Tanwax Creek

   Fish and Wildlife Populations

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Fish Usage
Coho salmon, fall Chinook salmon, pink salmon, chum salmon and winter steelhead trout are anadromous species (migrating from the sea to fresh water to spawn) known to use the creek and a limited number of tributaries.  Coho are the dominant anadromous species and can be found throughout the system.  Chinook, pink and winter steelhead trout can be found in small numbers, mostly in the lower Tanwax.  Chum are found periodically near the mouth of the creek in very small numbers.  Sea-run coastal cutthroat trout may occur, but their current status in this watershed is unknown.  Resident salmonids, including self-sustaining populations of coastal cutthroat and resident rainbow trout likely inhabit some streams, but their presence has not been documented in available information.  Other native species such as sculpins and three-spine sticklebacks can be found through the basin.  Introduced species are dominant in most lakes of the watershed, especially warm water species such as bass, bluegill, crappie, and others.  The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife annually stocks Tanwax Lake with rainbow trout.  Other lakes are being stocked by landowners with trout as well as warm water species.  Coho salmon were stocked in Tanwax Creek just below Tanwax Lake in years past, but this practice has been abandoned.
Lowland Lake Fish Introduction
No information on the contribution these lakes historically had (if any) to the production of anadromous and resident salmonids.  Historical presence of adfluvial forms (mature in lakes and return to stream to spawn) of cutthroat trout in Tanwax Lake would be consistent with other lake systems within the range of the coastal cutthroat species.  No information is available on the historical or current status of natural reproducing salmonids in any of the lakes, but it is plausible that some trout ascend tributary streams at maturity to spawn.
 
Self-sustaining populations of various warmwater species, including yellow perch, largemouth bass, brown bullhead, bluegill, black crappie, and pumpkinseed exist in many of the lakes.  All warmwater species introductions into the watershed have been made through indiscriminate planting and recreational anglers in an effort to establish warmwater sport fishing.  The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has never attempted to establish and maintain warmwater fish in these traditionally native salmonid or non-fish bearing waters.  The effects of the introduction of these on salmonid populations remain largely unknown.  Studies have shown that lake habitat can be very beneficial to rearing coho fry and fingerlings.