Egg collection 2011

[jtravis2]

John,
Will there be a second egg take at Taylor Creek, I can't make it this week?

[John Lico]

Jim.I won't know until i get the results from this one.Hopefully they will give me more notice than this one.

[Full_Monte]

We went to the Stampede event and it was fun work. The Fish and Game were wishing that more volunteers showed up to help. I have a couple suggestions for them:

1. Hold the event on a weekend when more volunteers would be available.
2. Give more than 1 1/2 day's notice of when the event will happen. We traveled 250 miles to attend the event. Do you think we can do this often with that short notice? Get real.

[John Lico]

Monte.First off i thank both you and your wife for going.We do appreciate the help.Now the facts.This is not a kokanee power event.This is DFG's project that we help with through volunteers and funding.Kokanee Power has no say whatsoever about when and where it is done.It is totally up to DFG.They are the boss period.I agree with you 100% about doing the egg collection on the weekends.Yes we would get alot more help.But the state does not want to pay overtime so we are stuck with the weekdays.Besides the fish are on their schedule not ours.As soon as DFG calls us we start calling.Now as far as you telling me to get real.I don't get paid to do this .I am a volunteer member like alot of members.I work my butt off at every KP event each and every year.Includind getting volunteers for the egg collection.It takes alot of time and money out of my pocket and alot of time away from my family to help make Kokanee Power work.All of us directors do.That is why this org.is so good.

[Full_Monte]

John,

I'm sorry you took offense to my words about "getting real". It was meant for the DFG, not you or Kokanee Power. I know what you said was true about KP officers not getting paid to do what they do, and no one should complain about all the free time and work you guys contribute. I am definitely not. I also understand that the fish are on their schedule, not ours. But, I have a hard time believing that the DFG didn't know sooner that they were going to collect in Taylor Creek on a particular day. Maybe I don't understand the process as well as others, but what I've gleaned from attending the Stampede event was that the fish don't all come up river at the same time....there are early arrivals and late arrivals. Of these, some will be ready to spawn and others will be "green" and not ready yet. So, the DFG only waits until there are a fair number of fish available to collect the eggs. Once the eggs are collected, later fish are still coming up-river to spawn. If the DFG needs more eggs, they will go back to the same location and collect eggs again. Once again, some of the fish will be green and some will be ready. There have been lots of fish in Taylor Creek for a couple weeks. N8Luvs2Fish posted photos on I'm Hooked showing this. I can't believe the DFG didn't know sooner than 1 1/2 days in advance when they were going to collect eggs. My only point is "DFG, if you want more volunteers as you indicated, give more notice". I hope this clears up my previous post and I apologize for the misunderstanding.

[Gary Coe]

SECOND COLLECTION YIELDS HIGH QUALITY EGGS!

The pot is half FULL, not half empty. It's easier to smile that way!

Yesterday's collection on Taylor Creek went well. The egg count was 323,328. This brings our total to over ONE MILLION EGGS this year! There will definitely be another collection soon. I will try to get the location and date out to you all, as soon as I can.

There were approximately 2500 "green" hens in the creek. A green hen is a female fish that is not yet ready to be spawned. They are checked at least twice a week and we are notified when they are ripe and the harvest date has been set.

The hatchery folks did offer some very good news. These eggs are bright, big and very uniform. These are important factors in determining the quality of the harvested eggs.

Remember, volunteers are welcome and NEEDED! Stay tuned right here for the latest intel. THANKS!

[Gary Coe]

This Should Be IT! The Final Collection

This JUST in minutes ago. The Truckee weirs/trap are being removed tomorrow. So the third collection will be at the same place as yesterday's location, Taylor Creek. They need another 300k+/- eggs and they plan on getting those in one more trip.

The scheduled date is NEXT TUESDAY, the 25th. Like yesterday, meet at 7:30AM in the SNOW PARK parking lot just north of Taylor Creek. The weather is supposed to be great. HAVE FUN!!!

Contact John with any questions.

[jtravis2]

Barring any unforeseen conflict I'll be there.
Jim (559-240-6659)

[Gary Coe]

MORE HOT OFF THE PRESS!

Yesterday's collection was successful, BUT......

Yesterday's collection went well and the official count is 330,992 eggs collected. This brings the total YTD to just over 1,335,000!

There was evidently some significant wind up that way in the past two or three days as they found the weir almost full of leaves. This slowed the collection process initially. They also found they still had significant numbers of green hens. They went through about 2,200 hens to get 600, releasing the 1,600 not yet ready for spawning.

Part of trying to relate the VERY LATEST news is being occasionally less than 100% accurate. As soon as I receive "locked up & signed in ink" confirmation of what follows, I'll let you know.

Right now, it looks like there will be another collection next week! They are trying to reach their 1.5 million target and need another 165,000 eggs to get there. This will be a "small" collection and will probably take place at the same location next week, maybe Tuesday.

So there it is. I should get a call within hours. Stay tuned...and THANKS!

[John Lico]

Ok here is the last egg collection date for 2011.Next tuesday Nov.1st at Taylor creek.DFG needs only 300,000 eggs to fill the quota.We need maybe four or five volunteers for maybe half a days work.Everybody meets at the snow park parkinglot past the creek at 7;30AM .If interested please contact me here.Thanks

[Gary Coe]

THAT'S A WRAP!!!

Yesterday's egg collection yield was 194,184 eggs. These eggs bring the total for this year to 1,529,464. The target of 1.5 million has been met. The weirs were removed yesterday as well so the rest of the kokanee can go on about their way and do their thing naturally.

The eggs are now being tended to by Kokanee Power Director Jake Flohr and his able crew at the Friant Hatchery. If you wish to help, he can be contacted here or at: 559.271.8908.

Much thanks is owed to those who helped out at the collection sites this year. YOU are the reason we can all fish for kokanee in three years. THANK YOU!