Washington could see best coho return in 20 years

ISSAQUAH, Wash. - Salmon are once again filling Issaquah Creek, drawing crowds as the annual spawning season gets underway. But this year’s return is shaping up to be a tale of two species.

Chinook have already arrived in large numbers, though an unusual male-to-female ratio could make it harder for hatchery workers to meet their egg collection goal. Coho, meanwhile, have been slower to reach the creek.

This comes even as Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife says this season has the potential to produce their best return in 20 years.

Hatchery workers search for female Chinook

At the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery, volunteers are wading into spawning ponds, searching for female Chinook that are ready to release their eggs. Leading the is Fish Hatchery Specialist, Darin Combs.

"We’re right in the middle of egg-taking season," said Combs. "So we’re trying to get our hands on all these females at our pond. So the ones that are ripe, ready to spill their eggs for us."

Combs said determining whether a female is ready comes down to feel. When workers grab a female by the tail, they check for softness around the tail and belly.

Each female can produce roughly 4,000 eggs. The hatchery, however, has a much bigger target: 3.4 million Chinook eggs this year.

Reaching that goal could be complicated by the makeup of this year’s return.

"I think this year we’re seeing a lot smaller males for whatever reason, a lot more males," said Combs. "The male to female ratio is pretty crazy this year. Which makes it hard. We’re looking for a needle in the haystack to find the females in the pond."

Combs said the hatchery could end up with enough adult Chinook overall but still lack the number of females needed to collect 3.4 million eggs.

A long journey back to Issaquah Creek

The Chinook now reaching Issaquah Creek began their return months ago.

The fish started coming through the Ballard Locks in June before traveling through Lake Washington and the Sammamish Slough on their way back to Issaquah Creek, where they were born.

Warmer water temperatures also made the journey more difficult for salmon this summer.

The returning Chinook ultimately come back to the creek to spawn and die, completing their life cycle as crowds gather along the water to watch.

Coho could see best return in 20 years

Another species is still largely waiting in the wings.

Coho, also known as silvers, have yet to arrive at the hatchery in the numbers workers would normally expect by this point. But Fish and Wildlife says this season has the potential to produce the best coho return in 20 years.

"I heard that the fishing in the salt has been really good for the Coho," shared Combs.

He believes many of those fish could already be making their way through the lake system but waiting for the right conditions before entering Issaquah Creek.

Rain has been in short supply, potentially delaying their movement upstream.

Still, Combs said Coho counts coming through the Ballard Locks have been encouraging.

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