Oh Salmo, how I miss our weekly talks!!

Flames, hell, I breathe them like oxygen! They never even burn me, but miss-information really does burn me!

I understand your concerns about protecting the 2000 Cowlitz Settlement Agreement. After all, isn't the NMFS about 6 months late with their biological opinion to FERC? Don't you think that many of these treads could have been prevented IF THE NATIONAL MARINE FISHERY SEVICE (NMFS) did their job and filed an opinion that could justify their actions on the Cowlitz?

Even those the "Agreement" was dated August 2000, both Tacoma and WDFW have been headed "full speed ahead" in 90 % of what was agreed to. That can also be verified by the minutes that are posted on Tacoma's web site...right? (http://www.ci.tacoma.wa.us/Power/parks/cowlitz/default.htm.)

It is my understanding that most of the early run steelhead are 2 salt returns. Is that not true? If it is true, then how possibly can you claim that the 2001 smolt release represent the current returns? You asked me if "Did any planning or production changes get made that would influence the return this season? Hell salmo, you are far better in the position to know then I am! But yes, first one must ask…right?

If you recall, we have had this conversation many times before. You had agreed that if we were to experience a large Coho run, most likely we should also expect a large winter run of steelhead. Have you now changed that way of thought?

While you have already admitted ("While changes are in store for the Cowlitz River in the future") we are looking at major changes, why not tell the board what you think those changes will be, and how they will affect the future sport fishing on the Cowlitz?

I too would like to hear what you have to say about the 12,000 number. What do you believe this consist of? You have stated something that may make a lot of fishermen ask why. You said "The only ESA restriction that I recall is that early winters - because of their large Chambers Creek genetic component - and Skamania summer runs cannot be passed upstream of the dams to the upper watershed for natural production.

Please explain to this board and me too, why in the hell they can't pass these fish above the dams for "natural production"? One last thing salmo; you stated that "The ependence on a hatchery system that releases millions of diseased smolts that probably die before reaching Astoria at the mouth of the Columbia can never be a good thing for the Cowlitz" Again please explain to the board, and yes, to good old me, in what study or factual information that this opinion was either supported or shown in the massive amount of studies that were done on the Cowlitz relicensing process.

Finally, yes salmo you probably won't change my mind until I see the facts that support your opinion on this issue.
I am looking forward to catching you on that secret honey hole, and then I will force you to concede

Happy turkey day…turkey

Cowlitzfisherman

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