So I did call and the explanation previously posted captures things best one can with the information available.

That said I asked why a two fish Coho bag on tributary streams that continuously failing to make escapement. Trying not to screw up a boiled down explanation here we go. The QIN manage to aggregate of Grays Harbor streams and WDFW manages the Humptulips and Chehalis separately but to the aggregate of each separately. WDFW on the Chehalis Basin manages Rec seasons and bag limits that are the same based on the basin aggregate. This was not always the case but Rec users had continuously objected to the seasons in the regulations pamphlet being to difficult to understand so Region 6 simplified the regulations by using a standard bag limit. Run timing and extraordinary circumstance do create variations such as opening dates.

Frankly I do not doubt that this is the case as I have sat through meetings listening the that very thing. I think maybe the current cure may be liked by those main desire is to kill a fish but coming from the fish point of view this approach is just plain nuts. We going to have a two fish bag on the Wynoochee that has been as low as 20% of escapement and the basin escapement has to be around 250% to 300% ABOVE the basin aggregate escapement goal for it to reach escapement numbers which it has done only 3 times in 20 years. It is true with the tributaries below Fuller Hill with the Satsop hanging out at about 50% of escapement. The thing is when you take a stream down to 20% escapement then on good years make escapement you are not going to get a full seeding of the streams reaches as the fish will mostly return to the spawning reaches they came from. Over time full seeding can be achieved for depleted streams if managed to escapement but not with this starve the stream of spawners then flood the stream with spawners. If one gets the feeling of a Yogi Berra moment ("Déjà vu all over again") thinking Steelhead my gut says your right. Intended or not the current process for bag limits ( Rec & Commercial ) are resulting strikingly similar results that happened to Steelhead and native Late Coho. Again this is nuts but enjoy as I will but I am an old guy. You guys younger and much younger enjoy also because into the future as in Steelhead your butts are going to be off the water as this thing cannot go on forever.