Fish & Crustaceans
A look at all the critters that live in and alongside our watershed.
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In 2014 after a very dry winter, one large storm filled the creek and waters started to rise. During that storm as the water was still at its highest, neighbors started hearing loud splashing from somewhere in the water. It soon became clear that there were large salmonids leaping through the waves, over snags and around floating debris. When the water started to subside, these large fish were seen swimming around in Hobson's biggest pools. Were they trapped? Were they spawning? Eventually, each of the large fish died. They had chosen pools in the stretch of Hobson that dries up annually, but the fish died before the water became stagnant.
Fish and Wildlife had been contacted but by the time they responded to check the color of the inside of the mouth to properly identify the big fish, the fish were too decayed to see the color. The flesh was a bright pink and their bodies fed a large number of other animals, birds and insects.
Fish and Wildlife had been contacted but by the time they responded to check the color of the inside of the mouth to properly identify the big fish, the fish were too decayed to see the color. The flesh was a bright pink and their bodies fed a large number of other animals, birds and insects.
That year, baby fish were seen in these chosen pools, but again, they were unfortunately in a stretch of the creek that was doomed to dry up, even in a regular year. But the drought only accelerated their demise. There were no spring rains to refill the watershed to give the baby fish any options.
IN 2015 baby fish were seen again, including several larger young fish. This seven inch smolt was found in another drying pool. It was identified as steelhead trout, a type of salmonid. A study done in the 1990's of the Hobson Creek watershed found young steelhead as well, alongside sculpin, a type of bottom-feeder fish that has also been seen in our pools. For example, a growing sculpin is seen regularly in the pool under the Skyline bridge, even though that pool is small and near the portion of the stream that dries up.
IN 2015 baby fish were seen again, including several larger young fish. This seven inch smolt was found in another drying pool. It was identified as steelhead trout, a type of salmonid. A study done in the 1990's of the Hobson Creek watershed found young steelhead as well, alongside sculpin, a type of bottom-feeder fish that has also been seen in our pools. For example, a growing sculpin is seen regularly in the pool under the Skyline bridge, even though that pool is small and near the portion of the stream that dries up.