Until I moved to Washington state, everything outside of stocker lakes was CnR in Colorado. I killed and ate maybe 1 outta every 100 fish caught and that was always while back-packing into under-pressured lakes and streams (less food to carry). CnR was never a problem for the general population because "a fish is too valuable of a resource to catch only once" or something like that and everyone understood its a finite resource.

Only until I moved to Washington, did I learn that "whack and stack" was a birth right competition as to who was the manliest man of the day. This is part of the reason why the fly crowds often "look down upon" gear fisherman out here. Now the situation is different out here with ocean going fish; fish that die during spawning; Commericals and Tribes all vying for sellable harvest. Colorado does not face the same gauntlet, so CnR and the mindset that follows easier to accomplish there. Fair is fair. I have been guilty of the same "whack and stack" thinking since moving here and to tell you the truth, it was learned behavior for at least me. I was shocked when the "Priests" came out at first, but then when in Rome. Now after 8 years here, I place value on what I can bring home when I never did before. This has to change...for us all.

However, back to my point about "a fish is too valuable of a resource to catch only once", that thinking has yet to fully ingrain itself in Washington. There's still too much pride and ego / sense of worth to come home empty handed. As an outsider to the state, ya'll need to stop placing so much value on your manliness by how many fish you kill. I need to as well. Very few Sporties are in the financial situation that they must kill fish to eat (those folks are the exception and should be allowed to harvest via tax return status). For the rest of us, its our "Washington Ego" that's getting in the way. Sorry, I just call it like I see it. Flame away Gents - I have nukes waiting for you but at least I'm honest.