This is my second post this week!
I glad this discussion is happening now. I know there has been many other threads like this in the past, but its a new year and once again are problem has grown bigger. I'd like to add a couple questions to this thread that I've been debating in head on what action and stand I should take. I'll answer the thread question first. BECAUSE YOU CAN!! No one is an idiot, stupid, or whatever you think there problem might be. I personally don't kill natives anymore and never will again. I've wanted to a couple times this year because they were miss clips. The LAW stated I must release, so I did!! I felt like I was spreading some disease like AIDS to my almost extinct run of steelhead WFG says I have on my river. BULL@#$@ If they counted reds correctly I'm sure they'd be amazed. The Natives I have killed none of them being trophy’s either. I did kill another one out of anger when they made the C&R rule. I look back on that and think to my self "what an idiot" Not that I killed the fish, but for not paying attention to what was happening around me. Age probably had allot to do with it. I started about twenty years ago and turned die hard fish bum around 10 years ago. I've lived in my truck, friends couches, dated women for places to crash around rivers ect.. Steelhead had always been a challenge we all will humbly agree and there is nothing like them. It seemed the more I learned about rivers, runs, genetics of fish, techniques, and network of friends ect.... The more fish I caught. That still holds true but I'm married now, and every years more runs dwindle. I don't want to go into how marriage has affected fishing, I still get my opportunities. I just don't have the same network of friends. Oh well!! With all this said I'm still pretty young but have enjoyed these fish enough to know I need to give back HOW, is the question
1/ We will see Natives go extinct in are life time
2/Government will not be able to resolve tribal conflict in time.
3/The more we give the more others take.
4/Tribes will take whether they can or can't
5/F&G Beau racy has done so little and complicated so much.
6/Everybody points fingers at one another saying your the problem. Unethical, opinion, law, believes what ever, its not going to change the fact that Wild steelhead will be extinct in our life time!!!!!
I would join a conservation group but I don't agree with allot of their views and many think there glorified game wardens. I'll be the first to admit I'm not the perfect fisherman I ride the fence on allot of things. I'm also not someone that doesn't care obviously! Sorry for taking so long but here are my Questions.
1 If we can't buy out the tribes can we buy out commercial fishermen?
2.If we bought one Commercial fishing permit how many fish would be saved?
3.Brood stock has been successful in other states also in Washington. What’s stopping us from pursuing this method and eventually getting rid of the entire hatchery program?
4.Could I start a brood stock program if I had all necessary equipment?
5.If the law said no, would It be wrong if I continued? (up for debate)
6. I'm convinced that democracy isn't going to work with the state, what more drastic measures could I take to secure the Native population in the future. Not saying I have a thick pocket book, because I don't. What if you did, then what would you do?
7. This is my extreme thought what about getting a couple extreme environmental group out there to attack the issue with us? Its just a thought, at last minute thought.