I just read an ifish.net post in the"Spring Chinook at Bonneville" thread about a sturgeon guide leaving carcasses all over the boat ramp and it made me wonder what some of your opinions are on "Angler ethics"
I'm talking about things done by bank or boat anglers that may be legal but in your mind is unethical or sportsmanlike. I was watching a news report tonight about the sea lions that follow the salmon up the Columbia river all the way to the Bonneville dam. They talked to several bank fishermen and at the end of the report they showed the netting of a native spring Chinook. The net appeared to be the standard type of net with regular mesh net material. The fish was released and swam away briskly and appeared unharmed. Should it have been netted at all?
How about buying salmon eggs that came from from tribal gill-netted fish? or using a bait-diver when the majority of fish present will be natives and there is a danger of a deeply hooked fish? Just wondering what you guys think.
Stew

[ 04-04-2001: Message edited by: Steelhead Stew ]

Hi 'Stew. I'm fading fast here and there are so many issues. You'll hear some good ones to consider I'm sure. As for the fileted out carcasses left on the boat ramp that's inconsiderate of other boaters for one thing. The other is that fish carcasses are very valuable in the river for the ecosystme's health - thus the many salmon carcass dispersion programs in Oregon and Washington. ..... Nates should not be lifted out of the water with normal nylon mesh landing nets, because it harms the skin mucous lining that can lead to fungus growth and possible death of a fish. There are special C&R nets with soft wide band mesh that are easier on the fish if you fish nates from a boat a lot. And I agree that the diver and bait rigs should be put away starting in early February to avoid deep hook mortality on nates. I'd like to see a barbless hook reg after the brat season too, in Feb. thru mid-April. Lots of things need miprovement thru education out there. Thanks bud.

RT

I don't mind to much seeing carcasses in the water simply because I think its better to see the nutients return to the system than in your local landfill. The netting of nats on the other hand probably shouldn't be done expecially if your on the bank if you can't tail it then you got problems. I've been tempeted to buy eggs from the indians but don't because it would be kinda hypocitical to criticize the indians for netting and then go and buy eggs from them.

Tight lines

Kevin

SRBC

I have a question how many of you fisherpeople. How many of you have fished in a Broodstock program?
I have and is it better to wear a fish out to the point of exhaustion or net it and tub it really fast. Either way you have to put your hands on the fish.

I personaly belive it is better to net the fish and tub it very quickly rather then tailing it because when you tail a fish you have to wear it out to the point that it almost turns belly up.
Remember that is just my Opinion
The whole point of the broodstock is to help the survival of the fish right and if you tail a fish there is more of a chance of it gettin away right. Kinda defeatin the purpose right.
just my $.02