Just read the report about the multiple fillet and released steelhead on the Hoko and am disturbed. I saw the same thing Thursday on the upper Boggie above 101.

It really bothers me that people lack so much respect. I wish there was somthing we could do. I think they should be casterated.

Sounds like a typical "Poacher". They dont care about the future, they want all right NOW. Take thier license away forever!

Somehow, I don't think they even own a license.

Make poaching nates a felony in WA State.. With WA's "3 Strikes and your sorry-butt will be locked in Walla Walla for LIFE" policy, that *might* make people think twice about poaching. Taking away a license, paying a small fee, and having your Mickey Mouse Zebco pole consficated is a damn joke!

That might also keep a lot of the soon-to-be poachers off of the soon-to-be CLOSED rivers.

Parker

[This message has been edited by parker (edited 02-26-2001).]

I'm all for taking their licenses away for ever, but they need to be caught first. I usually mind my own business, but if I saw somebody poaching wild steelhead I would be on my cell phone in the blink of an eye. One good thing is that, these guys have bad things comming from the fish gods. Let's hope the gods aren't kind.

Man what an appalling story. Remember everyone that the poaching hotline is on the back of your license. Here it is just so that we all get used to seeing it:
1-800-477-6224
Take your cell phone and bust these idiots when you see them, there are far too many of them. They've just about single-handedly destroyed certain wild runs, such as the Bogachiel. I concur that poaching should carry a more imposing penalty and that enforcement needs to improve. The incident on the Hoko breaks my heart, we need those fish desperately for that small stream.

Because Puget Sound Chinook are on the endangered/threatned list, it will now be a felony to keep a wild chinook in Puget Sound. If wild steelhead stocks ever make it to the list, then we'd have some real teeth to go after these bottom dwellers.