Wonderful pictures of the kids. I wonder where and how they'll get to fish in 20 years?

Our steelhead fishing problem is two fold. 1) There aren't as many viable streams to fish as there once was, and the seasons are restricted. Years ago we had GOOD fishing on the Skagit, Sauk, Stilly, Green, Puyallup, Nisqually, (our) Deschutes, Chehalis, Cowlitz, Toutle, Kalama, Elokomin, Grays, Naselle, Willapa, Satsop, Wynoochee and ALL the Peninsula streams including the Lyre, Dungeness, Dose, and Duck. The Skokomish was awesome years ago. Where are we now? Only a few of those rivers are worth fishing now, or even open to steelhead fishing? So we crowd ourselves onto the best places that are open. Why? Because we all love our sport.

The evidence is clear: WDFW has MANAGED the steelhead streams to the terrible condition that they are now in and we have allowed them to do it. Look where much of western Oregon has gone with their steelhead programs with brood stocking! They get good fishing without seriously harming their fish genetics. We could too.

We need to DEMAND what we want from our steelhead fish managers. The tribe has their share, but we need to DEMAND that our share is managed properly for the betterment of the fish population and the sport of steelheading. Who is an advocate for steelhead and steelhead fishermen? It's not WDFW. We're PAYING dozens of biologists to fail, and we're also electing gutless politicians who don't support even the most basic of conservation principles, nor the best thing for economics. Stupid is as stupid does!

I admit that this rant is painted with rather a broad brush, but look at our history of our steelhead the last thirty years. If we had even the most basic of steelhead management in our state, the Satsop wouldn't be crowded. There would be smiling steelheaders spread throughout the state fishing the rivers that are now closed or who have few fish in them.

And, don't swallow all the hogwash that you hear about losing habitat. We have lots of great habitat with NO STEELHEAD swimming in it! Our over all habitat is significantly better than it was 40 years ago. I should know, I was in charge of protecting a lot of it.

Lets do something! Look at the great example of the leadership at FISHING THE CHEHALIS and what they've begun to accomplish. It could be done.