Myself and many others are pushing WDFW to not allow sleds above the west fork on the Satsop. It is ruining the river and they have no respect for the drift fisherman. I fish in a toon and it really sucks when you and a buddy are pulling plugs side by side and a sled blows thru up there in a already skinny river at full speed and slams u into your buddy or the bank. I like sleds don't get me wrong but there is a place for them and the Satsop is not one of them.!!!

Been tried before……twice that I know.

It's a county issue, meaning that they are the ones who can dictate what boats are used where….not WDFW. In both instances, the commissioners at the time showed little to no interest in changing the reg.

Persoanlly, I'll keep whack'n remote trails, fish in solitude and watch the Sop' explode from a distant hill top.

If you know that sleds are there........Queets, Hoh, West Fork of Humptulips, Green and many other rivers have your name on it......point your car in those directions....

You'll be happier........

As far as jets on thre upper Satsop,just because you are allowed to do something is not really a good reason for doing it. I don't know how many times I've heard guys on this site rag on people for keeping wild fish on rivers where you are allowed one wild fish. I agree with them, just because the state says you can do something does't mean it;s right. After all, the state is the reason our rivers are in such terrible condition for steelhead. I would rather you slow to a crawl, that is the polite and reasonable thing to do. As far as "come off plane and idle through", taking 5 minutes is a HELL of an exageration,I know you are in a REAL hurry, why should being reasonable enter into the picture? I've heard that excuse from large boat owners, just go slow enough to NOT throw out a large wake. If getting "up on plane" is so important to your enjoyment of your day go out in the bay or the ocean to get your jollies. I've seen enough smirks and laughs when they look back to see if they actually swamped us to know that it is intentional. After all You've GOT TO get where you are going ahead of anyone else. We won't fish the Satsop because of safety issues (asshats running into us on The Chehalis is bad enough!) WE will be recording all such activities for the marine patrol of the sheriff's dept. they have indicated they would LOVE to speak to these "folks" themselves. Great ammo for the county commisioners for those who want to get these oversized, destructive boats out of the upper river. WE have had "people" in 18 to 22 ft. boats come at us at full throttle on the Chehalis passing within 10 yards of us nearly swamping us, and then complain after being yelled at and flipped off, "well you are in the channel". There is NO channel, he's in a jet, the river is really wide there (just upstream from Monty bridge, deep on both sides' and we are obviously trolling..Obviously just trying to ruin someone's day.Just one of countless rude incidents, it's really a shame when locals (Elma) that attend LOTS of meetings to improve fishing on the Chehalis are bullied by clowns with too much boat and testosterone to be allowed to drive. BIG rocks would help slow them down.It will take evidence of this activity on the Satsop to get any action out of the county comm., but it CAN be done. I don't expect these kinds of folks to aggree to anything that curtails their anti-social behavior.Bob R

BoB R,

Thanks for commenting. Personally, I have no problem WHAT-SO-EVER idling next to the boats or bankies. Just keep in mind, doing so will be a lot slower and not much quieter. Have you driven jet boats not on plane in fast water? Not exactly efficient when you're not on plane. If you ever see a guy out there coming up river pointing frantically side to side, looking like an idiot, trying to ask you which way you want to be passed on, that's probably me. Big problem comes when the guy running the motor, or oars is fishing one side and someone else in the boat is fishing the other. I get pissed at my guys when they do this because its taught for other around us to know what to do. When other boats are around, EVERYONE in the boat needs to fish the same side. This is sidedrifting, anchor fishing, float fishing,etc. Plug fishing is obviously different.

The problem is and the point I was trying to make is that every situation and EVERYONE is different. AND... it varies from river to river. Some people want you to idle by and some will get pissed and wave you through frantically. A lot of older guys even want you to run over the hole. Some people want you to run past as far off the fish as possible, even if its right next to there boat. Some get pissed that you come closer to their boat. I agree completely that if you have a jet, and its clear where everyone else if fishing, stay away. But now what if you can stay farther away by running faster? ie, cutting the very very inside shallow section of a gravel bar while a boat is fishing the deeper slot? Go slow and idle over the slot? Doubtful that will go over well.

As far as being in a hurry. That's completely dependent on the person. Personally I don't think its that much of a hurry to get back to the top of the drift you just pounded. If its the break of dawn and you know there's fish in a slot, sure. That might be a hurry.

And another thing, I've seen a few posts about throwing rocks..... If you have an ETIQUETTE or RESPECT problem with what the operator of a boat did, flag them down and ask them to take it to the beach or come talk to you. Throw punches if you really feel like it, but do it like a MAN. That being said if someone is a little girl and throws rocks at my friends/family, you will have a very bad day from that point forward. If you hit someone in my boat, the cops better be on the way and you'd better start a recovery crew to pull your sunken boat out of the river. So if you're actually stupid enough to throw a rock at someone over a fish, just think about it for a second.

I saw 2MANY's post after mine and he hit it dead on. Just as anything, a few bad people ruin the image for everyone. I try to be as courteous to everyone as possible because when I beach my sled somewhere, it's nice to have friends. It's no different than seeing the drift boat, that low holed everyone racing down the river, dragging his boat over the gravel out of the the wrong channel. If he hadn't burned me before and had shown a little respect, sure I'd go help him drag his boat. Win win for everyone.

There was a group of us who tried to get sleds banned above the west fork a few years ago. We had over 500 signatures. Never turned them in.
You have no idea what lengths Ron Warren and Kurt Hughes will go to. Ron was worried that if part of the river was just for drift boats and bankies no one would fish it. Then what would happen to all the hatchery fish? They would just swim up river. We had a meeting with one of the comm and Kurt just lied to the point of insanity. It became obvious they had stock in Woolridge.
I gave up. So did the rest. So then the sleds were mad we tried and the drift boaters were mad we gave up.
I figure no one gives a F about the river, why should I? Lets just use it up like a bottle of vodka in Leaving Las Vegas.

What we do need are more folks to say whats right and whats wrong on the river. Get in their faces. Throw insults. Throw rocks. If no rocks throw pencil lead. The problem seems to be that no one wants to "annoy" the bad guys. When someone side drifts through the slot I am fishing I start with "Sorry I didn't realize you were fishing here, I didn't see you the last 2 hours". Then cast across their lines.
Bring old school back, it works.

Sorry you misunderstood me, when I said big rocks I meant big enough to rip the bottom out of his boat! If I was going to pitch anything it would be lead or hooks, not rocks or fists, but I don't go there either, I just try to get evidence and maybe ask him what his major malfunction is. And yes, I expect everyone to pass by others in boats with low freeboard (i.e: canoes, kyacks, etc.) at low speeds and to avoid gunning around blind corners and show other fisherfolk on the banks the proper respect. I realize this may be how you personally operate, but lets face it, the upper satsop is way too skinny for the size or number of jets working it.Most of the abuses I see are on the Chehalis in the fall as we won't venture on the Satsop while the numbers of fishermen remain high, odds of running into(more likely they will run into you!) the not so small numbers of outright rude boat operators is a lot higher when fish are in, I guess we'll enjoy it when the runs are low for a nice scenic trip. Bob R

Sled vs. Driftboat vs. people on the bank, there's always going to be users in each class doing something we don't like. Some just don't know any better and some probably don't give a sh!t, but labeling an entire user group is an easy out. I don't believe all guys in a driftboat are dipsh!ts for fishing thru my water when I'm on the bank fishing.
Also my experience fishing in my sled, some guys wave me to go full speed by and some are waving for me to slow down. So as a guy operating a sled how are we suppose to guess on how you like us to go by you? You can't please everybody but I've gone back to talk to folks on the bank on lower nooch before because they were pissed off when I was running on plane on the opposite side of the river they were fishing. I was confused why their were pissed off so I pulled up to see what their issues was and they just asked if i would slow down when I went by them, I said no problem. Sometimes it's as easy just to stop and talk to the people you are around so both sides can hear reasoning or just a quick educational conversation.

For the most part, I think this was a great post. I appreciate the way you handled the situation you described, and I appreciate the dilemma sled operators deal with trying to decide how to pass people. I would guess there are times where lowering or increasing your speed could jeopardize your safety (or someone else's), and that's not a good place to be.

The only thing I disagree with is that you said you don't have a problem with guys in boats fishing through water you are fishing from the bank. If you ask me, that's some bush league $hit right there. If anyone deserves the BFR treatment, it's those guys. For guides, that offense should be punishable by death, as part of their job SHOULD be to set a good example for others. Bankies have very limited access on most rivers, and most of the best water is only accessible to boats. Let the bankies have their water, people!

Freefarmer,

I agree. Get in the sled operator, drift boat rower or bankies face. I'm sure most of the time it won't come to punches, but the point is made. This is the only way some people will learn. I have no problem casting my drift gear with 65lb braid over a drift boats line who just started plugging our bobber hole we're fishing from the bank. As long as you're not directly endangering someone, go for it. It does prove a point, the person in the wrong gets a free lesson and hopefully becomes a better more respectful angler and no one gets hurt. Its just fishing.

Bob R,
I was hoping you weren't talking about throwing rocks. And big sharp rocks in a tight river do the same thing as above. A free lesson and hopefully you become a better and more respectful boater.

It should be noted that "old school" is also telling folks "THANKS, that was very courteous".
Norbeck and Stevens are 2 of the most courteous fishermen on the river.
They always slow down and ask if there is any question what water we are fishing.

Sorry for the confusion,I was meaning to say I'm not labeling all the guys in boats as @ssholes just because some of them fish thru my water I'm occupying(it does in fact irritate me). This year on nooch it has happened a lot and really starts to get a guy in a foul mood, the worst part is some of them are guides(who you would hope would know better).

Been all though this many times.......

1. Many times during November - April, we get the "high water from Hell".......no way could most of the river be fished by anything but jet boats. Much as I dislike many of the WDFW staff....I have to agree, that hatchery fish must die.

2. I brood stocked that river for many years.....I'd run from Highway launch clear to Torrow Branch......tubed many fish, over the years. Just worked better from jet boats, than drift boats. IF NOT FOR THE EFFORTS FROM MANY JET BOAT OWNERS AND MANY DRIFT BOATS OWNERS.....the fishing on the Satsop would be "very limited".

3. My boats is 17'.....even I don't like to see the 20+ footers, inboard or outboard.......starting to like guides even less. Satsop and Wynoochee will be problem areas because of "hatchery fish", close to the I-5 people, and just too many people retired, with too much money, with nothing else to do.......so to get away from the Seattle, Tacoma, etc. rat race.......here they come!!!!!!

Guess if you want peace and quiet......head North out of Hoquiam.

If your going to split hairs and not let one type of boat on that river then you need to get rid of all boats on that river. Don't be a snob...

I want you to be nice. Just be nice. Until its time not to be nice.

We should have a Fisherman's Thunderdome. Rent out the Tacoma dome and just get it on. Drifters taking on Sledders. Bankies taking everyone on. Sell tickets and popcorn with a portion of the proceeds going to the WDFW & CCA.

2Many & Dan could be Master Blaster together and the Merg could play Tina.

This would sell.

Interesting comment Many.
I fished with Robbo once. Robbo is a friend of mine, had gotten a new boat and yes I fished for about an hour. Like I said, once. No big.
I just dont like listening to a motor the whole time. Thats just me.
So no need to lie about stuff.
Like I said I got no problem with sleds, just a-holes.

How's about we ban fisherman who live above Lacey from the Satsop, Nooch and Hump? You can have the Oly Pen.....

Fair is fair, you overfished your back yard so stay out of ours!!!

Holy crap, I'm beginning to regret starting a thread about a tree...

Now if I would of caught 3 or 4 fish that ride with Robbo you may have seen me in with him again!

Just keep your gear outta my gear and I could care less what else you do on the river.