Dave V. males a very good point regarding catch and harvest.

Last year when the Sky was basically unfishable due to high water I fished below the railroad bridge on the Wallace which is designated as a part of the Skykomish and legal to retain chums. In three afternoon trips of two hours each or less I caught 35 chums, using a float and jig, releasing all but one. Most fishermen I observed that caught chums released them without ever removing them from the water.

The number of fish actually harvested in the river chum fishery by sport fishers is small compared to those releasesd. The economic value provided to a region by sport fishermen is significant.

If this increasingly popular river sport fishery were to go away for lack of fish, so will the economic benefits to local businesses.

Based on the numbers of chums I have seen on the Sky this season to date, I doubt that I will expend many dollars the rest of the season for gas, tackle and meals that I normally would in the pursuit of C&R chum fishing. Multiply that by the significant number of sport fishermen who do fish chums and I believe the lost is something that needs to be considered in our fisheries management programs.