Don't know about that. In the last couple weeks I've limited on Summer Steel, Chinook in both fresh and salt water caught trout to 12 pounds. Hell even caught a few Kokes and a ditch pickle or two. Not a Turd Slurper chaser but there's plenty of them around too. Freezer has a bunch a of local Hali, Ling, Cabazon in it from the last few week as well. Didn't have to travel far from my door step to do that. I have a lot of things to bitch about and there being a lack of fish to catch around here is not one of them.

I've been in the PNW for 15 years now. 2 things that are different here:

1) A ton of outdoor opportunities, including lots of fishing and hunting. Granted, a lot has been lost, but a lot still exists too.

2) Some of the most cynical people in the country.

Being upset and discouraged at a lot of the scraps we have to fight over right now is part and parcel of working on the fisheries and the resource...but I try to not let it affect my enjoyment when I'm out there trying to catch a few, and around here I get a chance to go out and try and catch a few pretty much as often as I want, year 'round.

Hard to complain about that part of it, that's for sure!

Fish on...

Todd

And part of the complaining is about what it could be. That, and since the mantra (and data) seem to suggest that it was better back when, we need to keep what we have and recover as much as we can of what we've lost.

"I'm mainly just jelous that Dave is out there playing ... while I have to work"

Bingo! Mr. Globetrotter living the life of Riley telling all of us working slobs we should be happier. It's just more twisting of the knife like his pics of Russia, or Chile, or wherever. I hate living through him!

As a life time Washingtonian, while I agree with Dave on the amount of things we can do and for sure the beauty of much of the State....I remember the "gooder days" also. I wouldn't move to many parts of the USA because I'm a "outdoorsie type person", and love to be on a river, or enjoying a sunrise or sunset, driving to Ocean Shores or Westport just to "see the ocean".

I really do worry about the amount of resources that will be available for my grand kids. I tend to be "not very positive" when I see the netting schedules in Region 6, and the sports community that wants to enjoy a dwindling salmon and steelhead fishery......wow, when will the "rape of the resource slow down"?????? I just don't see an end!!!

Retirement is good......just wish there was more like the "gooder days".

Thanks Hank,

When ya get here I will take you out fishing. Most of the stuff I was talking about in my original post is available right here in western WA.

We really do have an awful lot left here, and much of it is easily accessible at little cost other than gas.

The time thig is huge and I trul;y feel sorry for you who cnat find time to egt out more. I know how that goes.

I try to stay off the water on weekend. I know for many that's all the time you gewt. it was for em for more than 35 years

I realize a lot of the comments about Dave and his adventures are in jest.

What a lot of folks here on PP is that Mr. Vedder worked very hard at jobs he didn't enjoy to put food on his table and build toward retirement. Whatever he has, he earned. Dave's getting into the outdoor writing world many years ago has given him an opportunity to enjoy many of the trips he writes about here.

I have been fishing regularly with Dave a couple of times a month or more for about 20 years so know that some of these trips seem like a dream deal, but a lot of hard work goes into getting these opportunities.

Having lived in Washington for 45 years I can say things were simpler and better with few limitations on outdoor activities. I can remember when salmon fishing was basically a year-around activity and bottom fish were abundant in Puget Sound.

These things have changed, but that doesn't mean there are not many activities to enjoy. Things were gooder back then with some resources, but we need to adjust to today and enjoy it. We also need to work to improve our resources where it can be done.

If I were to seriously gripe about something, and I have, it would be the closer of many small streams and beaver ponds where in the past I spent hundred of hours catching cutthroat trout. Last year's regulation change concerning any waters connected to waters that had anadromous fish was a real blow to my fishing hopes and plans. Most of these creeks I use to fish saw very little fishing activity so were not overfished.

Come on. He began fishing with 24K gold spoons and Beluga caviar below a cultured pearl.

No joke, too many places to fish all at once.

I know a couple folks who wanna 'move outa this shithole' I tell em good, move. Or go outside for a minute, even in the rain its an awesome state, rain makes the state green so let it rain!
Couldn't imagine living anywhere else, well maybe AK or kamchatka

for sure. Too many of my friends want to go see the world, when they don't even know what's in their backyard. Sure even myself has seen some of washingtons lush resources disapear, but the continuing ones fuel my passion for the land.

I feel like I show my respect and gratitude by holding a regard for the condition of the resource too. I am greatful when I catch a fish, have a wonderful seafood dinner, or hear my friends and family tell me that I make the best smoked salmon in the world. I hold eternal gratitude for the intrinsic rewards it gives, and the variety this land has to offer. I would feel very hypocritical to blindly hold this passion without regard or the desire to know the livelyhood of what I love so much.

Now that I know these things, there is a need. Without pain, comes no change. I want that day of most pungent pain to never come, and the inevidable change it intails, to happen today. Despite how positive I am, in the end it is action that makes a difference.

If you're worried about negativity in online forums, don't be. What happens on the internet doesn't matter in real life.

I think its a great point that Dave makes, the problem is people become so focused on one species they become blinded. I have watched salmon and Steel head go down over the past 25 years bringing more disappointment with each trip. This has been a wake-up making me realize that catching a bucket full of perch, stringer full of walleye, catch and releasing 100+ small mouth a day and on and on is still fun fishing. I might add that the stress level of lake and freshwater fishing is about as low as it. No racing to be the first at the launch, paying 13+$ to just put the boat in, breathing smoke, farts and big mouths rubbing elbows at the rivers not missed. Worrying about a forgot pinched barb or punched salmon, getting crossed by another boat, Don't get me wrong love to fish salmon and steel-head but realizing that the other fishing opportunities can be a great time and relieve stress on you and the salmon stocks.

All I have to do is look out my window over MA-9 to see how fortunate all of you who live in Washington have it. Count your blessings all of you and go see what is available, there is always something!

I hear you - but guess what. I'm targeting these things now too (as are many). Count the days to even shorter ling seasons etc.

too many people, too few fish.

fun though, chasing the tail ends of seasons not quite done.

-S

Thanks for that rant Dave... I was just starting to really get depressed with being single, living in my own house alone, and having about 8 solid salmon and steelhead rivers within an hour and 3 of them within 2 min...... Thanks for encouraging words Dave. I was really stating to get bummed out

JD

Sure seems like a lot of sour grapes about a guy who:

a) managed to turn his passion into paid work.
b) still gets trips/paid even during retirement to fish and write the occasional article
c) fishes more than any three of us

So, what, exactly are you guys bitching about DAVE for? He's the one who has this figured out. You should quite bitching and start taking freakin' notes dudes.

oh sure praise Dave for exploiting all the rivers around here just so he could go off and exploit more rivers, lakes, streams, ponds and oceans all over the world for the sake of making us feel like crap annd and and stuff.

that freekinecoteroristSOB F him and little dog of his too.
What makes that bastard think he has the rite to come on here and try to make us feel better about what we do have. Fndick

While all of you are bitchin; Mr. Vedder has gone fishin; but your still bitchen while Mr. Vedder is in the kitchen cooking up his day of fishin.

It aint work that keeps you from fishin its that bitch in the kitchen that don't want to listen; that you need to go fishin.

Sorry, at midnight I turn into a rapper. Good post there Mr. Vedder and thanks for sharing all that knowledge about fishin with those who just keep on wishin that they were fishin.

Screw Dave.....bobber fisherman.....bah!
Never did like you, you bastage. Ain't startin' now, either.

Good post, you old fart!

The beatings will continue till moral improves, now quite yer bitchin!

Fishy