Well hell. Someone tell the officer I talked to at a local boat launch today. He said no steelhead retention. Period. He said rainbow trout are steelhead. He’s not wrong. That’s what he is enforcing. Oh and by the way, you can’t stand up from a pontoon and fish, you have to beach it.

Just what I was told. They need to clarify the rules better. Maybe add sizes and specific species names we are familiar with. All it takes is “limit of hatchery steelhead still allowed” or something.

He was adamant about it too. Call region 6 and ask them. I’m going to tomorrow.

One of the spots (a lot of them actually) don’t have specific rules for steelhead. Just trout, then other rivers (particularly Columbia tribs) have “steelhead limit: 3 hatchery”. So if a system doesn’t have steelhead in its regs, can you keep steelhead? Yes. Because it’s your daily over 14” two fish limit (hatchery rainbow trout).

The officer said that all the systems with the new regulations that do not have specific “Hatchery steelhead” limits are catch and release all “rainbow trout” regardless of size now.

The rules as they are written don’t apply man. The Skookumchuck doesn’t have a specific steelhead limit. The original reads “Trout: (Except cutthroat and wild rainbow trout min 14”) daily limit 2.

According the WDFW officer I talked to, that means because the new regulations say, ALL rainbow trout (even hatchery steelhead over 14”) must be released.

Hopefully they come out with a correction. Otherwise there are going to be some really confused people out there.

Read the emergency regulation again. He’s just going by the letter of the law. His job I guess. He told me to call the office for clarification.

You can stand on the bottom with your raft or toon behind you and fish. You can't sit on anchor and fish. Rainbow trout and steelhead may be the same fish genetically, but they aren't in the regulations. A steelhead is clearly defined as a rainbow trout in excess of 20 inches in length.

That officer was pretty poorly informed and his ass is going to get chewed on by his supervisor or a judge for having such a piss poor understanding of the rules he's supposed to enforce. If there was any justice in the world, he'd get fired for being so ignorant of his own organization's rules.

If he got fired would he still collect his pension???
So lame.

The idea that any of our Wardens don't know that rule and are as incompetent as you is just plain silly..

And I can prove it isn't true because you won't post the name of this officer that you didn't talk to on this subject... just like with your Purdy creek fiasco. Just a fukin lying ginger kook.

Perhaps they will have an upcoming episode in the TV series where the warden or their superior is wrong??

Would it be fiction?

You guys need to go someplace, and out-negative each other,
fb

National Park updated their rules as of 12-14
Queets River:
• Selective gear rules in effect: the use of artificial lure with a barbless point hook only, bait is prohibited.

Salmon River:
• Selective gear rules in effect: the use of artificial lure with a barbless point hook only, bait is prohibited.

I don't think that will be an issue and honestly it gets a ton of pressure already. It's a funny river where most fish blast through to the mid to upper watershed with no access unless you're beyond expert on the oars or don't mind getting wet in a raft. If you get some high water they blow right through and 98% of that upper water shed is private until you hit the closed areas.
Narly ass water for sure, beyond a pucker show.

Keith

So they called me back. While I was wrong, so was the officer. They had more than a couple calls for clarification after people interacted with officers. The officers have since been corrected.

I was wrong. No big deal. So was the officer. I find when new rules are adopted there is confusion.

I asked about the pontoon thing. You can’t be “in your boat” which includes standing with your feet on gravel and the boat resting on your legs you can’t be using your boat at all. They said that you’d likely be corrected and not ticketed for it...the first time, it’s an officer discretion issue. If they think it’s giving you an unfair advantage they might ticket you.

In an email “if you are using rod holders on the boat but standing on the bank it is still considered “fishing from a floating device” as per the new regulation.

Non of that affects me usually as I’m on the bank most of the time.

Look. I asked, they told me...I was wrong and they needed to get clarification. I’m willing to admit it. Glad it’s clear now. Jeez people. I’ve had to pull out my phone or book before and correct officers. It happens. They don’t always know the rules. I’ve also been unaware of new rules and emergency changes and been graciously told to correct myself without receiving a ticket. It does get hard to keep track of every single rule and regulation and the entire language of the pamphlet.

Yeahhhh....it's gonna be alright child...yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhh

While the tears is runnin down your cheeks you wonder how you gonna catch a steelhead when ya can't read...Ooooh child things are gonna get brighter(chrome)

Go ahead. Ticket me. When you're standing on the bottom and your craft is floating behind you, you aren't fishing from a floating device, you're standing on the bottom. The way the reg is written says you can do it and I don't give a flying fvck if they say you can't.

I don't have or use a pontoon any more, but when I did, we fished the Wyoochee above the 7400 line pretty frequently. The "no fishing from a floating device" rule was in effect there years ago. We would regularly stand on bottom with the toon floating behind us, make some casts. jump back in the seat, float down a ways, and then do it again. The gamies watched this section like a hawk and dished out tickets left and right - but they wouldn't hassle you about fishing like that. The warden that checked me a couple times put it this way - "Are your feet on the bottom? Then you aren't fishing from a floating device - by definition."

Region 6 needs to get it squared away. Their job isn't to harass people or make gray out of black and white. This crap pisses me off even if it won't affect me personally.

What is going to come of these new rules? Will there be more fish next year with relaxed rules, less fish next year closed season or more rules then this season, or rules like this the rest of your life & happy about it?

Rules placed today for conservation are reflected in returns in about 4 years. The only way it affects next year is if the unkilled fish return as repeat spawners.

If I had said this 4 years ago would they have predicted the outcome we see today and if so would they have made the same rules? Seems like they should of just closed it all down instead of hoping for better ocean conditions. Even if ocean conditions are horrible fish will survive. I haven’t heard of a run collapsing because of ocean conditions. Fish know how to survive. The ocean isn’t a McDonalds.

Folks on bookface were talking about some sort of discrimination claim, that disabled folks that can't bank walk are left out in the cold, so I thought I'd share a bit of information about that.

The WDFW blog mentioned this, and gave the link to where you go to request a reasonable accommodation for your disability...i.e., if you disability keeps you from participating, go there and request a waiver from the rule so that you can fish out of a boat.

That's how the ADA works, and if they refuse to accommodate you, then you may have a claim for discrimination.

I have no idea what WDFW's plan is on this...maybe they are handing out waivers, maybe they are flat out saying no and leaving themselves vulnerable to a discrimination claim...but in any event, here's the information:

https://wdfw.medium.com/changes-to-the-coastal-steelhead-season-67131dd05ba7

"What options are available for anglers who have a physical disability that would prohibit them from fishing under these restrictions?
DFW makes every effort to provide angling opportunities for people of all abilities. Disability access concerns may be addressed via a request for reasonable accommodation. More information about this process is available on our Requests for Title VI / ADA services web page."

There's a link there to go and make an accommodation request.

If anyone who needs one tries this, I'd be very curious to hear what they have to say.

Fish on...

Todd

Also, in weird twist of fuckin stupid...a guide on bookface who wants to sue WDFW for discrimination against disabled people...I gave him free advice on how to do it, how to have a disabled person ask for a reasonable accommodation, and if it is refused, then to sue under the ADA...

He called it a liberal plot, called me "flyguy" (?), and blocked me.

Not sure if there is a lot of stupid involved (yes, there is) or maybe some day drinking?

Either way...don't be stupid like that.

Fish on...

Todd

Suddenly 1000's of fishermen develop limps.

There's an ADA access spot on the Cowlitz at Barrier Dam and another at the crack pipe at the Blue Creek trout hatchery, and I think I saw one on the Bogachiel at the hatchery confluence hole with the Calawha. The ones on the Cowlitz are not often used in the many times I've seen them, but you have to actually be bonafide disabled, and in a wheelchair to use them. Being an overweight lard azz doesn't count.