9/24/2024

Wynoochee River, Sterling Bar is now "gated off AND Locked to all members of the public."

If you don't know where Sterling Bar is, it is called by other names, Twin Bridges and Corner Hole. The road going in is 400-500 yards South of the WDFW Offices.

If you have drift boated, or inner tubed from Black Creek launch that was the take out you used to get your boat or tubes out. It was also a great place to winter or summer fish.

Now you can still drift boat and tube but you are going to have to go to Wynoochee River mouth and go up river to the South Montesano boat launch to take out.

Mr. Sterling is/was a person that purchsed the land so that members of the public would have access to river area. Since I've lived in Grays Harbor it is unbelievable to amount of access to river water, Satsop. Humptulips, Wynoochee, North River, and the list goes on.

Yes the gravel bar and area in general, was trashed, people did the "donuts in the big parking area", trees were cut down, fires built, people sleeping over night, drinking, etc. BUT some drive thru's by WDFW or Sheriff's personnel could have helped solve/or lessen the problem.

Well just know that a local caretaker could have also helped solve the problem but Port of Grays Harbor decided that the gate and other restrictions' was the better way to go..........grrrrrrrrrr

Without a caretaker it is impossible to maintain order. This not a new thing it is people and when left unchecked the undesirable element takes over.

We dont need a caretaker, We need to start enforcing the law and holding people accountable. Hard to believe that people are doing all this cutting trees down, donuts and partying with wdfw being only a few hundred yards away. The gamies seem to be down there quite a bit during fishing season. And its the soft on crime policy that hurts everybody. This is just another product of "you get what you vote for."

Are we still allowed to walk in, or is it closed to ALL access?

i hear no access at all

So the Port of Aberdeen and enforcement did nothing about keeping the troublemakers out of Sterling but would arrest or fine a fisherman walking in. Sad.

I will differ from your thoughts. Having managed several different properties I can tell you a caretaker is almost mandatory. From theft to vandalism it is almost impossible operate without one. Friends Landing down the road is an example. I will agree that is NOT the way it should be but it is what it is.

Wouldn't need a caretaker, if the law could do their job. But they cant, so most of our stores need security guards, product gets locked up and all our parks and dnr areas will eventually need a 'sitter. While the police get in trouble for kicking out homeless and druggies who leave trash. So they rather just shut er down and hurt the law abiding sportsmen. Less hassle that way.

Here is a crazy idea that took me forever to come up with. Because this is such a complicated issue, that one of my favorite spots is probably now gone. Move the damn gate to the road and whoever closed it in the first place ("the caretaker") can open it every morning. it would at least keep the garbage people and vehicles out overnight.

I agree with Spoon. Since the Regional Office is only a few hundred yards away from the Slerling Road someone from the Regional Office could open and lock the gate each morning and night. it would keep the troublemakers out overnight.

Assuming you used Regional staff, would opening at (say) 8:30 and closing at 4:30 M-F be acceptable and as non enfarcement staff aren't there on weekends work? I like near Squaxin Park in Oly and park staff generally open the gate by our place at dawn and dusk every day so it can be done if one wished to allow some drive-in use.

Spot on. This is statewide problem. And if you have ever had your truck broken into then you know the results of our lawless state we live in. And if crime loving Bob is elected things will only get worse.

Ive never been a 'it is what it is guy.' not when they're plenty of questions to ask, ill bring a solution to the table. 'It is what it is' type of attitude is why were at where we are today. So, sorry rvrguy, its all luv. Happy Friday fellas.

If Regional staff is not available to do it, I would think that The Port of Grays harbor could find a local resident in Montesano who could open the gate early and lock it at night for a small salary (retiree?). There are ways to do it but it seems that the Port is just not interested in having it open. Maybe open from Oct.1 (start of salmon season) to the end of winter (if there is a winter steelhead season) and then close the Landing in the summer months when most of the problems are most likely to happen.

09/27/2024

Bottom line, "Sterling Bar", in a perfect world would be just what Mr. Sterling thought it could be.....truth is "its not a perfect world" and there is a element of society that just doesn't understand "no", they don't like rules that restrict what they want to do.

I live about 4 miles from this area, down the old hiway, left into the river bar. More than 50 years I've live in my present home. I've driven into this area, to launch a small jet boat, park a drift boat trailer, to just winter steelhead, and yes after summer run steelhead got planted in the Wynoochee in the late 70's, I fish the lower river 1000's of days.

When the Port took over the property they put some general rules, "no camping overnight, stay on the main roads, no fires(certain times of the year), pick up your trash when you leave. The Port did what they could do, did grade the main road in, had someone pickup trash, even put a large garbage container in the area, big signs with the rules of use for the area........still, trees got cut, fires built, party, party, drinking, big wheeled trucks, went off road and ripped up the environment.

There was no charge to use this area.....just dollars going to fix problems....so we are where we are because too many problems.....shooting, person died, so hence "gated off"......river access lost!!!!!

Hi Bill,

As always, I appreciate your communication with me about Sterling Landing and the other public access sites we manage. I wanted to let you know that the leadership at the Port appreciates the relationship we have with you and the other recreational users. We just announced Sterling Landing will re-open on September 30th for fishing. The press release is attached and linked below. We plan to re-open the gate on Monday and it will remain open until we have another major issue. We have already started working with the County on some plans to improve management of this area, and we will continue that work over this fall and winter. If you or any other users would be interested in meeting with the Port directly to talk about ideas for this site please reach out to me directly.

Have a great weekend,

-Alissa Shay

Dave,
After sending The Port an email I got a very nice email from Alissa today thanking me for my input and saying that they will reopen the landing on Monday And will remain open through the winter season. She asked me to report if I see or observe any shenanigans that I see there. I told her that I would be more than happy to do so. All other anglers should do the same. I think most of the fishermen will do the same. I have never made a mess there and pick up any garbage I see there. This the last chance to keep the area safe and clean. Otherwise it might be closed for good. Please respect the property.

9/27/2024

The wrong, locked gate has been made right, 9/30/2024 the gate will be open "for fishing"..........

Yay!! We got one right!!!

If we see BS there, who should be called? We should have a phone number