Bottom line... If we all cared about the resource with as much enthusiasm as trying keeping these spots quiet, we wouldn't have to worry so much.

Downriggin'

Downrigger, I couldn't agree with you more! Every salmon season I help the Humptulips hatchery broodstock fall chinook. I've done this for 3 or 4 years. Every year the trash gets thicker and deeper. Last year I went and purchased a couple plastic trash cans and put trash bags in them so people could toss their garbage into them. What happened? Sure enough people would rather litter the gravel bar than walk 15 feet and put it in the trash. Anyone that fishes the Humptulips for salmon knows what I am talking about. There are some people that could give a $hit less about the resources we are so lucky to have in the Pacific Northwest. We already have groups like PETA and others trying to ban sport fishing for good, we don't need to help them out by showing them how we litter the gravel bars. If everyone would do a little bit, someone wouldn't have to do it all. Next time your out on river and you see someone littering, say something to them, it's your gravel bar too.

I couldn't agree more. Fisherman are often spending so much time fighting over the scraps when if they just got on the same page and fought for better habitat and against overharvest we wouldn't get so defensive about our 'zippers'.

I would have to agree with ripthatlip, atleast on the do it yourself research. I just started fishing for steelhead last summer after i returned from college.
A number of our friends fish for steelhead but mostly the cowlitz and in boats, which i dont have. So i went about picking their brains of info. Went and bought the rod/reel combo the suggested at sportco. Then I went to the library and borders books, covered the net for info every chance i got, scanned maps, and yes read the hunting and fishing news (it sux for hard detail but it gives you a broad idea of things). I hit the water and came up empty handed many of times, I spent hours and hours trying and failing. I went everywhere exploring with my friends. We hit the nooche, skook, carbon, satsop, cowlitz, yakima, hood canal, green, etc. Slowly but surely though I tuned my tactics as i watched others and listened to the old guys when they gave information. It took months but finally I caught my first fish and the experience was very rewarding. Through our adventures my friends and I have found many spots we would call zipper, but I dont hesitate to share these spots, and heres the reason why.
The future. What if i didnt get the help I received from others and got disguraged? What would I be doing instead? Growing up in an outdoor family I've learned to respect and appreciate all that is around me through my experiences in the outdoors. So when a kid and his dad or a teenager asks you for help or info, give it to them. The preservation of our sport is way more important than your damn peace and traquility . Im 22 and with my generation there is a growing number of people who dont give a damn about our countries wildlife or the hunting/fishing freedoms we enjoy. Just remember that sharing info with the right people can preserve our future as outdoorsmen/women.

waterboy

That's not every zipperlip.

I've been reading this thread the last few days, and thought I'd chime in a bit with my two cents...

1. I do have my own spots that no one except me and a few of my friends fish, where we do very well, and I'd be very disappointed if lots of folks showed up. We don't do well because lots of fish are in the area...we do well because a few fish use it, and we're the only ones who fish it. Harvest reports will only show a dozen or so steelhead harvested per year, I can can honestly account for eight or ten of them myself, and a couple for my friends, and the other couple must be for someone I don't know who I haven't seen fishing there.

2. Harvest reports just show how many fish are harvested, or planted. What they don't show is how many yahoos fish like crazy and don't catch anything. As they say, 90% are caught by 10% of the fishers. In some spots, I'd say it's more like 95% are caught by 5%.

3. The folks who are truly willing and able to make a difference preserving our rivers and our fish are fishermen. The more conscientious fishermen, the better.

4. Educating people who already fish is probably more effective than keeping all the fishing secret...at least at getting more people involved in the political/conservation end of it.

5. Outside of my true zipperlips, I have a lot more, but they're more like individual rocks or chutes on popular rivers. You don't get those from harvest/plant reports, and you don't get those from posts on the internet. You get them from going out and fishing, especially by not standing in the footprints of the dude who was fishing that spot right in front of you.

6. There are no magic spots, magic baits, or secret numbers and reports. Experience will outfish anything else except blind luck 90% of the time.

Well, that was a bit disjointed and rambling, and probably more than just tw cents, but there it is...

Fish on...

Todd.

Todd, Phish Phreak;

Thanks for adding some sanity to this thread.

I may have nothing new to add but I'm going to throw in a few comments:


To those of you who chastise others for a "Zipper-Tude" I ask you this: Will you tell anyone and everyone all you know about anyplace you fish? If your answer is yes, I argue that you must be one of the following:

A) You are some sort of "fish prophet" who's task is to lead the masses to the fish.
B) You fish only already over-crowded and well-publicized places.
C) You don't catch enough fish to care about keeping it quite.
D) You are simply not very smart; like the kid who finds a $20 bill at the carnival only to hold it up and yell, "Who wants this?"
E) You have a low level of investment, never having actually found any places yourself, so you want to develop a "sharing" with others in the same boat so you will never have to find any yourself. Then you choose the Internet to do this, spreading the word to thousands at a fell swoop!

Which is it?

"Putting back into the resource" has absolutely nothing to do with blabbing about the few places left that don't have/don't need the pressure.


Consider the view of a well known and respected NW guide/writer/guru who's quotes and outlook seem to be highly esteemed by the majority of board members:

"How to, always; where to, never!"


Here's to keepin' it zipped!

GS

DAMN!!!
I see they listed the Nooksack!!!

Well, there goes our good run of Native Bullheads!

Next question: What will you do when there are no more ZL's? Chances are a few folks have already been there... it is only a matter of time... I would venture to say, in the next ten years your ZL will no longer be. Hell, in 10 years, will there be any Steelies left to catch?

Todd,
You made perfect sense. Thank you for your level-headed comments!

<<Cut and pasted portion>>
3. The folks who are truly willing and able to make a difference preserving our rivers and our fish are fishermen. The more conscientious fishermen, the better.

4. Educating people who already fish is probably more effective than keeping all the fishing secret...at least at getting more people involved in the political/conservation end of it.


Downriggin'

My .02 is this
I beleive that 10% of the members on the bbs are fisherman who found the Computer
the other 90% are puter geeks who wanna join the 10%

a few didn't make that list I see .........another reason why the state never see's my Catch record..............Os

Dan S. - Ain't that the truth.

Heads up folks! You ain't gunna find em on the internet.

There's spots you can't take a boat to and you can't walk to without permission. The only way to get there is by invite. Some of them have some pretty good fishin too. :p

Hey osprey, as of 2003 end of season dont they need to see your card before you can buy your 2003-4 liscense? They're doing that with hunting, i heard its the same for fishing after this seasons over.

waterboy

Do they need to have your punch card from the previous year before you can purchase a new one? Is that the truth? What about the fact that I have lost my punchcard from this year? I'm not about to buy a new punchcard for the month of March, so what happens?

ZoZo...Wow
you lost your report card too

Plunker you are so correct

just because some may find a Zipper doesn't mean they will know how to unlock it's secrets.......Os

what LegitimateHooker said...

In high school, a few drinks would have taken care of that problem

I too found a few missing from "the list".