Once upon a time, didn't they have a system like that here in Washington? I seem to remember a year or two period where we had to mark whether we released or killed a native if caught.

Shark ... Anglers are queried by creel counters as to how many fish have been released on all the remaining open streams.

On the Hoh this year, they have even gone as far as asking what every single fish was hooked on and where it was hooked.

Jerry brings up a big issue here ... nearly all anglers that do harvest a fish also catch and release that day, especially those in the guide boats that put up larger numbers as a whole.

AHHH that is simple you are either meat fishing or pleasure fishing.. There is no both ways..

You keep a fish you best only have one marked...

Yes there is a hole that non law obiding sportsmen and women could certainly not mark their fish off and keep one and only mark that one.
Pick one either you want to fish for meat or for fun.. I know why I go! I feel accountable as I know I practice common sence and do not abuse the resources...

Perhaps in your eyes RS, but in the real world, this is what happens every day on these rivers.

I guess I was a little confused by your response regarding limits and continuing to fish and such: the limit is one wild fish, but with the loophole of the mythical hatchery fish that swims until March 15th in these streams, anglers can legally C&R'ing wild fish even after retaining their one wild fish.

Bob,

One Dead fish per 20 C&R fish period.. Wild Hatchery whatever One dead meat fish... 20 C&R fish. The net effect of the population is the same.

If there is a lack of enforcement to uphold the laws.. Well what can I say I surely do not see to many orgs in olympia ralley for more dollars to be spent on enforcement. I have been there The past two legistilative sessions and pushed for more $$ specificly for enforcement. I am sure if all sportsmen would ralley up and join together Olympia would listen. But as I am gathering not too many people want to be policed.. i.e. they won't police themselves either.. So we can just sit around and watch it destroy what we the law obiding sportsmen and women enjoy..

If you do one OR the other, it is (also remeber that an angler can make that 20 number much higher by fishing methods & handling).

BUT, plenty of law-abiding anglers do both on the same day ... so we've doubled their impact.

How do we address that, or do we ignore it?

With limited enforcement dollars, shouldn't we look towards real-life scenarios that make it easier?

If you don't get my meaning of this, please refer back to a bunch of the other threads that discuss this issue in more detail

No not one then the other... They count the same wild or hatchery are equal.. Catch 20 of either... Or keep one of either.. This will also cut down on the # of hatchery fish we need to spend money one. Leaving more to help the wild fish...

The point is very simple. 20 C&R fish = 1 dead fish. If you are fishing C&R you do not get the option to keep a fish It does not matter if it is hatchery or Wild.. If you are fishing Meat fishing.. You get one fish It does not matter if it is Wild or hatchery...

So Make up your mind very early when you rise to go to the river.. You going to put food on the table or are you going to catch and release.. Takes all the guess work right out of it..

Shark,

I look at it like this. WDFW says 100 fish can be "harvested" as excess. At the released fish mortality rate of let's say 5%, that allows us to fish until 2000 fish are landed under WSR regs. If the C&K regs are in effect, it allows us to fish until 100 fish are bonked.

Which scenario allows us to fish more?

Like I said, it's a no-brainer to me..........but to me, fishing is WAY more important than having a fish dinner.

If you don't see it that way, I can dig it. Maybe you can see where I'm coming from too.

If we had runs that could produce days of 20 wild steelhead per angler, then I would agree to some retention. We don't have any runs that put out like that so the idea of limiting anglers to 20 fish released or 1 kept is irrelevant.

Cupo,

Go back and re read again.. I am not talking wild only steelhead..

Dan,
I can appreciate your veiws as well. However I do not agree that the commission should regulate based on personal prefrences they need sound science as what we have does not appear to be working to well.

Shark,


I don't disagree. The problem that always comes up is the science and whether it's "good" or not.

Fisheries science is unlike many fields of study in that there seems to be an endless list of variables which aren't well understood. How these variables effect the overall health of a particular run also seems very difficult to predict.

It's kinda like weather forecasting..........difference is, when the weather man is wrong, you get rained on for a day or two. When the fisheries guys get it wrong, the repurcussions can last years.

Crafting a set of regs to protect fish while providing the most opportunity to fish is definitely a tightrope walking act.

Dan that in my mind is where the problem is.

I feel that the WDFW need to Craft a set of regs to protect fish while providing the most opportunity to harvest fish..

However as a consumptive user I and most I know are willing to accept lower limits and less table goods to allow the non consumptive sportfishers to continue to enjoy their sport. Is the same true of the C&R fisheries?