Kanektok kid -
I have to agree that there is a special "aura" about wild steelhead and steelhead fishing in general. Given what many of us will endure for just the opportunity to catch one it may be unreasonable to expect logic be applied in the management of that special resource. However the nature of management requires that it be based on more than emotion.

An aside - I may be one of those rare individuals who at times have considered steelhead to be a pest!

tight lines
S malma