A few recent fish pics from the N fork - caught in the area that's ABOUT TO BE PERMANENTLY CLOSED. I sure did love fishing there.

1) The vote count for proposed rule change #34 was “7 for” and “8 against” according to the rules coordinator.

2) The area biologist stated that the rule change is to protect non-targeted stocks, boundary confusion, and for conformity of the rules, even though it sounded like he could lean toward a partially closure like on other rivers in the state if push came to shove.

For those interested in Proposed Rule #34, maybe a compromise of a partial closure could be proposed to the department, instead of a permanent closure considering the circumstances. Just my

They should just make their job easier and close down blue creek, purdy creek, Stevens creek and even the hatchery hole on the bogi. It would just make the WDFWs life a hell of a lot easier. I mean, that is what's on the table right? I know nothing of this fishery, but it sounds like it would be the same as shitting down these other terminal areas. Two kids almost got beat to death on the skokomish and its open. I've seen fights at the S curves on the Satsop. I watched guys have tickle fights at the black creek launch. If fighting and confrontation is the issue, they should just close all the rivers.

hell, it almost comes as a shock in a time where the state has almost done away with terminal zone closures per the AHFMD mantra. i guess a lot of people here probably don't remember when fishing in blue creek itself was verboten, or when one couldn't wet a line within 400 feet of the barrier dam.

using the "bad behavior" excuse would be cause to close down every single salmon river in the fall, and every hatchery steelhead hole. guess what? numbers of fish attract neanderthals like they always have, and it lies on WDFW's piss poor enforcement for allowing that to fester for so long. they'd rather go around checking for fully pinched barbs than go after the obvious lawbreakers these days.

IMO, the bad behavior issue is just a distraction while avoiding the real issues.

Again, the area biologist stated that the rule change is to protect non-targeted stocks, boundary confusion, and for conformity of the rules in the sport fishing rule booklet. If meeting the issues head on there is no reason for a full year permanent closure where a compromise of a partial closure would do the job.

The rules being presented to the commission this weekend are being firmed up today and tomorrow or maybe this thread is just about a pity party?

That's interesting info. Can you shed light on this process? Like how/why is the rule proposal still active?



That's really what it comes down to. It's a massively heavy-handed measure whose actual purpose is to help ensure steelhead egg-take (they are throwing in mention of spring chinook just to try to make it more legitimate). There is already a system in place to ensure steelhead egg-take - closing the river for enough time as it takes to get the eggs. It's not great, but it beats the snot out of permanently closing the best water on the river all year. Why not close the 1/4 mi just in December?

Additionally, there is nothing to show that even if this permanent closure is enacted, that the emergency closures wouldn't still need to take place.

Another argument I've heard for this rule change is that the (now annual) emergency closures take alot of staff time and overhead to execute. Personally, I think it's not too much to ask WDFW to do their jobs. Actively managing the resources is THEIR JOB.

Truth be told, the N. Fork sees the most recreational fishing traffic for chum. Say what you want about chum, but the reason more fishers come out for them is, well, they are a blast. This stretch is the best water for targeting them. I can count on my hand the number of times I've actually seen anyone harvesting a chum. The vast majority of anglers catch-and-release them. I just don't see any reason to mess with this opportunity.



So do you think that making comments during the "general" public comment period at the opening of the meeting would make any difference at all? Or would it be too late? So far I've collected signatures and attached them to a letter that is at the Commission office today. Copies of that package went to Mill Creek as well as Unsworth. A few of the Commissioners have heard from me directly as well. I've also gotten some people to send comments to the commission email.

Sorry I was out tonight or I would have answered earlier.
PM sent

There are many problems with the Nooksack but I don't see what all the fuss is about on this issue. The stretch of Kendall creek from the hatchery down to where it empties into the river should have been closed a long time ago in my opinion. It's been merely a trickle the few times I've been there. Stacked with dead Chum, a final stretch for fish to reach the hatchery. I can't see any self-respecting fisherman "fishing" there anyway.

Very few people actually fish Kendall Creek. Pretty much only see anybody in there when it's high water and the N fork is blown.

But, the issue isn't Kendall Creek. The proposal is to close 1/4mi of the main N Fork from the mouth of Kendall Creek downriver.

Northwest Sportsman just put up an article about this issue here:

http://nwsportsmanmag.com/headlines/nook...-at-kendall-cr/

It's very well-written and I think reflects all sides of the debate.

Seems I read the description wrong, apologies. Still not a big deal. It just takes 1500 ft below Kendall Crk. I don't have a problem with it. The N.F. is a beautiful stream but along with the rest of the Nooksack it's trashed. Way overfished for it's size. I've pretty much given up. Tired of walking in and finding several driftboats anchored or beached in what tiny bit of fishable water there is. I went up last week on a week day and left without fishing. It's way too small to share holes! Nice place to get Eagle pics.

Well, that's the kind of apathy that allows them to chip away at our fishing opportunity!

Also, the fact that you read the description wrong points to one of my major issues with this rule change - the confusing wording. There's a reason very few people saw this when it was in the public comment period.

1500 ft is a quarter mile. Of the main river, not Kendall Creek. The same distance as the Cascade river below the hatchery. Imagine if they shut that down, permanently.

The biologists view people fishing this stretch as "harassing" fish about to enter the hatchery. Fisherman view it as...fishing. It's kind of a problem when the agency tasked with providing angler opportunity views its constituents this way.

1500 ft below the mouth of Kendall creek is not going to put you out all that much. It'll just move the front of the pack down to the next hole. I rarely fished that first hole anyway as it was almost always occupied by several people already.
I'm not apathetic at all. Just seeing it for what it is. As the article you linked stated it will all be moot anyway unless something changes with the lawsuit. The Kendall Crk hatchery is a ridiculous waste of money, it needs to be shut down.
And it wouldn't bother me a bit if they shut down that [Bleeeeep!]-show at the Cascade.

y'old grinch! :P

IMO, terminal areas should only be opened for kids and old geezers... The rest of us can cover water, read water, and present our gear to the fish in their natural holding lies. Standing in a garbage and mono infested wasteland with other steelheaders flogging the same water all day for a 3-7lb brat has lost its appeal for this steelheader.

If the fishery isn't productive when you take away the hatchery hole, then the fishery isn't worth sh**.

You guys are really giving me the warm fuzzies!

I suppose that for the next rule cycle it could be proposed of making a 1500 foot buffer zone from all hatchery outlets like Reiter considering that the crowd consists of more than old geezers and kids.

After all WDFW is a stickler for having uniformity of the rules except when they aren't.

How about this piece of news for you "Bent".

Kids and "old geezers" are not the ones who create "garbage, mono infested wastelands!" It is the selfie crazed, I'm entitled, selfish, me me me generation that pisses on anything that doesn't suit their need for immediate gratification that has . The same bunch that bitch about the fisheries, but does nothing to make it better. The ones that disrespect their elders and use labels like "old geezers" and feel superior to others...

Old geezers, as you refer to them, are for the most part, much better stewards of the environment and have a much better understanding of what is being lost

BW, I agree 110% with what you are saying. My point is exactly what you are referring to. If the terminal areas are open for kids and seniors it would not turn into the fecal infested clown show that terminal fisheries have become. It would be a great learning ground for getting kids involved in steelheading. My above statement was my opinion and nothing else. My idea of cleaning up terminal areas and utilizing them in a positive way....

I use the term "geezer," in a non derogatory way from the standpoint of several old timers I know refer to themselves as old geezers...

OR...post a sentry at every hatchery that demands your papers while holding you at gunpoint.

"HALT!! Show me your fishing license and AARP card!!"

hey, what's the threshold for this geezer club?