Kanektok Kid sent this picture to me yesterday of a very large bugrod caught steelie...




...yes you are doing it right! I have taught you well...

Kanektok Kid

There's no substitute for leading by example. BTW nice fat fish!

nice edit job!

That wan't an edit job. Look at the wrinkles on the jacket. They're different. I think we have a future law breaker here!

Hey I am all for this knew catch and release with wild steelhead. But keeping fish in the water is a little to far. I know there are some idiots out there that bring them in the boat, grab them by the gills then let them go. But what is a guide suppose to do when he has a 92 year old lady that has know waders, who you take for free cause she loves steelhead fishing and cant afford waders. Plus can hardly get in and out of the boat. Let me see I am suppose to hold on to the fish in the water, Cary here to shore, lay flat on my back so she can bend over far enough to get into the picture all while keeping this fish in the water. I think there needs to be an exception to this rule for guides. Pass a catch and release coarse or something. Hell BOb could even put it on. Since the state doesn't know the proper guide lines to follow for releasing fish.

FJ15

That second pic of KK's awesome steelhead is still 100% legal according to the new rules that go into effect in less than a month and a half. The fish is still "in the water" by their definition.

The thing to remember about this law is that it really doesn't affect anyone who already knows how to properly handle a fish. If you feel the new law will cramp your style, chances are you could probably learn a thing or two about handling fish.

OUCH - Since most of the pix on Bob's site (including most of the host's) dont meet the new rule, are you suggesting they dont know how to handle fish properly?



OR.... maybe the law is a little too extreme! Probably would have been received better if it just said a fish to be released needs to be held over the water at all times.

A minor modification in handling technique for photos is not going to "cramp the style" of responsible fish handlers. These guys aren't going to mind keeping one of their hands in the water to keep part of the fish in the water. That's the only thing they will have to do different to stay in compliance with the new rule. Aside from that, these guys will still use the same TLC that they always have. That's really the jist of what I was getting at in my original post. Guess I should have said "really doesn't affect them in any significant way"

And one more thing.... it's not about the law being too extreme. It's about too damn many whiners! Like I said before, good fishermen adapt their technique to changing conditions. Conditions are about to change folks.... ADAPT!

WHAT? WHO COULD THIS BE???? is it sparky with a fish out of the water????no say it isnt true

hey thats an idea just turn the fish so you cant see the fins, then I guess you could handle the fish anyway you wanted

DJ

So what have you done in order to try and help the fish?

I KNOW that Ryan would NOT try to decieve anyone about the fish so that would be enough of the innuendo. Ryan knows how to safely handle the fish and is willing to sacrifice a lifetime of hero shots to help the fish in any way he can. There are alot of people whining that can't say the same thing.

Dang doc, hope you dont get a nose bleed way up there on that soap box! I just pointed out EXACTLY what you said.... Reread it... on that soap box you implied we all need fish handling lessons... from you I presume. The problem is so many big egos acting like they have been doing this for years.... Bet you have a few pix that would get you a ticket too.

The honest to god's truth is that I could care less. I stopped steelheading with any passion a few years back. To many people, not enough rocks to stand on. What I dont like is rules that are unenforceable, therefore a waste of the paper they're printed on. How will this work? a gamey hiding in the bushes, whips out his telephoto lens, zooms in to capture the 1/2 inch gap between the water and the fish, writes a ticket, develops the film just in time to admit it as evidence to an anxiously waiting judge..... and they all live happily ever after!

JG - as I see it, disagreeing with the rule doesn't make it whining. People are allowed opinions, even here.... even if it is opposite of those held by the board's golden boys.

Thanks, but I think I can figure out how to properly handle fish without reading it in print, or without a lesson from the doc.

Lead, I actually teach a fishing class to 4-H,boy/girl scouts and any one else that would like to learn...I especially talk about respecting fish and nature. Im not whinning about any thing infact if I feel like taking a pic I well, I handled many fish with out killing them. I just think time spent teaching respect out-ways making new laws for people to follow...read the posts on what how many fish actually die from hook sets/handling and they way I figure 10 years of mishandling still kills less fish then 1 week of gill netting. lets do something about that then putting guides, cripples,kids etc that like to keep/share memories..DJ

I personally do not like this law, dont worry I wont take any pictures of fish out of the water

OK heres one that I havent thought about, so your drifting eggs for hatchery kings and you hook a fresh brite wild coho (wild coho is closed in the river your fishing) that just in an instant hes up and down the pool you fishing, it flys up stream peeling drag, you realise its a wild fish and you dont want to harm it so you thumb her down hopeing the line well break at/near the hook, she peels left under the pressure of the tight line, right up on the shore she goes, you run to her aid, you grab her and scoot her back into the water right as the game warden rounds the corner...now whats the game warden going to do....the ones I have talked to well do nothing they think its a dumb law too. but they do like the fact that they have just one more tool to hassel someone that they have judged to be troublesome or not good sportsmen......this is where I get mixed feelings I have seen the people that inspired sparky to do what he did, and dont like it either, But now we are letting/ expecting the enforcement officers to judge someones sportsmenship..Im not saying that all the wardens well abuse the power but there well be a few bad apples in every box. ..I can see someone getting the shaft over personal conflects with-in there community and wont be able to do a thing...

DJF-

The gamie I spoke to also thought it was a dumb law and tough to enforce... but what do they know

Here's something else... So your shore fishing and you hook a toad a lot like the fish that FishnPhysician is holding in his avatar image.

You play the fish for 25-40 minutes from run to run at times. As the fish becomes tired you drag him up onto the watery shoreline but being such a big fish he's thrashing everywhere, as he knows he's been beat. Then you tussle around trying to get your favorite offering out of his mouth, digging for pliers while still trying to hold the fish down doing the best you can so he won't get away.

You've landed a beast and now it's time to dig a little further for the camera as the sand and gravel he's thrashing in is pluming out his gills.. YOU BEGIN TO FEEL A BIT SORRY FOR THE FISH AS YOU CAN'T SEE HIS HEAD ANY LONGER DO TO THE SAND and smuck plumes. So you lift him out of the water and there you've done it. You've broke the ultimately stupid law of all.

You still need to snap them photos and then revive the fish. Most would say "oh no, I'd never drag a fish up into the shallows I don't want to harm the fish... But realisticly it would probably be best if you hung your gear up and did no damage at all. Perhaps that's what some of us should do.

A fish out of the water for 15-30 seconds doesn't have anymore of a impact than the story I told... I wish people would wake up and realize the direction they are taking this.

Mark my word it won't be 10 years and we will only be able to stand along the shorelines of these native only rivers and tell stories of the past, how fun it was back when you could actually make a cast and fish these waters.

You'll have to be proud to tell your kids someday, I supported many of the stupid laws that led to fishing closures and that's why you can't fish.
Keith

I find it interesting that when talking about hooking mortality, some people say that steelhead are "tougher" than we think then some people go on in threads like this kind of saying the opposite.

What is it?

Are they "tougher" than we think or are they so delicate that we can't remove them from the water for a photo?

skip skip skip

I take then that you don't have any thoughts on my question Lead Thrower??