Reel Truth - Before you go too far afield on this topic, some additional information might be warranted. I believe the Tribal fishery for spring Chinook is largely a dip net fishery. I could be wrong on this since I'm not an expert on the gear the Tribes use in the spring. Perhaps someone who knows more about this could provide that information. Do the Tribes primarily use dip nets in the spring or do they also use gill nets? I'll like to know.

But if the Tribes have primarily a dip net fishery, they should be able to differentiate between hatchery and wild fish, as the sport anglers can and do. I realize this may not change your basic point that sport anglers should be allowed to get their fair share of the excess hatchery fish. However, if everyone can tell the difference between wild and hatchery fish and everyone is using gear that allows C&R of wild fish, there shouldn't be a major problem. We should all be able to harvest the springers without seriously affecting listed stocks. And there wouldn't be a reason to bang heads with the ODFW/WDFW, the Tribes, or anyone else. But, like anything else in the Columbia River basin, it probably ain't that simple......