Observation of Fishes Associated with Spawning Salmon

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Abstract
A 0.25 inch neoprene "wet suit," a snorkel and face plate were used to make underwater estimates of fish densities and to observe fish behavior in a stream where pink and chum spawning occurss. Numbers of immature coho salmon and rainbow trout steadily declined from the 2500 foot study area which was considered normal smolt outmigra-tion. Adult pink and chum salmon increased with the onset of spawning activity. The prickly sculpin utilized the stream in May as a spawning site, returned to salt water, and then re-entered fresh water by mid-July. Dolly Varden were first seen early in July and did not feed for an extended period of time (43 days in 1961, 45 days in 1962, 48 days in 1963). However, the Dolly Varden did feed on just salmon eggs later in the summer but they were not considered a major egg predator compared to the prickly sculpin. Sculpin were observed actively feeding on viable eggs within the salmon redds.

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