This year's total run of salmon over Willamette Falls came to about 23,000.  That number contrasts sharply with the good years when over 100,000 Spring Chinook pass the counting station at the Falls on their way through the Willamette system.  It's time to say good bye to another salmon season on the McKenzie, a premeir tributary to the Willamette system.  Though the run was very small by historical standards, we managed to land Chinook on almost all my trips this season.  The McKenzie is, after all, my home river and it seems to treat me well.  We look optimistically forward to next year's run.  Based on the large number of jacks(immature salmon) in this year's mix, things bode well for next year's run since biologists often use the previous year's jack count to project the next year's run.On my final trip this season, we did a very quick morning run on the McKenzie.  Lisa L. of Eugene Oregon landed 3 out of the 4 salmon she hooked on a short 2 and a half hour trip.  Her quick "Hat Trick" was indeed a fitting conclusion to the season.  Lisa had justa limited amount time before she had to be at work on Monday.  In the photograph, her ever present companion Chu looks on attentively.