The guides that bonk "Wild Fish" because the clients want too just because they need the business need to grow some balls and educate clients or need to get out of the job. I herd Walmart is hiring.

Guides that kill "Wild" Steelhead now wont have a job in a few years anyways the way things are going ....you think there going to blame themselves?

I have a difficult time comprehending the claim that if one is not legally allowed to harvest a wild steelhead then no one would show up to support the economy and doom and gloom for all nearby communities. Really then, all you have to do is pull your head out of the tiny little world that is Washington and notice that communities that have semi to healthy populations of wild steelhead AND are strictly catch and release support big tourism dollars! For example, the Skeena region's sports fishery accounts for 52.8 million dollars annually. A majority of this revenue comes from you guessed it...........................

















































CATCH & RELEASE OF WILD STEELHEAD! Maybe it's time to wake up! By the way, It's been closed to catch and keep for nearly 30 years and people come from all over the world to spend their hard earned foreign money.

Wow, that was one of the best blog posts I've ever read about steelhead. Thanks for posting.

That blog post should probably have its own separate thread on this forum.

That one native a year rule sucks, its sad to hear about any natives not making back into the river in less than 30-45 seconds to snap a good picture then release

+1, straight into the freezer. Kind of like the A-holes killing off the Kenai kings because they're big. Take a picture and let it go for chrissakes. I feel pretty good when I do that.

It really is surprising that people do legal things.

Probably what may be more interesting, if we really think there are issues with the system, is the impact of everyone releasing all wild fish.

Anyway, no need to close the barn door because a few horses are still inside.

-S

Here's the bottom line for Rose....

"My good friend Dick Wentworth has told me for years that a person should be done for the day–whether they keep them or not, whether they are wading or in a boat, fishing by themselves or with a guide–when they catch two wild fish.

Well, after watching the change in angling out here over the last few years, I have decided to raise the ante when it comes to my personal angling. From now on, I am going to limit myself to catching-and-releasing two wild winter steelhead each winter. Once I’ve done that, I plan to quite until summer steelhead are in the rivers.

I have no illusions that this will have any effect at all on wild steelhead populations on these rivers. And I’m not calling for anyone else to join me. It is just something I need to do at this point in my life.

I don’t intend to quit winter steelheading or stop taking people out who want to learn how to do it. In my first book, I wrote that they are one the main reasons that I chose to live on the Olympic Peninsula. I was so under their thrall, in fact, that I followed that book up with a 57,000 volume devoted entirely to winter steelhead–and my growing concerns for the way they were managed. Unfortunately, not much has really improved since then, and the amount of pressure on the fish has increased dramatically.

One of the sad lessons of living longer is the realization that most of the time most people are extremely reluctant to alter their behavior for the common good, especially when it comes to natural resources. That’s called The Tragedy of the Commons. It’s what the quote at the beginning of the essay refers to.

In the end, all we can do is change our own behavior. I don’t want to quit fishing for winter steelhead, and fishing is a blood spot, even if you practice catch-and-release. But I also don’t want to contribute to the creation of more ghosts. Those goals are, obviously, at odds with each other. This is my, admittedly, less than satisfactory answer to that conundrum."

our local wdfw law enforcement here told me he was yet to get his 1 for the season.

i want to know how many fish die from being mishandled or over fought...
seen far to many fish over fought on ultra light gear and take 5 min to wobble off... gotta think that lactic acid build up aint good for them...

i personally dont down size my gear, i use 50lb braid and 15lb leaders and if the fish doesnt test that gear it gets brought in like it was hooked to a wench. very very rarely does a steelhead i hooked not shoot out like a rocket on the release.

The guides that go out and try to hook every fish in the river while fishing eggs are doing just as much harm to the resource as the guide that allows
his two clients to kill wild fish. Think about all the cutthroat and smolts they are killing not to mention the adult steelhead that go and sulk on the bottom of the river and die after being netted or drug up on the rocks and then held out of the water for a hero shot.

Ok,
This goes for any respectable guides that feels like they are losing business if they turn away clients who wants to keep a wild fish can contact me any time and I will provide your customer with any species of Salmon or farmed steelhead they want to replace the wild fish they released.

The fish will be filleted pin boned and skinned if desired and flash frozen at -40C.

You get one for the season, which is crap, but my question is how do they inforce the one for a season.No hatchery or wild block to circle or mark any longer on the punch card. So the one is really how many they want to get away with.... No way to inforce this bogus law

I guess it is time for me to wiegh in on this since one of my best clients happend to be sitting next to me when some other clients called saying that they had heard rumors about for mentioned said guides killing wild steelhead.
Now if that does not confuse I will try too ! ;-)

Ok, I would consider myself a premier guide since I have been doing this for quite sometime and am pretty damn good at it.......In the same sentence I would consider myself a struggling guide because I have not been booked enough since the new year has started to really make any money. Just barley ebough to get by, Were I am going with this is that no matter what state I am in finacially or otherwise I have NO KILL POLICY ON NATIVE STEELHEAD PERIOD ! I state that when people call and ask about trips, I state that when they get in the boat and I state that when we release our first nate of the day and to this day I have never had one person complain because I make it very clear were I stand on this issue.........I also feel that I have educated quite a few people as well on this issue so I am trying to do my part !
I will leave it up to Bob to name names on the bonking guides because it is his site........but more then a few of you would believe the people who make the list, a couple of them swear to be native fish purist ! [Bleeeeep!] liars !!

Peace
Fly

Very good words from Bob and Doug Rose. In the case of the latter, moving to say the least. Things to take to heart in each case.

Slavery used to be legal, dwell on that for a while.

Those that are most closely in touch with the resource are in the best position to make judgements as to it's health. In my neck of the woods, kings are headed downhill, and fairly fast. ADF&G has yet to really realize or at least act on that. Based on my first hand experience over a decade or so, it is apparent. I have an unwritten policy on my boats during both work and personal time, that we don't kill the big ones. Big in this case meaning 30 pounds and over. I have yet to have someone complain as they usually get to take fish home, and also because I explain the reason for this policy and most can appreciate it. For those that don't, I don't need their money or their company that badly.

The king run has gotten to the point where killing them at all is questionable at best. I have some thinking to do.

To draw the parallel, wild steelhead harvest should have ended many years ago on the Peninsula. Sadly, politics continue to chase them towards extinction.

That is some sage advice by Doug Rose.

This post is for Bob and the rest of the board to consider...

Since the boys and girls down in Olympia set policy and said policy isn't going to change anytime soon, can we maybe start fighting fire with fire?

My idea is this...

Make a "certified" guide sticky thread of those who have a "no kill" nate policy. We can share with others which guides have proven themselves to be in the know and ethical sportsman. In this way, they can receive good word of mouth which will only encourage the "other" guides to get on board. I don't imagine we could post which guides do not as it could open up possible slander charges. But we should be celebrating and identifying the good guys. What's everyones thoughts on this? I for one would love to know who I am fishing with before actually being on the river...and this could be a good grass roots method for further advancing the cause. Think about it....

Tight lines,

NickD90

I wonder how many of the posters here that are so adamant about the killing of nates are willing to follow Doug Rose's lead?

also from the article:

I agree that wild fish need to be released. In oregon, the get landed quickly, netted in a safe net, hooks either cut at mouth or pulled if easy to do and the the fish never leave the water. What a great time to educate.

However, I see all these fish fought for long periods of time, drug into the shallows by these ethical purists and then take that same fish that is not suppose to be killed and held with a damn ventral fin grazing the fukn water.

That fish is a hurtin fish and will struggle to make it. I am confused. Like many have said, the 1 fish a year policy needs to be lifted and a no kill policy needs to be adopted.

However, Washington allows for 1 per year.

if you are fishing in the river and you get a fish the gets its gills damaged or a deep tongue hooking.. that fish is dead. How many of you use single siwash on your K9X? well if you do, you just increased your chance to deep hook a nate. There is a good chance that you ethical policeman are going to let that fish go, and this is after that long fight, and that glamourous fin touching the water pic and that fish is dead. tumbling down the damn river.

Oh, but the sculpin and bugs will benifit.. The eco system... You are right, they do benefit, they also benefit from a gut pile and the remains from a filleted out fish. See the 1 fish a year allows you to make a choice.

Choices are good, you can either let that fish go, knowing full well that fish is fukd. or kill it. that is your option.

I personally let my fish go, but Yes I did keep a nate last year on my annual trip due to a deep hook and the fish was bleeding out. After trying to let it go, it was dead and I kept that 6lb fish. Yep punched my tag, was bummed about killing a fish, but when you fish you made a decision that you may kill that day.

Whatever puts you all to sleep at night. because really thats all I am reading here. is people typing whos more ethical the who.

Damner everyone here on this site is extremely ethical. its the people not on this site that need help with their educaiton on the importance of our wild fish.

But I think we need to all look at how we are doing the job either as guides (which) I am, or as regular die hard steelheaders. Just remember most everyone here finds a way to justify his or her actions.

Kyle

Im glad Im not the only one who thinks that
Ive seen way more fish take the singles in ways that scare me like just missing the eye) then a small #2 owner treble... Thats one that has never made sense to me from my observations

abu-loomis:

Did you even read it. Its not about guys from oregon killing nates in forks. Man the more you read this thread the dumber you get. There is a reason, a fish died, it wasn't about keeping it because I could, it was about waisting a fukn fish.

some on here are f in brain dead!

You are telling me that if you hook one and it dies on the edge of the river, because the fish took a hook balls deep you would happily turn it over to tumble down stream! If so you are douche. Dont forget the crayfish and caddis have to eat!

At least I am not afraid to explain why a fish was tagged. I guess you just need to determine your justification for wanton waste!

You keep after it!