I've known of nets in the Cascade River is years past, but not often. The Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe has court adjudicated treaty usual and accustomed fishing areas in the Cascade River. If the Tribe has a valid fishing regulation that has the river open to gillnetting yesterday, then the fisherman was legally netting. WDFW would, or should be able to, know if the Tribe has a valid regulation opening the river on file. And if the Tribe doesn't, then it's just a poacher net, not a real common, but not a rare occurance either.

It would make sense that they might have scheduled a net opening on the Cascade to take advantage of the hatchery steelhead that run up there.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.