Thanks Cowlitz, these rules are so damn vague. The thing that pisses me off the most is that I called the WDFW yesterday and the guy there told me that what I said was correct. I don't know if he was trying to screw me over or what. Today I called again, the guy I talked to today said that what you said was correct, that you have to release all "wild" steelhead. Hell I don't know, I guess erring on the side of caution would be the way to go.

That wild steelhead law is ridiculous anyway, I've got a friend that works in the Cowlitz Trout Hatchery, he told me that only about 25% of the fish that leave the hatchery are clipped anyway. So the so called "wild" steelhead returning are likely just to be unclipped hatchery fish. I wouldn't care so much about the rule if the state wouldn't try blowing smoke up my ass about saving wild fish, if they'd just say they are trying to get more hatchery returns, I'd be down with that.

Good Luck Cowlitz, catch ya on the flip-flop.