Can't the WDFW see how much revenue they miss out on by not having rivers/creeks open for the Memorial Day weekend? Does 3-4 days make any difference to the fish?

These boneheads could sell hundreds of licenses that would probably be used only for the Memorial weekend, so the idiots (WDFW)would get the revenue, with little impact on the fish.

Is there any reason for this arbitrary June 1 date, or is the WDFW just void of any intelligence?


Fish on.......

No.......they're just void of any intelligence.

The reason that the rivers are closed during May is because it gives spawning steelhead a chance to do their thing and remain unmolested. It also allows for smolt migration. Don't get me wrong, I would give my left nut in order to be able to fish during Memorial Day weekend.

You have to realize that there are a lot of late winter run spawners caught on the June 1 opener and if you have hundreds of newbies fishing on Memorial Day weekend, then you have masses of ignorant people fishing who would probably catch and whack a lot of these spawners and downstream fish.

As far as the WDFW is concerned, I believe that our fisheries management sucks river rocks.
We need new managers bad.

How about Bob Ball for Governor?

Dan,

Actually, this is an example of a fisheries management decision that was made on the basis of what's good for the fish rather than what's popular among anglers. The spring/summer general trout fishing season on streams and beaver ponds used to open on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend precisely because it was popular with anglers. That changed to June 1 in about 1983 or 84.

The reasoning is sound. The vast majority of fish present in streams accessible to anadromous fish over the Memorial Day weekend are spawning steelhead and downstream migrating salmon and steelhead smolts. The holiday crowd brings out a lot of people, some serious anglers and many more very casual anglers. The statistics of the 70s and early 80s were not good for fish. Very high mortality to smolts, most of which were hooked on barbed and baited hooks (the combination producing the highest mortality rate in several studies), and the majority of the adult fish caught were taken, rather than released, pre-spawners and spawnouts alike.

I used to fish steelhead consistently every Memorial Day weekend and caught fair numbers of bright, unspawned fish. But for each of those I caught one or more spawned out fish and numerous smolts. So as a resource management and resource stewardship issue, leaving streams closed Memorial Day weekend is the correct decision, rather than pandering to an incremental increase in fishing license sales that cause a net loss to the resource.

You say those boneheads could sell hundreds of licenses with little impact on the fish, but the facts do not support your contention. How do you figure it otherwise? In fact, the June 1 opener sees much the same situation in the rivers, but the impact ends up being so much lower because the holiday crowd isn't around.

Talk about boneheads, until 1976, the former Department of Game actually stocked catchable trout in streams occupied by anadromous fish for the Memorial Day weekend stream season opener. That action naturally encouraged people to come out and fish and contribute to the unintended consequence of harvesting spawning steelhead and having a blood bath with smolts. The campground visions of those days are still in my mind, and as a kid, I was one of those who didn't know the difference but was thrilled to catch a bucket of "trout." I guess the personal experience has a lot to do with why I don't object much to the present season opener.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.

Salmo and others,

I guess what we have here is a case of me putting the mouth into gear without first engaging the brain. I really never thought of how much damage could be done by hordes of weekend warriors to smolts and spawners. I rarely use bait in the rivers I fish for summer-run, so smolts have become a past memory. But a warrior with a few dozen crawlers could really tear up the lil' guys.

Thanks Salmo for your usual well-informed and rational response. I stand corrected. I guess the serious anglers don't mind (very much at least) waiting for the June 1 opener. I must say I don't mind not fighting the hordes for the first crack at an early summer (or late winter) fish.

Fish on.........

[This message has been edited by Dan S. (edited 05-23-2000).]

thanks Salmo,you saved me the effort with you're intelligent response to this situation,I in my youth also contributed in the memorial day blood bath I hope with all the C&R I done the last 10 years,hopefully the I'm back in good graces with the fish God,looking forward to the june 1st opener...hey steelhead 69 are we on for that float...tight lines all

------------------
Row Quietly and fish a Cataraft
( formerly Steelheader boy) ----<'))>>{

[This message has been edited by Osprey (edited 05-24-2000).]

Salmo g. and others:

Good response, I too remember the Labor Day Openings. All the reasons you listed were true then and would be true today PLUS what I remember was all the "crazies" from all over camping on the river bars, families, fisherpeople, kids and then the mess that got left because of the "3 day weekend".

Just a obsevation...was out "looking around" yesterday....schools of smolt were around. Ugh, if there was a May 27th opening.

Retired life is soooooooooo good!!!

"The worse day fishing is still better than the Best day working"

[This message has been edited by DrifterWA (edited 05-24-2000).]