Where did I ever state that I desired the limit to be 2 fish?

I'm all for a 1 fish limit. If it helps the fish. But I truly believe a 1 fish limit didn't help the fish and it will not help the Willamette either. The pressure is too much for those fish to take it.

I'm just trying to figure out how everyone figured out what Kevin is actually "complaining" about.

Personally, I think he is right on with his thinking. Regardless of the what the limit is, the real problem is the number of people on the river each day. Not how many fish each person can actually keep.

The only thing I've heard Kevin propose is that if we want longer seasons, or we want increased escapement, the only real solution is to close more days during the season.

The point that we had a great season and that the sportfisherman "got their fish" is well taken, and I haven't seen where anybody here has said otherwise. That's one beauty of managing a fishery with actual accounting of the number of fish taken. But most of our fisheries aren't like that.

For a reason not mentioned, I think closing more days would be a better way to manage the resource. Rather than take 20,000 fish out of the front of the run, we should be spreading the impact throughout the season.

I just think its amazing how people think Kevin is complaining for not 'getting enough' or whatever.

Get over it.

Dom

Aunty,


Here's my proposal for next year. 1fish limit open 7 days a week of which guides can only fish monday through fri. Guides may only fish one trip a day and can't retain their personal limit while guiding. That will decrease the harvest rate and hopefully allow the season to last longer.

I'm going with " C "...did I get it right?

Welcome to page 6...many happy returns!

Fish on...

Todd

Make the Columbia below Bonneville "flyfishing only" with " barbless hooks required" and fishing only between 11am and 1pm...on Tuesdays.

That oughta extend the season into 2032.

Fish on...

Todd

Best idea I've ever heard

JoJo, I wish that would have been the 2nd post on page 1. Problem solved!

You don't think guides will fish for fun on weekends? I can't believe you would honestly believe that would even have a 1% impact.

The only way to decrease harvest is to close it. Anytime it's open, the maximum amount of fish to be taken will be had.

DFW made a statement that taking the limit from 2 to 1 will only have a minimal amount of impact. They talked about a 1 fish limit extending the season by just 1 more day. Thats peanuts compared to the big picture of 45 days that were scheduled to be open. The fishieries have always been managed for mazimum sustainable harvest. Conservation should take front seat. Let some fish get through before we hammer em. We are all fishing on a predicted run. That's bad news for all. We should be fishing on what we know is there not what we think is gonna come. What happens if the run falls flat on it's face and we only get 100,000 fish over Bonny. Yet we killed 20,000 of them. I'm dissapointed at the DFW for setting seasons when they only have a SWAG as to what the run will be.

Being from Idaho.. I've always thought it was stupid to set a number for harvests down stream when there is no idea how many fish out there. Your right, what if there are only 50,000 and you already took 20,000 or whatever. The math does not matter for this example.

I guess what the question is.. as a guide, who spent a bunch of time on the water, and ultimately was responsible for more fish leaving the river than the next guy.. you did what to help this problem ??? You act like the DFW MADE you do something you didn't want to do. You wanted a longer season. Great. Now your saying that maybe too many fish were taken ?? yet you were right there in the middle of it ?? Close the river.. would help you how ??? You keep talking about whats good for the fish, but your really worried about what good for YOU

Dude, your all over the map here. Bottom line is your pissed because the seasons over. Your probably a great fish catcher or whatever, but your math is goofy as a football batt

Kevin,

If my proposal was implamented wouldn't it be in your best interest to stay off the water on the weekends. The less you fish for fun the more working trips you'll be able to make that puts money in your pocket. How about closers for guides in high impact areas. Is in use in saltwater area's of SE alaska. Only open to unguided anglers. I'll just word the proposal that you can't fish from a licensed guide vessel on weekends. I am sure that I could get support for this proposal if it has a chance of extending the season and allows the weekend warrior a better opportunity.

Yeah, from your gillnetting buddies. Give it a rest JoJo, painting guides as a problem is divisive and pointless.

What's to stop him from hopping in his buddies boat on the weekend, and schooling you from it?

What's your agenda?

B run,

I only guide when the fishing is good enough to allow it. I'm not into waysting time fishing for nothing. I said it before and will repeat it again.
I'M ALL FOR A 1 FISH LIMIIT.

I spent 15 days on the Columbia river this spring. That's not much if you concider it was open for more than double that time. I know several sportfishermen who spent almost everyday out there. I never stated that I wanted a longer season. I was happy to get the opportunity to fish the days I did.

It would seem pretty clear if I wanted it closed that it would help the fish not ME. None of this post was about me. It was all about the fish. If you can find something I stated that refered to me being unhappy about it closing early, then I'm all ears. You will not find it, because it wasn't said.
You've done a great job of twisting this into a bash on my personal agenda, of which you obviously know nothing about.

I keep talking about what's good for who? THE FISH!

I'm not pissed the season is over. I'm well versed in how to make a living beyond fishing. I spend more days on the water for fun than I do guided trips. i think anyone who knows me well can attest to the limited amount of time I choose to guide. I've never been one for a boat ride. Only guide when it's good enough to make people happy with results.

Jojo,

I spend more time sportfishing with my friends than almost every angler on this board. Thanks for you input on guides. We can see how you feel. I will be enjoying the weekends fishing with my three boys if it gets closed to guides on weekends. Should it be outlawed to take my children out fishing. Selfish is not my agenda, as many of you who know me can attest.

Only aggenda is to extend a season that has great benefit economically to the sorrounding towns of both oregon and washington. Guides fishing 7 days a week sometimes twice a day and limiting every day does not achieve that agenda. Unguided anglers far outway Guides on the Columbia yet Guides account for the largest impact on the qouta because there so affective at what they do.

It doesn't?? Their clients coming down and renting motel rooms, buying food and licenses... The guides buying tackle and fuel.... How is that not an economic benefit to the "surrounding towns??"

That reasoning doesn't hold up. You're basically saying it would be better if more people did a worse job of harvesting hatchery fish so they would spend more money over a longer time period. What's wrong with being succesful? If extending the season and the "economic benefit" is all that's important, why not go with selective gear? What about the poor "unguided anglers" that don't possess boats? They shouldn't have access to the fishery?

Honestly, the fact that you come on a sportsfishing board, hosted by a fishing guide, and put forth pro-commercial, anti-guide sentiments makes me question your real motivations.

Yes, guide boats do catch a good portion of the fish. Are they offering a sportfisherman an oppotunity at something we are all entitled to? 3 of the 15 days I spent on the water were donated trips to ........

1. Naselle fish hatchery to feed coho smolts
2. Willamette heritage foundation
3. Emmaus Christian Schoool auction

I gave three days of money making to give back to things that are for the fish. I'm not looking for a pat on the back, yet to enlighten you as to how much give and take occurs from so many of the guides in the industry.

Before I guided, I was on the water three times as much and my boat caught way more fish than I do now.

Whoo-hoo! Page 7!

Fish on...

Todd

Honestly, I'm still not sure I can even figure out what the hell is being argued over, who's on what side of what, and who's winning, or losing, what...I'm just amazed it's made it to page 7...

What do you want to argue about? The CCA? Pick a topic, I'm game.

Let's argue about spinning rods vs. baitcasters!

Fish on...

Todd