Your letter was very factual and a little mean spirited. Yes, catch and release does increase the mortality of steelhead. But, most of the programs to save or protect steelhead were originated by fisherman, who have seen changes and because there is no big money interest at stake for them, they try and do something about it. Do, you think the owner of a dam looks at the depleting number fish and says, "Gee, maybe we should tell the public about this." or maybe someone who logged irresponsibly, notices that the brown muddy runoff is slowly erasing the once gravel bottom, might say this could be affecting the spawning beds. No. Granted catch and release is not a completely safe means of "surveying", but no other means besides fisherman see so much of the water that hold steelhead. State programs are under funded and models are inaccurate. Private industry surveying is to stay within compliance and avoid fines.
Regarding your comment on guides...These guys take people who don't normally fish and show them the fishing experience. The clients get to see what a steelhead is and the habitat that the fish live in. So when an issue comes up on a ballot regarding protection, these people might understand it a little better. Now, I don't believe that most fisherman think about all of the above, when they do all the fishing activities that they do. But, I don't think that catch and release is as big as an evil as you make it out to be.
Good luck fishing---mike korenko