I was driving home from work and noticed two "Latin-looking" individuals taking rods out of their truck at the Cedar River in Renton.
This river has been closed to all fishing for about 10 years to protect a precious run of Sockeye.

I approached the two as they were hucking 'buzz bombs' under an old railroad trestle and told them of the river closure. Their response was F#@# you!

I grabbed the ol' cell phone and did a 911 on their sorry butts.

I was outnumbered two-to-one by much younger and stronger guys, so I didn't hang around long. I saw a State Patrol Trooper with the blue light special flashing and headed in their direction within 10 minutes.

Sure hope they got what they deserve!

Good job, I guess they were the ones to get f*cked in the end!

Oh man, that's a pity. Wait until they find out that those two words that they said to you are what their cellmate has in store for them.

I have heard over and over again that this river is closed to protect a Sockeye run but not what happened to that run so long ago. Also does anyone know where I could go to get information on how this river is recovering. I think that it might be good evidence of how closing a river to all fishing may or may not help recovery of fish stocks...

The river has been closed to ALL fishing for abour 12 years now to protect the steelhead and sockeye runs from jerks like the ones I encountered yesterday. This is my home-water andI try like hell to inform as many folks as possible that it needs protecting.

Follow the Issaquah-Hobart Road South to the Landsburg Bridge and see for yourself that the river is indeed recovering nicely.

There are MANY Sockeye in the river now and it's a real trip to take the kids out here tosee the fish trying to jump the spillway/pipeline at the park. There is a hike-n-bike trail that starts there and goes all the way to Renton following the river for about 15 miles and you can access many places to see the fish spawning. This is only two miles from my house and we take our grandson there every year to see the 'fishies bump their noses.'

Bumping noses? Well those fish to have ugly noses so that is kind of accurate.

Hoochie - way to go!

We had a die off of redfish(parasite as I recall) on the Gulf Coast about 20 years ago, the states banned all fishing(including nets) and were able to re-open in just a few years to record stocks. Netting is still banned - wonder when we'll get the idea. Bart

KB, Do you think that they might get thier "reward" similar to the banker in the movie "Shawshank Redemption" (I think that is correct). If so, wait till they get that pink worm

TJ and Hootchie,
I've worked on the Cedar for the last 4 years or so during the fall and winter sampling Sockeye and Chinook, I agree with you that this is a gourgous(sp?) river and worth it to check out the spawning socks.
In regards to closing the river helping with the recovery of stocks, Stealhead and Chinook are still in trouble. Like I said I have only been on the river for the last couple years but, Stealhead adults have seldome broke 100 fish, and this is the first year we had more than a few hundred Chinook in the system, I believe it will be around 1,000. Still the Min. Escapement is 3,000 Chinook. The Sockeye run in cycles and the last two years have been preety darn good. Nothing like the mid 70-80's, but a sport fishery last year and close to one this year. The next two years will be low years and don't even think about a fishery. This river needs protection, don't get me wrong, there are more jerks then those two out there, but protection alone will not bring back the rest of the critters.

NEN

Got info from a good source that Pedro and Jose were indeed BUSTED by a State Trooper Friday afternoon.

Where can I get information about this fishery and maybe even lend a hand? I agree that it is a beautiful river. (Maybe because it has not been fished for the last 10+ years as other rivers have.) As a fisherman I have to admit that when I see water with potential I just about drool but this river is so pretty that I think that it would be worth the time just to get to know it a little better.

Thomas, you're not paying attention here!
This river has been closed since about 1988 and will remain so for sometime.

It was subjected to MUCH abuse and overfishing/snagging as well as heavy flooding in the 70's and 80's.

Don't even think of fishing that water!

Hey Hoochie, back off some, appreciate the defensive nature you have about the river but let me make myself more clear: I wanted information on helping the river...ie, fish counts, rebuilding habitat etc. I wanted to get to know the river as is because I appreciate its beauty and pristine nature even though I can't fish it. I would not want to harm this fishery in any way and would like to see it recover as well.....you may be barking up the wrong tree here with me. Try rereading my post and previous posts....

Sorry, TJ, I'm getting prety defensive in my old age. I've seen so many people abuse that water over the last 25 years, I get riled esily.

I live only a mile from the dam at Landsburg and cross the river many times daily and weekly. It was my "home water" for a long time. Just can't fish it any more and it's a shame.

I can remember when there were so many Kings in the water you could walk across the river on their backs. But, too many greedy *******s used some of the river's isolation to take way too many fish and the runs began to get smaller and smaller until the WDFW closed it entirely to any fishing for any species in order to protect what was left of the dwindling runs of steelies, sockeye, kings and cutts.

The river has been recovering slowly. I take my 4-year-old grandson on walks there to teach him about spawning and habitat protection and I'm hoping he gets a chance to fish it one day.

The Cedar is indeed a beautiful and pristine stream and would be a bank-angler's dream if managed properly.

[ 11-13-2001: Message edited by: Hoochie ]

Actually, the sockeye run on the Cedar is almost entirely artificial. These fish are introduced from Baker Lake, and not native to the Cedar. WDFW and Seattle are pumping out MILLIONS of sockeye as "mitigation" for Landsburg--they have a temporary hatchery near the pipeline at Landsburg. The sockeye that spawn in the river, the various spawning channels and Cavanaugh Pond, are from this hatchery stock--or so it appears. After several generations, these fish have spread throughout the Cedar, and compete for spawning habitat with native chinook in the system.

The fishing closure is to protect NATIVE steelhead (adults and smolts--don't forget the little guys) and NATIVE chinook.

Here's a couple of websites if you are interested in volunteering: http://www.metrokc.gov/exec/esa/action.htm, or http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/waterres/salmon/index.htm