Bob,
I'll admit I've strayed somewhat from the subject of this thread and apologize for doing so.

I do think it's important which side of game laws a person operates on. On this I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

As for preserving part of an already dead fish, a part that would be discarded anyway, into something beautiful to be admired, being a "sin" well I just don't get that. Besides, one activity is legal the other is not. Perhaps privately you can help me to understand your point of view.

In the future I will limit my posts to those that are informative in nature rather than a discussion of issues and opinions, which I thought were allowed here. I will not, however, apologize for attacking illegal activities in the field.

Best regards,
Doug

Duntze,
Thanks, I'll try to get the full text since I'd be interested in any cutthroat regulation changes as well.

Doug ... discusssion and opinion are welcome. But I believe that the tone and verbage your posts failed to represent a 'discusssion' of the issue.

Rather than spend my entire rare day off bantering back and forth about this ... I'm going to make one last comment as to my feelings on the subject before I enjoy a seldom seen chance to watch a few football games: the river had a strong enough run for an open catch and kill fishery below an imaginary line, we were fully licensed for and usually did catch members of the open species, and lastly we practiced an accepted and emplaced conservation method used for virtually all other species in the rivers.

Preston and all:
The proposed regs are on the WDFW web site, if you don't want to wait for snail mail from Olympia. www.wa.gov/wdfw/

Hey guys, excellant discussion, but neither speed limits nor game laws are "grey lines". They are black. You either obey them or break them.

"Ethical" is an individual, self-imposed limitation with no force or effect except upon those voluntarily accepting it until/unless it becomes a law. For instance, you might be interested in knowing that in Germany it is considered "unethical" (and now also illegal) to catch and release fish. Their reasoning is that causing trauma to wild creatures merely for man's sport and enjoyment is unacceptable in a civilized world, but taking the same creatures life to provide food is not. Go figure :-).



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Perhaps that's why the Europeans are constantly seen taking WAY OVER (we're talking every one they can catch) the limit of fish in some of the AK fisheries ... most commonly, the Kenai red fishery ... and also might explain why they are usually the worst in handling the fish to be released on the my "Zipperlip" ... no practice, I guess.

'Nuf said I guess, I gotta go find myself a couple more cavewomen and check the dinosaur stew ...

Saw a guy on a "Zipperlip" so worried about scratching his Islander reel and Sage rod he dragged the fish on the round rocks, unhooked it, stepped on it to keep it from flopping so he could get a tape on it, measured it then kicked it back into the water and looked at me and my bud like we thought he was "the man". Now this whole episode took probably 1.2 minutes, try holding your breath that long and get beaten in the head at the same time.
We almost beat his fat head on the rocks and kicked him into the river but polluting rivers is illegal.
These guys are from Washinton and drove a silver Dodge 4x4. You'd think they Knew better but those 1500.00 dollar setups are worth more than a Wild steelie spawning on.
A ding in your reel is not worth the killing of a 25 lb+ Summer run. They might as well of sanded the fish with a 36 grit sander before release.
Next year we will have a talk with these fellows if there methods dont improve...

Ahhh ... one of the Four Amigos (no real names here on this one, but that's their nickname) ... funny, they're part of the group that bashed my journal so hard and also bash those of us who like to fish "both rods" (gear and fly). A common comment from them ... "How'd ya do today??" followed by a response to my answer ... "Oh, but you were probably using your gear rod, huh?"

See it a lot ...

Regarding the December 10 and 11 public hearing on proposed rules on the take of wild steelhead, the meeting will be held at:
Inn at the Quay
Vancouver, Washington
It is vital that we send our comments and submit statements so that they become part of the hearing record. It takes numbers to make a difference. For instance, we had a big contingent of people speak at the Puget Sound sea-run hearings and did get "catch-and-release" in all marine waters passed.

Les Johnson

well said les. numbers of responses to this proposed rule change will truly be the key to getting this proposal to be scrapped.

there was a commission briefing on this issue yesterday in olympia. if we don't bury them in comments, this proposal will happen. the commission seems to listen to the department staff, who are pushing these rule changes.

chris