i looked at the WDFW emergency rule page but it isnt up yet... is it bait restriction? no scent?

just saw a post on facebook.. says selective gear rules.. means no bait and scent!!

WDFW announces 2022-2023 coastal fishing season
News release Nov 30, 2022

Contact: Region 6 - Montesano, 360-249-4628
Media contact: Mark Yuasa, 360-902-2262

River fly fishing
OLYMPIA – Fishery managers with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced today their final approach for the 2022-2023 coastal steelhead season, following another year of low coastal steelhead returns to Washington’s coast.

The upcoming season is structured similarly to last year’s fishery, particularly in the Hoh River and the Willapa Bay tributaries. Some increased opportunity, relative to last season, includes an extension of late season coho fishing in select waters in the Chehalis River through Friday, Dec. 16, and increased opportunity to fish from a boat in the Sol Duc River. The season also includes added protections in the Bogachiel River.

“With similar forecasts to recent past years, we remain committed to designing fisheries that strike a balance between conservation and the angling opportunity that we’re hearing that people want, particularly around late-season coho and fishing from a boat,” said Kelly Cunningham, WDFW fish program director.

Fishing will open on the Hoh River and Willapa Bay tributaries Dec. 1 through March 31 with selective gear rules, including single point barbless hook. Fishing from a floating device will be prohibited. There is a hatchery steelhead bag limit of two and anglers must release wild rainbow trout.

The Quillayute River System will follow similar rules as last year’s emergency regulations, aside from expanded boat fishing in the Sol Duc River. Fishing from a floating device will be allowed in the mainstem Quillayute and below Maxfield boat ramp on the Sol Duc River, below the Highway 101 bridge on the Calawah River, and downstream of the mouth of Mill Creek on the Bogachiel River which is about 3/4 mile above the Bogachiel Hatchery.

Sport fishing will close in sections of the Quinault and Queets rivers managed by WDFW, Dec. 1 through April 30 due to chronic low wild steelhead abundance and failure to reach agreement on an acceptable level of wild steelhead harvest. WDFW is still pursuing agreement with tribal co-managers through signed fishery management plans in these systems. WDFW will announce any progress toward signed management plans this fall and winter. For more information on coastal steelhead fisheries, visit the Olympic National Park news release webpage.

Portions of the Humptulips and Chehalis rivers will open Dec. 1 to Dec. 16 to provide opportunity for coho salmon fishing while supporting steelhead conservation objectives.

For more information, reference the WDFW emergency fishing rule change webpage.

Final fishing regulations followed an extensive public engagement process, which included a three-part virtual town hall series in fall 2022 and several WDFW staff updates to the Fish and Wildlife Commission.

This December, the Department is also wrapping up its Coastal Steelhead Proviso Implementation Plan. As required in the 2021-2023 legislative budget, the Legislature directed the Department to develop a plan to provide sustainable angling opportunity while protecting steelhead for each river system of Grays Harbor, Willapa Bay, and coastal Olympic Peninsula. The draft was informed with feedback from WDFW’s Ad-Hoc Coastal Steelhead Advisory Group, which met publicly throughout 2022, an online public comment portal, as well as public comments the Department received during a public comment period this November.

WDFW staff will provide a briefing on the Coastal Steelhead Proviso Implementation Plan to the Fish and Wildlife Commission during its Dec. 8-10 hybrid meeting in Clarkston. More information will be available on the Commission web page. Following the Commission briefing, the Department will submit the plan to the Legislature in December.

Pending funding from the Legislature, WDFW anticipates plan implementation will begin with the 2023-2024 coastal steelhead season.

WDFW continues to operate under its Statewide Steelhead Management Plan, which requires the Department to prioritize the sustainability of wild coastal steelhead runs by focusing on healthy levels of abundance, productivity, diversity, and distribution.

For more information about coastal steelhead management, the pre-season planning process, and recordings of prior public meetings, please visit WDFW’s website.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife works to preserve, protect, and perpetuate fish, wildlife and ecosystems while providing sustainable fish and wildlife recreational and commercial opportunities.

Individuals who need to receive this information in an alternative format, language, or who need reasonable accommodations to participate in WDFW-sponsored public meetings or other activities may contact the Title VI/ADA Compliance Coordinator by phone at 360-902-2349, TTY (711), or email (Title6@dfw.wa.gov). For more information, see https://wdfw.wa.gov/accessibility/requests-accommodation.

Top tasks
Log in to the WILD licensing website
Get razor clam information
Event Calendar
Report a violation
Submit a photo
Report a website error
About WDFW
Contact us
Regional offices
Enforcement
Fish and Wildlife Commission
Public Records Requests
Jobs at WDFW
Rule making
Stay connected

I just hope wherever the tribes commercially net or hook n line guide where recs have historically fished normal and accustomed waters, we will still get an opportunity to participate. Am I asking to much?

What I understand is that the Tribes have a right to fish while the non-Indians have a priveledge granted from the State. My suspicion is that the Tribes are more important to the State than are the recs.

I'm curious if the Quinault's will be fishing/guiding water that we usually fish. The Queets in the Park and the piece of water the state owns just below the tribal water. I know the Salmon has gotten a lot more popular over the last few years. Sure, would be fun to fish with very little competition.

I think the key to "quality fishing" or "quality experience" will require somehow limiting effort. In some instances effort is naturally limited by the distance one has to walk to fish.

My cloudy crystal ball suggests that we will be moving in two directions with fish (and game). One direction will be supported by artificial production such as hatcheries, game farms, high fences where higher densities of users will occur. Like the Cowlitz, Opening Day Lowland Lakes, and such.

The other option will be based solely on natural production. In this case, folks will need to be drawn for the high-interest/access opportunities. There may be rather open-access for such highly productive fish as sunfish but I suspect demand will outpace supply.

On the Quinault web site.

The Queets River and its tributaries (this regulation also applies to Salmon River) within the
Quinault Reservation will be open to sport fishing using hook and line methods.
This Regulation begins the winter sport regulation from December 01, to March 19, 2023
according to the following provisions.
Participation: Non-Tribal Members and Quinault Tribal Members who agree to be held to all Provisions
outlined in this Regulation and of Title 51 may participate in this fishery.
Commercial Guiding: Commercial guiding may proceed under these and other applicable Quinault
Reservation regulations.
The fishery is open to taking of the following species:
Steelhead
Cutthroat
Native Char
Perch
Steelhead
The daily bag limit is as follows:
Cutthroat 2
Native Char 4
Perch No Limit
Steelhead (by period)
December 1 to January 31 2
February 1 to March 19 1

Released Fish Handling Restriction: The fish species and/or stocks where retention is prohibited, or other
caught fish which are intended to be released shall not be totally removed from the water of the river or
stream when caught, while in the process of releasing them. The fisher shall use fish friendly procedures,
with minimal contact while keeping the fingers away from eyes or the gills of the fish. If the hook has
been swallowed the leader shall be cut.
(Page 2: Queets and Salmon River Sport Fishery Regulation - 01
2022-2023 Winter Season-Nov. 11, 2022)
Gear is restricted to the use of standard fishing poles with hook and line

They also have a net fishery 3 days a week through the whole season.
Notice there is no native fish release requirements for sports, and of course not for the nets.

What once was is likely to never be again.

Environmental circumstances and WDFW's own addiction to "doing it this way cuz that's how we've always done it" have rendered WDFW irrelevant in anadromous fish management. The treaty tribes don't need WDFW. Anglers no longer really need WDFW since it is the tribes and not WDFW that delivers us non-treaty salmon and steelhead fishing seasons. The rest of the state's citizens and the Legislature will soon figure out that it's a waste of tax dollars to fund the WDFW anadromous fish program.

It should be emphasized, that if the state believes that there is an emergency and that all fishing in the Queets must be stopped, then by that admission it should be taking the necessary means to fight the Tribal season. Remember, they are enacting an emergency season over the approved season. That means they should have data to support it. If they have the data, then they have an obligation to protect the resource by going to court. By allowing the tribe to fish, they either are acknowledging there is no emergency or that their data is suspect. Either way, they are definitely not acting in the best interest of the state.

No, but they are acting in the best interest of maintaining their tense relationship with the Quinault Tribe. Which I'm not sure why we should care about since co-management is no more than an illusion. The Tribe calls the shots; WDFW obliges. If that is not the case, then WDFW is doing nothing to dispel that conclusion.

Again, the fundamental difference between a right and a privilege.

This most likely has to do with the fact that the Quinault refuse to acknowledge a difference between wild and hatchery fish. Since there is no difference, they see no conservation issue. The state claims a difference, so the sports fisherman don't fish. If this thinking becomes the Tribes' position, and they continue to push it, then I guess we can forget about fishing anywhere there are ESA fish and a hatchery.

It is not just the QIN but Feds also. This is a short summary on how the Chehalis and Humptulips Chinook escapement goal ( the new / current one ) was created. Agree or disagree is ones choice what cannot be choice is for the comanagers counting fish two different ways. My question is just how many streams and stocks/species is this taking place ?

The reevaluation of the Grays Harbor fall Chinook spawner escapement goal occurred in 2014. Three spawner-recruit functions were considered (Shepherd, Beverton-Holt, Ricker), and the Ricker model was identified as being the most appropriate form for both the Chehalis and Humptulips datasets. Brood years 1986 to 2005 were used in the analyses. In all analyses, parent generation escapement (i.e., spawners) includes both natural- and hatchery-origin fish spawning naturally. Spawner recruitment, biological based natural spawning escapement goals were developed for Chehalis and Humptulips rivers. Based on the Ricker analysis model, a Chehalis River fall Chinook natural spawning escapement goal of 9,880 was proposed and 3,620 for the Humptulips River. A harbor-wide natural spawning escapement goal of 13,500 was proposed.

As we talk about steelhead and their future Bob Hooton has a new book (on Amazon) about the destruction of the Thompson River steelhead. Skeena's up next for the same fate.

12/04/2022

repost of Chehalis

2/04/2022

Dumb WDFW, allow fishers to fish Chehalis, for Coho, 12/01/ - 12/16/2022. So I thought like many others, a chance to fish, usual and accustom places, with use of my boat.

Portions of 11/30/2022 WDFW announces 2022-2023 coastal fishing season

"The upcoming season is structured similarly to last year's fishery, particularly in the Hoh River and the Willapa Bay tributaries. Some increased opportunity, relative to last season, includes an extension of late season coho fishing in select waters in the Chehalis River through Friday, Dec. 16, and increased opportunity to fish from a boat in the Sol Duc River. The season also includes added protections in the Bogachiel River. "

"Portions of the Humptulips and Chehalis rivers will open Dec. 1 to Dec. 16 to provide opportunity for coho salmon fishing while supporting steelhead conservation objectives".

I think upper WDFW personnel should be made to "bank fish" the Chehalis river for Coho December 1 - December 16 of ANY year and then give a written report on how many WILD steelhead they released and how many Coho they caught and where they even found fishable bank areas, to fish.

Bet, that whole WDFW 11/30/2022 letter, made for some chuckles around the coffee break sessions.

Additional comment.....Hoh River to rivers around Forks must be doing "things right"??????? Liberal rules, allowed boat fishing, in many areas.

WDFW needs to start doing from the Hoh River to the Chehalis water shed, the very same things to get "wild steelhead" back that quickly, 2 years, wow wow wow.
_________________________
"

Obvious. Nothing stopping them. Sucks balls if you ask me we can't and they can. Even in our National Park. I would anticipate never getting on the Salmon ever again w/out a tribal guide.

This management on the Q rivers is unacceptable.

We will fish again, it just looks like it may take some advocacy effort (ie. being a pain in their asses for a prolonged time) on our part. If we (rec's) don't do it, nobody will,

fb

It seems like the state is actually trying to pressure the quinault tribe to not fish on the Queets and Quinault this year, since they've said they don't have an agreement yet. But if the tribe tells them to pound sand and they're going to net, WDFW doesn't have any political backing to challenge them or do anything about it.

Why don't the local anglers organize a fish-in and get media coverage on the Salmon or Quinault this season? Fish lures without hooks like they did on the Skagit years back. If we keep quietly complying with the bogus rules that Indians can gillnet and sell commercially, while whitey can't even C&R with single barbless hooks, nothing will change.

The tribe is likely already netting and commercial fishing. It is interesting that the State did not issue regulations until almost the 1st, and the Tribe regulation is dated for the 22nd of November ( I believe it was posted later than that). Go ahead and try doing something legally. By the time anything could be done the point will be moot. Someone should file a Freedom of Information request and ask for any correspondence between the State and Tribe. Probably would need to get a court action to see anything, but it likely would be very informative, and likely profitable for who ever files.