For the fall salmon runs while bait definely helps with the catching it also increases the potential impacts on the non-target fish - various ages and life histories of O. mykiss so if we are serious about doing something for the steelhead then serious consdieration is needed about bait bans for even those fisheries.

As we all know both salmon and steelhead can and will be taken with the same gear. And there are certainly enough anglers around that are more than willing to bend rules to use bait for steelhead while saying they were targeting salmon.

I agree Todd that bait is not much of an issue with adult winter runs (pre-spawn) as far as hooking mortaltiy however there are other issues even that time of year - resident rainbows, bull troout, etc that warrent consideration of banning bait as well.

It is pretty easy to talk the conservation talk until it comes down to modifying how one traditionally fishes. Are we going to talk the talk or walk the talk?

Tight lines
Curt