You ever figure that at the end of the day the river wasn't empty of biters...but it was empty of dudes who knew how to catch'em, since they already had caught their limits and left?

If a train leaves the station at 5:00 pm at 10 mph. When will j7 catch a springer.

Which direction is the train heading? If it's heading for the Clearwater, I'd go with "yes, eventually..."...good luck.

Fish on...

Todd

Thanks Todd. I'm done for the day. See ya.

Todd,

I would agree with that statement some of the time, but not all the time. Can you see the analogy about the 8 fish caught in the Willamette today vs the 20 boats that fished it. If the limit were two fish today, how come they didin't even come close to a 1 fish per boat average. If it were 2 fish limit, would that have increased their odds?

Do you ever feel like you fished a spot so hard that you caught every biter you could but still had only half of your allowed limit. So does that mean there are no more biters out there? Or did you wear our all your tools of destruction. Someone else may be able to pull out a few of them, but where the efforts are extreme, like the big C was, most all the fish that are gonna bite get taken. You can't increase how fast you put fish in the boat, it is up to the fish. If every boat on the water was getting limits everyday, then a 1 fish limit would have an effect. But when the number of fish per rod is averaging about 1 fish per every 3 rods, the limit doesn't make any difference. Sure some very good anglers are gonna catch their two fish on some days, but when they do, and they leave, their efforts get shifted to the next avavilable bait.

Is it the number of fisherman whats bothering you ?? whats going to change that ?? As a guide.. thats on the river most days, your more of an impact than most, but are worried or care about how many people went fishing. However, its great you had a good season. Hope it helped make up for the poor ones, and always hoping for next year as well.

No, I never stated the number of fisherman bothered me.
No, I'm not on the water most days, only when there are enough fish to give my clients a legitimate chance to catch one.

My statement was made to get the feel on how the limit at 1 or 2 fish changes the total number caught and kept in one day or the whole season. I personally don't see how the limit has an effect on the total number of fish taken unless every boat limits everyday. Then and only then would a 1 fish limit have an outcome in total number caught.

[quote=kevin lund]

Kevin, it was easy to see early on in this thread that nothing was going to come from the back and forth discussion because you had "personally" already made up your mind about it.

From the cheap seats. You've stated that there are only so many biters. Well, the better fishermen can usually find a few (many) more biters than those fishermen who don't have it dialed in. Meaning more fish will be caught by a select few and the others will still scratch out a fish here and there. But, in the end more fish would be caught in a shorter period of time than with the 1 fish limit in place. Quotas would be met earlier and the fishing season would be closed quicker. It's really not that hard to understand.

Now, I know you'll disagree with that comment just like you've dismissed it every time someone else has replied with something similar in this thread. But, since your preconceived notions are different than others who may make a different arguement then there really isn't much to discuss. In your mind you are right and nobody is going to change that no matter what they state.

If that were the case, then the 1 fish limit would help the total numbers be reduced. But never in the history of the Willamette or columbia river has every boat limited that fished the river. There is still more effort on the river at the end of a day than fish willing to participate.

I am very strong willed, and no my mother didn't send me to my room all the time. I have no problem admitting when Im wrong, but this is not one of those times.

Can you tell me how the 1 fish limit effected the total number of fish taken from the Willamette yesterday, or anyday this year or last. Unless every boat limited, there is no effect.

If you went to a stocked trout pond that had 100 fish in it, and 10 guys caught all 100 fish available, would there be any more get taken if they were told they could keep 200? It's not possible.

1 fish, 2 fish. red fish, blue fish.

Zzzzzzz.......

The caliber of fisherman today is so much better than it was 50 years ago. I agree 100% that some of the better ones will do better than the less expereinced ones. No one would argue that.

So does every great fisherman limit everyday? I'd like to meet them if they exsist.

There are not enough fish to put one on everyones tag.

It depends on where you are fishing and who's fishing it. If you are fishing with you buddies, on the river, you can hand off the rod to make sure it goes on another's punch card so you don't have to tag out your limit in a two limit system and you have one on your tag. Then you can keep on fishing. In the fall you can usually fish for other species.

I'm not sure about the Columbia regs for salmon & steelhead now. Haven't fished springers since last year when we had a two fish limit.

If I were going with a guide I would pay more of a tip if I got two versus one.

People aren't going to limit every day, some will, some won't. Keith's report from last week or so said they CnR'd some 20+ fish. It looked like he had 4-6 people in his boat and in that situation they would have left with 12 fish instead of 6 and still had time to grab another group of people and retain 12 instead of 6.

Tell me how that allows the season (fishing days) to be lengthened without the quota being met early?

So if the limit was 10 fish in the Willamette and only 8 fish were taken, then it's safe to say there would have been more caught if the limit was more? Do the fish know when the limit is 2 or 1? Do more of them bite when it is 2 fish vs 1?

If you are inclined to falme me because of this post, be my guest. I think you're intiltled to your choices.

I've got a f'n headache. Thanks!

When in doubt, always choose answer " C " .

Fish on...

Todd

Exactly, no more fish would have been caught by increasing the limit.

Good god man.......
This is one of the most painful threads I've ever read, and 5 pages of it too.
After wasting 20 minutes of my life reading it I have to say something, better fisherman will catch more fish, period! Just look at steelheading, I truly believe 10% of the people catch 90% of the fish. While springer fishing may be a little easier, steelhead are damn easy to catch once you figure it out.
What does this mean... if those people that know how to catch springers are allowed to catch more fish, they will. The people that don't know how to catch them, well if does not matter if the limit is 1 or a million, they just luck into fish. I feel you are putting too much faith into the whole bite thing, I saw your posts, you limited all the time, I bet a ton of people out there wished they were in your boat that same day, they just could not get it right.

Ha... read that piece of crap I just wrote, just contributing to this painful thread. gotta go

I couldn't agree more. The Willamette needs to be closed immediatly. But, making the Willamette a 1 fish limit isn't going to change the total number of fish taken out of the river daily. It needs to be closed.