Grandpa I agree I wish everyone was on the same page but the fact of the matter is we are not!!
I want to save wild steelhead at ALL costs PERIOD.. You don't.. You and I are not on the same page and we are both sport anglers who love our sport.
It's my contention for instance that given the overwhelming science that you cannot be against changing hatchery practices ( they aren't changing) and pro wild fish..
if you want hatcheries to continue to operate as they are then you are opposed to wild steelhead recovery.. Thoes two positions are as much opposed as black is opposed to white..

That statement is something you'd never agree with.. I have made very sincere attempts to bridge this gap by posting theoretical ideas of how to manage fisheries that are drastic compromises from my personal position and have always meed stiff resistance which soon turn to personal attacks. There seems to be no interest in compromise even among sport fishers..

right now there is a move among some sport anglers to complain to the commission about the decision they have made and to get all the catch and release season's closed.. They are not doing this out of concern about wild fish they are doing it out of spite and malice and hatred and revenge for getting the wild steelhead release regulations through..

We saw the same things in Vancouver 4 years ago at the comission meeting where we were all portrayed in a derogotory way by members of a couple prominent Washington fishing club as " left wing yuppie flyfishers"

The hostility coms from that side of the tracks not the WRS side..

WRS and CNR of wild fish is a very good thing for Washington state, the sport of fishing and for wild steelhead.. Someone finially turned on the light in Olympia. This is the best ( and only good) decision WDFW has made in years..

Grandpa your wrong I have talked with lots and lots of fishermen on the Penninsula who keep wild fish.. The attitude is very much " they do it so I should do it"


On the other hand Just yesterday I was talking with a local streamside landowner and bait fisherman.. last year from this stream he caught 40 wild steelhead and was happy releasing them all. In fact he made the statement " maybe someday there'll be enough wild fish they can do away with the hatchery."

Thats the mentality we should all have.. Thats the mentality that cares about wild steelhead...