Keta,

Next spring about 70% the Columbia hatchery springers will be finclipped. Last spring it was 40%, and starting from 2002 it will be 100%, unless enough wealthy non-fishing campaign contributors/constituents demand further tax funding cuts on hatcheries, so they can buy a 3rd Mercedes, and their guy in Congress wins out. Since a majority of next spring's fish will be identifiable, the sport caught non-clipped fish can be released to a 93+ % survival rate (2 year extensive ODFW study proves this). And most of the released fish will be unmarked hatchery fish. In other words, under those conditions sportsman will have little or likely no significant impact on the Fed. ESA protected native springers. Not so with with the indesriminate killing nets of the Indian Tribal fishermen! So there is simply NO JUSTIFICATION to not allow us a long mainstem season next spring! Because of that and the states impending lawsuit against the NMFS and Col. Tribal Comm. I am optimistic that we will get a good season on them. Whether it's a fair and long enough one remains to be seen. - As for snagging these fish Native Son, I don't think that will happen on such a big deep river. It's on the tributaries snagging occurs, so that wouldn't be a factor at all for a mainstem season. Get your gear, BBQ's, smokers, and freezers ready!!! - RT