Has there been an update to the coastal regulations for the upcoming season? Just wondering if the same rules (no boat, no bait, etc) are still valid for this year.

https://wdfw.wa.gov/news/public-invited-oct-26-virtual-coastal-steelhead-town-hall

Fish on...

Todd

Thank you.

I am cringing at what's gonna happen, like I did when I got a vasectomy.
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Both to feel like a kick in the balls to be sure. Every year I lose a little more faith and a little more interest in fishing in this state..

I missed the webinar yesterday, and went to check this morning but I could not view it after the fact.

Can anyone on here confirm what was decided for this years season?

Keeping the season open on those rivers to "kill hatchery fish"....

Show me one time in the last decade where anglers more than 20% of the peak average(dec) combined for feb/March out of the entire quiluyete system.
(people don't keep old scummy hatchery fish that late in the year, the catch record card data for the last 13 years illustrates that point exactly).*also where is the hatchery fish mandatory retention rule??*

And since when do hatchery fish tend to hang out in the lower river where they are allowing to fish from a boat?? They will be pounding on all the fresh wild fish coming in thru tidewater.

These regs PROVE that the secret closed door meeting last year with select Forks area guides and the Forks city attorney had a lot more influence to the point of exploitation than we had hoped.

Facking shame to all those involved in setting this season. May the history books call you out for who and what you are.

What was announced then?

Fish on...

Todd

11/30/2021

Sorry you missed the 5 - 6 meeting feed by "cutthroat man" and the new WDFW top man.

Who knew that the meeting was only going to be a hour?????

Who had any idea that the coast was going to "pretty much shut down December 1 - April 30, 2022?

Who knew that "handicapped people", were going to be left with no boat to enjoy the activity many so enjoy????

North coast got "fishing go"??? Oh, yea a few limitations but the guides have something to smile about.

Willapa river will be open, no tribal influence there.....

The list will be out but the following ARE CLOSED tomorrow December 1 - April 30, 2022......closed means NO FISHING FOR ANYONE, tribal and sports:

Humptulips
East Hoquiam
Wishkah
Wynoochee
Satsop
Chehalis.....whole river
Skookumchuck
Quinault
Queets and Clearwater

Duh December 1......been in the area since 1968.....never caught a wild fish that early.

I probably missed some closures.....but WDFW will have something out...

How's it feel???? Pay your money, license, 5 months in Grays Harbor with no river fishing....... WDFW, backup to the pay window, you haven't been earning your pay for the last 50+ years....IMO

you got that right Bill.. they have dropped the ball on this for yrs..

swing said the old WDFW guys were wild steelhead guys too. than why the hell didnt they start doing things 20-30 yrs ago.. i guess its all about $$$$$

id like a refund for my license..

While I think there are a TON of moving parts here, and no silver bullets now, or then, I will say this...

Those who fought tooth and nail to keep wild steelhead kill on the OP who are now complaining about closures, can shut right the fukck up.

Fish on...

Todd

I am correct in assuming that it is the entire chehalis system?

Top to bottom, including tributaries, by my understanding.

Fish on...

Todd

It is not right to close the Satsop Dec. 1. I have fished the river for many years and have never caught a steelhead out of there in December. A couple of steelhead in late January with the bulk of the run (both hatchery and wild) coming in February on. Now we can't even fish late coho through December. I even wrote a email to Larry Phillips expressing my thoughts. Obviously it didn't do any good. What a crime.

Did they close it for Salmon? The above only references Steelhead. Don’t see any emergency regs out yet, I guess we’ll get more clarity when they get posted.

Buddy sent me a print out of the new regs in a text. Can anyone post? Lots of questions. Who do we ask for clarifications?

The picture I posted above is it for now...nothing on the WDFW website in the emergency regulations, or on their blog.

Fish on...

Todd

Ah guys the stock of salmon most at risk is late wild Coho. Dec & Jan native late Coho have driven to the point being non viable in the Satsop and any tide water trib. That it is closed is not only appropriate but long overdo. That fish has been tangled up in the old WDG bit where they planted early Steelhead for tribal harvest but when the early Steelhead plants went away not much was left of the native early part of the Steelhead run.

So the simple answer is that the Steelhead and Late Coho are both in the crapper together and the jig is up folks, all done, finish, kaput! No more BS seasons built around trying to claim letting the runs recover. We made this mess by our actions and the willingness to accept a long draw out harvest scenarios that resulted in the decimation of the fish.

Just plain time to end it and leave the bloody fish alone.

It appears the Forks guide-set bobber crowd will be fishing, and the QIN too. . .the rest of us took it in the a$$. If rec barbless catch and release were the limiting factor (or even a factor at all) in recovering these runs Rivrguy I would agree with you, but. . . .
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