two words sum it all up: RED HERRING

Smalma,

There is no way that any organization can fully back every belief of every one of its members...if people required that, there would be no organizations.

Here on the BB's, unless specifically saying otherwise, I am speaking as "Todd", a concerned angler.

I will continue to advocate the same things here as I do as a board member of the WSC, which is necessary regulations for conservation purposes, or necessary for whatever reason...so long as it is necessary.

When the WSC looks at the new proposals, we will discuss them as a board. If I see that the particular regulation that we are talking about has a necessary goal, and that that goal is being serviced by the regulation, then I will vote to support it.

If it helps juveniles in the summer months, I'll support it while the juveniles are present. If it protects downstream kelts in March on the OP, I'll support it. If there is a conservation need to protect the returning adults, and the fishery will be open, I will support it.

If there aren't juveniles or kelts to protect in March on the OP, or some other necessary goal, conservation or otherwise, that requires the regulation, then I won't support it.

To imply that I don't care about kelts is disingenuous at best...the subject just hadn't come up in the conversation yet. Are there kelt concerns on the OP in March? If there are, then I'll reconsider...but the reconsideration will also include things like hatchery fish removal success, etc.

I apologize if I got your ire up with the "managers" comment...that was probably unfair. We both know there are a couple very angry policy guys down in Oly after the Commission essentially told them that they weren't doing a very good job protecting steelhead runs.

I'm sure you know that my respect for you and your opinons would never include you in such a category, even if it were a fair comment about the others.

Been out fishing at all lately? SRC time yet?

Fish on...

Todd

Todd –
Regarding your statement – “To imply that I don't care about kelts is disingenuous at best...”

I pointed out the situation with the kelts in response to your statements in your first post –how else was I to interpret the following statement?

”The use of bait and/or barbs has been shown to have virtually no effect on adult mortality... even in combination, are very negligible on adults.

In the summer when there are juveniles around, that's a whole different story, as bait and barbs have profound effects on them. Not in March and April, though.”

From all reports kelts are certainly are a potential concern on coastal streams in March and April (likely even earlier).

I thought I was clear I was asking questions of you and not WSC (see my second post). I did mention that the proposal was something I would expect WSC to support given their positions in the latest white paper. I try hard not confuse your or other posters with the organizations that you (they) may belong to.

It is time for Sea-runs however haven’t been out – the Skagit is way too dirty and the other streams are too warm for me to be comfortable in fishing on the fish. Hopefully things will cool off in a couple of weeks. Been out on the sound some chasing salmon.

Tight lines
S malma

Smalma,

If there indeed is a kelt issue on the OP rivers as early as February, or March, then I'm finding the regulation to be more and more necessary.

Is it the WSP that recommends selective gear fisheries during CnR fisheries? Is it only during CnR fisheries? It seems kind of odd that it was OK to use bait during harvest seasons, when there are kelts present, but not during CnR seasons at the same time of year in the same place.

This is also a bit troubling about the Sol Duc allowing the use of bait, then, too. Besides concentrating so many of the bait fishermen on that river, doesn't the Sol Duc receive the lion's share of the Quillayute wild fish? Wouldn't there be a conservation issue that should use selective fisheries there? Is there an exception because there is a salmon fishery?

Thanks for the heads up on the kelt issue, I hadn't considered it at the beginning...when I said "adults", I was referring to pre-spawn adults, hence the extremely low mortality I was talking about.

The warm weather has been a killer on some of my favorite fishing holes...no water, sluggish fish if I do find them. Been too busy to fish more than three or four times a month lately, anyway

Will you be in Oly on the 28th?

Fish on...

Todd

Todd –
As Sparky stated in his first post -
"The Sol Duc and Quillayute would be exempt from this proposal however as they have targeted salmon fisheries during this time frame".

My last paragraph in my first post referred to that issue. It has been my belief that wild fish needs should supersede access to hatchery fish – wild fish with a higher priority for protection. Of course that is not universally held!

At least during harvest seasons folks would have the option of retaining a deeply hooked fish; during a CnR season that is not an option.

I don’t a great deal about the fish distribution on the Quillayute but you may be correct about the steelhead use on the Sol Duc. I don know that some of the folks that I talk with that are familiar with the Quillayute fishery tell me that wild kelts begin showing up in the sport catch about mid-February.

Thought the meeting was in Bremerton on the 28th. Haven’t decided whether I’m going or not.

Tight line
S malma

I actually would be much more in favor of a single-barbless regulation that allowed bait if that in fact covered the Sol Duc as well.

Given what the studies have shown regarding adult steelhead, it is not bait that raises the mortality rate substantially, it is actually the use of barbed hooks.

I would comprise and ask the State to put forth a single-barbless hook regulation for the Sol Duc and leave the rest of the rivers be to get those God Damn stinger hooks of that river. They are are left in a fishes mouth because there are some that are too lazy to actually release the fish (just pop the leader)and/or there are some that are not a good enough guide so that they must fish a barbed stinger hook rig so their clients can actually catch and land a fish.

Baited, barbed hooks due a minimal amount of damage when compared to what these rigs do to the wild fish on the Sol Duc.

Oops, you're right...meeting is in Bremerton.

If you go, see ya there. If not, I'll see ya around.

Fish on...

Todd

P.S. Thanks for the additional info...do you have any idea about the distribution of wild winter runs in the Quillayute system? I'm going only on anecdotal evidence, but I'm hearing that the Sol Duc and Calawah are getting the bulk of the fish (mainly the Sol Duc), while the Dickey and the Bogey are not doing all that great. I don't have any idea how many of the fish are Quillayute spawners...