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June Hogs Arrive

Tuesday, June 16 | 9:20 p.m.

BY THE COLUMBIAN

Kim Bringham Campbell shows Mehdi Alsamawi of Portland two chinook salmon that were caught Tuesday at Cascade Locks, Ore. (ZACHARY KAUFMAN/The Columbian)

Dennis Quaempts Jr. positions his net to catch salmon and shad Tuesday on the Columbia River at Cascade Locks. (ZACHARY KAUFMAN/The Columbian)

Tribal fishermen began over-the-bank sales of summer chinook salmon Tuesday.

Historically known as "June hogs" because of their prodigious size, only the biggest and heartiest fish can power far upriver during high flows in the late spring and early summer. June hogs once commonly tipped the scales at close to 100 pounds, until the construction of Grand Coulee Dam in 1942 blocked salmon headed more than 1,000 miles upriver to the Columbia's headwaters in Canada.

Kim Bringham Campbell was selling chinook salmon at $5 per pound; the Columbia Inter-Tribal Fish Commission noted that the price can vary from point to point in the tribal commercial fishing zone between Bonneville and McNary dams.

by K Gero : 6/17/09 6:18am - Report Abuse

Ehrk! (buzzer sound) Now just where is this article going with a feeble attempt to state the Grand Coulee Dam construction has some relationship to the 100 lb tules (chinook salmon which spawn in the Columbia River Basin) no longer seen in the Columbia River? It is called Marine Fisheries and the overharvesting of the native salmon runs. It is not uncommon to still land a huge tule during the later summer months and into fall. It may only reach 45 lbs, but it is still huge.

by Oregon Webfoot : 6/17/09 8:54am - Report Abuse

Well Gero, I think it IS Grand Coulee... and The Dalles, and Bonneville, AND argiculture runoff, AND over fishing. The Salmon has been tag-teamed for a hundred years, and I think it's amazing they still run at all. But you're right, the article blaming it on the one dam they named is kind of silly. But I haven't seen one over 30 pounds in years.

by Scott Burckhard : 6/17/09 9:30am - Report Abuse

Donnie - K Gero isn't rational...don't even try...

by Greg Dennis : 6/17/09 10:29am - Report Abuse

If you are buying fish from the Native Americans out of the back of a pickup, check for freshness! Bright eyes, scales tight to body, no fishy smell, etc. Some of the up-river vendors are very helpful and only sell fish caught the same day you buy them. Others are not as helpful or reliable.

by russell cervantes : 6/17/09 12:08pm - Report Abuse

totally agree that big fat tules are getting to be the rarest of the rares on the Columbia river and it is becoming more and more evident that we are lucky to have a salmon run at all anymore. by the way, if you are buying salmon, or any kind of perishable food for that matter, out of the back of a pickup truck at all, then you deserve anything you get! don't be an idiot, please, or do, survival of the fittest i guess.

by Dan dav : 6/17/09 12:13pm - Report Abuse

Salmon used to weigh 100 pounds? Doesn't that sound a little big?

by K Gero : 6/17/09 3:31pm - Report Abuse

Scott Burckhard: How do you determine my rationality? What is irrational is the fact that this article blames ONE dam for the entire depletion of salmon. THAT is irrational. I agree with Donnie Darko that dams have been partly to blame for the decline in salmon runs, but they are not the only blame and it would be ridiculous to dismantle each and every one of them as the fisheries have worked to overcome the damage to the runs. Have you ever heard of the fishwheels which used to line the Columbia River? Or the many years of gillnetting with nets streamed across the river during the peak of runs in the 60's?Over harvesting in ocean waters and tributaries are the number one reason for the decline, followed by damaging shipping accidents such as the Exxon Valdez and other refined oil disasters. What would be the excuse for declining runs in the Tillamook Bay and Garibaldi Bay? It isn't the dams, it is the silt buildup in the bay which is indirectly brought on by logging and farming. It is irresponsible to blame just one entity for the entire depletion of the salmon. Further south on the Oregon Coast is a naturally-occurring dead zone where marine life has disappeared or is nearly nonexistent. Volcanic in nature? It is hard to say. What I am trying to say is the responsibility of covering this subject needs to represent the entire scope of why there is salmon depletion, not just one dam 1,000 miles up a major river with thousand of tributaries for the salmon to spawn. Now do you still consider me as irrational, Scott? Be careful of what you are accusing people. It will bite you back in your own rear end.

Dan dav: I think the 100 lb lunkers are mostly in the northern waters towards Alaskan waters and are referred to as Kings.

by Morpheus Maximus : 6/17/09 3:41pm - Report Abuse

I know one of the recent reasons why the runs have decline.....fishing with friggin nets and the thinking process behind these rights AND the unconcealed wastefullness of fish!!! don't even get me started, it may turn ugly.

by Corn Tooth : 6/17/09 4:09pm - Report Abuse

It is the Indians heritage, handed down for centuries, to sell tourists a fish from the back of a pickup.

by K Gero : 6/17/09 4:27pm - Report Abuse

Corn Tooth, didn't you get lunch today? I know where you can get some wonderful salmon !)

by morpheus maximus : 6/17/09 4:28pm - Report Abuse

And one more thing................ Somebody show me a salmon that weighs (weighed)100 lbs and I'll tell you another fishing story!

by K Gero : 6/17/09 5:00pm - Report Abuse

Morph: Is this close enough?

http://www.towerrocklodge.com/album/photo3page.html

by Morpheus Maximus : 6/17/09 5:08pm - Report Abuse

Not quite 100 lbs though.
There isn't one...yet

by K Gero : 6/17/09 5:23pm - Report Abuse

Morph, according to the article on this link, the salmon was weighed after it had been set aside for awhile and the correct weigh method would have tipped this salmon over the 100 lb mark. Won't admit it, huh? What if I provide you with a link from the ODFW or WDFW stating how large these salmon can grow - would you believe up to 135 lb? I'm waiting for your next fishing story.

by Mag Boiler : 6/17/09 6:26pm - Report Abuse

K. Relax! Your facts and others are in some agreement. Rely on your normally rational reactions.

by K Gero : 6/17/09 6:48pm - Report Abuse

Thanks Mag. I am taking your advice, although I would like to hear another fish story out of Morph's posts. I am a fisherman and would love to hear of the big one that got away! I could load the site with links, but then I will get the reputation of trying to prove everything through links as others have throughout other articles. It makes for good writing on a short story anyhow.

by morpheus maximus : 6/17/09 9:02pm - Report Abuse

Once again there is NO proof of a 100lb salmon!

by morpheus maximus : 6/17/09 9:37pm - Report Abuse

Edit..........
Once again there is NO proof of a 100lb salmon caught sport fishing.
That is my point!
Netting is not a sport...........nor it shouldn't even be allowed!
I've seen masses of salmon ****** in the waters near Biggs Junction a few years back and have a hunch where they came from. I even know Indians that had a hard time disposing of a previous years catch that was still in the freezer taking up precious space for their "fresh fish".
NETTING IS THE REAL REASON WHY THE FISH ARE BECOME SCARE.

by morpheus maximus : 6/17/09 9:39pm - Report Abuse

****** should've said dumped. (don't know why this was editted)

by K Gero : 6/18/09 6:22am - Report Abuse

Mag Boiler: Sorry, this inquiring mind wants to know (plus, I like to tease!)

Once again Morph, you deny the article. This was NOT netted, it WAS caught by a sportsman and was weighed several hours after capture and would have tipped the scales over 100 pounds. You can't shake that one and you know it. C'mon, Morph, I really wanted to hear another fish story. I am a sportsman(woman) after all!

Widespread Netting IS a big reason for the depletion of salmon, not only in the river along mainstream channels where it is known the fish travel, but ocean drag netting as practiced by the commercials. Dip netting such as along the Cascade Locks zone should remain for tribal use. Widespread netting allowed to remain in the waters indefinitely should be disallowed. As far as the fish being dumped near Biggs Junction, I can only think of two possible scenarios - one, the fish went bad before sales; two (which I highly doubt), this was a possible feeding point for salmon smolts and were dumped by a fisheries crew.

by Morpheus Maximus : 6/18/09 7:05pm - Report Abuse

The fish at Biggs where caught by greedy indians who threw nets in the water and couldn't sell them! WASTE. When the tribal police where called they did NOTHING! When you or I fish for salmon we are only allow "x" amount per day/per year. So we both know who's greedy!
Dip nets are one thing, but throwing nets out between bouys not even being checked for days is pure greed. I've seen dead sturgeon being ******, I've seen dead salmon being ******, I've seen dead walleye being ******. My solution to this unfathomable practice is to simply stop the netting between the bouys, simple, simple, simple! Let them fish with the FIVE rods they are allowed to do. Even though thats ridiculous in itself!
OKAY I VENTED!
As for the sub 100lbs salmon......Too bad he didn't weigh it sooner. (it still will never be known as over 100lbs)
MORPH OUT!

by Morpheus Maximus : 6/18/09 7:07pm - Report Abuse

Apparently you can't say ****** okay I'll try it this way w a s t e d

by K Gero : 6/19/09 8:39am - Report Abuse

Morph: Although we cannot say for sure the record fish was over 100 lbs, you did provide me with another fish story - a true fish story! I couldn't agree with you more!!! Thanks.

by Gary L Johnson : 6/24/09 6:29pm - Report Abuse

Yes... salmon on the Columbia did get up to 120 pounds. Look at the history of the Columbia and photos. Over harvest in the late eighteen hundreds almost wiped out the spring run chinook. Find out why hatcheries were started???? Before Dams!