I believe that the fault lies with WDFW. Their micromanagement of the states rivers causes the overcrowding.

Three clear examples are Hoodsport, Wind River and the clam tides. I cite these three because you can see the problems with a drive-by.

In Hoodsport they continue to crowd the fishing to fishermen by closing up the buoys, blocking access and further restricting parking. They are making things worse rather than better as the legislature has mandated. Most of us don't fish Hoodsport but there are very few places where novice fishermen can go. Creating fishing opportunities for novices, kids and folks less able to get around, places like the lagoon in Homer, are not that expensive and would lessen the pressure on the fishery.

Wind River is a joke. They put up a few arbitrary buoys and force hundreds of boats into a very dangerous and unnecessary situation. Someday someone will be hurt and will successfully sue the state.

Speaking of sueing the state. During the last clam tide we lost a couple of people to the surf. If the WDFW hadn't forced people to dig in the dark, many of whom are inexperienced, we might not have lost them.

The legislators told WDFW to provide a good experience for our citizens and then made the mistake of letting WDFW decide what a good experience is. They have twisted legislative intent until I, for one, can't recognize it. Until it's easy on them and hard for us.

I think we need a radical overhaul of the WDFW. If I could I would work for an initiative to fire everyone there and have them re-apply so that we could re-establish the reason that we want them in those jobs.