... and the same scenario plays out; the anglers simply move on to the next productive system, and I wouldn't even say that since the Hoh has not made escapement in 6 out the last 10 years and the mighty Q, the poster child for MSY/MSH failed to meet its escapement last year by 25%.

If this does not knock you in the head and pay attention...

The upside is hopefully this will get a few more anglers involved in steelhead conservation/advocacy.

If you haven't gotten involved this is an invitation to do so, come out the film on the 28th.

Wonder if the nets the tribes have in near Birdsview are having anything to do with "escapement or mortality" issues.

Close them all down, better to close them now... while they have a chance instead of waiting for the last fish to suck its own fish penis in a desperate chance to procreate after not finding a single of its own species in the river. Its pitiful everyone wants the fish to survive but in all reality they just want there to be alot of fish so they can catch them. I am included but I would be willing to give up my opportunities in exchange for better opportunities in the future.

And about the whole "See you on the OP" thing I keep seeing getting tossed around? Its true, everyone is heading that way, with each closure another set of fishermen head that way. Every Sound river is done, I would say not one is going to have a healthy population in a year or so. And with that every steelheader will head to the O.P., and all your opportunities belong to us. One collapse after another, California in general, South Puget Sound, North Puget Sound, The O.P. is next and then your favorite zipperlip.
Just a warning which any cognizant or however you spell that person would be able to conclude. But alot of people live in denial.

Sad doesn't begin to describe this. When I first came to this state, every book I read about steelhead fishing eventually talked about the Skagit. The most legendary system in the state is looking like a casualty.

During my time in Washington, I have always lived in Olympia or someplace at a similar latitude, so relative proximity to other (once) great fisheries has kept me from making the pilgrimage to the Skagit or Sauk, but it really hurts to learn that I may never have an opportunity to cast a Skagit spey line on its namesake.

The elimination of the C&R seasons on the Sky, the Sauk, and the Skagit was likely the beginning of the end. Full-blown closure of the mighty Skagit must surely mark a much more ominous milestone.

Sorry to pour on the doom and gloom, but it's getting harder every day to hold on to whatever hope I had that the trend might turn. I am seriously questioning how I can justify continuing to fish for steelhead at this point. I used to be able to tell myself that whatever harm catching and releasing the few steelhead I do encounter has done is relatively insignificant. With escapements below 5,000 fish almost everywhere and dropping, that reasoning no longer seems valid.

I have a trip booked on the OP in March. If things don't start changing for the better in a hurry, I may very well make it my last.

Did I really just write that? Ouch.

I guess it's time to take up turkey hunting. Really, how accurate are the redd counts done by the state and feds? I don't mind giving up fishing for the Skagit natives to bring back the run, but have we cut down on the tribal netting? Have we cut out the salmon pens and their sea lice? Have we moved the logging set-backs from streams far enough? Have we done enough to curb chemicals being dumped into the rivers?

Those rat-bastards in Olympia still don't have the balls to stop all retention of natives on all rivers in the state. So why are we the ones that are always the first to get hosed?

All the more reason to place an emergency order to ban wild steelhead kill on the remaining OP streams that the masses will be displaced.

The extra angling effort those streams will have to absorb is hard to fathom. Along with that increased effort comes additional impacts to wild fish even if NONE are retained. Some will surely die... and moreso with the increased pressure.

Another weird thing happens to fish-deprived anglers.... after a long drought of catching nothing, that primal predatory instinct kicks in the moment a legal fish is landed. Resist the urge!

Remember that Puget Sound is NOT alone.... even coastal steel populations are on a decidedly downard trend. Please, if you are coming out west because your local fishery is closed, discipline yourself to release ALL wild fish.

Let the river sleep, it needs the break.
I support the decision, and we've seen it coming, but it still rips at my soul to see this happen. Some of my fondest fishing memories ever were made on these waters.

This is a huge hit to the Angling community as a whole, and it's much more of a loss than just not being able to go fishing. Anyone who has looked forward to fishing this system has just been robbed of not having a chance to make new memories, stories, and lore. Robbed of one of the premier outdoor recreational resources in the state.
Pluck a big feather out of WDFW's cap.


Beyond the intangible losses, Guides, campgrounds, & local businesses will take a big hit in lost business, within a down economy no less. It's going to be a real quiet spring up there.
Along with this closure I hope the F&G Officers and State Patrol are kept on the beat and not re-assigned in any capacity... It's known that people poach fish up there, so it's especially important to watch and protect the rivers now more than ever.

The tribes must be re-engaged and negotiated with to eliminate their impacts. This is a critical component of a healthy recovery that can't be ignored any longer, and never seems to get anywhere. I don't know how they can look in the mirror in the morning after knowing they just took several of so few. Crist... Send the local netters on a taxpayer-funded fishing vacation to gillnet fish in the tropics in exchange for hanging up their gear for a few years, or give them gift cards to the local Safeway. Guarantee restoration of their rights once the river has recovered. Something, anything.




No words needed to describe this....

Thank you Sky Guy. What a great pic of a beautiful memory.

Basically already on the books for 2011 & 2012 according to the new praposed rule changes.

Ryley,

Thanks for the pic, I have a few similar myself. Off to the Skagit for my first steelhead venture of the year, little high but worth a shot.

Same as the Green, this is a response to last year and I don't think it reflects much on this years run.
I agree that there should be no rivers open for Wild fish retention if for no other reason than some fish stray.

The big deal is not that the fishery will close.. yes, I am bummed out. But according to Leland there is no offical statement from the tribe on what there status will be during the nate season. Also accoring to Leland it probably will not be open for the next 2-3 years due to low escapement.

The last time the river closed early the tribes continued to net through the month of April and even into May. Let me tell you I ran out of swear words when I was driving down south Skagit highway in April. I mean here it is closed to fishing... fishing with no barbs or bait catch and release... and heres the tribes out netting the Steelhead. I dont know how I will take it this time if I see....

Shameful

Ok maybe the Skykomish closes early to. But back when we fished March and April that was what my memories are full of.

The last 2 weeks of Feb are just a glimps of the fun you could have had. Usually just the last 3 days of Feb show you how good it was about to get.

Drift boat flower bed. Should look nice.

On a plus side, some of the avatars, especially Todd's, are lifting my spirits a tiny bit.

If I could post pics to this site, I would throw up some nice Skagit memories.......

At least Bigfoot and family can now have undisturbed Springtime picnics again... Free from the familiar sounds of oar splats, anchor drops, jet pumps and tire draggings of years past... Able to now spend countless hours foraging for pink worms in the lower Sauk River Valley.
The Bigfeet might even find some type of use for the Skagit's Didymo... Like gathering a bunch off the rocks in the morning at 4000 cfs, wadding it up like brown snotty snowballs, then throwing them into re-watered redds later that day, when the river jumps back up to 8500 cfs...

After 20+ seasons of S/S enjoyment and observation on my part, it seems more than fair that Disneyland needs to close for repairs. I guess the Matterhorn and Mr.Toad's Wild Ride eventually just wear out due to too many patron visits, and this patron took too many visits on the water rides for granted...

Sleepy time "near the corner" is sometimes the only option.

Hmmm...tough to follow Joe on this thread. This is the right thing to do for this beaten up system. The past 3 springs with about 50 river days confirmed the obvious. Lets all go pillage the coast until the powers that be realize those rivers are in just as bad condition, cool thing is I can kill something out west still so Im gettin mine before the injuns/guides n plunkers get em all;)

Seriously, the ONLY chance Wild Winter Steelhead have left in WA is a complete statewide shutdown which MIGHT result in getting the nets out as well. Give the fish 3 years of no late Feb/March/April death and see where we stand...Cheers

People around here have short memories. Shutting down all puget sound rivers on Feb 16 was proposed in the rules for 2010. The state has already said, if adopted it could be expanded to include the rest of the state rivers.

Problem is, we still have a run of hatchery fish that are going to pair up with wild fish, if they dont make a bee line for the traps. It would seem the excuse for closing more hatchery production has already been written.

A gillnet is a gillnet. Saving steelhead, while throwing salmon under the bus, just to keep anglers on the columbia smiling is messed up. So, how many of you are still smiling? Protect hatchery springer harvest at all cost. Just keep wishing you will be supported in banning gillnets on the columbia. Fat chance of eliminating commercial harvest on the columbia after 140 years.

Take what you can get and then get ready for the next battle. Whether that battle is further restrictions on the columbia or fishing off shore is anyones guess. The fact is, the Green was already seeing wild fish in the system and people were catching them. The state comes along and closes the rivers to protect against the incidental sport catch.

Why is the incidental gillnet catch deemed less destructive and less important to the department and the legislature? You have to change the laws on the books that requires the state to support commercial harvest. You have to give the dept and the commission more tools to make those decisions. Read the bill, 2266 makes several changes. Once you get the legisature turned in this direction, the next change will be much easier for them to support. I can tell you for a fact, that legislators who go to Olympia, to change education or other subjects, are completely unaware of these issues. Ive heard the same exact story in meeting after meeting. That includes legislators, who hunt and support the gun rights in this state. Unfortunately for us, those who are educated enough to communicate with legislators on fishing issues, do not have access to legislators in other districts, unless they go with you. Every election brings in new people and the process starts over.

Love the pics from Ryley and Dan S.
I'll add couple of beautiful scenery shots from the Skagit.