Well bait is by far the most lethal tactic to use in rivers for steelhead,chinook and silvers and I would love to speak with or fish next to someone who believes differently. I don't believe a bait ban is necessary in any sort of situation. Eggs are the main reason people want bait bans, because you have to kill females to get them. There are many of ways you can get eggs though. You can purchase them from indians or from certain hatcheries where there is a surplus amount of fish to harvest where most of the eggs are sold to overseas and used in sushi.
In my eyes I've never noticed a high mortality of fish when hooked and released with bait. How many times have you been on a river and seen dead fish laying on the bottom of the river that were released. I rarely have seen fish die because of bleeding for example what about all the fish you catch with gashes in there sides from sea lions and nets they still seem to make it back to there home grounds where when you catch them they still are full of piss and vinegar. I've personally hooked and released fish that were bleeding and caught them a day or two later with my hook that I had cut off still in there gills. Once again they are agressive enough to bite again, fight again and live through releasing them one more time. Ive caught fish with 3to 5 hooks in so called vital areas.
I guess if they ever ban bait they will ban me from fishing, because I will always fish eggs and bait only for the rest of my life.

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