Well maybe it is time for some just plain talk. What on earth does everybody think that sport fishing in the river was going to be with the seasons set for all user groups? Now really just what in the hell did you think was going to happen? Chehalis here folks, so lets see.......... Oh yeah no Chinook retention, ( tribes kicking the crap out of them over 1200 week one http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/commercial/salmon/landings.html then when the Coho show oops, it is netting time with not much gap to allow the river to replenish so fishing tanks but wait it NEVER GOT GOING. End of October and now netting slows and ......... now you release wild Coho as you are conserving them? You got to be kidding me after a month of almost non stop netting you are conserving? Because the hatchery fish are past? BS the fry plants altered the wild run timing years ago pull up the hatchery rack reports for years what a lame ass excuse the agency used to turn loose the gillnetters and their impacts limit the sports. Then we have the Bay fishery with a C&R mortality on Chinook that is sky high so sports can't bitch, which is about those sporties who have the MONEY to do it. Oh yeah and we have a few harvestable Chum, right, the tribe and non treaty nets a wiping them out as they arrived early and stronger numbers than I have seen for a while. Now the good news may be that it drives the stock down enough to limit harvest in one year of the cycle so less netting of Coho. Hows that for a mind set?

Now in certain reaches this will not be so, such as the Satsop, as early rain moved things up early and depending on the weather you should do OK in November IF the rivers do not blow BUT for the local Mom & Pop fishery going out in your small boat and troll around, the guy that runs down and fishes off the bank after work from S Monte to the Port, which is a huge number of local working folks, your season was going to be pure sh-- from the get go. If you have money for a good boat, time ( not working 60 hrs a wk ) and skill you get fish but Joe Six Pack out with the kids? Your picking with the sh-- chickens.

Could it have been done different, yes but those involved in NOF put their time in to fight for the fisheries THEY feel are important and do a good job. NOBODY AND I MEAN NOBODY approaches it from the perspective of creating and maintaining a good solid fishery on the Chehalis S Monte to the Port for the regular folks. S Monte to Fuller Hill your at the mercy of the nets, run timing, & weather your going to do OK or in the toilet with not much middle ground. The best sport fishing years on the Chehalis is one with a dry summer, Chinook or Chum restraining the desire to net things down to the bare minimum. This year and last it rained early and the Chinook & Chum were marginal so wella it is wipe out time!

It is the system and if you have the necessary money and time you will do OK as long as you like crowds or head out in the bay. Otherwise you should pick another hobby.