Marty,

I think you've made some valid points, but wandered astray on others. While I agree handling fish with bare hands can be a bit of a challenge, I think the lesson is, hold the fish over the water and if you drop it before you click the photo, oh well. And the phot taking point you made is crap. Fumbling to find, turn on, and point/focus the camera is only stupid if you start doing it only after the fish has been tailed. I know damn well I could hold my breath for a couple seconds after even the most strenuous exercise, and if you get ready first, that's all a photo takes.

Secondly, let's say you have two guides fishing the Duc. One fishes the upper, one the lower. The guide on the upper is strictly C&R, doesn't run divers, and passes over 40-50% more redds than the guide on the lower. The guide on the lower river runs divers, doesn't have a strict C&R policy, and still passes over a significant number of redds in the lower section. Is one guide "better" or "more ethical" than the other? No, but if I'm a 25 pound Sol Duc fish, I know who I'd rather have floating over me. Opinion? Sure, but that's the way I see it.

Fish on........