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Dear People in Charge,

Please tell me why I should not find a new hobby.

I spend well over 5 figures a year fishing for salmon in Oregon.

I bought a boat made in Oregon. This was a large investment (24' Willie's do not come cheap. I am not a guide, I paid retail).
I bought a pickup capable of towing such a boat.
I am thinking about buying a beach house in Oregon, so I have more convenient access to ocean/bays.
If I buy a beach home, I will buy an ocean boat. This will be another 40k spent in Oregon.

You have transfered 1 million smolts from Willy hatcheries to the SAFE aras. To me, it is very clear that future Willy fisheries are in jeopardy. By 2014, I would be suprised to see the Willy open after April 15.

Please tell me why I should continue to spend my money here in Oregon, on Oregon made products, funded by a business that I operate that is based in Oregon.

For springers we get a season that is 36 days long. Half of those will be a waste of time considering the return that is expected (3rd largest return in the last 50 years)
For Summer kings, I seriously doubt we will see more than 15 days on the water.
For URBs I expect another 15 days on the water.

So for the biggest salmon factory in the world (Columbia River), you have given me more or less 55 days a year of opportunity that is worth a damn.
The Willy stocking program is a remnant of it's former self. Gone are the days of multi fish thru June.

Should I thank you for this?

I could spend my money in Vegas.
I could go visit family across this nation.
I could go to several NASCAR races a year.
I could travel to the ends of the earth, and see all the world has to show me.
I could take up the shooting sports again (Most of that money is spent in other states as well)
I could fish in BC and Alaska for salmon in world class fisheries.
I could do a thousand things other than fish for salmon in Oregon.

Oh yeah, my wife fishes with me most of the time. She does not spend her money shopping at Macy's. She buys Grundens for herself at local retailers. So, when I say "I", I mean "My Wife And I.".

Please explain to me why I should not spend my money elsewhere.

Mark Duray

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Mark Duray is a good friend and fishing buddy of mine here in Mulletville Oregon. He posted this letter on cryfish the other day.

Mark is well educated and has a way of getting his points heard.

Just wanted to share and get some thoughts from everyone here.

Oregon likes sticking it to NON residents....Especially Washingtonians

Their fishing licenses are just one example.

I have a love, hate relationship with Oregon.

Mf

I live here and fill the same way.

Buy my Wa. license every year for the same price I pay in Oregon.

Spend as much time fishing in Wa. as I do in Oregon lately. Things are slowly starting to change down here, but we have a long way to go.

Is it OK if I rant on your thread?

Mf

Why not?

I wanted other peoples opinions.

Of course I may have to kill you if you piss me off.

wish the states had some reciprocity when it came to licence fees. see more oregon guys fishing the far SW washington rivers than WA folks sometimes!

i'd like to fish a few of your rivers down there, but the license fees are too damn ridiculous for the trip or two a year i might think about making.

Check out these non resident fees....

http://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/licenses/sport_fishing.asp

Not to mention what I pay for boater passes....for fishing out of a float tube.

Mf

I thought that was Dans job!

Thinking?

What are you doing that for?

Sorry Dan on both counts.

If anyone pisses me off, you will be the first to know.

Skyofish...thinking.

Yeah, right.

Fish on...

Todd

Hey, I am sorry. It will never happen again.

Just thought my buddy made some valid points.

Besides, it's his fault I had a terrible hangover last Saturday morning. It's not my fault he turned 40 last weekend.

WTF is a hatchery tag are they serius?

Do us a favor, have your politicians remove Englund from his position on your fishing commission. That'll help get thing pointed in the right direction.

Hey Rusty,you should buy a beach house.

I have considered it, but why? You have a problem with the barn?

Englund is the final nail in Oregons coffin.

How much is the sh!tting in the woods tag?

Those are free, just walk down any trail to the river and the tp piles are as common as a shrimp container at Lorens Drift.

Oregon is making it very unattractive for fisherman. Each year we get less opportunity. It has gotten so bad for our springer runs that I bought a Washington guide license. At least you can fish 7 days a week in Washington. Not too many years ago we had 100,000 springers over the Willamette falls and a full month of great fishing those tribs. not now. The SAFE plan just took 1million smolts from the upper Willamette and gave them to the net pens in Youngs Bay. The deal was supposed to be a trade for removing the gillnets from the main columbia river. They got the smolts, now lets see if we get the nets out of the river.

The Barn is bad assed!

+1...especially now that the chimmney is fixed so it doesn't burn down...the only other thing to fix is that damn rattly vent...that fugger can wake up the dead if the wind is blowing!

Fish on...

Todd