Mr Dolly Varden,
This WA angler preference survey that you refer to, How many were returned to the state ? Who were they sent to ? How many of these fisherman were actually steelheaders ? Or were they just the occasional fishermen asked if they should get to kill a fish without knowing all the facts ? I never recieved one and I return my punch cards. I can honestly say that I do not know of any one who has recieved a survey . I know a lot of steelheaders and it is no where near 78.1% in favor of wild steelhead kill.

If it is one of the few things we as sportsmen can do to help protect wild fish , why would we be in favor ( 78.1% ? ) of killing them.

The Oly Pen river (3 rivers and the Hoh) have been managed for a kill fishery on wild fish for quite some time. At the State meeting in February in Olympia , wild steelhead release was voted down in the Forks area rivers. The state said no reason to protect them, plenty of fish. Nothing to worry about.

Have you or anyone you know been fishing over there lately ? I have, and the fishing and the reports have been very slow at best . This is primetime . Where are all these great runs of steelhead the state says that we do not need to protect ? Just ask Tom M. The state fish checker over there in Forks , he will tell you how slow things are.

You say that the salmon in the Snohomish system are managed for wild protection ? How come we get to bonk all those wild coho ? Why is it not a fin clipped fishery only ? There are plenty of hatchery marked coho to kill.Why kill the wild ones?

There are a few things that I as an individual steelheader can do to help protect the wild runs and I do the best I can. Collectively as steelheaders there are tons of things we can do to help the wild runs.

Sometimes the desires of the most vocal self serving user groups (WSC) should be heard and acted upon.

WSR may not be a management tool, but can you honestly tell me what good comes out of hitting a wild steelhead over the head ?

BTW I really like your steelhead hatchery program guidelines. Especially # 5.

You seem to watch this board closely. I feel that this board consists of some of the best steelhead and salmon fishermen in the state. There is a lot to be learned from them. This group, I believe represent much more than a random sent out survey ever would. This group is well worth listening to.