rainbow trout · blue river above blue river reservoir yes unknown lookout creek yes unknown 9 ft...

Rainbow Trout Native rainbow, often called "McKenzie redsides," occur in the mainstem McKenzie upstream to Tamolitch Falls and in the lower portions of medium and large tributaries above Leaburg Dam (Indian, Gate, Marten, Deer, Quartz, and Horse creeks and Blue River, South Fork McKenzie, and Smith River). The Department's List of Wild Populations includes 5 populations of resident rainbow trout in the McKenzie Basin (Table 1). Most of these populations are in relatively good habitat and probably have enough spawners to comply with the Wild Fish Management Policy. The largest threat may be introgression with stocked non-native rainbow trout and non-native summer steelhead. The wild McKenzie rainbow spawn in the spring and although rainbow are spawned at the hatchery in the early winter, there are examples of hatchery rainbow spawning later in the wild. Hatchery summer steelhead and rainbow have been observed spawning at the same and place in the McKenzie, although not together. Legal-size hatchery rainbow trout are stocked in the mainstem, including Leaburg Lake, from Bellinger Landing (RM 19) to Forest Glen Landing (RM 53.5) and in Blue River above Blue River Reservoir. Releases of legal-size hatchery rainbow in the mainstem between Hayden Bridge and Armitage Park and above Paradise Campground were discontinued in the early 1980s. Releases of legal-size hatchery rainbow in the mainstem between Forest Glen Land and Paradise Campground and in the South Fork

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Fish of the McKenzie River

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McKenzie were discontinued in 1997. Rainbow trout were also previously stocked into Gate and Horse creeks and the Mohawk River.

Compliance Population Hatchery:Wild ratio Population > 300 Comments

McKenzie River below Trail Bridge and Cougar dams

yes yes

Data from Leaburg counts, snorkeling, observations. Fall spawning rainbow and steelhead are stocked.

Blue River above Blue River Dam

unknown unknown Fall spawning rainbow are stocked in Blue River up to Quentin Creek.

McKenzie River above Trail Bridge Dam

unknown

unknown Fall spawning rainbow are stocked in Trail Bridge Reservoir.

SF McKenzie River, Cougar Dam to RM 28.5

yes yes Data from Stan Gregory, OSU. Fall spawning rainbow are stocked in Cougar Reservoir.

SF McKenzie River above RM 28.5

yes unknown This population may be introduced as a result of stocking high lakes above this area.

Cutthroat Trout

The name "cutthroat" is derived form the two red slash marks or streaks on the underside of the lower jaw. On some fish this mark may be indistinct or lacking. Cutthroat trout are ubiquitous throughout McKenzie River and the rest of the basin, living in most perennial streams, including areas above Tamolitch Falls and small, higher gradient tributaries not inhabited by rainbow trout. The Department's List of Wild Populations includes 40 populations of resident cutthroat trout in the McKenzie Basin (Table 2). Most of these are listed as out of compliance with the Wild Fish Management Policy because the population size is unknown. Most populations are isolated above barriers in small headwater streams, occupy limited habitat, and are therefore naturally small.


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Although timber harvest, road building and dams have altered habitat, most of populations are probably not threatened at this time. Hatchery produced cutthroat trout originating from Hackleman Creek in the upper McKenzie watershed are released into some small, high elevation lakes. Table 2. Populations of cutthroat trout in the McKenzie Basin.

Compliance Population Hatchery:

Wild ratio Population > 300

Comments

McKenzie River below Leaburg Dam

yes yes electrofish dataavailable

McGowan Creek yes unknown 20 ft falls at RM 4.6

Crooked Creek yes unknown 7 ft falls at RM 1.4

Upper Mohawk River yes unknown 7 ft falls at RM 2.4

Holden Creek yes unknown 11 ft falls at RM 1.1

Cogswell Creek yes unknown 10 ft falls at RM 2.2

McKenzie River, Leaburg Dam to Trail Bridge Dam

Yes yes

Hatchery Creek Yes unknown 8 ft falls Indian Creek yes unknown 15 ft falls RM

0.3 Unnamed creek tributary to NF Gate Creek

yes unknown 7 ft falls at RM 0.7


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Tom’s Creek yes unknown 20 ft falls at RM 0.3

Marten Creek yes unknown 8 ft falls at RM 2.2 , may not be a barrier, juvenile rainbow found above

Bear Creek yes unknown 8 ft falls at RM 0.6

Quartz Creek yes yes 10 ft falls at RM 11, angling data - Randy Wildman, OSU

Doe Creek yes unknown 20 ft falls at RM 2.0, unknown if fish are present

Indian Creek 1 yes yes 12 ft falls at RM 0.3, angling data - 1991 district data

Indian Creek 2 yes yes 30 ft falls at RM 1.0, angling data - 1992 district data

Blue River above Blue River Reservoir

yes unknown

Lookout Creek yes unknown 9 ft falls McCrea Creek yes unknown 7 ft falls


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Tidbits Creek yes unknown 7 ft falls at RM 2.7

Quentin Creek yes unknown 30 ft falls at RM 1.0

SF McKenzie River above Cougar Reservoir.

yes yes

French Pete Creek yes unknown 10 ft falls at RM 5.0

Olallie Creek yes unknown falls? Hardy Creek yes unknown 10 ft falls at

RM 3.0 Augusta Creek yes unknown 8 ft falls at RM

2.4 Elk Creek yes unknown 9 ft falls at RM

2.4 Mill Creek yes unknown 20 ft falls at

RM 2.0 Pasture Creek yes unknown 7 ft falls at RM

0.5 Pothole Creek yes unknown 5 ft falls at RM

0.5 Mosquito Creek yes unknown 20 ft falls at

RM 0.6 Lost Creek yes unknown 10 ft falls at

RM 2.5 Deer Creek yes unknown 60 ft falls at

RM 5.0 County Creek yes yes McKenzie River, Trail Bridge Dam to Tamolitch Falls

yes Unknown

Smith River above Smith Dam

yes unknown


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Bunchgrass Creek Yes unknown 17 ft falls at RM 0.3

McKenzie River, Carmen Dam to Sahalie Falls

yes Unknown

Hackleman Creek/Fish Lake

yes Yes above Clear Lake

Parks Creek yes yes above Lava Flow, brook trout concerns, Wetherbee et al.

The cutthroat in the mainstem McKenzie River are fluvial (migrating from large rivers to small tributary streams to spawn). Small cutthroat rear for several year in the tributaries and then migrate to the McKenzie River. They rear in the McKenzie until they are about 10-12 inches and then return to the tributaries in early spring to spawn. Many live to spawn again. Several years ago ODFW placed a fish trap in the Mohawk at the 17th hole of the Springfield Country Club. The trap was operated most weeks from 8 December 1992 to 8 July 1993 and from 7 December 1993 to 10 June 1994. The trap could not be fished during winter freshets because of debris and, by early summer, flow was low enough that the trap would not operate. We estimated that 10,000 to 20,000 juvenile cutthroat migrate from the Mohawk River and that 1,000 to 2,000 adults return downstream after spawning each year.


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Figure 1. Length frequency in centimeters of cutthroat trout captured by electrofishing in the McKenzie River, 1989-91.

Brook Trout

Originally from the eastern United States, brook trout have been introduced in many Oregon waters, especially in the cold, mountainous streams and lakes where other species are unable to do well. Brook trout thrive in cold water below 65 degrees. One of the most colorful of the chars, the brook trout is dark green alive, with worm-like markings on the back and dorsal fin. Cream and red spots appear on the sides, with the red spots bordered with blue. The lower fins are reddish, the leading edges bordered with a white and a black stripe. Spawning occurs in the late fall, usually in spring fed tributaries or on gravel bars in the lakes. The female may deposit from 500 to 2,500 eggs.


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Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) are not native to the McKenzie Basin. Naturalized brook trout populations in streams in the McKenzie Basin are often locally abundant and composed of small but mature fish. Brook trout have established naturalized populations in Hackleman Creek, the upper mainstem McKenzie from Clear Lake to Trail Bridge Reservoir, and in the upper reaches of Horse Creek, Blue River and the South Fork McKenzie. Because brook trout are not an endemic species, provisions of the Wild Fish Management Policy do not apply to them. They can compete with and displace populations of native cutthroat trout and bull trout. Eliminating naturalized brook trout populations from streams in the McKenzie Basin is not practical at this time.

Whitefish Mountain whitefish is closely related to trout, salmon and char and

is part of the same family, Salmonidae. Although inhabiting many Oregon streams and lakes, it thrives best in clear, cold water. Trout like in appearance, the body is silvery in color with a bronze or darkish back. The mouth is small with weak teeth. Lengths run to 20 inches. Whitefish are often erroneously called graying by many anglers. Whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni) are native to the McKenzie Basin and are one of the most abundant fish in the mainstem McKenzie. The Department's List of Wild Populations includes 2 in the McKenzie Basin. One population is confined to the South


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Fork McKenzie above Cougar Dam, and the other is found in the mainstem McKenzie up to Trail Bridge Dam and includes the South Fork McKenzie below Cougar Dam, and the lower portions of larger tributaries such as Gate, Quartz, and Horse creeks and Blue River.

Summer Steelhead

Steelhead are not native to the McKenzie River. Skamania summer steelhead smolts have been released each year beginning in 1972. About 95% of the fish returning to the McKenzie River are hatchery produced and can be identified by an adipose fin clip. Smolts are released direct from Leaburg Hatchery just below Leaburg Dam and the returning adults tend to concentrate in this area. A summary of this program is presented below. Counts of adult summer steelhead at Willamette Falls and Leaburg Dam, and adult catch and smolt releases of summer steelhead in the McKenzie River. Count at Count at Adult Catch b Year Willamette Falls Leaburg Dam a Total Above dam Smolts stocked c 1969 -- -- -- 19,002 1970 146 1 -- 0 1971 2,310 96 -- 0 1972 690 13 23 63,232 1973 1,686 9 24 139,600 1974 4,858 174 366 111,389 1975 2,910 236 610 107,282 1976 3,876 1,485 473 150,221 1977 9,244 834 732 125,948 1978 15,200 2,627 2,958 167,223 1979 7,600 1,500 1,406 156,453 1980 11,200 1,130 813 167,293


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1981 15,200 1,583 2,145 151,812 1982 15,600 922 985 142,599 1983 5,301 331 350 (87) 126,695 1984 25,002 1,553d 2,002 (790) 156,244 1985 22,067 747e 1,460 (468) 156,842 1986 40,719 679 3,719 (176) 163,243 1987 23,742 667 1,438 (448) 156,909 1988 36,940 1,959 3,887 (588) 119,737 1989 6,841 205 600 (68) 118,904 1990 23,428 1,167 1,580 (89) 117,150 1991 6,386 275 769 (54) 108,611 1992 11,697 816 2,126 (68) 107,391 1993 12,920 700 3,211 (185) 111,829 1994 11,819 516 1,095 (60) 111,830 1995 12,704 661 1,495 (36) 114,347 1996 6,346 224 628 (85) 110,686 1997 14,907 223 114,761 1998 12,931 117,756 a April 1 to March 31 of the following year. b Estimated from salmon-steelhead tags; catch above Leaburg Dam is shown in parentheses. c All releases listed are Skamania stock. d Only counts through July 26 included (camera stolen); 874 of the fish were trucked from returns to Leaburg and McKenzie hatcheries. e Count excludes September 30 - January 30 (camera malfunctioned); 68 of the fish were trucked from returns to Leaburg and McKenzie hatcheries.


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Northern Pike Minnow These fish, formerly know as squawfish, are found in the streams of the Columbia River drainage and in the Umpqua and Siuslaw river on the coast. They are found in the lower McKenzie up to Hayden Bridge, but in warm years may occasionally be found upstream as far as Leaburg Dam. Northern pikeminnow usually ascend streams in the spring and early summer to spawn. They reach a length up to 2 feet and graphically illustrate that minnows are not necessarily small fish. They feed somewhat like a trout and regularly take baits and lures. Their head is long and pointed with a large mouth and rather small eyes. The over-all color is a muddy greenish above with the belly a yellowish cream and the sides often take on a somewhat silvery appearance. The lateral line is so arranged that it runs much nearer the belly than the back. Though trout like in appearance their large scales and lack of an adipose fin make them easy to separate from the trout. They are very bony and not good to eat.


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SPECKLED DACE (Rhinichthys osculus) Speckled dace grow to only several inches in length. They are usually found along the edge of the river in shallow areas. Speckled dace are very common in the lower reaches of the river but are found higher in the system also. They are often become food for large trout.

REDSIDE SHINER (Richardsonius balteatus) Redside shiners are a small minnow. They are very common in the McKenzie River up to the Deerhorn Bridge. Schools of up to several hundred fish are found primarily in eddies and backwaters. They rarely reach a size to make them of interest to the angler, reaching a maximum length of about 5 inches. During the spring spawning season they take on brilliant red and yellow colors.

LARGESCALE SUCKER (Catostomus macrosheilus)


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Suckers are very common throughout the McKenzie River. The main distinguishing feature is the typical sucker mouth located behind and below the tip of the nose. The protruding lips and mouth parts, brown upper body parts and yellow-orange belly makes these fish readily identifiable. Suckers feed on plant and animal material, picking up much material from the bottom. In the spring they run up tributary streams to spawn, at which time the male takes on brighter colors. They may reach 2 to 2-1/2 feet in length. When taken in fresh water, the fish has very palatable flesh but is seldom eaten because of the great number of bones.

COTTID (Cottus sp.)

Several species of cottids, also known as sculpins, are found throughout the McKenzie River. They have a broad head with a slender body somewhat resembling a tadpole in shape. They have


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no scales but may have prickles along the lateral line and at other locations on the body. Prominent spines on the back edge of the gill covers and very large pectoral fins are present. Color of the body ranges from brownish to gray, with bars and specks. The fins are barred or mottled. Maximum length is about 4 inches, with the majority in the 1 to 3 inch size group. It is not uncommon for them to be eaten by large trout.

THREE-SPINED STICKLEBACK (Gasterosteus aculeatus)

Stickleback are seldom seen but are common in the sloughs and backwaters of the McKenzie River up to at least Leaburg Lake. Stickleback are small, large eyed fish with strong spines on their back. They are greenish or grayish-olive on the upper parts and silvery on the sides and belly. They seldom reach a length of more than 2 inches and are a common food item for larger fish. Often they are seen swimming slowly or in small groups and then darting rapidly for cover upon the approach of a possible enemy. The


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male becomes very pugnacious during the breeding season and battles between rivals are common. The male builds the nest and guards the eggs.

LAMPREY (Lampetra tridentata)

Lamprey spawn in the McKenzie River and can often be seen passing Leaburg Dam. There is a concern that their numbers have dwindled throughout their range in the Pacific Northwest. They are a traditional food of Native Americans. The lamprey can be easily identified by their long, slender, snake-like body. They have no ventral or pectoral fins and the dorsal fin is well separated on this dark brown to almost black fish. They may reach two feet in length. Seven gill pores resembling holes appear in a row along the body, starting close to the eye. Their habitat requirements and life history are very similar to salmon and steelhead. The Pacific lamprey leaves the ocean and ascends rivers and streams in the spring and summer, often traveling long distances past many obstacles such as waterfalls and dams. They stop feeding after entering freshwater and then hide, often under large stones until spawning the following spring. Spawning takes place over gravel beds in the headwaters of streams. Lamprey make a small mound of gravel in which the eggs are deposited. Death occurs soon after spawning. Eggs hatch in a few weeks and the young, known as "ammocoetes," burrow


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into mud bottoms of streams where they feed on microscopic plants and animal life. The young lamprey spends two or more years as a larva in fresh water. In this stage they can be identified by the presence of a hood about the mouth instead of the sucking disc present on the adult. They also lack teeth and the eyes are undeveloped. After several years, the young lamprey migrate to salt water where they attach themselves to fish, thus obtaining the nourishment necessary for life. Before they enter fresh water to spawn, then disengage themselves from their host and make the long spawning journey in a free state. Fish species occurring at least occasionally in the McKenzie River. (Compiled by Carl E. Bond and ODFW.) * = introduced species

Common Name Scientific Name Lampreys • Western brook lamprey • Pacific Lamprey

Family Petromyzontidae • Lampetra richardsoni • Lampetra tridentata

Minnows • Chiselmouth • Peamouth • Northern Pikeminnow • Longnose dace • Speckled dace • Leopard dace • Redside shiner • *Carp

Family Cyprinidae • Acrocheilus alutaceus • Mylocheilus caurinus • Ptychocheilus oregonensis • Rhinichthys cataracta • Rhinichthys osculus • Rhinichthys falcatus • Richardsonius balteatus • Cyprinus carpio

Sculpins • Paiute sculpin • Shorthead sculpin • Reticulate sculpin • Torrent Sculpin

Family Cottidae • Cottus beldingi • Cottus confusus • Cottus perplexus • Cottus rhotheus


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Livebearers • *Western mosquitofish

Family Poeciliidae • Gambusia affinis

Stickleback • Threespine stickleback

Family Gasterosteidae • Gasterosteus aculeatus

Trout Perch • Sand Roller

Family Percopsidae • Percopsis transmontana

Sturgeons • White Sturgeons

Family Acipenseridae • Acipenser transmontanus

Suckers • Largescale sucker • Mountain sucker

Family Catostomidae • Catostomus macrocheilus • Catostomus platyrhynchus

Catfishes • *Brown bullhead • *Yellow bullhead

Family Ictaluridae • Ameiurus nebulosus • Ameiurus natalis

Sunfishes • *Bluegill • *Largemouth bass

Family Centrarchidae • Lepomis macrochirus • Micropterus salmoides

Salmonids • Chinook salmon • Mountain whitefish • Cutthroat trout • Rainbow trout and

*steelhead) • Bull trout • *Coho salmon • *Brook trout • *Brown trout

Family Salmonidae • Oncorhynchus tshawytscha • Prosopium williamsoni • Oncorhynchus clarki • Oncorhynchus mykiss • Salvelinus confluentus • Oncorhynchus kisutch • Salvelinus fontinalis • Salmo trutta


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rainbow trout · blue river above blue river reservoir yes unknown lookout creek yes unknown 9 ft...

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