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Hey Ben where was this at?

Wells Street Beach in Gary

About 10 miles from the EC Marina stocking site,  and 11 miles from the Little Cal stocking site at Mineral Springs Road

Quite a few chinooks feeding on the beach, likely on the terrestrial insects blowing into the water. 

By the way, with the lack of small alewife (resulting from poor 2022 spawn) around right now, these chinooks are easy prey for predator fish right now. I've seen credible reports backed by photos (Trent has one from yesterday on this page) of cohos stuffed with chinook smolts. We visually observed some coho feeding and breaking the surface yesterday afternoon just past the trough on the beach. Probably chasing chinook smolts.

Michigan biologists have been saying this for years, and I have too - the lack of alewife not only hurts juvenile salmonids ability to feed and grow big enough to overwinter, but it also leads to much higher mortality from predation.   Coho in the 14-18 inch range have a tough time eating 8 inch alewife, and would much rather eat 3-5 inch baitfish - coincidentally, the exact size of chinook salmon smolts that are overlapping in habitat right now from the beach out to 40 feet.

Ben thanks,

I  can't believe how fast out migration was this year seemingly across the southend.
Would of never years ago considered that the fish we all love so much here to help our fishery(Coho) is another predator of our king smolts. But ya it really is showing up this season.
Every season there is something new!
 

I think the crazy hot weather spurred fast out-migration by warming up both the harbor temps and especially the stream temps

Typically smolts, including chinook, outmigrate when stream temperatures hit 50 degrees and wrap up before the water temps hit 60. Although daylight hours and "accumulated temperature" , also play a significant role, as can flow rates.

Coincidentally, water temperatures were in the high 40s on stocking day and rose into the low 50s in the couple days after. 

I have heard talk of net pens for the chinook smolts.  Are these in the works for future stockings at EC?  How soon can we expect them?  Disheartening to see but still better than an air assault from the birds like in the past.