Last night, just before dusk, Naomi came in to tell me there was a steelhead in the creek. I grabbed my camera to take a picture of it. It was about 18" long and was in the pool the steelhead use for spawning under the wood bridge.Unfortunately, my attempt was unsuccessful. I was looking down into the creek and could see him/her clearly when I took the pictures. I've tried cropping and all kinds of tricks to show the fish more but it really is not distinguishable from the rocks.
Instead you get this picture of the creek just before dusk. The water is getting back down to summer level after getting almost 20" of rain in 6 weeks (March to mid-April). Soon the swiftness of the water will slow, making it easier to wade. It still runs fast due running downhill from the bridge to the river but doesn't make me worry that I will have my feet knocked out from under me by the current.
We last had steelhead in the creek in December. I was glad to see this fish made it past the salmon fishermen down river and in the Monterey Bay. Each one that makes it up here has run that gauntlet.
Suz, I remember your telling me about the salmon, but the pic makes it more clear. Since the salmon that get to your place have run the gauntlet, do you let these survivors keep on swimming or do you ever catch any? If so, how do you do it? With your hands (I bet they a slippery critters when wet) or with a net? H&K xoxo
ReplyDeleteJoanie
ReplyDeleteI WISH we could catch them. We are in a protected zone, alas, this high up the river, otherwise there would be fish on the barbie. Further down the mountain, they are allowed to fish with strict limits. Last year, I walked along the bank, keeping pace with one headed up to the pool. It was a weird feeling, knowing the native peoples probably did what I was wishing I could do.
The steelhead spawn and head back to the ocean. They come back to the same stream they hatched in.