With the total count through the locks now over 120,000 fish as of yesterday, the question now is not whether there will be a fishery this year, the question is whether we're going to have a 2 fish limit or a 6 fish limit (My bet is on 6). A friend of mine was at the locks yesterday and estimated there were probably another 50,000 fish schooling below the ladder ready to move through. With only 13.5 % of the run through the locks (based on historical timing), It looks like this is going to be the run of all times. Maybe 1/2 million surplus fish for us to split with the tribe? Buy your red or black Gami's before they're all sold out within a 100 miles of the Seattle Area!

The limit should be 2. Why not have a surplus instead of overharvesting again!!! Lets blacken(red) our waters again. Take only what you can use and conserve the resource for the future, so we can continue to have fishing opportunities.

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Marty
Steelheader.net marty@steelheader.net

Hope the opener happens.

Smilesforu:

I agree with you. Hearing about the sockeye, and after what happened with the large amount of "spring chinook" on the Columbia this year, and in Grays Harbor 2 yrs. ago on chum(no chum sport fishery)and they came back in big numbers. Does WDF have a clue as to whats going on???? or do they all sit around with thier heads up their fannies... just my .02 worth!!!!!

"Worse day sport fishing, still better than the best day working"

The six fish limit gets the season over sooner and results in less impact on endangered chinook. Most sportfishers,myself included, won't catch six fish a trip. This is the only run-cycle that produces a "surplus" of sockeye for the commercials and sporties. I don't know what the outlook is for getting other return years built up to these numbers.

The idea behing the six fish limit is that it will be a short opener, maybe as small as two weeks. The state wants anglers off of the lake before the majority of the chinook move in.

I agree 100 percent that endangered Lake WA chinook will be the issue that pushes WDFW to a shorter season/ large bag limit approach, although I disagree that it will make much of a difference on the chinook impact. We all know that chinook aren't very likely to hit on bare hooks -but I'm not sure that WDFW will factor this into their decision.

[This message has been edited by Fishlips (edited 06-26-2000).]

The reasoning behind the six fish limit is that the Lake Wa. opener will be short, maybe as small as 2 weeks. They want anglers off of the lake before the chinook arrive.

So keep the season open the same length of time (short season). I know you want all the fish above the quota instead of letting them spawn. Why be greedy with 6 fish? Lets get the policies in line to have excess fish spawning instead of not enough.....err to the fish not the fishermen!!! There is nothing worse than no fishing at all. I live on the Straits of Juan De Fuca and can't even fish for salmon. We need better management policies for all. Our fish policy errors have been from our own greed. It must stop!!
BTW.... SLADE MUST GO!!! (nobody has a worse salmon policy)

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Marty
Steelheader.net marty@steelheader.net

I can't tell you how excited I am about the upcomming Sockeye season! I am excited that no one else will be fishing for kings in areas 9 and 10. Ever caught and released 15 kings in a day? Hmmmm, In my opinion it's a heck of alo more fun than fishing in the giant cluster in Lake WA!

Sockeyes after they make the transition to fresh water are very durable, scales are set, and that thing about a light tap on the head killing them is not a problem anymore which all in all makes them an excellent target for a two fish limit and a C&R fishery. However targeting King salmon in the salt chuck for C&R is pretty questionable and I can guarantee you that if it grows it will result in a total closure of all salt water angling so if you do that sort of thing it is incumbent on your part to keep it under your lid. There are numerous studies and loads of antecdotal info showing morts from 30 to 50 percent on chionook in the salt from both sport and commercial. We all need to be aware of our impact on these finny critters were chasing give em a break a couple of fish will make you smile just as much as a bunch if you make it more difficult to catch them.

fishlips, chinook salmon will hit on bare red hooks the same way sockeye is fished, i have limited on chinook with that set up on a certain opener.

AS I'VE SAID IN THE PAST CATCH LIMITS ON THE SOCKEYE MAKES NO DIFFERANCE WHAT SO EVER WHEN THE STATE GIVES THE CAT FOOD INDUSTRIE TONS OF FISH, SOCKEYE EGGS AND ALL BEING TOSSED INTO 4'X4'X4' WOOD CRATES HOW MUCH DID THEY PAY TO HELP SUPPORT THIS RUN, THIS IS NOT JUST HEAR SAY I'VE SEE IT FOR MY SELF

dam caps lock much better

[This message has been edited by DOUG KELLY (edited 06-27-2000).]

It's probably been about 10 years since I have fished in lake washington for sockeyes. Back in the day when I was fishing for them we used dodger and flat fish. Now you guys use dodger and bare hooks. What size dodger do you use, and how long is you leader to the hook, or is it hooks? Any help will be appreciated thank you.

Native Son, why would the state choose to open areas 9 and 10 for salmon fishing in July?
For resident coho? That's a joke, resident coho fishing has been almost non-existant for the last 4 years. The state is fully aware of the happenings in the salt chuck. 25 boats at Point No Point mooching for coho in mid July. I don't think so.
While I agree that 15 fish is an obscene #, and wouldn't encourage anyone to be as selfish as that. Your mortality figures are ridiculous. These fish are released untouched by hands or nets.

native son if the sockeye are so durable why is it once you reel them up through the thermal changes they can't seem to make it back down instead float belly up, and no there not played out

I have to agree with Marty on this one. A six fish limit and a short opener is the samw type of thinking that leaves our fisheries fishless. Can't we restrain ourselves from taking more than our share. Regardless if they give us a six fish limit...take one for your BBQ and fortget about the neighbors, the inlaws, and the freezer. Let these fish spawn! Its like there are a bunch of rabid dogs jumping on the fence just waiting for the WDFW to open up the fishery. When they do...watch them pounce!!!
p.s. if they do open it and you happen to hook into a smallmouth bass, release it!!! Take a lesson from those of us who are involved in an excellent display of what catch and release can do for a fishery

right on erik!

Doug Kelly,
where were you catching limits of chinook on bare hooks? I thought I saw this going on at Lake Sammamish last year, but I refused to believe it. It kind of makes sense why a sockey would hit on a bare hook since they're plankton feeders and the hook probably resembles krill or something ... but it just doesn't make sense for a chinook to be hitting a bare hook.