yeah, me too... I've only witnessed a gillnet deployed by shore bound anglers once; right below the highway 18 bridge on the green...

in fact the lack of fish in hood canal are forcing gillnetters to use multiple kicker boats to herd the fish toward the net.

Maybe it is a matter of following the money. Unfortunately for us that like the small, less crowded, quality fisheries, we just don't generate enough revenue in the community for them to care about us. Lets face it, a boat owner with a few friends will spend an awful lot of money for a day of fishing the salt. I think they are so busy watching the dollar signs on their computers that they have forgotten about the small fisheries and beginners.

I do find it irionic that they will close the Stilly and Skagit to fishing for gamefish during the summer and fall but leave the saltwater areas open with what could be a higher incidental catch of salmon by those targeting searun cutts. Perhaps a side effect of the people making the decisions not knowing anything about the fisheries they are affecting.

Brent,
How many adult salmon have you caught in the salt while targeting searun cutthroat?
SF

Doesn't have to be adult. There are, at times, lots of coho available to sea-run anglers and those coho respond to c&r same as any other fish. Some die. I'd suggest it is more than are taken in a summer CT fishery in the Skagit and Stilly.

Stoney,
I like your glass half full approach to being active in exploring different fisheries and being open minded about targeting other species, but where do you draw the line and stop supporting WDFW until things improve?

As a trout fisherman, I've watched many streams being closed to what was once superb resident rainbow/cutt fisheries that also had anadromous species present. Very similar to the Stilly/Skagit issue. I'm not talking about catching smolts, but residents which occasionally reached 14-16." Fun on a 3wt! The issue is just now starting to effect the SRC crowd. The bottom line is WDFW doesn't give a [Bleeeeep!] about river trout fishing. Not realizing that if it's managed correctly along with anadromous species, could be every bit as good as the dry states. We just don't have the density and biomass to support quantity like say the Madison...

Brent is correct about follow the $.... Salmon fisheries and especially saltwater salmon fisheries garner the most attention. The small, remote, quality fishing experience gets shut down while opening day planter lakes, humpies, and quota based openers that generate circus atmospheres are promoted. All of us know how to buck the trend and find out of the way fishing, however it's getting harder to do with less opportunity.

It would be so much easier if they would just shut down all river fishing, aside from a few quota based openers that helped reduce hatchery salmon as needed and focus angling to lakes and saltwater. It's an easy sell to the general public and probably several conservation groups to leave the freshwater environment alone to protect spawners and water quality, and maintain pure genetics by not planting fish. Hell, alot of fisherman would drink that kool-aid!

After all......Washington is loaded with quality fishing if you think outside the Salmon and Steelhead box. lol

A lot has to due with fishing locations.
The fall and winter before last,I took 31 trips to the canal to fish searuns and encountered one coho. If a person wants to catch coho while searun fishing, there are certain beaches that would offer better opportunities to do so. With a bit of knowledge, you can certainly reduce the chance of coho encounters.
I do agree some of those coho will die.

Bent,
I hear you about the trout fishing. One of my favorite streams is now closed. That our local streams can't grow large resident trout due to lack of bug hatches is bs.
Where I've been fishing this winter and spring I've encountered exactly two other anglers fishing that I didn't know. I've enjoyed the lack of pressure, good catches and the experience.
Has WDFW done a poor job of managing our resources. No doudt, but I'm not going to let them kill my desire to get out and fish.
At this point in my life, I'd rather enjoy my time on the water then dwell on the negative.
I'll continue to make calls, write emails etc to let people know my thoughts on our fisheries management.
SF

Bent -

Western Washington will NEVER reach the quality of in-river trout fishing that the warmer dry states do. Scouring floods, little sunshine and cold summers equals pretty much zero in-river bug life here. That's Ma Nature's call and has nothing to do with what the WDFW does or doesn't do. That's why the Yak is about the best this state will ever offer. Controlled flows and HOT during the summer to grow the bugs big and juicy. That's ALL of the rivers in the dry states. God, I miss banging Hoppers into the grass on a hot summer evening.

I'm jealous of all the guys that were raised here and got to fish for Salmon and Steelhead during the "good old days", but during that time I was pounding to CO / WY / MT / UT Blue and Gold Medal waters (and zippers that were and still are....just mind boggling). I remember one backpacking trip where I set up on an alpine lake and stream and proceeded to land over (500+) 14" - 18" Brookies in a single day without another soul in sight for 25 miles. So conversely, I've had some guys from here get jealous of me and my "good old days". Simply put, there is no comparison for regular trout fishing. So the guys that want that are going to leave the state. You might as well wish we had better Marlin fishing up here so guys don't travel to Kona or Key West. You go to where the fish you want to catch are. Which is why Washington is no longer a true S&S destination state and everyone goes to Alaska (to catch our fish that should be caught here).

I'm just kinda pissed because I SPECIFICALLY moved here just to fish for BIG ocean going fish, which I couldn't do growing up in CO. I just hit the very, very end tail of it. I've seen a HUGE difference between 2005 and now. I should have kept going further north I guess....

Concrete example comparing a common fish found in both states: The average Kokanee in western WA are like 8" to 14". The average Kokanee coming out of 11 Mile are 3 pounds. Horsetooth: 3 pounds. Blue Mesa: 4-5 pounds. Flaming Gorge: an ungodly 5+ pounds and up. These are the average sized fish. Right now, the Kokanee world record is out Oregun's dry side. Flaming Gorge should break that in the next couple of years - IMO.

Nick,

I agree that western wa will never rival the dry states in quantity, however all the elements are in place for sustainable river trout fisheries for SRC, Rez cutts and bows. Our trout derive their nutrients in the former of insect life AND nutrients carried in by salmon and other anadromous species! Take a look at the rainbow fishing in AK, I would put that up against anything in MT, CO, Wy, etc.... We have the same strain of rainbows here, they just have a hard time reaching their potential. There are very big resident fish in our S-Rivers. Ask anyone who chases summer steelhead religiously and they'll tell you about some of our big residential trout. When I lived 5 min from the Sky i would catch around 50+ resident rainbows a summer, most 12-16" with the occasional 20"+. I wasn't targeting them either. The Yakima has anadromous fish AND a great trout fishery! So does a bunch of rivers in Idaho.

Ahhhhhhhh the days of going out in mid September and catching chrome coho, summer steel, and finishing off the day with the fly rod on SRC.... Tough to impossible to beat that

There are some nice in-river fish here to be certain.

I'd agree with MOST that except that part about Alaska rainbows. I can show you some places in the lower 48 that simply CRUSH in quality and quantity of big rainbows / browns / brookies / cutties and goldens. I'm the current Colorado Golden Trout Record Holder (4.2 lbs), it's just that I caught that particular fish in Wyoming.

I have a book titled "Gordie Frear's Northwest FISHING GUIDE and Hunting Guide"

There is a page with the following title "STEELHEAD CATCH DURING 1965", Winter numbers

#1 Skagit ..........20,030
2 Green ..........11,666
3 Cowlitz.........10,317
4 Puyallup.........8,566, then it goes on to list the top 25 Rivers in the State......

Most on the board don't remember, or not born yet the hay days of the "Mighty Skagit", with lots of really big salmon, and lots of them...

Nick -
There are many factors that influence the potential of a population to achieve "quality" size.

Just one example is the kokanee that you mentioned. IN addition to the productivity of the water the density kokanee/acre) is a huge driver in the ultimate average size of mature kokanee. Wallowa has produced the world record kokanee in 2011 (an astounding fish of 9.7#s). In 2008 it was estimated that Wallowa had 70,000 kokanee and as a result went through a several year period of producing exception size fish. By 2014 the numbers were up to 900,000 and the average size fell to 8 to 9 inches.

While the "trout" of our local rivers will always have a hard time competing with some of the tail waters or larger lakes outside of the region. Thanks to the influence of salmon returns and access to the sound (for fish like sea-run cutthroat and bull trout) the quality of the "trout" of the Skagit would hold their own on most waters and more importantly are among the best in this State. Since the start of this century the north Sound rivers (Nooksack, Skagit, Stillaguamish, and Snohomish) have seen average salmon escapements of more than a 1,000 fish/mile.

Unlike the home of your record Golden trout the Skagit system has excellent access. By my count over the 125 miles of the main stem Skagit/Sauk there are at least 20 free launches where one can launch a raft, drift boat or in many locations a power boat. Also unlike so many "named" fisheries the "trout" of the Skagit are native species that are essentially genetically intact. Those trout can be found in abundances that while below what one find in other waters the seasonal nature of those "trout" behaviors are such where spectacular fishing can be found. While the sea-runs don't get as large as some other species the Skagit does produce trophy size individuals (fish in excess of 20 inches) as regularly as any Washington stream that I'm familiar and at the same time support some exceptional catch/rates. The anadromous bull trout exhibit exceptional growth rates; reaching maturity at age 4 at lengths of 18 to 20 inches and takes to salmon and their longevity can reach remarkable sizes (a fortunate angler might encounter dozens of bull trout in a single day who size would be measured in pounds and not inches). Thanks to recent enlighten management we are seeing increasing numbers of resident rainbows in the basin that have decent growth rates and reach sizes rarely seen on the Yakima.

For the angler that has paid their dues the Skagit not only produces quality size fish thanks to the variety of species and habitat types they can expect good catch rates during the entire period from now through November.

I suppose I'll to be satisfied with my memories of what once was. However unlike the steelhead fishing Bent metal referred to the Skagit fishery trout fishery maybe a thing of the past not due to lack of fish but rather because managers do not value the opportunity. The overall abundance of the Skagit sea-runs, bull trout and resident rainbows may currently be at abundances that none of us born after WWII have never seen; a comment one rarely hears in regard to salmonid populations of the region.

Curt

Thanks Curt - that's a good overview. I admit that I don't know the Skagit system all that much. I suppose the reason for the size, growth rate and quantity of Skagit trout is that they are feeding on S&S eggs and fry? Or is there another reason?

I'd love to catch the new Montana state record Bull trout on the Skagit if it were ever open - sounds fun!

Nick -
The salmon eggs, carcasses and fry are only part of the story of the Skagit "trout" and their growth.

For those that reside in freshwater much or all of their lives salmon products are key food sources. This is especially true of the larger resident rainbows who once they reach their third year have full access to those products and are adept at taking advantage of that resource. Some of those rainbows can reach up to 10 years of age and respectable sizes. They can add significant poundage during years with high salmon escapements and favorable flows.

The bull trout dive their strategies with some being year-round stream residents while others make the journey to the salt to take advantage of abundant forage fish (smelt, shiner perch, etc.). Those fish that go to the salt tend to grow at faster rates reaching 20 inches one to two years earlier than the full time residents. An interesting side not is that those life histories are not fixed and it is common for resident fish to go to the salt and fish with previous anadromous behaviors to remain in the river for a year or more.

The sea-run gain much of their grow from the salt as well though interestedly they do not achieve the kinds of growth of the bull typically taking at least 8 or 9 years to reach 20 inches.

These complex and diverse behaviors of the Skagit "trout" produce some unique fish and interesting fishing challenges.

BTW - I see that the Montana state record bull trout is more than a century old. I can report with certainty that the Skagit system produces fish that would challenge that record fish.

Curt

Makes sense.

Based on your notes on the Bull's life history, would that behavior possibly be linked to available food sources (positive or negative)? I.e. on good fry / smolt escapement years, do the Bulls set up shop for longer periods in the lower river / estuary areas and on poor years head out to sea for dinner? Is there a studied correlation? Just curious and interested...

The Shuswap Lake system in the Fraser is renowned for its rainbows. Lots of them, and large. There were some who believed that the cyclic dominance in that system was maintained by trout predation. Maybe. But also of interest is that dominant run (1 in 4) provided the food to drive the trout population. In the other three years they didn't have enough fish to support themselves.

The Gerrard Rainbow (a huge resident Kamloops/redband) got that way gorging on kokanee. Then, mysids were introduced and they crashed the kokanee. Experiments were done to fertilize the lake to provide food for the kokanee. It worked. They rebounded quickly. It took 5 more years for a signal to show up in the trout. Sometimes, it takes time.

I have caught 2 chinook while cutt fishing in the salt off of Camano. This was when I was a kid in the early 90's and one was an adult of about 20lbs(it was a long time ago and I was little😉) and the other was about an 18" "blackmouth", both caught trolling a #2 half/half dicknite. I have never landed a salmon fishing for cutts in the river, but that has all been fly fishing and usually with a floating line. I can only think of one coho that I hooked and quickly lost in the lower Stilly.

Nick -
The region's bull trout are interesting critters that exhibit complex behaviors that a driven by forage and habitat needs. As a result one may find different age classes and population segments behaving differently.

While without a doubt the bull trout life history switches noted earlier is in at least part drive by changes in food availability (either in in total or seasonally) there can be a habitat component as well. For example the river dwelling (fluvial life history) during much of their time in the river a tied to large pools (a home base if you will). As the quality or amount of that habitat changes (via floods?) one would expect to see the bull trout adapt.

Just another illustration of what makes the Skagit "trout" and the fishing for them so interesting.

Curt