Ok, So I gave in and I bought a freshwater license when I swore that I wasn't going to . As painful as it was giving the state money for nothing I thought what the hey I can at least plunk by the house this summer .
While sitting at home last night browsing through the new book of regs I found out that the Skagit River closes the 16th of July and don't open again till mid December. That should be just in time to fish for non existent hatchery steelhead that they don't plant any more and that's only for 6 weeks , then it closes again. Ten weeks of fishing for the entire year WOW what a screaming deal that is.
Am I just living under a rock or has there not been much mention about this closure ? Screwed again I guess.
I passed on buying a saltwater license to fish halibut this year for the first time in about 15 years . I usually start prepping for halibut in Feb and spend at least a couple thousand $ getting the boat ready with tabs ,bait, gear, new flares ,launch passes , Discovery passes and such ,that's not including about $300 a day for gas, moorage munchies and the usual stuff to fish . I just couldn't justify doing it for 3 days of fishing. Instead I took all that money and installed a 500 foot long zip line with a 40 ft. drop for the adults and a separate 150 foot long run for the grandkids.
I might have to update my insurance but at least the state didn't get it .

The closure was expected. It was discussed at the North of Falcon meeting at Mill Creek in March. I also believe the Stilly is closed as well unless there was a change. Some low Salmon runs returning.

Yeah the stilly is closed during the peak salmon timing. It's open for bug chucking for gamefish now or opens here soon.

Plunkers unite.....

https://fortress.wa.gov/dfw/erules/efishrules/erule.jsp?id=1984

If the forecasts hold true in both of the North S rivers we should be more concerned about preserving those stocks and less concerned about days on the water.

The forecast for the Stilliguamish is HORRIFYING.

Horrifying? That's a bit much. Burning to death would be horrifying. Low fish returns? Sad. Concerning. Worrisome. Sure, but not horrifying.

FWIW moved to a residence close to the Stilly and Skagit almost 20 years ago now and IMHO it has gone down hill particularly for Pinks the last 4 cycles. There was a time it was loaded and fish waiting to make the turn up Pilchuck Creek had to take a number to wait their turn. Not so much anymore... I do get the whole cycle thing but 2015 was truly horrible! Warm temps and no fish to be seen and a number of large scouring events and the OSO slide did not do the river any favors. Fingers crossed it will rebound BUT do believe it will take a loooooooong time! Skagit's a different story... Used to run a sled up above Rockport and the biomass of Pinks was astounding as in top to bottom! Where did they all go? Pink numbers were way off in AK last year to so maybe it's all part of a down cycle to. Hopefully Mother Nature will smile upon us again before my number gets called to leave the Blue Orb!

GodLovesUgly-

According to WDFW's web site the 2017 Stillaguamish coho was 9,142 adults to Washington waters. While that is a concerning forecast not sure that I would go so far as to call it horrifying.

The coho escapement base for the Stillaguamish goes back to 1965. Excluding what was seen in 2015 the escapement in the basin has been at or below 9,000 spawners eight times. While I'm sure that the co-managers what to see escapements that low the evidence is that the population has rebounded for that sort of poor escapements.

If the co-managers thought that the forecast was so horrific why would they agree to a suit of fisheries that is expected to kill 7.5% of the run?

I would understand and support the closure of the Stillaguamish basin to recreational salmon fishing in 2017 but why the fishing for the game fish species? How is it that game fish seasons are closed in a salmon season setting process? Even worst those seasons were done without any meaningful opportunity for public input and comment; a significant break with a more than 75 year procedure for setting game fish season in this state.

If the co-managers are going to allow a 7.5% impact on the Stillaguamish coho to access other stocks of Chinook and coho in mixed stock fisheries why can some of that impact be used for game fish?

More to the point of that 7.5% co-manager allowed impact only 1.6% (21.3% of the total) is attributed to non-treaty fisheries. If indeed the co-managers think things are so horrific why are the tribal impacts as low as the non-treaty impacts? On the surface it looks as if the Stillaguamish and Skagit game fish season were closed to provide additional impacts of stocks of concern for tribal fishery use.

The real question is this strategy of limiting fishing for game fish (at least during the summer period) to only those periods when there are harvestable salmon available the new management paradigm? If so is that paradigm going to be limited to north Puget Sound, all of Puget Sound or expanded to the rest of the State's anadromous waters? Experience shows that when new management door is opened a crack the door rarely shuts again and typically is pushed open further.

Call me concern and disappointed. WDFW seems to send a clear message that if I'm interested in fishing for species like sea-run cutthroat and similar fisheries I best play to take my recreational dollars elsewhere.

curt

the new slogan of the recreational salmon fishermen "poached salmon... its what's for dinner"

According to the model run, closing the Stilly to summer steelhead and cutthroat fishing will save 1.5 coho salmon this year. If 7.5% of the Stilly coho run can be sacrificed to incidental take for other marine salmon fisheries to occur, it doesn't pass the red face test to say that risking 1.5 coho to incidental take in order to have the usual and normal summer and fall recreational gamefish fisheries is too much.

O yes it does, Salmo. We saved that 1.5 fish. It's conservation; we even get a Merit Badge for it. Each fish is important. Isn't that why, if one harvestable fish is left, we open a fishery for it? Actually, while I don't think I have seen a fishery for 1, I have seen regs to go after 10.

In WDFW's eyes, the only real fisheries are marine mixed stock salmon fisheries. If there was some way to have "full" marine fisheries I think they'd gladly give FW to the Tribes.

That is obvious a tough blow for those that enjoy fishing gamefish on the Stilly and Skagit.
So what is the game plan knowing those fisheries are closed?
Sit on the sidelines or explore other opportunities or areas that are available in the state to target gamefish such as searun cutthroat?
SF

CM-

That minimal impact associated with a game fish season on the Stillaguamish this year was not saved by not fishing. Instead those impacts were transferred/used for additional salmon fishing - no fish saved!

The co-managers (tribes and Department of salmon) clearly agreed those impacts were better used in a salmon fisheries targeting hatchery Chinook and/or coho.

I do agree with you that FW fisheries; especially target trout/steelhead fisheries are not a priority.

Stonefish -
For more than 35 years I have enjoyed targeting game fish on both the Skagit and Stillaguamish. In the period between the middle of July to the end of November I have typically fish those waters 20 to 40 times a season. These closure leave a major hole in my fishing calendar. For the fly angler looking to target wild indigenous trout those basins offer an unique opportunity combining diversity of fishing and ease of access while producing results with outstanding quantity and quality of fish encountered. I recognize that match those freshwater opportunities are not likely to be matched in north America.

Just returned from a trip BC and will likely continue to spend increasing amount of my recreational dollars out of state (BC and/or Montana) with less fishing in this State. Depending on what develops on the fishing front in the next few months I may expand my fishing some here in Washington but expect to fish less than normal.

Part of that time will be spend working on management issues with the hopes that others will not experience the pain I feel from the situation on my home waters.

Curt

Curt,
I read in your previous post about taking your dollars elsewhere.
I get that, but even as a retired person it isn't likely you can spend all of your fishing time in Montana or BC.
My question was more about what are folks going to do to fill the void locally?
Are they going to fish somewhere else locally or sit on the sidelines.

While you can't fish the Skagit and Stilly for your beloved cutthroat, it isn't as if MA's 8.1 or 8.2 are closed to fishing for gamefish. There are some nice fish around out there right now.
I know the gamefish closures are a [Bleeeeep!] deal. I felt the same about what happened last year in the salt after fishing the sound for 50+ years.
I personally don't think things will get any better for either of those rivers until at least 2019, based on what happened with the 2015 salmon returns.

Personally I'm going to keep fishing locally regardless, even if my favorite fisheries are shut down. It might not be exactly what I want to fish for or where I want to fish, but I'll be fishing.
SF

I tend to agree with Curt. There are fisheries that I like to participate in and it is almost all freshwater and (ideally) walk and wade. I really don't like fishing from boats very much. Saltwater fishing in WA (Westport, Puget Sound, Hood Canal) have been generally colossal wastes of time. Great birding, [Bleeeeep!] fishing.

I'm retired and there are plenty of fun things to do besides fishing. So, when I go fishing I have high expectations for the experience. And, that is hard to find here but it easier out of state.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/tribal/2017-18agreement.pdf

Page 99.

I suspect Jennifer believes that by closing the August Stilly fishery, the impacts on salmonoids will be reduced. In fact, the absence of law-abiding flea-flickers will make the N. Fork much more attractive to resident poachers, which are prolific, don't get me started, sheesh.

Decision, to me, seems based less in biology than in the inability of WDFW enforcement to control rampant poaching.

Can't afford BC or Montana. Do Ross large-arbor reels fetch anything on ebay anymore?

Stonefish-
I ready admit that I'm a fishaholic and will continue to fish; just not as much as normal. I have and do fished for a wide variety of fishes and will likely spend some time fishing for kokanee, bass, salmon in the salt; heck might even make a trip to the east side for carp. There a fishaholic like myself there are no end to potential opportunities however none of those present the world class fishing that I find in the Skagit basin.

What is particular galling is that my fishing records/experience shows that on years when coho are closed on my local waters I encounter less than one coho a year. Assuming a 10% hooking mortality (and I doubt that it is that high given the gear I use) on the Skagit I might catch 2,000 to 3,000 "trout" for every coho that die. Are there many fisheries with that low of by-catch?

The real concern is not whether I fish or not but rather what will happen to the more casual angler. The concern is that as they loss fishing opportunities the switch to other activities and many will likely will never return to the sport. Can WDFW afford to continue to see an eroding of its user based? especially when that is self induced?

Without recruiting new anglers or keeping new anglers engaged the sport is doom.

Curt

Curt's right I fear. With the current generation living in the cyberworld, who will care for our natural resources.... let alone advocate for sportsfishing. Especially when there's not much left to fight for. Or no fisheries to get anyone excited about.

At this rate, the dinosaurs will die off unfortunately.

I think a big problem at WDFW, too, is that the staff doesn't fish these fisheries. Back when Curt and I were working, fishing was part of the job; a flared was almost required as a "sampling device".

Opening Day used to be "all hands" monitoring lakes, not to mention the intense sampling before OD to make sure something was there.

It bothers me a lot that WDFW pushes boat-based fishing; how are newcomers supposed to get started? No way in hell I'm buying a boat on the possibility I might enjoy fishing. They are catering to the advanced angler with all sorts of gear, electronics, etc. The beginner? Nope.

Curt,
There are always going to be casual anglers.
All you need to do is look at odd year salmon fishing. When there are huge numbers of humpies and the catching is easy, people come out of the woodwork.
Where are those same people went is isn't easy?

Carcassman,
It is hard to believe all your saltwater experiences in this state have been that negative.
As far as WDFW pushing boat-based fishing, you certainly don't need a boat to catch salmon in the salt, let alone fish for freshwater species.
In fact, there are shore based only fishing regs in effect for this years saltwater salmon season. Come Sept 5th, a lot of that fancy boat gear will of no use. A sad truth in my opinion.
If people can't have the gumption to go out and explore and learn angling techniques, I'm not sure the state is missing out on that much.
Besides having mentors, how'd you do it well before the Internet?

BFD,
I'm a dinosaur....but I'm going to have a lot of fun before I die off.
SF