I would like to give something a little differant a try here.I want to open a post where you can post your ideas concerning the condition of the fisheries on your rivers and what you want to see done with them.Whether it is get the nets out or close it down or go c/r or build more hatheries, whatever you think!

The catch is the hard part.I do not want this thread to be a debate at all.I just want to hear differant views.I am looking for common views and a cross section of what the fishermen think and want.Kind of an unofficial survey.I wish there was a way I could do it anonymous but I can't see a way?

So please,what do you guys think about your rivers?I do not realy care what river it is,I am more interested in what you think needs to be done.What should be done to make fishing better?And please as hard as this might be,do not include what you think about joe blows ideas,just give us some thoughts of your own.

I like to fish the Hood canal rivers but the fishing is not very good at all.I fish them because I love them not because of the spectacular fishing.

The current dfw regs are c/r exept two hatchery steelhead,with no restrictions on method.I believe summer bait restrictons are needed.

I believe the seals have become a problem and need to be thinned out,shoot the damn things and make fertilizer out of them.

I believe the state needs to go wild c/r.I would like to see provisions for one trophy a year.If I ever catch a 30lber it would be reel hard to release.I think I would actually keep it and sleep with it for a couple of nights.

I also believe that the hatcherys need to be revamped.There is much room for improvement.

I think the tax payers need to buy out the commercial fishing interest in the straits and puget sound.

I think the amount of guides on our rivers needs to be regulated.Hopefully by themselves.

I have no problem with the 50-50 split with the indians but I believe there needs to be more monitoring and laws put into place that keep the practises reasonable.

I believe that watersheds need to be protected with even bigger buffers but not at the expense of the land owner,at the expense of the tax payer.

Thanks
greg

Let's see, my home river is the Columbia. How long do you have?

Way too much to list. What happens in my home river as far as harvest methods, water control, pollution, dredgeing, you name it, probably effects everyone that has a "home river" that is in the massive watershed.

I don't know if it would be better to start at the biggest (Columbia) part of the watershed or the smaller (tributaries) part of it.

Aaron

I would like to see a statewide bad on barbed hooks for all fisheries .

The Washugal river...
1. Massive hatchery steelhead production with too many hatchery fish spawning in the wild.. Close the hatchery and end all plants.

2. Lost juvenile rearing and overwintering habitat.... off channel habitat restoration and creation

3. Snagging fall chinook because these tule stock never ever bite anything.. discontinue hatchery production of chinook and close river from Aug 1 to September 30th. Open it then for only fin clipped coho.

Thanks lTlcleo...well since I fish pretty much the same rivers on the canal for the same reasons you pretty much said what I would've.
I would like to see some thought given to broodstocking on those rivers....the habitats there...just no adult fish. I'd also consider further seasons reductions or restrictions if it was combined with serious efforts at restoration...otherwise no as it wouldn't be of any use.

This is a GREAT topic, but one I'm at a loss to respond to with anything particularly profound.
Yeah, yeah, what's new, you say.

What's wrong with the Sky? Too many people fishing it. I could blame sleds, drifties, or bankies, but really it's just got a lot of pressure.

It's proximity to a major metro area is it's downfall, I guess. Gotta find a zipper!

the only thing wrong with the sky that i have really seen is the low ammts of native steelhead. what about a broodstock program? also i didnt see many chums this year.
Tyler

The problem with my river is that Oregon is going to close the Salmon River hatchery 1 July. I believe the only way to sustain a fishery is by stocking it with hatchery fish. I think politicians play the native vs hatchery fish as an excuse not to fund. The only way to build back native runs is to close or limit fishing and the take of native fish. Let people have hatchery fish to bonk and eat so they will leave the natives alone or relese them.

The problem with the Hood Canal rivers is that they don't plant enough steelhead. These rivers were hot back in the 1970's.

Things I'd like to see to improve my fishing areas...

1. Wild Steelhead Release

2. A better funded enforcement division at WDFW. I think those gentlemen ought to be commended for their commitment to the resources, since they sure don't get paid as much as other cops. We need more of them out there, because the best way to prevent all the dumbasses from poaching is to establish an enforcement presence.

3. Better river etiquette, all around.

4. More kids fishing, especially kids with well-mannered and knowledgeable mentors. For that matter, more women, too. Shouldn't be such a good 'ole boys club.

5. Less litter, more respect for the resources and other fisherfolk. (Maybe should go under #3?)

Fish on...

Todd.

On my north Oregon coast rivers, logging is the main culprit. Liquidating the native forest and converting it to young tree plantations has completely changed the structure of the rivers (no more big logs and log jams), simplifying them with a host of negative results.

The hydrology has also changed. Very few people realize that these rivers used to have stable flows with little sedimentation. Now, most are very 'flashy', coming up quick and muddy; and in summer months abnormally low and warm.

Of course filling in 90+% of Tillamook Bays wetlands has reduced the juvenile rearing habitat by that much as well.

id say my biggest complaint is for the GOVERNMENT to cleanup that hanford site before the all ready 100 sqare miles of toxic waste water needs to be cleaned up before it hits the columbia, imagine what it would do to fishing then??? anyone know much about whats happening there, as in cleanup and what not??? **berkley boy**

When I moved to the northwest and began trout/salmon/steelhead fishing 6 years ago, I did so without any preconcieved ideas about what my river(s) should be like. I explored a lot and had many fishless days. Now, I usually return to places I know and usually enjoy good fishing. I have avoided the places I didn't like and stuck with those I like. I wish there were more wild fish overall, but I'm not one who thinks we should shut all the hatcheries down. Here are my main rivers:

1)Clackamas: They need to renovate the fish ladders. Biologists have done radiotracking studies which show the adults have a very hard time finding their way on these especially long/steep ladders. I believe this is going to be done to some extent along with reliscensing. Also, more law enforsement is necessary here to protect wild fish. Lastly, I wish Metro would aquire more public access to the lower river.

2)Deschutes: They need to re-establish anadromous fish passage over Pelton and Round Butte dams. Again, I believe a requirement of reliscensing is requiring this. Continued habitat/riparian restoration needs to be done here with fencing off of cattle on tribs.

3)North Coast: I'd like to see some hatchery production, but the hatcheries (which may be shut down completely) need to be renovated or modernized if they stay. They also need some source of funding other than state. More law enforcement is necessary here too.

That said, by doing my homework and not limiting myself to one river, I've had some excellent fishing success the last several years and I'm happy with "my" rivers. I drifted the Clack yesterday and caught 2 hatchery steelhead. I banked the N Coast one day last week with a friend and we went 8/10 on natives. The last time I went to the Deschutes (last November), I caught several trout and one steelhead on flies. There's good fishing out there if you are willing to look for it.

It would be nice to end hatchery plants in the hood canal streams. the patetic returns due to seal depreditation dosnt make it worth spending money on them. Hey ltl cleo. I hiked the dosey yesterday from tide water to about a half mile above the power lines and the only fish I saw was an unspawned hen that had most of her upper jaw bitten off by a seal and her eyes covered with fungus. I hope this isnt one of the last two wild fish left here. I plan to poke around on the duck this sat. mabye I'll see you there sometime.

I'd say my rivers are plagued with too many "fishermen". The crowds are out of control and with that comes bad tempers, more crowds, litter, more crowds, less fish, more friends of these guys "just watching", less parking, more thieving, more land closures, etc. I don't know where all these people came from, I'd like to blame California, but I really can't blame them, they seem to appreciate a river since thiers are now scarce, but these no-good, not working-setting up shanty towns-and pinching loaves on the bank, wads of line leaving, beer cans and bottle-breaking, loudmouth, snaggin' poachin' rat-******* mofos..........I've already said enough.

Nahh, don't stop, I was just startin' to chuckle.

Come to think about it, I'd like to know just how muddy the Sky would get with rain withOUT all the logging, pavement, development, etc., around it.

At least there's no dam on the dam(*) thing.

i have to agree with the above sentiment.

"no-good, not working-setting up shanty towns-and pinching loaves on the bank, wads of line leaving, beer cans and bottle-breaking, loudmouth, snaggin' poachin' rat-******* mofos"

AKA: white trash redneck baitchuckers.

METH MAN,
I was wanting to do the same thing.I just need to make sure it is alright with the dogs and maybe we could hook up and take a look around.I will private message ya tomarrow.

Good hearing from ya!

Meth Man you won't find many spawners in that river in that area ever....at one time the state planted around 50,000 smolts in that river...lately its barely 10,000....last five years nate counts have hovered around 100 fish...this years count I haven't got yet but will pass it along. Just info... no intent or opinion.

For gooose & Ltlcleo-

Did my yearly hike around the rivers you know where...checked about ten canyon pools on both rivers, saw approx. 6 natiive steelhead in the gin clear water. It's certainly not the late 1970s anymore over there. Sad numbers, used to count fish in the dozens there.

Bill.