RPetzold
You said;
"According to the survey done by the WDFW this past year 60%+ fisherman want wild steelhead release. How does that make us a special intrest group???"
Did you ever stop to think that every survey is designed to get the results that it wants!
WDFW is so darn bias when it comes to "wild" fish recovery that it is almost funny! Just stop and think about it for a few moments. WDFW can sit on their fat duffs (as usual) and do nothing but spend our money on their jobs without doing a damn thing to produce fish that we can catch and yes, KILL!
Not to long ago I was told that WDFW was forming a brand new advisory group of citizens who supposably represented all the different aspects of fishing and hunting interests. I was told by one of the WDFW staff that among others, my name was one that was proposed for what was to be called "the round table".
I was also told that I was not chosen because I am to outspoken on my fishing interests!
I have worked with many WDFW personal for the last 17 years and known them well. WDFW does not want anyone who may have a different opinion, then theirs, having anything to do that may change their current fish managing polices (guard job at all costs).
Do you really think that WDFW has one single person on this new "Round Table" that promotes catch and KILL? (well maybe one gillnetter) You can bet your last dime that they have all been chosen because they support WDFW catch and release policy. If WDFW really cared about saving "wild" steelhead, they would immediately stop the gill netting on the Columbia River. Believe what you want, but common sense tells you (and most others) that hook and release won't do a damn thing to restore wild steelhead runs as long as the nets keep killing them. Where is the logic to make us use barbless hooks at one point, and then release the fish unharmed, just to go around the corner and get entangling to death in some gill net?
First, the nets must come out, and then we will see if hook and release is needed. I am all for hook and release if removing the nets don't do the job! Common sense tells most of us that everything else is just spitting into the wind. Let's put every recovery effort in its rightful order and then see what else is truly needed to recover our wild steelhead runs. Dam removal, habitat enhancement, hook and release will do nothing until the nets get out of our rivers!
RPetzold, I understand that once someone has practice what they preach that it is hard to change.
I have also talked to a lot the "common" type fishermen, and believe me, they are not supporters of any new barb less hooks restrictions.
That's mine and a lot of others 2 cents worth.
Cowlitzfisherman
Is the taste of the hook worth the sting of the bait????
[ 12-28-2001: Message edited by: cowlitzfisherman ]