I just got the "Concise Explanatory Statement" from the WDFW that summarizes the testimony about proposed reg changes statewide for next year - including the proposal to do away with the 5 wild fish limit on the Forks rivers.

Scrolling through the testimony for the Quillayute system I kept running across the same wording in several entries that were in support of killing more of the wild ones. Then I came across this entry:

"Steelhead Trout Club of Washington supports permitting an increased opportunity to harvest wild steelhead when wild stocks are healthy. We are in agreement with proposals for Quillayute system, including Goodman Creek, Hoh River, and Clearwater River, except the proposed catch and release fishery above the Snahapish - this section of the river should be a spawning sanctuary."

So who is this club and where are they based out of? Is it another Wildcat-type group?

If anyone else wants a copy of the doc let me know and I'll send you one. It's fairly large (553KB).

Bruce

Sorry to follow up on my own post but I've been reading through more of the testimony about the Quillayute system proposals and have come across some real doosies.

For instance, the South King Count Trout Unlimited and the King County Outdoor Sports Council both testified heavily in favor of more wild fish killing.

Also a few cracks at our gracious host here at Piscatorial Pursuits. Here's a couple highlights taken from the testimony. The names on these were not included and the wording is exactly from the doc:

"Live in Forks and do not want Robert Ball representing my town for the releasing of wild steelhead. Guides are mostly from the Cowlitz and don't understand that if we don't take our share the Indians will. How about 3 days for the sportsmen, 3 days for nets, and 1 day for fish?"

and this

"We want to decide whether or not to release a wild steelhead. Let Bob Ball and his following let them go. Most clients will keep only one for dinner. Forks depends on tourist dollars. Lets get back to healthy fish management."

Amazing.

The Steelhead Trout club was started by the McCleods of the of the Skykomish Sunrise/North Fork Stilly fame. They have always been pro-native killing and in turn are very proud of it.
A few years ago there were rumors going around that George bonked a native Deer Creek fish during the summer when its C&R.
They are very proud of their views and love to write about the good 'ole days when they would catch their limit out in front of their cabin on the Stilly and inturn go to work. They would do this each and everyday.
If you go to the NWFishing.com website George Jr. or one of them is always spoutting off about how C&R is wrong and immoral.
Go over there and bring up the topic and he is sure to reply.
Tight Lines
Ryan S. Petzold

B.Gray, I read what you said about the South King County chapter of TU. Are you sure? That really caught me by surprise because my brother belongs to that chapter and he is pro C&R for wild fish as am I. I'm going to have to ask him about that.

But then again, TU didn't take a stance on I-696 so I guess I should say that it doesn't suprise me that they would be in favor of killing wild fish.

Fish hard or go home!

I testified at the meeting, and the speakers were about 4 to 1 against the department proposal to increase wild kill. Among the responders that wanted to save wild fish were the local guides' assn., the Forks Chamber of Commerce (yes!) and J.D. Love. The two speakers "representing" T.U. did not speak for the state organization. Overall, support for saving wild fish was overwhelming. In my opinion, if we want to save wild steelhead on the peninsula, we need new leadership in WDF&W region 6. Their present direction is pathetic.

I logged on here tonight just to see if anyone else received that e-mail from WDFW. I couldn't believe my eyes as I read the responses to the proposals for the N. Coast rivers. I also wrote down the name of Steelhead Trout Club of Washington wondering who they are. How dare they represent themselves as sportsman and attempt to speak for all of us.
reading through all of the changes adopted for next year one has to wonder where the WDFW gets thier information. Throughout the whole pamphlet I was absolutely SHOCKED! I fish for Bass also and another big issue is changing year-round lakes to Spring through Fall seasons because "most anglers would rather have that opening-day experience." WHAT A CROCK OF S..T!!!
Maybe someday we can all come together and make our voice heard, obviously no one is even listening now. What's next?????
Enjoy it while you can!!!!!

Here's what was in the doc from the WDFW about the south king county TU regarding the proposed quillayute changes. It's basically along the lines of, "If I ain't killin' em then somebody else is."

"South King County Trout Unlimited approves of this proposal. Last year the Quileute Tribe harvested more than 60% of the steelhead taken. Fairness dictates that sport fishers should be given some additional harvest opportunity."

A couple other bits of testimony gave me some hope that common sense is still alive. The Clallam County commissioners and the Olympic National Park both entered testimony against the proposed changes.

From the commissioners:
"Clallam County Commissioners oppose changes until definitive evidence is available to prove that the target species has recovered and other species which utilize steelhead for food have recovered. There is a cultural shift toward being better stewards of public resources. Wild winter steelhead have enormous cultural and economic importance. We feel that an increase in harvest from 2 to 30 is wrong at this time."

And from the park:

"Olympic National Park has concerns over proposals, especially on the Hoh. Angler interviews indicate that most are interested in a quality fishing experience more than keeping wild fish. This led us to extend the winter steelhead seasons on the Hoh until April 15 (with selective gear and wild release rules). We urge the department to support this quality fishery on the Hoh by retaining the annual limit and not allowing their retention above the DNR Oxbow campground. Also the annual limits of the Quillayute river system should be retained. Higher escapement goals are in order to allow for alternate uses such as viewing and nutrient recycling. Goodman Creek should be managed for quality fishing under wild release rules. Please reconsider the current two wild trout per day in small independent streams such as Kalaloch, Mosquito and Cedar creeks. These should have wild release requirements. ONP will probably not adopt the same rules as WDFW for these creeks."

I was sickened about the increase in kill of wild steelhead. When is our state going to learn that fish are worth more alive then dead. Are these proposals final? That is the way that I read it. It sure looked like there was more opposistion to increasing the kill then to allow more kill. I don't get it is must be new math. The WDFW doesn't get it and it starts from the top down.

JJ

King County Outdoor Sports Council are a bunch of wildfish killing morons. I was involved a few years back in a media story about the long proposed and fought Grandy Creek hatchery on the Skagit. Their solution for everything is build a hatchery and kill the wild fish. Yeah, hatcheries work great dont' they? Just look at the hatchery runs on Puget Sound rivers this winter.

The wild fish don't stand a chance. It appears that it's business as usual at the WDFW.....Politics before fish.

It's just screwy considering the folks who supposedly represent the people of the county - the commissioners - were opposed to the regs changes. Seems like that should mean something to the folks in Olympia. At least the limits weren't totally blown up and thanks in part to us it was kept down to 10 a year rather than 30.

I also received a copy of this misnamed "Concise Explanatory Statement". Reading the "testimony" was very shocking indeed. The number of people and organizations that support the INCREASING of wild steelhead limits is truly mind boggling.

I thought the most logical testimony was provided by the Olympic Peninsula Guide Association via 234 e-mails and letters.

It sounds to me like the WDFW wanted to increase license sales.

Clearly the stance of a majority of those in favor of increased limits is "if we don't get 'em, the Indians will". Very scary.

How can this state's fish manangers compare our quality of fishing to that of BC's and not want to gravitate towards their policies? We have the same resources.

Not very shocked to see the mayor of Forks supports increased limits.

One more thing, what is the Gibbon's study?

TK