Kum Ba Ya

I almost have to agree with the gaffing snagging rule idea.Atleast people would not interpet it as fishing.

Rich,

You don't piss me off. I appreciate your ardent advocacy of our fishery resource. However, you only harm your own credibility when you make absolute statements like ". . . all are crackers! No exceptions," when it is abundantly clear that you absolutely cannot know that. Is does sound like legitimate anglers are few and far between, as concurred by goose and Dan, but it seems clearer to me that there are at least two, and you come off appearing like a doofus that I doubt you are.


Goose,

Obviously I don't know much about the Quilcene River or the fishery except what I read here. I've never fished there. I think my record of BB posts establish that I'm very much in favor of maximizing fishing opportunity. Yet, if there is so little legitimate fishing going on at this place, I do question the overall societal benefit of perpetuating this artificial fishery, which apparently exists only because of the hatchery program. And although the summer chums are doing well in the Quilcene, treating them as was described in the opening post is completely inconsistent with recovery. Treaty Indians do take listed fish incidental to many fisheries, and while that is equally inconsistent, the practice has a higher protection (Treaty right) compared to our recreational fishing privilege. I know that most here don't like it, but that is how the law has it.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.

I have business out that way on Friday and thought I might fish the Quil for a couple hours on my way home.

Having never been there, how do I find that private property?

I don't have a problem paying the $10 if it will give me some relaxing ethical fishing time. Is there enough water for a jig and float presentation?

The societal benefit is to the town of Quilcene and neighboring businesses. Pretty important given the near 100% collapse of timber harvest in these parts. Another is that some locals use this opportunity to stock their freezers to feed their families.

For the most part the summer chums in the river have already spawned. I guess it is still a violation of ESA if someone is stupid enough to purposely target swimming cavaders. There is so many chum in the river that none of these fish are protecting their redds. SalmoG if you or some acquaintinances ever want to view firsthand what a salmon run you must see the Quil. My estimation is that 80% of this run has spawned in unfished waters or relatively unfished. The run will approach 10,000 fish. Nearly all of these will spawn in the wild as they have been doing for years. The hatchery supplementation will end after this year and everyone holds their breathe for several years. The target is a stable run of around 1000 fish. The final societal benefit is the Jamestown S'klammam tribal subsistence fishery....some people may not like it but this is food for many elderly people and those who can't fish. I'll not fault any man for choosing to feed his family, the elderly or the needy.

Gooose, I believe that the summer chum in the Quil are those from the last of 3 generations of hatchery supplements that Jim Ames has been working on to see if the run can be established at a self-sustaining level. This is the last return, from here on it it's natural production or back to the drawing board. This is why it's a bit soon for de-listing - they haven't proven that they can sustain themselves yet. And with they way they are getting treated out there, I'd be pretty concerned about that myself.