Im part of another board that flings chicken feathers,and they every so often put these proposals up for boat bans. The latest thing from WSC wants to ban fishing from boats on the Duc for instance....... whats your thoughts in this. I for one am a boat fishing whore,so im definitly not on that wagon. Ive always said they should address the folks who they feel are culprits. Float,side drifting,plugging,bait monkeys and me....
Lets discuss.....

No need for discussion here..always been on the fence with WSC, now I just fell off.

I'm all for banning boats on the Duc. It will put a lot less pressure on the Nates.

From earlier this week.

http://www.piscatorialpursuits.com/forum...html#Post771486

On a river like the Sol Duc with few bars suitable for flyflinging, the flyflingers will find themselves sharing them with a dozen or two of their closest gear fishing friends...all day, every day.

Fish on...

Todd

P.S. They should ban sinking fly lines.

Everyone but me should be banned. I may make exceptions for close friends with beer.

Over at gamefishin this is being touted as a proposal by fly fishing elitists, which I think is odd cuz most of the WSC folks I know are typical bait thugs, in or out of boats.

I read the proposal at face value, to create some sanctuary water that can't be fished from the bank, like on the Deschutes in OR. Todd's point is right tho, that it potentially crowds more anglers into the limited bank fishing spots.

PS: They should ban Rvrfshr products.

Not a fan of the boat ban on the Duc.Good luck,
SZ

Seems to me that there's miles and miles of "sactuary" on the Sol Duc...also known as everything above Snider Creek where it's not open for fishing at all.

If it's a "sanctuary" for the fish...then shouldn't there be no fishing for them?

This sounds like a "sanctuary" for some anglers who don't fish out of boats, and has nothing to do with a sanctuary for fish.

Fish on...

Todd

An important distinction is that they are proposing a ban on fishing from boats, not an altogether ban on boats for transportation. I hate to admit it, but I've caught about twice as many steelhead in a few trips of fishing from a boat as in all my bank fishing outings combined. In my experience, fishing from the boat is a far greater advantage than simply using a boat to get from place to place. That said, I don't think the concern about everyone being crowded into a few spots is necessary. It's true that there aren't many classic swing bars on the Duc, but there are plenty of less traditional spots that hold fish and swing well. Those areas could still be reached by boat. I think this rule is aimed at limiting side drifting and "nymphing" the pocket water, both of which are hugely more effective than swinging through runs and therefore have a larger impact on the wild fish.

I sympathize with those who would be disappointed about not being allowed to fish from boats anymore (without that method, two steelhead would be my biggest number day to date, and that's only happened twice while banking it). However, I do think it's legitimate to say that enacting this rule would significantly reduce the number of fish handled by sporties. Of course, it wouldn't do much to reduce the impact of the gillnets draped across the Quillayute and Bogi, but that fishery is nowhere near as liberal as the QIN fishery on the Chehalis, so there are certainly worse examples of that out there.

Don't ban the boats......ban the people fishing from them.

My 2

If fishing from boats is not allowed it's going to end up being a private property, lack of adequate bank, cluster f#$k! Not to mention the basic d-bag who stands on redds. One example was last winter we came down just slightly above the culvert hole and two knuckleheads were fishing from a tight spot on the bank. I asked them how they got there and they said the owner gave them permission. As we floated by I noticed one of the geniuses was standing on a redd! Right on top of it! I asked him if he knew he was standing on a redd and he said yes........ WTF? I wish I was younger. I would loved to be able to introduce him to an Oly Pen smack down! It amazes me how incredibly stupid some people are. He was almost defiant in his answer.

Hmmm....good point. setting anchors in tailouts is a grand idea too.

As we continue to take away different angling techniques because they are too effective at actually catching fish, eventually we will all be casting floating flies with floating lines...and I suspect there are a few who would be just fine with that.

Maybe spey rods are too effective at covering the water? I think we should limit flyrods to less than eight feet in length.

Fish on...

Todd

OK, which will conserve more steelhead? Banning Spey rods or banning Rvrfshr products? Or banning Rvrfshr products fished out of boats?

hehe

I suspect that somewhere out there is a line where something is too effective on one side of the line...and the chosen technique of those who think this is a good idea is, not surprisingly, on the other side of it.

Fish on...

Todd

Don't forget "Fishing Rvrfshr products, from a boat, with a Spey rod." That's money right there!

The real problem is rvrfshr spoons on sinking lines while in tailouts drinking beer w/ Dave Vedder.
Boaterhaterador's suck the energy outta me like a gas huffer on a cool whip can....no one fishes, our we all fish!!

Todd' s right on it!!!

I know that the method is largely irrelevant. Todd's pulling a Stam today and ragging on fly fishing, so I'm trying to yank his chain, with little effect so far.

What's missing from the conversation is the predictive conservation result of the proposal. Reducing sport fishing take of fish has a long history of achieving desired conservation objectives. This proposal however, will only increase spawning escapement by the number of fish that would be taken while boat fishing in the prospective areas during the prospective time periods by anglers who would kill their one OP steelhead per year plus the incidental mortality rate on the fish caught and released while fishing from boats in these times and places. The prospective measure will clearly increase escapement, but I'll speculate that the increase would not meet the criterion of "significant."

Even your suggestion FP of limiting access to those who have the $$, while improving the angling experience for the well heeled, wouldn't have all that much of a conservation effect. So it kinda' brings us back to asking, "what is the management goal or goals?"

Sg

"Boaterhaterador's suck the energy outta me like a gas huffer on a cool whip can."

That is classic prose, right there! Way to express yourself Bhudda! Maybe spray paint that on the side of Todd's candy van - too cool!