Todd -

Esp. as an attorney - you don't see anything (pardon the poor pun) - fishy about this about face in fish management style?

Also - it still doesn't answer the question of only clipping x amount of fish. The biologist I talked to hinted at it being a cost issue to clip more - though that is purely speculative on my part.

The bottom line is...if they are going to allow any fishery based on the projected return of clipped hatchery (and/or wild fish), shouldn't they clip all of them?

Again - I'd invite you to review the returns of both salmon and steelhead on the Upper Columbia (above Priest Rapids Dam) the last three years - you'll get a better idea of what us frustrated east-siders are talking about.

You'll also see the runs are alot better than fish returns on several west side streams that they are allowing fishing on until March 1st.