Well, it looks like this year's salmon season may be a little better than last year, on paper at least. Sacramento River system returns were below target (104,483 adults, 122,000 being the minimum goal) but jack numbers were good (17,003 jacks) which, according to best available science, would indicate an ocean abundance of 396,458. Last year had a prediction of about 271,000 adult salmon in the ocean, yet and estimated 322,137 were there in probability. Last year's season was planned around a number of 271,000, so an extra 125,000 can't hurt our season options for this year. The winter run numbers will effect our season and the Klamath River numbers are going to screw the guys up north yet again. With a bit of luck, the recent approval for dam removals on the Klamath should open up more spawning grounds in the near future and increase the Klamath salmon numbers in the next decade or two. For now, though, it sucks to be Eureka. But her glory will return. Our season and theirs will be determined next month, and the options to play with will be decided on March 14th. At this point, things look tentatively better than last year. Fingers crossed, if that helps.

   Gage dislocated his shoulder a few weeks back and was told he might be months away from fishing. He got an updated report from his doctor this week saying he could do things that don't hurt. This poor striper suffered as a result of that decision. Are there stripers in the surf? Yes. Are there very many? No. And worse yet, there's one less. But it bit a delicately jigged 1 ounce Kastmaster with a bucktail. Gage's shoulder said it wasn't cast out very far, either.