Bob - I typed this before Smalma's post came up but here it is anyway.

May I point out that restricting angling to C&R only has never been shown to have reversed a declining trend for steelhead. In fact, the truth is that where C&R has been used as a management tool, the fate of the fish has mirrored that of the fish in similar local streams.

It's an allocation issue!

When you advocate for "angling opportunity" at the expense of "harvest opportunity" you are, in reality, asking that all angling be allocated to one interest group at the expense of everyone else.

It might be good management practice to allocate certain areas to special interests such as…

• Flyfishing only areas
• Special gear restrictions
• Catch and Release areas
• Non-fishing areas to protect spawning fish
• Plunking only
• etc.

It does not make good management sense to designate the entire state as flyfishing only, plunking only or catch and release only.

To advocate for one special interest at the expense of all other interest groups is self-serving and single(or simple) minded selfishishness.

Just my opinion - Plunk