RRR

I have had the pleasure of working with Salmo G on the Cowlitz River Projects for almost 10 years now. He truly does have a tremendous amount of knowledge about fish biology and our fisheries. I too have learned a lot from "old Salmo" (probably not near as much as he would like me to have). Over the years, we have had our differences (don't chuckle too much Salmo), but he has always been fair and has fully explained his professional opinion in ways that us laymen can usually understand.

The only one thing that I can say badly about Salmo is that he found me fishing at one of my favorite secret "honey holes" last year. I tried to hide from him, but I was too darn slow. He's got one of them damn little rubber red raffs, and he was wearing "a hat" and "sun glasses"! It was too late to hide…darn it! So be alert, watch out for that little red raff with a guy wearing sunglasses, and a tan hat that's covered with god only knows what. When you see him coming, hide as fast as you can!! If he catches you and asks how you are doing, only tell me that you only caught 3 squall fish. That usually makes him roll a little bit faster through the hole.

If I "had to pick" just one Biologist to work with, Salmo G would be the one.

Cowlitzfisherman

Is the taste of the bait worth the sting of the hook????

Was Salmo g. in hiding? Hadn't heard from him for a while.

I'm a new member and this is my first post. A little about myself. I just turned kinda old (50) in January. I've lived between Edmonds and Gold Bar most of my life. I'm now in Gold Bar. I've fished all the rivers around here since I've been 8 years old. I use my drift boat occasionaly, but I mostly bank fish. I can get out a few hours before work a couple of times a week. Anyway, I've been following the post from SirBonksalot, and I've found it quite interesting.

I didn't finish my post,I must have hit the wrong key. Anyway, like I said I found this post from Bonksalot interesting, and quite informative! I love catching steelhead, Hatchery, and Wild. I must admit 75% of the wild fish I catch are very powerful. Some Hatchery fish are very powerful and acrobatic as well. Especially summer hatchery fish. I have to admit, I love to "Bonk" fish, when it is legal to do so, But I have reservations about taking Native fish. I think most of us when we go fishing like the thought of being able to bring some meat home. Since I've become older and more seasoned, I let the Native fish go, but if someone wants to keep a legal fish I have no problem with that as well. Oh , one more thing . I know SirBonksAlot personally. He's a great guy, A little secret,He likes to stir the pot sometimes! By reading these replies, I see he has!

Big wood I think that there is no tolerance on this board for joking about killing nates and with good and valid reason. It isn't funny. Legal or not there is nowhere in the state of Washington where it os ok or anyway ethical to kill a native steelhead. I'll say it a little more strongly Anyone who bonks a native does not love the resource period!!! that act and the statment are mutually exclusive. There is no gray area here if you kill a nate you prove by your actions that you have no regard for the resource and do not deserve to fish for them. legal or not! Actions speak louder than words. Killing nates = hating the resource.

Hey big Woody, so he was stirrin the pot? I thought he was a flamer, thanks for clearin that up. Good posts, salmo. I sure hope we can come up with some creative ways of life here. To accomodate the coming masses we will surely have no more runs left. Catch and kill guys can then go and bonk at the net pens.

To Bob All 3,
I don't remember reading anywhere in SirBonks posts or replies where he talked about killing nates.As for me, When I was younger ,like 12 0r 13 I killed Nates . I don't anymore, All I said was ,I don't have a problem if someone does , if it is legal. I'm not here to judge what the fish and game allocates. If you don't like it get the rules changed.

To Chuck. I guess we would all be at the net pens, Unless of course you never caught and killed a Steelhead.

To Sirbonksalot. Jeez, these guys are brutal!!!

Big Woody

You gots to watch your back...Even when you are having some good clean BONKIN fun! You are right, I never mentioned BONKING nates, or even alluded to it. I want to BONK brats. So lets make some more brats for BONKING....Thats all.

How about some new post ideas? Something along the idea of a BONKING Armada...The boat with the most blood wins. We could even turn down some new bonking sticks on tour lathe, and hand them out to all of the entrants..... Cool huh?.... Or net pen BONKATHON!! The slime would be flying. You could easily get in the gold medal winning triple BONK. (watch out for the French judge) BONK along with your friendly Native American BONKING buddy.....(that one is sick)

To ALL

This has been a very informative thread. It is great to learn and have fun at the same time. Hope I didn't step on any toes. Stir the pot, tip it over, and run like hell...What exactly is a Flamer?

Big Woody,

Hang in there. I read your first/second posts and I don't see why you are under a mild? attack. As far as your comments about SirBonkAlot I have to admit I only read a few posts (mainly Salmo g. and cowlitzfisherman) in this thread to learn things and filtered out other stuff but hey maybe I am missing something!

SirBonksalot, My Lathe will be rollin this weekend! How about monogramed bonkers! I'll be selling them at the net pens. Buy one get one free!

Big Woody

Sounds great....Lets put lanyards on them too....That way they won't slip out of your hands when the slime gets really thick...Wouldn't want to hurt a fellow BONKER. We could even put a clip on the lanyard so it could clipped right to your vest...Easy to grab for the quick efficient riverside BONKING!!

With that BONKER hanging from your vest all of the other fisherman would see that you mean buisiness, and would be more than willing to lend a hand BONKING their fish as well. I can here the comments along the river now. " Dude, is that one of those Comemorative Armada BONKERS?" "That thing is a collectors item. Just look at all of the dried blood on that thing!!" "You must be a master BONKER. Can I be your studend of the fine art of BONKING?"

To Ultimate Feashkatcher, This is my first time on the site and I think I'm getting slammed a little. I guess I was just trying to be honest about how I felt about Steelheading. Yes I do like to take a fish once in a while. Now days I release most because I don't like to freeze fish. All Nates go back.
Thanks for the positive reply.

Big Woody,

Consider it an initiation. Its like a big Frat here. You are now baptized. May be we should baptize everyone at blue creek before joining

Salmo g,Robert allen3,Cowfisherman,Pos clerk, anymore I get exited when I see your guy's names come together on a post because I know that there will be good honest discusion,thank you.
If I was too make a follow up post it would not of much diferant than robertallen3's.I would say that we think alot alike.I would love to learn more about this whole formula used to base the escapements on?Thanks again guys.

You may have read this or not, but you might be interested in some facts. This is a link to another post.

Link To Other Post

Matt

Big Woody

You have a good point read below

Bob All 3

I have read the entire board and fail to see where SIRBONKALOT says he kills natives, His point is very simple Keep the Hatcheries working to create more brats for the how does he put it "THE BONKING" I love to fish the rivers and like to take home my fish, But I will not Keep a Native. It is not legal and not worth it... So please feel free to Bonk all the Brats you care to.... and easy up a little We all are in agreement...... NO Natives GET BONKED....... Read the words that are typed without adding any.........

By the Way Bob do you Fly Fish only?

big woody & dc He did say in his post about 3/4 the way down page 1 that he would never bonk a wild fish unless it was legal to do so .

Here's an article in the Vancouver Sun about wild/hatchery interaction. It's pretty sobering...

http://www.canada.com/vancouver/vancouversun/story.asp?id={A8F607BC-6368-410B-A421-ADE6EDD889E2}

Fish on...

Todd.

DC, The vast majority of the fishing I do is fly fishing but i do some gear fishing.
See the post above for what he said about keeping nates..
Also he mentioned wanting to put hatcheryies on most rivers. with the science that is avaliable today it is clear that planting more fish has the same effect as bonking natives. More hatchery fish = fewer wild fish any way you slice it. Also the mentality that high harvest fishereis generate is NOT something that WDFW should be propogating. I think it would be a bad thing if every river had a hole like blue creek or the meat hole on the lewis. This type of fishery breeds a type of angler that has no place of most of our northwest streams.

Todd,

This study may have some very impressive results. But first, we need to see what the protocols were. People will ask; who paid for this study? That's always a clue to the outcome! And what were the PLANNED results that are anticipated?

Don't get me wrong, but I have seen more studies arranged to get the required results than you can count! So let's not jump one way or the other, until the scientific people have had a chance to fully review all the facts before we draw any conclusions. You know, and I know, that this happens all the time when it comes to analyzing any study.

Thanks for bringing this one to our attention, now lets see where it ends up!

Cowlitzfisherman

Is the taste of the bait worth the sting of the hook????