this year. Definetly more then normal. I know the columbia got lots back and is expecting large runs next year, and I'm thinking next year COULD shape up to be very, very good. I thought this year was very good for chinook and turned out decent for coho so the thought of a even better year next has me foaming at the mouth. SO....did anyone else notice the same thing, or has anyone heard any early prediction about next year?

 

[steelspanker]

I'm glad you brought this up because I thought it was just a fluke. But I've noticed the same thing. This summer I got a couple/three jack kings on the sky where I haven't gotten them before, and on a smaller stream I got two steelie jacks the last two times I was out there. As you pointed out, lots of jacks this year could mean large runs of their brothers next year.

This is encouraging and I am also encouraged by the great coho runs we had on some of the north Sound rivers this fall. Something is working right.

Oh, and the steelie jacks were winter nates and they are real early for where I was fishing. Now that make me wonder.

 

[fisherofmen]

caught my more than fair share of jack king's on the nasty this year also.

 

[Big Nookie]

If you look at some of the hatchery escapement reports half the returning chinook were jacks!! A lot of hatcherys don't reliably count jacks so some counts I know(like skagit springers) had way more jacks then they counted.

 

[Radiator]

Seemed to be the same story everywhere I went. Tons of jacks, minijacks, and few adults. If historical jack counts are as accurate as they say this upcoming year is going to be great!!

 

[gator_79]

I did notice more Jacks than usual but during at least part of the time I think it ws because of the netting and it was mostly jacks getting through. I see your from Island County too...Where do you fish most of the time?

 

[Big Nookie]

I do most my fishing at Lagoon Point on the westside of whidbey island (some VERY good days here of course, the pink fishing was rediculous some days Tup: ). I also do a lot of fishing in the north sound rivers, mostly the skagit systems but also the stilly and snoho some too.

 

[steelspanker]

...Tons of jacks, minijacks, and few adults...

So what about those minijacks? Do they come back before a full year in the salt or what?

I recently caught a ~14 inch chrome "trout" that looked like a mini steelie. So it got me wondering. The other steelie jacks were more like 18-19 inches.

 

[Big Nookie]

I've also caught some "jack" steelhead as well. Don't know if they are just fish that stayed in the river an extra year or actually one salt fish.

 

[Coho King]

I notaced the same thing also lots of jacks. Also the stream by my house (portage creek incase any of you were wondering) is full of jacks, it also had it's share of large 15+ pound bucks. I think next year is going to be an awsome year wink: