As was expected, the nets are having a free-for-all up there. Bellingham channel seems to be wide open to netting. There are set-net gill nets strung all over the beach from Indian Village south to about 2/3 of the way down Guemes, and secret harbor is a gill net mecca. Gill netters were setting nets right in between sport boats on anchor, I even heard of one collision between the two user groups. Also a large round haul seine boat pulled up and anchored in secret harbor, my guess is they will be round hauling all night long after the sport-o's have cleared out.

From what I can gather the sport fishing by-catch is next to 0. The target technique and locations are not conducive to catching anything other than the stray atlantic salmon. I am very disturbed and concerned to think of all of the bycatch that is hitting gillnets all throughout Bham Channel, especially knowing that it is going to go 100% unreported. WDFW had a strong presence with two large boats out, but they were all just standing on the decks and taking picutes of the madness.

Most of the fish at this time in Secret Harbor have moved on, or been killed, my guess is primarily by the netters overnight.... the majority of the remaining "school" up in the area seems to be up off of Guemes now.