Ditto Rob's comments.

If this question were asked in the mid to late 70s, my answer might be different. Hugh wild fish were still returning to the Cowlitz.

But in 2003, the Cowlitz is performing a very valuable service as a productive hatchery/harvest oriented river. I fish mostly fly, prefer to fish for wild fish, and am a strong C&R advocate.

BUT . . . I enjoy fishing the Cowlitz. It's been managed for hatchery/harvest very successfully. Why mess with something thats working??? We need rivers managed for hatchery/harvest (think BC's Vedder) just as we need to protect those river systems still supporting native runs of steelhead. One does not exclude the other.

My .02,

Brian