Excuse me I didn't me to paint all guides and fishermen with the same brush.
Clients do pay for results when they go fishing. It is not the guides fault for doing there job. I respect these guys they are great fishermen. The guides are doing what is perfectly legal and I realize that. Some guides do only fish the C&R waters and I applaud them. The law the way it is set up now has a huge loop hole in my opinion that favors the guide and there business. The law on the West End rivers systems was greatly influenced by the Forks Guide association "business interest".

I must disagree that some guides don't kill fish day after day remember the 10% mortality C& R also.

I would love to see a creel report that showed what the guide's boats caught out of the river systems. Those fish are targeted by the guide on a given section of stream, sure they belong to the client but the guide took them there to that spot. Most clients aren't going to float the clawaha and soleduck on there own. These are dangerous rivers with little or no bank access.


How many fish can a guide boat catch? two clients a day fishing 90 trips? 180 native fish + 10% of C&R that "belong" to the clients. Hmmm I can keep 2 from the hoh and 5 from the Quilayute plus my 10% C&R damage.

I am allowed to kill 7 for my boat each year and each guide can kill 180 ,not including the 10% mortality C&R!!! (talking natives not hatchery). Thats one guide vs average joe.

Ok do the math whos hurting the fish?
25 average Joes to do the damage of one guide boat.

Damage to fish ranks like this

#1 Indian nets 50%
#2 Guides

Guiding is not a easy way to make a living but isn't it really commercial fishing?

Mountain Man Point the way I would be happy to change that law!!!!! I know I am not politically correct in your eyes.




[This message has been edited by smilesforu (edited 09-03-1999).]