Because everything else is closed, WDFW puts over the top pressure in Area 11 before the bulk of mature fish arrive. Who thought that 3000 something mature fish would be caught before 3000 sublegal encounters fishing in early July?
This stinks. Again.
Over 80% of sublegal encounters in 8 days. That leaves less than 2 more days by my math. Way to be on the ball WDFW. You had fish checkers, on the water surveys, LE and test fishers out most everyday. You could have closed it after a couple days of data to preserve a real chinook season in a terminal area. Especially after the June fishery was closed for the same reason. Maybe closing early was plan all along? Some inriver harvesters will definitely benefit from the 2700 mature fish left on the table.
I'll be interested to see how they try to keep it open for the humpy masses so they can sell licenses. Hundreds of more people in boats and on the beach using small terminal tackle catching more shakers. Hard to imagine that's going to fly.
A mess of their own doing. I hope they choke on it.