I was sent this email today by someone who didn't want to have his name attached to it ... I think you'll all be able to figure out how I feel about it myself, but I'll post it for the gentleman:

"I would like you to maybe show this to all that have comments about catch and release.

Day in and out, every year fisherman and women argue about keeping and letting go our native fish. Ask yourself this question, where did the eggs come from to start the hatchery fish? If our native conservationists are netting the rivers 5-7 days a week, what's the escapement there. Most people don't realize nets kill both fish coming in and fish returning. A drift net stretched 2/3rds the way across the river kills more fish then I would ever have the chance too fishing 8 hours a day, 7 days a week. If it is legal, let a guy take a fish home to eat. That was the general reason most of us were taught to fish. We need to stop fighting about wild or hatchery fish, which ones to keep and let go and start banning together to get all the fish back. Any guide that has been around here for some time and the old timers can tell you that since the Natives began fishing the rivers commercially everything has disappeared. If we do not pull our heads out of our a!! and shut down this fishing in our rivers you will never see a return. It should be regulated more closely and since we pay for that fish that the Indians are netting we should have some say in how our rivers are fished. Why do most of the guides go to Alaska or Canada? They still have fish and can still make a buck or two doing what most of us wish we could be doing.

My whole point in this is why do we continue to argue among ourselves. Why are the loggers getting blamed, the farmers, private land owners, when as I write this some guy is running a net and sweeping more of our resources right from under your nose. You are too busy worrying about some guy taking a fish home to feed his family or to smoke one to send to a relative. I am really surprised in this day of lawsuits and suing each other that there is not a lawyer whole loves to fish out there not suing the federal government or bureau of Indian affairs about discrimination and unfair rights granted to certain parties. Read the treaty's of your local tribes, I have and I cannot seem to find anything about monofilament lines, spotlights, outboard motors and other such modern pieces of equipment. Wake up people, nets are killing the fish, what little we have left needs to be protected. Spend more time looking around you on the river next time and see how many beaver and muskrats you see. Oh yeah nets kill them as well. Ask the Canadian's how they feel. They still have a voice and plan on keeping it that way so they can keep fishing.

Keep your eyes open, report illegal activities and band together. Who cares if someone keeps a fish to eat or not. Its the ones who waste it, and the mismanagement we need to focus on. Ban together and we can change things. Fight between us and things will remain as our natives like them.

I get fired up when I read about idiots bashing other fishermen for wanting to keep a fish. That was the whole reason most of us were taught to fish. Maybe to be able to feed a family. These are the same idiots that shut down tackle shops and the reason guides give up.

I would prefer my name not be put out for all, as our Natives may not like my comments and I would not like to deal with that mess."

I can tell you who it is but what is the point don't we all have a right to are own feelings and are own ideas. Bob your right just my opinion, that is what makes fishing fishing and why I love this forum international,right-on???

Ask yourself THIS question:

Given the circumstances we are in now, does it make any sense to keep a wild steelhead?

Give me a good reason why someone should bonk a nate. Yes, the nets are a definite cancer, but why contribute to it.

All of us need to put our petty differences aside and get rid of the nets one way or another.

Mr. Anonymous is a bright fella, but the "who cares" aproach to sportsmen bonking nates is wrong.

Personally, i would like to see statewide CNR for wild fish and desighner hatcheries created from wild broodstock.

good fishin' all.....

Mr anonymous has an interesting view and has a right to his opinion(s). I personally think it should wild steelhead release year round. I also think that if the wild fish are in bad shape that we cannot and should not attempt to justify a c&r season targeted at wild steelhead. Even if the mortality is only 1 or 2% we cannot in good conscience justify a targeted season! If we are going to talk the talk we must also walk the walk. We must also face the fact that the tribes will continue to fish no matter what. They have a treaty that says so. We can though, influence the methods by which they pursue the fish by pushing selective harvest methods. As far as killing wild fish goes we need to quit bashing those that choose to engage in a legal activity. We don't have to like it but it is their right granted by possession of the fishing license. Educate folks on the importance of that fish to the gene pool and how to properly handle it. You will always catch more flies with honey than you will with vinegar. We must also forget trying to push certain fishing methods over others as the appropriate way to protect the fish(fly-vs-gear etc...). All this does is push folks away. Anyone that fishes steelhead or salmon for that fact impacts the resource.

Just my opinion.

Chumkiller

Perhaps the native americans should look into fish farming. Give them a small creek, that dumps directly into the ocean this way the fish they release don't eat all the feed to a major river system, and let them raise as many smolt to release as they would like and when there fish come back let them catch them as they please, they could do it for all species, steelhead, salmon, etc.

just my 2 cents
keith


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With all the talk about C&R vs. C&K, I started thinking about the epidemic of Whirling Disease that happened in Montana rivers, oftentimes, almost completely wiping out a trout river. C&R was blamed as the primary reason for spreading this disease. I am cuious, is it possible for something like this to happen to steelhead? After all, a steelhead is a rainbow trout that goes out to the ocean. Is Whirling Disease something we should be worried about here?

I've been hearing the same old retoric about native fishing for 25 years,and lawsuit after lawsuit has been found in the treaties favor.The
bolt ruling will not be over turned,it's just not in the cards,as much as I dislike it. We must learn to deal with it in other more productive ways.Like finding other ways for them to make a buck. Like fish farming or guiding,or pay them to not fish.There's plenty of blame to go around for the decline of the runs the nets are just the most obvious.Thats why we should stop back stabbin and work together for the fish!

While I would love to see the nets come out of the rivers, think about this:

-We are allowed, as sports fishermen, to use products that are a result of advanced technology (sonar, Loomis/Lamiglas rods, better hooks, plugs etc...). Don't the natives have the same right to update their products and methods as we?

-If a person is "fishing to feed his family" Why is he spending $125-150 per day (each person) to fish with a guide? (Since the statement was made by a guide, who, I assume charges the going rate).

-Rather than ***** and jump all over someone who hasn't come to appreciate the thrill of letting a fish go, why not nicely try to educate them and lead by example? The harder you push, the more they are going to plant their feet in opposition.

-The more we continue the fighting amongst ourselves, the more the animal rights people are going to negatively impact us with their lobbies and petitions. Just look at the hound hunters and trappers if you don't believe me.

-Somebody has to do something, and every little bit helps. The more fish we release, the better even if the law allows us to kill them). The more each guide can do to educate their clients in catch and release the better. Afer all, it will help to ensure their future in their profession of choice, as well as ensure a tradition we can pass along to our kids.

[This message has been edited by Huntar (edited 03-04-2001).]

A couple of issues with this.

1. When I upgrade my equipment I pay for it. The government buys it for the tribes.

2. The whole argument the Tribes are making is that they want to have the rights to follow their traditions. Well, traditionally, they didn't use nylon nets that are near indestructable and invisible to fish. Basically, they want to be able to fish as they did hundreds of years ago but only with modern technology. The fish runs can't handle it. A single gillnet boat can catch as many fish in one day as the entire tribe would catch in a year 200 years ago.

Jacob, where did you get your info on Whirling disease? Whirling was developed in trout hatcheries, absolutely nothing to do with C&R fishing.

If the escapement goals increase, For what ever reason, Does this increase the tribal quota, therefor increasing netting days?

Whirling disease is not related to C&R. Hatcheries are the biggest cause for the spread of WD.
http://www.xmission.com/~gastown/flyfishing/facts.html

"Why do most of the guides go to Alaska or Canada?"

There is no kill on wild Steelhead in BC.

"Any guide that has been around here for some time and the old timers can tell you that since the Natives began fishing the rivers commercially everything has disappeared"

As long as there is a sport kill fishery on the rivers you fish, you will NEVER remove the Indian nets from the river. You can not claim to be for the fish as you fillet a 15# wild doe. Don't confuse a true care for the fishery with a "I want more....theyre getting more fish than we are" attitude. If you want to kill fish, then don't complain when someone with a treaty right is killing along side you.

ml

Jacob
Your right on we pay for out gear

I find this kinda of weird. The native americans only want to carry out ceritain traditions like netting and hunting when ever they please.
But if they want to carry on those traditions then why not make them carry on the rest of them like living in long houses and going every where on horse back.
Letting them trade goods all the traditions they dont want to carry on because they would not be benifical to their way of life.
The indians work the system so well maybe we should start takin pointers.


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work is for people who dont know how to fish

Jacobf why do you guys keep saying the government buys our gear.They dont give me a damn thing i pay taxes every year.Why don,t you fish with a willow, stick cotton line, and asewing needle?Because it,s the 21st century and you would be stupid if you did.Plugger the answer is no or atleast not until that escapement goal is met.But when it is than yes just as your qouta increases.I pay for all my commercial gear as well as my sport gear and state sport license.

Nativepride has it right. The government doesn't buy them their fishing gear. Where'd you get information like that? Small Business Administration loans have been made to Indians for fishing or fishing related enterprizes, especially in the early years following the Boldt Decision, just like any other American can get, but no freebie.

And Treaty Indians can use modern commercial fishing gear, just as non-treaty fishermen can use modern commercial and sport fishing gear. Sheesh, I've posted that over a dozen times. Am I wasting my time by posting accurate information on this BB?

And whirling disease was first observed in northern Europe, at hatcheries in Denmark, I believe. Steelhead are susceptable to it and infected fish were sampled in Rattlesnake Creek, a tributary to the Grand Ronde River a few years ago. Haven't heard anything about it since.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.

True, but sportsman and non tribal commerical fishers have many more restrictions they have to follow. 200 years ago, if they strung a reed net across the mouth of a creek, there was a chance that larger fish could break it and get through. With nylon nets, that is now impossible. If they want to utilize the rights given to them by a treaty, they should continue to utilize the methods that were in use at the time that treaty was written.

This is a very big can of worms. I've seen the steelhead fishing spiraling down since this was put into play. As of now, I do not see a pleasant end to this fishery, the nets don't seem to be reasonably regulated. As some one whose steelhead fishing practices have evolved for the better, I hate to see these fish end up in the super market. We have to time our fishing in between the nets to hook a fish or two, lots of fishermen get only 3 to 4 fish in a year. I know there is no 50\50 split. With no real enforcement I see no end to wiping out these great fish.

You know jacobf you should read johnny cohos post titled enough bashing.Thats me all the way i dont bash anybody just react to bashing and try to explain how we in muckleshoot operate.Oh well i wont change your mind. you sound like one of them young guys all full of *iss& vinegar.I,ve been sport fishing umpteen times this year have not seen one enforcement officer.This is,nt going to help anything.I,m sorry i even posted a response.

Reed Net???LOL