There should be no retention. I would rather deal with hooking mortality and watch the fish float away than have it open to kill one per year for the thousands of people who fish that area and the disporportionate amount of wild fish bonkers that show up to fish but leave their ethics at home. Less would be killed. Yes, some would float away, but it would make the law clear and ethical. "actions speak louder than words"

Everytime I fish in forks! It has only happened once. either way there is not much to say here, unfortunatley the fish I killed could not swim and and the decision was made. I can tell you the technique was nothing special. I would agree, these fish are pretty hardy and can handle some abuse, this particular case the fish just had a hook in a bad spot.

Im not sure a guide from oregon has anything to do with it. In oregon we can't retain Wild fish steelhead.

No need to bonk, when the fish is laying on its side and has no energy and has lost a ton of blood. Just saying.

You should look at the definition of wanton waste. that is where you can chew on ethics. letting a wild fish go that will probably die is one thing when you are not allowed to retain a wild fish, however, if you are fishing waters that allow for 1 peryear, and you happen to have an unfortunate hook up and that fish is unable to leave your hands after trying to successfull revive and set loose, letting that fish go knowing that it is done, is well waste. Now you can argue that all you want, but again, ethics will help make that decision for you.

plenty of nutrients from said dead released fish that would have gone to smolts or birds,etc. atleast they would like the taste...

Might want to check your regs again.......

i think its mandatory release of all wild Steelhead in Oregon on the majority if not all rivers...

I believe there are only a couple of systems where you can keep a nate in Oregon.

Never really paid attention to it because it would never happen in my boats. If one happens to die from what ever, it's nutrients to the river. I wouldnt allow taking one home no matter the circumstances.

Over the last several years I cant think of any native that I released I wasnt 100% sure was fine. Reasons for that are, I dont fish bait, I wont use a diver, and I use heavy gear.

I am sorry but some of this is rediculous...

If you truely realize the peril that Wild Steelhead are in and you hook/land a steelhead that you think has ANY chance of survival, you should release it...even if you guess it's less than a 10% chance.

If you land a dead one, there is a decent are you either are using light-arse gear and need to rethink your rod/line rating or you are using a technique too lethal for a true sportsman.

I thought about making that call ONE TIME...glad we let that one fish go, maybe it made it, maybe it didn't...but I can still say my boat has yet to increase the demise of Wild Fish by bonking one for the fillets.

Some of you are nickel & diming the issue...buck up.

also, I agree with Mr. Bob, there are plenty that step up on the soap box but quickly recall their statements for a happy client and a few extra bucks...I have to commend those that hold true to their principles.

You guide people to a lot of fish. We see the pictures. You trumpet the success and advertise for clients.

It is awesome, none (NONE) of the fish you catch & release die. Otherwise your triumphant proclamation above is not true.

-S

Blah, Blah, Blah
Everyone, no matter who, or what you are, kill fish, if you fish, no matter if you release every fish you catch there is going to be mortality. If you can't take a native tumbling down the river after you release it, stop fishing.
Fishermen kill Natives
Bad guides kill Natives
Nice guides kill Natives
Indians kill Natives
Nets kill Natives
And oh my! Those purist fly fishermen probalby kill more than all the rest (excluding the indians) ever watched a fly fisherman hook a big Steelhead only to play it out for an hour or more? That fish has little chance of survival.
If you want to protect the natives, close it all down and leave them alone in the river to do their duty. Maybe some day there will be enough come back that a few dead ones from whatever means of death, will not hurt the system.

I did a couple of years ago. Ya I miss is, but for me it was the right thing to do.

[quote=GBL]Blah, Blah, Blah
Everyone, no matter who, or what you are, kill fish, if you fish, no matter if you release every fish you catch there is going to be mortality. If you can't take a native tumbling down the river after you release it, stop fishing.
Fishermen kill Natives
Bad guides kill Natives
Nice guides kill Natives
Indians kill Natives
Nets kill Natives
And oh my! Those purist fly fishermen probalby kill more than all the rest (excluding the indians) ever watched a fly fisherman hook a big Steelhead only to play it out for an hour or more? That fish has little chance of survival.
If you want to protect the natives, close it all down and leave them alone in the river to do their duty. Maybe some day there will be enough come back that a few dead ones from whatever means of death, will not hurt the system. [/quote]

Agree. So, what's your decision?

-S

this is why I make one weekend trip out west for nate steel.. the rest of the time I will chase winter BM and not get caught up in the mess of things......

I recently read some interesting statistics on Kamchatka steelhead that made me wonder a lot about the potential for recovery in the PNW.

On a number of Kamtchatka rivers, poaching took 1/2 to 3/4 of the fish returning to a number of rivers. After noticing a steep decline in returns, the Russian fisheries folks shut it down and within two life cycles, the numbers bounced back to what they once were. Granted I am no scientist and I am sure any number of flaws could be pointed out with regard to the reliability of the data, but here is a pretty clear cut case of diminishing returns with only harvest to blame. Once the harvest was curtailed, the fish came back.

I have no doubt that PNW stocks can recover, the question is will we let them. As Mr. Rose said, it will likely come down to decisions on an individual basis. I am not ready to make mine.

I think you should look up that definition yourself, champ.

A dead fish in a river doesn't come anywhere near meeting the definition of wanton waste regardless of how it got there.

F'',it I was that guy I now despise for keeping a fish not ethically to my morals present, guided to it or not, (call it 5 years back) but if I don't own up too it here I can't say a damn thing to refute another from doing so, or say a damn thing here and expect respect or get it. I regret doing so and will not again. Not a big physical threat (though 65 words from a 65 inch dude is better than none) will stand up and be in an uncomfortable/awkward position if need be to educate the re-doing of my previous wrong doing if I see it occurr. I have never met Fly, or Bob on here but I respect there professional Oath, putting Honor of Craft over Profit.

Salmo-
My decision was to stop fishing for Natives in any lower 48 state.
Now that was easy as I fish the Situk in Yakutat every year and hook dozens a day and they are all natives. I hook, land quick and release with the hope they swim off and get to spawn. Do some die? maybe, but the Situk has 10,000 to 16,000 Steelhead in about 15 miles of river so I think that is a healthy native system! And it sustains Steelhead, Kings, Sockeye, Humpies and Silvers all in large numbers.
No commercials (Steelhead only)
No Indians (Steelhead only)
No catch and kill (Steelhead only)
Wonderful habitat
Clean pure water
low pressure
Situk is protected
Amazing what a river can sustain when humans don't reak havick on it!

I'm no spring chicken and fish both gear and fly. I honestly can't say I've ever seen a flyfisherman play a steelhead for an hour. Is that the case on the Situk?
If a guide can make a stance that his clients must release all wild steelhead, perhaps guides or lodges should decline booking from clients based on their choice of gear as well. That would eliminate the so called flyfishing purist that you feel are doing harm to the to the wild steelhead populations.

This is an excellent example of the stereotypical BS that continues to fracture the sport fishing community in the Pacific Northwest. Dare I even bring up the preferred recreational fishing method used by those retaining their 1/year???

perhaps guides or lodges should decline booking from clients based on their choice of gear as well. That would eliminate the so called flyfishing purist that you feel are doing harm to the to the wild steelhead populations. [/quote]


Actually, many of the BC steelhead lodges will not allow gear anglers because the thought is that it is too effective and ... just some FYI