I would like some ideas on how you fish-catching guru's advocate keeping your wild steelhead in the water. I'm not interested in the least challenging landings, but rather the most challenging scenarios. Give me some ideas, because I see as much doom and gloom as good side to this latest issue.

A person fishing the steep side of a river bend, they catch a wild steelhead, risk their life trying to land it without an net, fall in the river, and they get swept away in the current never to be seen again. But then again this is why you don't fish these areas but some stupid people still do.

Either dont fish those areas or like I have done or would do cutt your line. The fish will do just fine with the hook in its mouth and you didnt risk your life getting the hook out.

Another tip is to use barbless hooks much easier to get out in a hurry or under bad situations.

F5A,

I fish good lies that have poor or impossible options for landing fish whenever I can. I'd rather hook a steelhead with no chance whatever of landing it than not hooking it at all. I usually use barbless hooks, and my policy is usually to pull hard, the rest is easy. Either the hook pulls free, straightens, or the leader breaks. And sometimes it goes better than I thought. Standing almost chest deep with no bank nearby, I've managed to bring a steelhead to hand and get my hand on the fly and remove it without actually handling the steelhead. I don't count on that happening however.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.

Well, FJ15, I guess I'm one of those "stupid people" then, as I fish the short side of holes many times, catching those fish that guys fishing the "right" side can't reach because of depth and water speed.

I guess I could use a wool glove or a cable-tailer.....just kidding, but you can bet you're going to see more of that kind of thing.

Salmo G and Rich....I use barbless hooks almost exclusively. I don't mind cutting my line. I use the cheapest of gear, so that's not a problem. If I'm close enough to snip my line though, I'm most likely close enough to just unhook the fish. (You know guys with $3 spoons or spinners aren't going to be cutting any line.)

I think maybe my only option is to use an unhooking tool....man, I can see the "high sticking" rods breaking now.. Geez, guys, this "keep 'em in the water" rule really is not a good one, in my opinion. One-man drift boats are going to be in a tough spot too. Oh well, maybe someone will reconsider....thanks for the responses.

I've had times when I couldn't get control of a fish to unhook it alone. Options I've used are:
A. letting the line go slack so the barbless hook comes loose.
B. pointing the rod at the fish and giving a yank to break the leader.

I will do as I have always done.

First I will try to simply reach down with a pair of pliers and pop the hook free.

If that is not possible I will row to calmer water to do as stated above.

If that is not possible I will use my catch and release net to help release the fish safely.

P.S. Barbless hooks always help

That law is gay. So I would just do as Ive always done. If the fish ends up out of the water.....Oh well it happened. If someone says something to me about it I will tell them to go pound sand up an orifice

Willierower,

". . . is gay." ??? If you're fishing in WA and the person who says something to you about it is a WDFW agent, your comment is going to cost you close to $150.

Now, that would be entertaining to see.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.

Im for the c-r of all wild steelhead but if I hook and land a trophy fish Im gettin a picture of it. The fish and game needs to target the real a- holes like poachers!
Chrome

It would be entertaining to see the look on the agents face if I said that to one . You should have seen the look on an OSP officers face when I told him to get a warrant if he wanted to look in my boat, Now that was a funny. Oh yeah I wouldnt be too worried about actually seeing a WDFW agent in the field. They are kinda like Bigfoot. People say they exist in the field but I have yet to see one!!!!

You will find that most guys feel the way I do about that law. Im not saying its ok to net a fish and let it flop in the bottom of the boat before throwing back in. But give me a break! There is nothing wrong with holding a fish up for a quick picture then letting it swim off on its own.

Its about time WA went wild steelhead release state wide. Now just get the nets out of the rivers and you guys might actually be on the road to recovery................... That law is meaningless until the nets and the rampant poaching problems are gone.....

I kinda have to agree with Willie on this one.

I can count the number of times, on one hand, I've been stopped and/or checked by a WDFW enforcement office while in the field. Of those, I've never been checked while fighting, or just releasing a fish.

I like those odds.

Sparkey's Law is just poorly thought out, and not enforceable with our current (or lack of) method of enforcement.

I think there should be a Parker's Law: State Wide Single Barbless, No Bait.

Good luck not "handling" any wild fish when that Owner Cutting Point trebble hook, either on your wrapped K-15, or your Tadpolly, just demolishes the face of that wild fish. Yeah, like tweaking it's face with a pair of pliars, while trashing around in the net (but in the water), is doing any good to the fish.

I think this law needs to be amended to "not bringing the fish in the boat"....
I use a 3ft dowel with a hook in the end out in the salt, this works great for the rivers as well. In most of the rivers I fish, it's easy to net the fish (with the proper CnR Net), get to a shallow bank, get out and release the fish. If possible grabbing a photo wouldn't hurt. Single or Siwash barbless hooks are the way to go...

Kev

Parker,

I think "Parker's law" will be on its way in some sort of form with some type of date alowing bait and barbs when large numbers of hatchery fish are around.

I agree that "Sparkeys law" sucks but I do support it as people dont deserve the right to mistreat wild fish. We will see how enforceable it is. Going to be an interesting one on the plunking bars of the Quileute and Hoh ,as will WSR.

You know what, guys? I feel better about this law. I still think it is nuts to put anyone in a predicament by prescribing parameters like "but don't take the fish out of the water".

Anyway, like it or not, I know a way around this thing. It is not illegal to release hatchery fish, right? Well, that one was a hatchery fish......I release them all the time......Honest!
Parker....I do like your style!

Maybe I should buy a lottery ticket....

I've managed to get checked three seasons running in Grays Harbor... each time the patrol boat started closing in just as a fish was being landed. During the no king retention in 2003, the officer was bemoaning all the abuses he had witnessed all day long, but was powerless to do anything about.


I have taken lots of "hero shots" of salmon destined for release:


but that's coming to an abrupt end next season.... just not worth the $150 for a photo. Next year they're all gonna look like this:


Unless of course I get one as big as FishNg1's ....

then I'm jumping out of the boat to cradle it in the water before letting it go. Just have to make sure I have an extra change of dry clothes aboard, you know, just in case. :p

Actually Parker, I approached an employee of the WDFW about 2 1/2 years ago at one of those regulation proposal hearings and asked about the validity of a statewide single barbless hook regulation in rivers, streams etc.

His response was more or less "Don't even think about it...It'll never happen" so with that wonderful encourgement, I never sent in the proposal.

This year however, I proposed a single-barbless hook regulation and bait ban for the Sky during the summer-season to protect juvenille salmonids which are so very important to our future stocks. It was shot down.

Oh well...I will keep trying. Hmmmm...I can not help but wonder what Sparkey's Bill of 2006 will be?? Maybe if some of us can still not keep from putting hero shots before the fish, I should propose a camera ban. No fisherman may possess a camera within a 100 yards of a river that harbors wild steelhead.

One more thing...

fNp-
That second photo is great, a very well taken photo.

And for all those that may think I am in someway anti-camera/photo, I love a great photograph as much as the next guy.

I fought tooth and nail for this law not because I am in someway against pictures of fish, but because so many out there can not handle the responsibility that is put into their hands when they need to handle wild steelhead.

It is still possible to take a quality photo as I have proven in earlier posts while ensuring that cetain irresponsible anglers must keep their fish in the water.

Plus the regulation that was passed was a much more widspread version of the regulation that I proposed and fought for. It could very well be one of the most progessive and enlightened regulations regarding fish handling in the Country...which I find to be very encouraging considering it came from the WDFW Fish & Wildlife Commission.

LOL!
And your gonna get photo proof of all those law breakers to boot!

Sparkey-
Hate to break it to ya but this is not a new idea. This rule has been in effect on some of the rivers in AK like the Nushagak where I worked for a few years now. It is sad that it has to come down to this though. I wonder how many people will actually abide by it? I know..........just being honest.........but if I catch my first 20 pound steelhead I'll probably be an outlaw and lift it out of the water for a quick photo if no one else is around. I know I will probably catch much flack for saying it but I am only voicing what most people in that situation would do. I am very careful with the fish that I catch and expect everybody else to do the same but if somebody lifts a fish out of the water.......as long as it is still over the water..........I am not going to fault them for it if they are being careful. I know that you can get some decent shots of the fish when they are in the water but.......... Well let the flaming begin.
Tim

Fishnphysician's avatar photo is a good example of how a fish can be in the water and still provide a quality photo.

FYI, Alaska beat Washington to the punch on this one by several years, Sparkey. Although it is not a statewide regulation, the law prohibiting the removal of fish from the water applies to steelhead and king salmon that will be released. This rule has been instituted basically anywhere "the masses" fish.

While I don't think it hurts to pull a fish out of the water for a few seconds (notice the water is still dripping from the fish in the first pic) for a photo, it's pretty tough to regulate "best handling practices" beyond what can be practically enforced. There are just too many variations of what some guys think a fish can withstand.

"No fish out of water" is the most enforceable rule to get around all the potential abuses... basically the least common denominator of the various methods. Will there still be abuses? You betcha! Like the disgusting t.i.c. photo posted last month showing the vertically hanging gill-grab with just the tip of the tail touching the water. I suppose some guys will actually emulate that "release method" out of spite, declaring it to be completely legal.

In Alaska, I believe the wording in the regs goes something like "may not be removed from the water and must be released unharmed.

Everyone of you knows what the intent of "Sparkey's Law" was meant to be in spirit. He put the best interests of the fish before hyperinflated egoes. I commend him for pushing it through. Now it's up to each of us to put it into practice the best that we can.

So is a steelhead thrashing around in the shallow(silty) water next to the beach better than playing one until on its side? This rule is going to kill more fish than save them. I can see it now, everyone will be playing fish until near death so it is easier to keep them in the water. The feather flickers who lobbied this rule have that technique down to a science. This rule sucks

Now let's try that with a PFD and rain gear in some choppy water fishing alone......or shall we add to the reg......"no one shall fish alone"?

Sigh ...

We can all think of situations where following the law becomes dangerous:

I'm merging onto the highway in front of a convoy of tractor-trailers. My choices are to exceed the speed limit, or slam on my brakes and potentially lose control. So, are speed limits stupid or "gay?"

I'm running out of the Everett jetty at no-wake speed, when I notice water coming into the boat because the drain plug fell out. My choices are to idle back to the ramp and hope my bilge pump keeps up, or put the boat on plane and high-tail it back to the ramp. So, is the no-wake rule stupid or "gay?"

Each of us has to make a personal decision in cases like this. You take responsibility for the decision, and you accept the consequences. I think that 90% of the time, following the new fish-out-of-water rule is easy and safe, except you don't get to display your fish. When I took a charter out of Sitka last year, the crew released maybe 100 fish while they stayed in the water, and there was never a point where it became dangerous, even though we were in 3-4' seas. Maybe we all have to take the time to learn to do this better, but that's the cost of living in a regulated society.

Not meaning to denegrate anyone, just trying to point out that you can still use your judgment, and choose to break the law when complying with it is too dangerous for your particular situation. That's different than just rejecting it completely because it MIGHT be dangerous in SOME circumstances.

Also a good example of a calm day on the water.... wouldn't be the same photo the other 95% of the time when the waters rough. I also like how far over the side he is hanging, another no no where I fish! (a pfd would be a good idea) The rule is stupid and unenforcable... Its funny how the rules are tighter for caring for fish than they are for children! What a messed up world we live in.

You know FnP's avatar wouldn't be nearly as impressive if it weren't such a gall darn big fish... You hold a 10#er half under water and photo it, I bet it dont look near as coool...

Love that photo FnP...

Without looking up the regs. Does this rule apply to all fish to be released or are we talking just steelhead?

One quick clarification...

I do know that certain states such as Alaska have had in effect fish handling rules along the lines of what was passed on Friday. But, those regulations are what and species specific.

I labeled it one of the most progressive and enlightened regulations in the country because it covers all salmon/steelhead that are going to be released in rivers, lakes, streams and Puget Sound.

> When releasing steelhead or salmon that cannot be retained under state
law,
> anglers will have to follow new handling procedures approved today by the
> commission. Measures adopted by the commission prohibit completely
removing
> salmon or steelhead caught in lakes or streams from the water or pulling
> them into a boat in Puget Sound prior to release.

Does the law really say "that cannot be retained" that makes my hero shots of chum in the canal legal, because I can retain them if I wish.

Different subject Aunty,
Yes, trebles are the tools of snaggers so eliminate them in snagger prone areas. Dont just eliminate them period. Fishing the estuaries of the canal it is not uncommon to only have a couple of bites during a day. I want every chance I can get to make that hookup stick. I have fished side by side with siwash, trebles do hook up more often than the siwash.

Just because it is a treble doesn't mean it has to snag!

Sparkey,

I propose that you post your ideas for new regulations here on this forum or other sites prior to submission, if only to gain perspective from other fishermen and women on how that new rule might affect them.

In the end your reg. proposal would be more viable and because you will have feedback from a large sampling of the anglers affected by the change.

I applaud your efforts, but use the power of the internet little brutha!

I'm sorry - but this new law is taking a club to the problem of fish mortality during the catch and release process.

I can't believe that lifting a fish out of the water for 10 seconds to take a photo is a significant killer (statistically) of salmon and steelhead - when compared to all the other ways they are killed by fishermen, predators, water conditions, habitat conditions, dams, etc., etc..

And....while well intentioned, some anglers are going to kill more fish trying to release them in the water than they do lifting them out of the water.

Your intentions were good Sparkey - but I really believe the end result is a bad one for anglers and a fairly non-significant one for the fish populations we all want to recover.

Just my 2 cents worth -

JK

I don't agree with the "sparky law" either but some people might say that holding a nice wild fish out of the water like in your avatar is mistreating a willd steelhead even if is not against the law

Excellent post Doc,

It really is not that difficult to remove hooks (especially barbless) in a timely manner from a fish. I fish out of a 25 ft boat that I cannot touch the water from, doesn't matter, I have a "shaker stick" that is a pool cue (big end) with a large (either 14/0 or 16/0) barbless hook attached to the end, very easy to reach down the line and basically try to pick the fish up by the hook thats in the fishes mouth, the fishes own weight drops them off the hook(s). I do this in any water conditions, if its safe enough to be out there fishing then don't biotch about it being unsafe to unhook a fish.

I did, last spring, post some of a few of my proposals on the BB. I recieved nasty emails, did not recieve much postive (as in helpful) response etc., so I went forward with my ideas. Never once did I recieve an email that said "Good idea but maybe word it this way or include this or include that..."

PLUS, the final regulation that was passed on Friday was much more widespread that my proposal. My proposal, and you can look in the WDFW rules packet to verify it, said "Wild steelhead may not be fully removed from the water if they are to be released."

Nowhere did I propose this regulation to cover saltwater and salmon.

And, am I not correct, that indentical regulations were in effect this past summer in Marine Areas 5 & 6 for chinook?...and I do not remember hearing about anyone losing their life due to the regulation and nor do I remember ever hearing anyone on this board raising such a fit about this regulation as they have the past few days.

Plus, the saltwater regulation, from what I've read, only covers Puget Sound.

AK Kings

You need to get some digital video footage of exactly what you described. I'm sure our esteemed webmaster would gladly donate some space for you to post that clip for all of us to learn from!

unfortunately all my toys are in storage in Ak. won't be there till mid-May. Its pretty simple really, just the butt end of a pool cue that I attach a large hook to with a Turks-head knot and some epoxy, it works well as both a hook releaser or a small gaff for salmon, I gaff 75-80% of all salmon (kings included) with this "shaker stick.

Alot of guides up there adopted this technique from commercial trollers, they NEVER net salmon.

Hey AK Kings, how about shooting us some nice video of pool-cue releases while you are up there. I believe it will be very helpful to post.

Thanks