Political power, yes but maybe different than you think. In our Constitution, it states that treaties are the supreme law of the land. The old unintended consequences bites us in the butt again!

True that. I sat in on a hearing last session regarding a bill to enforce the gill net buy back and ensure nets stay out of the main stem Columbia. The bill was very specific in that it made sure it did not affect tribal fisheries. The tribes still opposed it on the "slippery slope" theory and the yellow politicians tucked tail and ran. My lobbyist friend said another big issue in the legislature is that its hard to find anyone who cares about sportfishing. Between them expressing their collective guilt over historical native oppression, and the viewpoint that commercial fishing is the only way to feed the masses, us sporties are pretty much doomed.

I have had several inquiries about river conditions and as always fish. Well the river is warm to say the least. The warmest I have seen was 74.4 degrees above the Muck and it seems to like to hang out around 72 at my dock. With the summer flows it is not unusual for warm water and it appears we have a warm bubble running back and forth with the tides.

I have seen some fish showing but they are pure chrome which means they are coming right through the bay and up tidewater reaches the river. No mad dash just moving with the tides. This is somewhat different as usually you see a mix bronzed, gun metal silver and chrome fish just depends on how long the have been in fresh water. So judging by what I have seen they are not hanging out in the bay much and absolutely not in tidewater.

The Chinook numbers remaining in the non-treaty (NT) harvest share were around 271 and even with C&R that is not many fish to spare. As a preventive measure to save my computer screen from melting I am fully aware the Alaska and British Columbia will take 12,091of Grays Harbor Chinook. This leaves only 12,024 crossing the bar and 1693 remaining Chehalis Chinook impacts for both tribal and state fisheries. What a joke and this is an unfair conservation standard being placed on terminal fishers both tribal and non-tribal comes to mind. Yup it is but it is the world of fisheries harvest management that exists at the present. Bottom line choose wisely when fishing not for the state managers but for the fish.

Otherwise enjoy the summer and the start of the fall salmon seasons.

https://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/weather/10_day.cgi

Last couple of days of the month is showing some rain coming but not that much. The strange thing is that the river forecast is looking at bounce up in flows greater than you normaly see with the small amount of rain forecast. Have to wait and see but any rain now is helpful !

This is something the Port of Grays Harbor started with net pens years ago. Not our traditional fishery but a lot of folks enjoy it.



Westport Marina boat basin fishery begins
‘The boat basin fishery is the best kept secret in Washington state’

The Daily World

This week marks the start of the Westport Marina Boat Basin Recreational Coho Fishery.

This unique, familyfriendly fishing opportunity has a long history in Westport and is a favorite among anglers in the Pacific Northwest, according to a news release. To ensure a safe and fun environment for years to come, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has implemented new rules for the 2023 season.

New rules

■ Anti-snagging rule in effect, except any hook where the weight is molded directly to the hook such as twitching jigs, swim jigs, or casting jigs are not allowed.

■ Only single-point barbless hooks may be used.

■ Daily limit of six salmon; up to four may be adult salmon

■ Release Chinook

■ Night closure rule in effect In addition to the rule change, a patrol emphasis by WDFW enforcement will be in effect to combat illegal snagging and support a safe and fun environment for everyone. Anglers must also follow all WDFW regulations, along with the rules and regulations of the Westport Marina Tariff. Fishing from the banklines, piling or fences is strictly prohibited.

“The Westport Boat Basin Fishery is a unique opportunity compared to the many available fisheries in Washington. In the last few years, WDFW enforcement has been responding to increased snagging complaints and disorderly behavior. As a result, WDFW has responded by enacting the new laws … to ensure this fishery remains familyfriendly and enjoyable for all. We wish all anglers a safe, orderly, and successful trip to the Westport boat basin,” said Captain Dan Chadwick, WDFW Region 6 Enforcement.

For many, the boat basin coho fishery can be a beginning step into recreational fishing. A laidback atmosphere with no boat required, fishermen of all ages, demographics and backgrounds can enjoy the opportunity to catch their limit of salmon from the docks in the Westport Marina. Fishermen’s Boardwalk on Float 20, the Centennial Viewing Tower, and 17 public docks provide all citizens the opportunity to enjoy a working waterfront, with access from dawn to dusk.

“We are thrilled to see the public utilizing the docks for the boat basin fishery,” said Port of Grays Harbor Commission President Tom Quigg. “Public access to the waterfront has been a priority of Port of Grays Harbor Commissioners for decades. Thanks to the excellent work of WDFW and the Westport Police Department this opportunity will be around for years to come.”

Transported by WDFW, and monitored by Ocosta students and staff, the rearing of salmon in the marina has taken place since 1975 when the nets were first placed. This year, WDFW placed an additional net pen and more than 50,000 additional salmon, over and above the 100,000 historically delivered.

These new fish are “Late Coho” which means in 2026, when these salmon mature and return, they should arrive in November and December extending this unique fishery late into the year. In 2023, salmon are expected to return in early September, depending on rainfall, with peak returns over the last week of September through the first week of October.

Westport has long been dubbed the “Salmon Fishing Capital of the World.” Getting to fish for salmon is often challenging. The boat basin offers an easy access salmon fishery that is free and available to all ages.

Ramps allow handicap accessibility and having all services just a few hundred feet from where salmon are swimming by.

“The boat basin fishery is the best kept secret in Washington state. Catching a salmon from the docks and cooking it up for dinner is a special experience for visitors and locals alike. With these new rules in place and an abundance of harvestable fish, we hope to see many more people out on the docks this fall,” said Mike Coverdale of Windermere Real Estate.

Great news but. Secrets out.

8/24/2023

A couple of us drove out there, in the early years......things haven't changed, only the way individuals seem to fish in situations like the boat basin.

I remember that there were 25-30 people on a dock....not doing anything THEN, someone would yell "here they come", then it was cast, jerk, cast jerk. well you know what I'm talking about......there were no twitching jigs at that time but LOTS of double hooks and green corkies, and heavy weigh to get it down or among the fish but there were spinners, spoons being used....some fish caught legal but many not!!!

Oh my word......that was about 46 years ago....2 times at the boat basin, was enough for me....

The port employee who managed the marina years back used to growl about the foul hook thing, drove him nuts. Before we lost Steve as our harvest manager at a policy meeting he once remarked it is a put and take fishery why get excited! Two sides to every coin.

Way back, almost before Rivrguy, WDF had a couple of snag fisheries for hatchery coho. Expressly in the regs in limited sections of the river near the hatchery. I does make sense if you have met egg take and would rather have somebody take them home rather than go to carcass and egg sales. I have also heard that, at one time, Idaho gave surplus salmon to folks who came to the hatchery.

It may not be "fishing" but when surplus occurs what should they do? More fisheries in the mixed stock areas just aren't in the cards. Excessive surpluses is why WDF went to mass marking.

What is confusing, is locations like Hoodsport, where they will surplus in the 10's of thousands, but keep the limit at 4 fish. While not me, there are people who really want the roe. Why not up the limit to 6, like they do the coho in other places.

I remember watching some tribal members netting the Skok back when it was still open for sports fishing. In talking to them they had just filled there fourth tote and were planning on doing at least 2 more that evening. My guess was 400 fish per tote, so around 2400 chum, for that one net. Yet the state had the sports limit at 2 per day. Makes you wonder what the rational is.

Doubt there is one. On the Kenai they start at 3 for sockeye and then go to six if the run supports it. Only thing I can figure is that WDFW wants to cycle guys through. Get your limit and leave.

Back when I started the steelhead (and all gamefish, actually) limit was 2 fish brought to hand. Release them and you're done. Actually, a kelt counted as one and needed to be punched. Most wardens would let you release it and not punch it but that was the rule. Again, the idea was to cycle guys through.

But I don't see why, in a situation like Hoodsport, the limit is not much much higher.

Back when the GH Policy was being adopted several times the phrase " rowdy fisheries " and the need to insure they didn't exist was said. Take a large group of people doing anything shouting carrying on is normal. That conduct is not acceptable to many who think of sport fishing as it was 50 years ago. Then what do you want with more than one or two fish as that should be enough for anyone! The idea of smoking and canning fish for the rest of the year simply is not an acceptable thing. You see that is what commercial fisheries provide for you to purchase. The bias toward REC fishers is real.

If I remember was not there a sport/commercial license years back? I do not remember how it worked but maybe somebody else does?

Another thing that is seldom talked about is fishing just to be fishing. In one Chehalis stream a staffer asked a guy what he was fishing for? ( bit off season for everything ) The responded nothing in particular just fishing to be fishing. I think I am paraphrasing a bit but the end result was they changed the regs so folks can not fish that way. You see for WDFW it is about dead fish with an exception. They are more than happy to set a season when most of the fish are not around. Conservation is the justification I was told but then so is C&R and seldom if ever is the REC fisher the cause of the shortage of fish. Outside of nature it is always marine fisheries or terminal commercial fisheries. That is the system and how WDFW views things.

One thing that I saw in a lot of fish managers (WDG,WDF,WDFW) is that they manage for what THEY like. One manager said he would never release a steelhead, so why require it of others? Some folks, as noted, want to lay in smoked or canned fish. Others want prime springer. I always believed that your't rally be a manager unless you can argue for and implement a (appropriate) fishery or hunt that you would not participate in. But then I'm weird.

So how about this rain? Liking what I'm seeing this morning and in next week's forecast. Hopefully, we'll get enough to move some early Chinook out of the snag zone and to the hatcheries earlier this year, so those of us who just want to "go fishing" can do so come October. I can hope, right?

Old rule of thumb is no matter what a Chinook will make Schaffer Park by October 10th, always. Rain will move them out of the Chehalis or above South Elma but not above Porter in any numbers before a major brown out in the latter part of October. Tangle netting for broodstocking it was two or three a night, little rain maybe more. Brown out full blown stampede.

Satsop kinda the same but the water rise early ( or very early ) gets them into the West, Middle, & East Forks but not much farther. To early for them to spawn so they move which puts them above the fishing cut off lines but they have to stage waiting to spawn and that is a time driven thing.

I want to agree with you but a August or early Sepember rain is way different than a early October rain event. Odds are it will only draw them out of the bay into upper tidewater and lower parts of the tribs. They will slowly work their way upstream depending on timing and conditions.

Early rain depending on how much can cause Coho to do early movements way off normal which is why inriver fisheries like early rain and brown outs are best as brings them in and on the drop they slow down and stop.

Then you have a year like last year that is an outlier which frankly falls in the fish will screw you everytime! As the saying goes fish do what fish do not necessarily what we fishers would like them to do.

All makes sense. Just trying to be optimistic. I've been fishing these rivers long enough to predict the salmon migration patterns on occasion, but yeah, you never really know when they're gonna be where until they show up. I have observed that in years where we start getting some amount of rain (and the cooler temps that come with it) in late August/early September, there are usually coho staging in the lower tribs by mid-September, but to your point, we have a ways to go (with a hotter than normal forecast and bone low rivers) before we can start thinking that's going to happen.

There's a saying about hoping in one hand and doing something else in the other, but I'm hoping anyway.

Always hope and hope and hope. The NOAA river forecast shows a doubling of flows in two days then right back down to where we are now. Keeping in mind that 180 cfs and change at Porter is at record lows the jump to 360 cfs is not huge but it is a real bump. Here is the deal one it is a forecast two day event with higher elevations getting more. Just as important is how fast it comes down as 3/4 inch spread out over 48 hours is way different than drizzle with most of it in four hours. I go with you and hope for a real dumper and most of the 3/4 inch in as narrow window as possible!

I'm leaning the other way. I'd like a slow rain that is constantly absorbed in to the ground so that it is softer and ready to absorb more of the heavy rains. I want infiltration rather than runoff.

Absolutely in mid Sept butttttt nope not in August with temps above average forecast for Sept. Any soaking will be gone in a few days from this bit of rain. Now mid Sept oh please rain god be merciful and follow CM's advice!!!