Thank you salmo & CFM:
Your guys input & knowledge is impressive & clears up many of my misconceptions.

I believe Salmo's last message is truthfull, clear, concise, & appears to me to be accurate. It really explains the obstacles in restoring the river & for the most part, how to overcome them. I'm pretty much a realist & don't pie in the sky too much but, it would be nice if a TV show (like the one they did on the Columbia with Alan Alda) could be made to show the people in WA the info in Salmo's last message, go the facilities & the mentioned rivers, film it, show the people the truth & how to improve the situation. I believe it would calm a lot people down as well as fire some people up to try implement the ideas in the message.

So, even though Salmo agreed that relative to the hatchery hay days, the Cowlitz could be considered toast, I will refrain from the negative characteriization of the river.

I believe it is safe to say that at the appropriate run times, if I fish the Cowlitz 2-3 times a week I should still be able to expect to bring home a good fish at least one of times & depending on ocean condition, Columbia river netting etc. perhaps limit from time to time. It could be a lot worse.

I love the Cowlitz, it's a great river. I really enjoy the no pay access @ Blue Creek & Barrier Dam and once you get to know the people & mind your own manners its pretty much a hassle free place to fish. So, free access, plenty of river to walk, close to home, with a fair to good possibility of getting fish = an OK to good deal to me.

So, Salmo keep trying to make sure the Power co. mitigates in accordance with the law & new license (it's what the majority of people wanted) & CFM please keep railing on 'em because as you know silence is consent and without your input & watchful eye it would surely get worse.

Thank you guys for your time & sharing with me your understanding of the Cowlitz, I definitely "got it" more so now than ever before. The Cowlitz is a great river that we need to take care of. Peace. Max