I just called the Washington DFW to ask if it's leagl to catch and release humpies in the Skagit before Aug. 16th. The answer was NO. The gal told me that it is illeagl to target them during a closed season and it it illegal to fish with gear considered humpie gear. Dunno how they decide what's humpie gear, but suspect that if you are catching one after another, that would make whatever you are using, humpie gear.

This is true with any species. Know what you're fishing for. The local shops know, the local Fisheries Agent knows and will ticket you for using a lure that is known to work on a specific species that is closed. Wee Dick Nites don't catch Steelhead, and Bait Wrapped Kwikfish don't catch Humpies.

well that changes pretty much everything i used to think. i've always thought it was ok to cnr fish that you couldn't keep as long as the water was open

"Wee Dick Nites don't catch Steelhead"

A Dick Nite is just a small spoon. I have caught Steelhead using Wee Dick Nites. Dick Nites will catch almost every species that swims in the river.

It is illegal to "target" a species using "typical" tackle used to catch them. (a game warden told me) that anchoring over a school of rolling humpies and you're throwing a pink humpy special spoon......you're getting a ticket.

However, Leadthrower is right. Some lure, i.e. Dick Nites, can catch many different types of fish. If you're using a Dick Nite on closed humpy water, it better not be pink. And I would stay away from the rolling schools. You'll catch a cutt, steelie, and maybe a humpy, but you're not "targeting" them. Which poses this question: If I have caught my limit of salmon in a river and my fishing partner has one more fish to catch, can I keep on fishing? The law says no, but what if I am using a Dick Nite and I am trying to catch a cutt?

You can even use pink lures, I have caught many dollys on pink flys in the skagit. The ticket well be based on what your reply is when the game warden (poss in plain clothes) asking you "what your fishing for". does it make it right that the guys are C/R pinks in the river, I think its up to the people that are doing it, they have to live with there decision. I dont fish for them today because of my ethics not everyone elses, I might change my mine tommorow. But at the same time C/R Bass fishing is right up there on my list of fun things does this make me wrong, I dont think so....DJ

A few years ago when the WFWD decided to start shutting down the straights in the Pillar Point area, the first of sept. (just as they were beggining to show in mass) we were encouraged to go out and practice catch and release. I was Floored......tony

OK here's some more to consider...

I just got my STS in the mail last night. There is a HUGE article on fishing the Skagit in this edition. They talk about all the tecniques, where to look for them, and how great and under-utilized the humpy and sea run cutt fishing is.

So I'm thinking (before this thread) I am going to stop off for some fishing on my way to Canada next week (Fraser hopefully) and bring all my pink tackle. If I hadn't read this thread I would have thought that C&R was legal.

So then a quick check of the regs say that all salmon is closed until Aug 16th, but that all trout species are open year round. I guess if I bring trout flys with no pink on them I should be legal?

I have a feeling that after the STS article there are going to be a lot of people C&R'ing those fish before the 16th. Is there any chance they could open the season early?

Just curious. If a river closed to retention of native steelhead, how do I fish for hatchery steelhead?

I am being vececious (sp) but I wish WDFW would make it a little more clear in the regs.

Could someone please refer me to a page in the regs or a link to a web page that talks about species specific gear as in "gear considered humpie gear" or any regulation specifying the color of gear? For that matter I can't see any language in the regs that talks about targeting species for C&R that are not open. I've looked through the 2003/2004 pamphlet and see nothing on this. I don't agree with targeting species for C&R that aren't open, but I would like to read these regulations from an official source.

Keta - As knowledgeable as you have proven yourself to be, I'm surprised that the rule about targeting them didn't just jump out at you.

On page 20 of the "Fishing in Washington" rules pamphlet under Seasons in the center column at the top, the last paragraph states:

"ALL FRESHWATER AREAS are CLOSED to fishing for SALMON, Dolly Varden/Bull Trout and Grass Carp Unless listed as open in the Special Rules.

That seems pretty clear!

As to determining what gear might be salmon specific, the subjective opinion of the enforcement officer and that of the judge or jury would be the decisive factors unless the anglers own admission of guilt prevailed.

My experience has been that you can catch trout on a bait wrapped kwikfish and salmon with worms leaving me wondering if the idea of species specific gear is anything more than a fantasy.

they should change it from "fishing for" to "retention of"

that'd clear up a bunch of problems imho

"ALL FRESHWATER AREAS are CLOSED to fishing for SALMON, Dolly Varden/Bull Trout and Grass Carp Unless listed as open in the Special Rules.

Plunker,
Ya, I saw that on page 20. To me that is a statement of the obvious for the thicker sculled among us, that is, the only waters that are open for those species are listed in the special rules. If this is the language they use to state that C&R of closed species is illegal then I guess I have to be included in the bone head group. I would like to see it stated clearer than this. Maybe like "Targeting closed species for C&R is unlawful". Then you would get into the can of worms of what is "targeting". You know these people are never fishing for the closed salmon, just accidentally hooking them one after another while trying to catch the trout or steelhead that are legal. I guess what it boils down to is there is no good way to write a regulation to stop people from targeting closed species for C&R. If it becomes too much of a problem the WDFW will probably close all fishing in the effected area, like they did in the spring to protect steelhead the last two years, until the salmon season opens.

Guys -
If we as a group we are unwilling to fish responsibly (cease targeting closed species) and establish an acceptable angling ethic then perhaps WDFW should solve the problem for us.

It would be quite simple - just close all anadromous waters at those times where it has been determined that fishing isn't appropriate for one or more species. This would be much like that on the smaller tributaries that are only open from June 1 to October 31. Of course it would mean that all Puget Sound streams save the Skagit, Snohomish, and Skykomish would be closed year-round - The closures needed becaused of closed seasons for ESA protected species (chinook and bull trout).

The Skagit might be open from November through the spring though closures in Janaury and February might be need some years to protect those late coho. The Snohomish and Skykomish could possibly be open November through February.

What could be simplier? Concise regulations, no gray areas (open or closed for all species) and we aren't force to accept responsibility for own fishing or ethics.

Could apply the same approach to marine waters - again very simple regulations just not much fishing.

Just a thought!

Tight lines
Smalma

You guys are making far to much of this, I well tell your stright from the wardens mouth, that when he walks up to you (prob in fishing attire) and says what are you fishing for, and you reply theres a bunch of pinks going by and they are alot of fun to catch....you well get a ticket,,...but if you respond with I came to fish for trout but cant keep the humpys off my pole but its fun to catch and release them your OK.
the river is open for trout, what lure you use is up to you. I like to throw pink streamers for the dollys, I havent been over there to try to target pinks and probly wont, but You guys are still trying to sound like lounge chair game wardens, here a few examples that I do that might just floor you guys, I take alot of young Navy people fishing (I work at the base) If I cant get the salmon to bite I have a favorite wall out in the San Juans that has alot of quillbacks, greenling, cabazone, and most of all lingcod. I take them over there to fish for rocksfish of which we can keep 1 each, we catch 20 lings and release them, have we done something wrong. no we handle the fish as gently as we can, and eveyone gets to catch fish. heres another when dragging flashers up and down west beach and you watch the 60 to 80 foot range, now and then you well see fish on the finder right on the bottom, the area is open right now for pinks and silvers but not kings. If you drop your down riggers down to just above the bottom have you done anything wrong. I well tell you that these are not pinks/silvers they are kings, I catch and release at least one a year down there that is over 30 pounds, but again I havent done any thing against the law. you guys are trying to inforce laws on a fishing areas that are open for fishing, the guys are releasing the fish that cant be keept. the last thing we need is more laws or more confusion added to the laws we have. If your interested in helping the survival rate of salmon, go out shoot commorants, you know the same ones that sit on the rock in the middle of the river near concrete (skagit) do you know that a Commorant EATS ITS body weight each day of small fish (smolt). The commorant is only one example of whats killing the salmon pollution, lost nets, nets accross the river, warm water, loss of shade on the streams etc is killing more salmon then the catch and release guys that are fishing in a open fishing area called the skagit river.