Yeah Marsha and it might make a dent until the next high tide. What I want to know is how do you fish eggs anywhere on the Skok when you are standing next to 100+ flossers and snaggers?

I cannot argue against the visceral response that Todd had. I had the same initial feelings. It is so abhorant, so blatant, the purposeful illegal actions taken by some of those with rods and reels on the Skok, that to imagine a Genesis flood sweeping away the human detritus on that river is to provide ones self with some disturbing sense of justice. Fire and flames, plague and pestilence, nothing would be too much for the poachers who haunt that river which springs from the nightmares of Thomas Hobbes.

And then I took a deep breath and sat myself down someplace cool and shaded. Turning my back on such a place won't solve anything. It would be as effective as refusing to vote, and expecting some dramatic change to occur because of it. The Skokomish is the main reason I joined the LE advisory group. It is the reason Aug 19th I'll be doing 3 hours of river clean up in the afternoon, alone if need be. My shining armor is tarnished. My sword rusted in its sheath. But if clinging to my sense of idealism makes me look the fool, so be it.

It would not take an army to return the Skok to something resembling civility. One of the smaller, more notorious holes, the one right at the bend of the Skok where it meets Purdy Creek, right upstream of the pool where most of the kings are snagged, I held that corner on a Sunday morning from 9 am until 1 pm. I invited 5, 6, maybe 7 guys to either share my bait, and quit ripping hooks through the pool of fish sitting in front of me, or if they insisted on snagging fish that they would need to move along. Only one guy even spoke to me. The rest just picked up and left. The one guy who stayed actually stuck around and fished. I'm not sure I'd be so bold again without holstering a bullet launcher. But for a morning during the better part of the run, the salmon in my pool laid quiet and almost undisturbed. And though I lost both the fish I hooked, there was still a sense of accomplishment. A sense that something desirable was possible.

Todd, If you want to see what a quarter mile of a walk will buy you on the Skok, follow along with me. I will put you out of sight of any fishers, or snaggers. You can crouch low on a tidewater channel, watching as the wakes of 3 dozen kings swims towards you. Pick up your 8 weight and shoot a quick cast ahead of them, letting the small streamer swing in front of the pack. And when you've hooked 3 or 4 kings on a fly in a late evening, maybe you'll understand. I think you already do.

I'm going to keep trying. The alternative, which is to do nothing,is to surrender another river to waste, to neglect, to a mindset that has no respect for rules or ethics, it is to surrender and give up something precious. We've surrendered enough waters. I will not surrender this one.

VHawk

Vince, any room for me and some guide friends to help with the 3 hour cleanup?

[/quote]
Yeah Marsha and it might make a dent until the next high tide. What I want to know is how do you fish eggs anywhere on the Skok when you are standing next to 100+ flossers and snaggers? [/quote]


Don't stand next to 100+ flossers. I think I've gone over this in previous posts. Maybe it's time to resurrect "Advice for the Hordes".

Call or email me about clean up. I tried making this a cooperative effort with the tribe, but I'm not getting any emails returned. I'll be doing this probably from 11am until about 2 or 3 pm. It's also a good opportunity to do some scouting, and some re education.

VHawk

I used to fish the Quil and did quite well, but that fishery is gone to hell since the Tribal Trebles haunt every hole every day. There is no longer any chance to legitamately fish any part of the river. I tried a couple of times last year, but to no avail. I left sickened and never punched a fish from that river. The dungeness was only somewhat kinder, but all around, last year was far from really productive. I have not visited the Skok, and likely will not. Todd, not all folks who fish the rivers that you abhore do so in the manner that you describe.

It just may be that I'm glad there are such places. The people who participate in the mayhem at least are not where I am.....and I like that.

Vince, increased enforcement has been noticed, if you had something to do with it, thank you. Seems like most of the foul hooked fish are being released, pretty good compliance. Saw two guys get talked to by the Federal guy, seems they each had a fish on a string, and continued to fish. Guys that fish hunters lower field seem to be trying to keep area clean, roll of trash bags on the bank, and most always one tied to a tree in plain sight. Will check my game plan for the 19th, am old and slo, but will try to help if timing works out. Post where to meet and time if you can. One thing these noisy guys should know, is that the skok kings eat pretty good for fall kings, compare favorably with the Klicitat fish. Beautiful deep red meat, and at this particulare time, very bright fish. As for all the fish with gaff hooks sticking out of them at the hatchery, know this, the native fishers use legally, some very large hooks, and when no one is looking trebles. The federal warden has slowed down the treble hook dudes, and the snaggers really have to work for there fish now. Sure would like to see a couple hundred guys and gals show up with eggs some day, would be fun. tite lines, and GO SKOK ha ha

Ok how about we all meet at 11am Sunday August 19th at the guardrail along... yup, the guardrail hole. Show up with a couple heavy duty trash bags and your waders. We'll pick up trash for a couple of hours. Fish for a couple more, and at 730pm I'll buy a round of beers at Little Creek at their new seafood bar right near the front hotel lobby, for whoever shows up.

VHawk

Vince,

Is it possible to suggest to WDFG that they do an emphasis patrol like the WSP does on sections of highway for drunk drivers and really hit and area like this hard with multiple enforcement officers?

I realize that our enforcement people are overworked and thin in numbers, but if they hit an area really hard, it might have the desired effect?

Several years ago my buddy and I were fishing Quilcene Bay for silvers and stopped to look at the Quilcene where it was open.

There were several people including fathers with kids that were snagging silvers and as I recall, summer chums. We called out to them that snagging was illegal and were ignored.

We went back to the boat ramp at the Marina and talked to a Tribal Enforcement officer to ask if he could do anyting. Unfortunately he couldn't leave as he was waiting to ticket some tribal netters who were fishing inside the closed line.

He told us that the local WDF&G officer couldn't respond because he was tied up with paper work that day with all the tickets he had written already.

I'd love to see several uniformed officers from local, state, and Federal agencies pull in to check license plates, fishing licenses, etc.. show up at one time at a scene such as the Skok or Quilcene.

Many years ago when I was in the tackle manufacturing business, my partner and I did a lot of seminars for tackle shops and at sport shows.

I happened to earn a Master Sports Fisherman patch from the State for a short time Copper Rockfish state record.

I sewed it on a short sleeve forest green shirt as a shoulder patch. We frequently would go out and catch some display fish before a clinic or show and I became aware that a lot of fishermen at the ramp suddenly drifted away as I approached.

I re-sewed the patch onto a red flannel shirt shortly after that so I wouldn't be confused as an officer.

The point is if several uniformed officers made their presence, I'd bet that a large percentage of the crowd would drift away.

It might be more effective than writing citations and tying our field personnel up in court.

Note; I have seen four UNIFORMED fishery officers in the last two days, including one tribal. I am sure that i was likley fishing along side of several others, sneaky these guys are, and i like it. Vince, i can not make it on a sunday, would like to help.

If you'd like to help then send an email to enforcement thanking them for the increased patrols on the Skok.

I'll be fishing everyday from tomorrow until Sunday night. If you see me say hello.

Vince

Vince, i will be fishing tomorrow after 2 pm, at the hole at hunters back field, or perhaps the cedar hole. Look for the old fart with the floppy hat. I will send email to fish & game.

Yep-Right on schedule!! Almost hunting season

Nice tirade, TRip!

Guess Superfly, Fishhead5, Supcoop and I won't see you down there tomorrow. Bummer.

Oh well, I always new I was not a legit fisherman.

PS. It always amazes me to see the crowds part when Superfly shows up. He's loud, he's rude, he speaks his mind, and he's BIG and looks intimidating. Good combination to fish next too!

I love to sit in a diner and listen to him go off and watch the faces on all the people in the restaurant. I love the guy. He's all balls and no conscience and if you don't like hime he could give a flying fuc%. He's also the only friend I've got that would back me to death in a bar fight.

Funny,
I saw Superfly Saturday the 11th on the Skok.....
He was none of the above comments...........
Meds must have kicked in?

I was just razzin' on a Joe a bit.

Now, that Fishhead5 guy - there's an out-of-control wildcat if I've ever seen one!

Everyone jumps all over my ass everytime I say the same thing about the more notorious snaggeries of Western Washington.

It's nice to run into people as disgusted by it as I am.

It's always: "Your a snob and a condecending jerk!" (it very well may be) or it "Dont like it, dont fish there!"
Those same snaggers-- ignorant, scumbag, realtree wearing, combat fishing-- are the same guys with the "No Sealion" stickers on thier T-gateless pickups, and are the same toothless yokels that whine and bitch about Bald Eagles eating "thier" fish.

"Thier fish?" wait a second...Even if they are planted, hatchery stock, those bums prolly havent paid a dime in taxes in a decade.

Kind of funny, I am planning to try to make it down there today. While Todd is right in some ways, with 3 little kids and being self employed, it is nice to be able to run down to a place in an hour and actually know there will be fish. I have only had one full day to go fishing this year, the rest are half days or less. If I had a full day or two, I know a spot I could go and probably hook 20 steelhead. Or, I would run to Neah Bay and hook that many or more salmon on a fly. But since I need to work this morning I will try to be on the Skok at 1:00 and home by 6:30 to take the kids out. And this time I am bring a cheap 8 weight and am going to see what happens. Hope to see some of you.

Get your tetanus shots, swing by the Circle-K and pick up a twelver of Schlitz Ice tall boys, put your bag of 3/0 VMC hooks, black yarn, and cannon balls in a plastic grocery sack tackle box, and hit the river.

Even if it's 75 degrees out, wear neoprenes.

If you decide to buck the 75% of the crowd wearing neoprenes in the middle of the f'n summer, join the other 25% and wear cutoff sweats and flipflops...but be especially careful to not step in the piles of man-chit behind every bush.

Boy, this is starting to sound fun...mebbe I'll knock out my two front teeth and join you guys down there.

Fish on...

Todd

Why do it the hard way? Buy an ounce or two of Bathtub Crank and stay awake for two months straight living off Mountain Dew and Doritos. They'll fall right out of your head.
You'll fit right in.