You're right, and if the state would push on, and work at fixing other issues, I wouldn't even be arguing this point. However, past experience shows that the state will not move on. They'll treat this as if it is the magic bullet that will fix the problems. The won't curb commerical fishing, the won't do anything to try to end tribal fishing, they'll just wait for the runs to decline even further and then cut the sportsmen back even more. They've done it with every fishery in this state. Remember catching rockfish and cod in Puget Sound? They limit the sportsmen again and again while giving commercial interests a free reign until there's not enough fish for anybody. Unless the sportsmen make a stand and force them to look at the real issues, the same thing will happen to steelhead.

Again, I'm not against wild steelhead release. I'm against the state placing meaningless restriction after meaningless restriction on the group that makes by far the smallest impact while ignoring all other factors. The state as proven time and time again they don't give a damn about wild fish. Mud Mountain Dam anyone??? What makes you think they are doing this for the fish?