Report from Ukiah Valley Fish and Wildlife Club
Joe Prestino VP of Ukiah Valley Fish & Wildlife Club reports that the California Department of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW) has released 170,000+ yearling (1year old) rainbow trout from the Coyote Valley Steelhead Facility at Lake Mendocino between Feb. 2 and Feb. 9. The yearling trout measure between 6”- 8”. They were released under the cover of sediment heavy turbid water and should have a higher success rate of reaching the Pacific Ocean at Jenner, California, because they are not visible to predators on their 95mile trip down the Russian River as well as fast currents heading down stream. Once a rainbow trout make it to the Pacific Ocean and forages and grows to an adult they are then called Steelhead.
The Russian River is extremely clouded, the water releases from Lake Mendocino are in the amount of approximately 1,000 cubic feet per second (cfs). These releases are deemed necessary due to Lake Mendocino being full and the current and future rains will continue to send massive amounts of water cascading into the lake. As of Wednesday February 14th the adult Steelhead that has returned to the Coyote Valley Hatchery stands at 198 fish. Last year's entire number of returned fish was 193 steelhead (worst year on record). The fish ladder & trap will remain open until sometime in April.
The Hatchery is open to the public daily from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with the daily running of the trap, fish measurement and sorting of the Steelhead occurring at approximately 9:30 a.m. daily, the spawning of the female and male adult Steelhead occurs every Tuesday mornings at approximately 9:30, conducted by CDFW employees and UKF&WC volunteers. Also open to the public daily is the Bill Townsend Conservation Fish Hatchery which is operated by UVF&WC on the premises of Coyote Valley Fish Facility where spawned and fertilized eggs are hatched and raised into small fry.
For anyone wishing to volunteer you must be a member of UVF&WC, membership information and applications can be obtained from any volunteer at the hatchery or calling 917-8812282 or 334-830-8305.