[quote=nookie dreamin'][quote=Devilsadvocate]There will be more to come later when I have more time to fully express my opinion. I know for a fact that the majority of the people on this site will hate me for what I am about to say and for your information I really do not care what you think about me.
Hate is waaaaay to strong a word to apply to someone with whom you do not agree. I see that type of reaction all too often. To me that is the hallmark of a small mind. Be assured I do not agree with your position, but I think/ hope we can discuss it without hatred, name calling , etc.
I personally refuse to fish during hatchery fish season because I hate hatcheries and the majority of the people who fish during that time of year.
I often skip hatchery season because most of the harchery fish in my neighborhood are not great fish. But the hatchery fish in some systems are quite nice, and I seriously doubt anyone could tell them from wild fish based on size and fight.
YES I KILL WILD STEELHEAD! Why you ask? Well for many reasons. Fortunately I live in an area where you can still legally HARVEST one actual steelhead a year (by law).
No doubt it is legal. I do not however equate legal with right. It was once legal to hold slaves. It was never right. I am eager to hear your other reasons.
I use the term actual steelhead because I do not consider those fake cookie cutter rudderless fish that the state waists larges sums of your money on every year, steelhead. Hatchery practices to day are doing more harm to your precious wild steelhead than I am by harvesting a few fish out of the rivers. It is the fishermen that fish for these stupid hatchery fish, and thinks that hatcheries are gods gift to fish and fishermen that cause harm that you don't see to your precious steelhead. There is more to come but right now I have to go.
I too think many of our hatchery practices are detrimental to wild fish. But I do see changes and I wonder how problems with hatcherys would result in a conclusion that we should kill a wild fish?
I beleive that the mosre problems our wild steelhead encounter, i.e. tribal nets, non tribal nets, habitat loss, dams etc, the more reason we have to C&R.
I do agree with many catch and kill advocates that if a run cannot stand the incidental mortality of C&R, the system should be closed. But I also beleive that some rivers can handle the 3-5% mortality associated with C&R without dropping below required esacapment levels. Yet those same river would fail to make escapment if we allowed a catch and kill fishery..
Let's see if we can keep this civil. I promise i will as long as you do.
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No huevos no pollo.