Beezer, there are a lot of guys I've talked to that would disagree with you. They say that:

- The weather is worse and the daylight hours are much shorter during the proposed Dec and Jan period, resulting in many less fishable days and many less fishable hours than in the current Feb-Apr timeframe.

- Lots of these anglers also like to hunt game and fish for steelhead, activities which fit well with the current Feb-Apr period, but would conflict with the proposed Dec-Jan period.

- Many anglers expressed that due to family, holiday, and work commitments, they would not be able to get out and fish as many days in the proposed Dec-Jan period as they can with the current Feb-Apr period.

-Lots of anglers were angered at the fact that if Area 9 were to be open in the proposed Dec-Jan period, it would be the ONLY area open for blackmouth fishing then, thereby increasing the pressure on the area, from people traveling to Area 9 from other areas.

- Most of the fish present in the Dec-Jan timeframe are smaller and closer to the minimum size, so there could be a higher hooking mortality, due to guys catching small fish and releasing them. The fish in the spring are of a much bigger size.

And Scaly - From the paperwork I received at NOF on Tuesday, Area 9 is going to open for a selective coho fishery on 7/1. There will be no non-selective fishery in the Straits this year. The coho are definitely part of the same computer model as the Chinook, but the major problems with coho projected numbers this year are on the Thompson (Adams) River in BC, on the Stillaguamish River, and in Hood Canal.

Also, Scaly, you say "some of us have requested", who is "some of us"? Are you part of a fishing group in the Sequim area? I ask because I'm a member of the North Olympic Peninsula Chapter of the PSA, and I don't recognize your name. You should come to our next meeting, it's at the Gardiner Community Center on Thursday the 18th at 7:00pm. The guest speaker this month is Tom Nelson from Salmon University. Our chapter meets every third Thursday of the month at the same place.

-N.