Hey Parker

Can you say S-P-A-R-K-E-Y's L-A-W ???

Sorry, I just couldn't resist.

Well...it's a good step in the right direction.

Special thanks to the WDFW Commission for addressing one of the problems facing wild steelhead in this state...now we can focus on the rest of them!!

Fish on...

Todd.

This is the most biased and idiotic decision the commission has ever made.

It is resource allocation based upon political favoritism and has no basis in conservation reality. There is nothing to indicate that over harvest has caused current declines of the inland steelhead stocks. Those rivers where no harvest and in some cases no fishing is allowed have equally reflected the current steelhead cycles.

The coastal stocks have been showing a trend towards increasing numbers despite somewhat extreme harvest pressure.

They have lied and blindsided us with their public statement that the total ban on steelhead harvest would not be considered this rule cycle.

Washington and Idaho are now the only two places in the Pacific Northwest with a total prohibition on wild steelhead harvest including stocks with adult returns as much as twice that required for spawning escapement.

Thanks to the scumbags in the Wild Steelhead Coalition I will never again purchase another fishing license in this state!

I'm outa here - Plunk

Plunk,

Thanks for your clearheaded, unbiased opinion.

For the record, though, the Quillayute is the ONLY river that is on an upward trend in population size. Every other is on a downward trend, including the rest of the coastal streams that were open for wild fish retention.

Fish on...

Todd

I don't want to speak for him, but I believe his point is that even in systems that have been C&R only for several years now still have marginal runs. Obviously sportsmen are not the problem. This is just another case of sportsmen taking another step toward the cliff. It was just announced that the Green River, which hasn't had wild steelhead retention for several years (at least now when there was any in the river) is closing a month early. In several years, we probably won't be able to fish at all.

Jacob: Hey, every little bit helps. But I agree with you 100%.

sorry for editing after your post.

Jacob: All right man.

All: Now that we will be releasing wild fish, we might be able to gain some ground and point a finger at other 'groups' that don't release wild fish. Think this is possible?

Honestly, I don't think anyone would care. In the end, it's not about protecting fish, it's about the cash. This is just a means for the state to look like they're doing something major to help, that in reality will do nothing and in the meantime, they can basically turn a blind eye to the real causes of the problem. If the state was smart, they'd ban all commercial fishing and take the tribes to federal court to get them reduced. In the end, sport fishing generates more money for the economy, creates more jobs, and the state as a whole actually makes money off it, unlike tribal and commercial fisheries that have to be subsidized. The other user groups just give them more money than sportsmen do. It's that simple. The tribes are the biggest campaign contributers to the democrat party in this state. I advise everyone on this board not to vote for a single incumbant state official. On practically every issue they've let us down.

Until sportsman can band together we'll continue to get shafted. Rather than bending over and taking it "for the good of the fish", we should stand our ground and force the state to recognize and fix the real problem. In the long run that will do far more good than not letting a sportsmen keep two fish a year or taking a fish from the water for a quick photo. As long as the state knows that we'll take whatever restrictions they throw at is, nothing will change for the better.

FJ-15:
It sure gives "us" a lot more credibility when it comes to finger-pointing on our part.

To the naysayers:
Come up with any excuse you want to belittle this monumentous decision, but the fact remains that every wild steelhead that you would rather see bonked has ZERO chance of perpetuating its genetic fitness and contributing to the recovery of depressed populations statewide.

Can you show me an example where having mandatory C&R has improved a run? It hasn't worked in the Snohomish system. It's been C&R only for years and the run is declining. It hasn't worked in the Green, they just announced a month early closure. Are any runs rebounding that have mandatory C&R? Again, all this does is allow the department to turn a blind eye to the real probelm. When they close a river down a month early am I supposed to think, "Well, now that I can't fish, I have more credibility!"? With every restriction they place on us, that claim can be made and in the end, nothing is actually better. Credibility won't bring back fish runs.

Just Awsome, Absoluteley awesome !!!!!!!!!

Come on Jacob, this is a very big step in the right direction, and I for one hope it stays that way! Sure hope the membership doesn't feel as strongly over this piece of news. Lets get out of the "politics" of fishing and just let those natives proliferate on their own, without the threat of being taken home in a cooler.
And Leave the "tribal" or "Money" issue out of this, as it is, there is nothing we can do. Maybe in the future this will be addressed, but this can only be a positive step in the right direction.

Steve......Gig Harbor Puget Sound Anglers.

This kicks ass...
I think we could all benefit if we each sent an email to the commission or the WDFW Fish Program applauding the recent action.

It seems that some BB members have threatened to never buy a license in the stae..blah blah blah....I say good riddance.

stay off my river

It's not a big step in the right direction, it's just another baby step going around in a circle. It's a cop out plain and simple. Letting a handful of fish survive will not save a run. There are too many other factors being completely ignored. Like I said above, all this does is allow the state to say, "We really do care about wild steelhead, really. Look what we did to fix the problem!" You can't leave politics out because that's all this is. As the runs continue to decline, because lets face, it, this won't stop that trend, what will the next set of restrictions be? And the next after those? I don't even fish the rivers affected by this change. This ruling doesn't affect me at all personally. I just see what's really going on. The Green is a perfect example. First they went to C&R only, then they closed it mid April, then they closed it mid March now it's being closed mid February. What's next? Mid January? C&R only didn't work. Same is true for countless other systems.

Jacob, tell me how all this clamoring and complaining is going to help the situation. We have been for years trying to get this C/R in effect.
How long have you been steelheading? Do you really love the resource?
If this had gone in effect when I was just a young one , maybe we would not even be talking about this, have you ever been to a river in AK that has catch and release in effect? The runs are almost as big as salmon runs, lots of fish to play and let go. We too can enjoy this kind of thing even if you think it is too late.
Lets quit talking of the sacrifices of the green being told, we can go on about rivers in my neighborhood too, the Nisqually in fact, used to be a great steelhead river. And I don't want to hear about the tribal fisheries, like I said, we cannot do much about them. And I too, Cringe when I go over a river and see those floats and nobody else can fish. But after a few years of non catch, maybe we can sway our thinking to them.

IT IS WORTH THE TRY!

Steve

I'm not sure you can make an accurate comparison to Alaska. There are so many factors that contribue to their runs above and beyond C&R that it's not even worth mentioning. The fact that the fish don't have to migrate as far, have better habitat, less people and possible different tribal netting would all contribute imuch more to a better run. Those are all conditions we are lacking here.

All this "clamoring and complaining" as you so eloquently put it will hopefully inform people as to what is really going on and what the issues really are. Do you really believe the department who's mandate is to serve the commercial interest really cares about wild fish? The same department who didn't try to punish anyone for the mistake of the Mud Mountain Dam last year on the White River which resulted in the death of thousands of wild fish? Face it, they don't care. By accepting this, we, as sportsmen turn a blind eye to the problem. We should be telling the state that we won't accept more restrictions and they'll have to address the real problems now. Yes, this may save a hundred or so steelhead but by forcing the issue, we may be able to save thousands.

Honestly, am I the only one that sees the writing on the wall? After sportfishing is completely eliminated who will they blame and what will they do?

All I can say Jacob is Blah, Blah, Blah...I am done talking to you on this subject as all you want to do is see it one sided. I too agree with all that goverment pooh bah, but get real.

Lets all get off our butts and go to a few WDFW meetings, I have!

Steve

Over at Steelheader.net, Aunty M put up a poll about how many people do not mark fish on their punchcard when they catch. It approached 50%. Now, this is a small sample, but if it is representative of the fishing population at large - we have a huge problem of underreporting sports catch.

Jacob, you still have this bone in your teeth that sports fishermen do not impact the resource. I remember a month or so ago I posted numerous facts that proved otherwise. Reluctantly, you seemed to make a halfhearted attempt at seeing the facts. Look in the mirror man - we all are part of the problem with the resource. You clearly do not agree with blanket C & R - that's fair. But, what is your solution? If it is pointing fingers at Tribal harvest , then I'm sorry, you have little credibility with me.

I'm going fishing - I hope that I catch a wild steelhead or two that I can respectfully and lovingly put back in the river.

......"as it is, there is nothing we can do." (Steve Ng)

Now Steve.....Think about that statement! This decision proves there is always something we can do. I know you were referring to the tribes but if I remember right the WSC guys and others were saying that "we", the sports fishers, need to get our house in order before throwing stones at others. Well now atleast concerning steelhead we have what so many have asked for...Catch and Release on all wild steelhead statewide in ALL waters. As Jacob says we have been restricted and closed and regulated to the point that our house in definitely in order unless your definition of in order is total ban on fishing for steelhead.

So if I read this correctly it appears to me to be a measure taken for conservation purposes and is designed to minimize impacts on wild steelhead. So my question to all you smart guys is this: Why would this ruling not be applicable to commercial netting? I submit that there is something that we can do. We need to make an issue out of the fact that this step in the right direction needs to be followed up with steps to curtail the mortality of wild steelhead on ALL waters by any means including tribal gill nets. Down Mexico way they call it having cajones. In my opinion you cannot have a serious effort to limit mortality on a species and allow it to be indiscriminately harvested. The argument that there is just nothing we can do has to be challenged.

The Green river for example is netted and yet is closed on a emergency basis. How is this fishing "in kind". The original treaties could not forsee the Endangered Species Act or casinos or the BIA or DSHS or any of the other crap we have today.

Finally I agree with Dave..We owe Pete pat on the back for standing up for sports fishing. He works with a tough crowd.