For over 2 years straight WDFW have made us buy their Access Stewart Permits (the little sticker for our rear window). The decals are included in the original purchase of our fishing and hunting licenses. If bought it separately, they will cost you $10.00 ea. According to the WDFW own 2000/2001regulation pamphlet, the decal sales money is supposed to help support the upkeep and maintenance of the WDFW areas. It's was to be used to keep them clean, and REPAIRED, and safe for the public use.

For some unknown reason, WDFW has put these funds into a special interest account and has refused to use any of that money for what it was intended for. Just look what's happened to the I-5 public Boat Ramp located at river mile 30 off Mandy Rd. and the I-5 freeway. WDFW is supposed to operate and "maintain" this state area. This boat ramp is 1 of only 2 public boat ramps on the lower 30 miles of the Cowlitz River. The problem is that the WDFW bureaucrats can't get their act together and make it usable again for lunching our boats. If anyone intends to lunch their jet sleds at I-5 this year to fish the lower Cowlitz for summerrun steelhead or fall chinook this year…forget it!

There isn't 5 inches of water for almost 30 ft. to float your sled into the Cowlitz after you lunch your boat off your trailer. The entire area is sanded in. Becuase of a deep hole of water (4-5 feet deep) you will not be able to back a 4 wheeler over the sanded in area. If you intend to lunch your boat there this summer, I suggest that you look it over before you make the trip down with your boat. Drift boats will still be able to lunch and take out at I-5, but not sleds that draft more then 6 inches over water.

Isn't it time that WDFW does something about the deplored conditions of our public boat ramps on the Cowlitz and other rivers? What do you think the answer is?

Cowlitzfisherman

Is the taste of the bait worth the stink of the hook?