Like the tribals are always the victims...

I was shot with a pellet gun when I was 12 fishing with some friends and their dad. Shot me right next to the balls. Lucky he wasn't a better shot. The pellet went through my waders and broke the skin.

I have seen lots of run-ins on the Skokomish, and usually it is racially directed. The white guys spewing slurs or the natives shooting people with pellet guns...it has to stop.

I was fishing with a couple of other bobber guys last weekend away from the crowds, and out of the woods come three native guys (about 16-18) spewing slurs (honkies, whitebread etc..). They said they were going call the tribal police and say we threatened them. They didn't. They left and came back about an hour later with what looked like tuna rods and started ripin' lip with old skok fly (led wrapped treble). I had one fish so I decided to make my exit. As I was gutting out my fish...one of the native punks chucked his crap right on top of some poor guys bobber gear. He reeled up the guys stuff and cut it off. Their misguided sense of entitlement is a majority of the problem. Rock throwing ensued and one of the native kids said he was going to get his gun. We got out of their fast.

On the Swing, Im sure you have your reasons for being sympathetic, I really do understand. My dad is a drug and alcohol (amongst other things) counselor for some local tribes, and being broken and hurt is a huge problem that contributes to most of the issues facing native americans. However in some of the training provided by the tribes themselves, they encourage him to help them themselves and...wait for it...STOP BLAMING THE WHITE MAN for all your problems.

I have talked to some more mature members of the tribe while fishing (bobber and bait fisherman..go figure) and they are disappointed at how things are going down. One blamed both sides for having to much of a sense entitlement. Them with the river and netting (access) and us with the hatcheries (claiming we pay for all the fish and they net most of them).

I liked his idea: on all fisheries where tribal gill netting and white gear fisherman interact, the tribes have their own hatcheries with federal over site and the state keeps their hatcheries. I know this brings in a whole new set of problems...but at least the issue of "our fish/your fish" argument could be settled. Who knows....but something needs to happen.