http://wdfw.wa.gov/news/jul1615b/

fp

Close it all, or close none of it.

I can think of several local streams that aren't affected by this rule and are (honestly) in no better shape than those being closed. Partial closures only put more pressure on streams that remain open. Diverting more effort toward marginally sustained fish populations can only serve to push those populations below the margin.

Amazing that Region 6 is the only region without protection considering all the hot air coming from Larry, Curly, and Blake.

Well R-6 is different than many other places in the state. The OP streams should really get bad off soon as to flows with no snow pack, so something should be not that far off. For GH & Willapa we are rain driven and dry years with elevated water temps is not unusual. I imagine we will have the usual problems with the Nemah with hatchery fish stacking up and kickin the bucket. Our risk in GH will be in August & September with the bay fishery at greatest risk. The Johns river part of the bay is where Chinook transition and start staging up so a C&R mortality is always problematic but this year could be worse or not it just depends on what the fish do. If they arrive earlier than normal they will hold in the very lower reachs with no rain, that is when it can be ugly.

Similar in Willapa but different. Recs in 2T should be almost bullet proof as the fish are fresh as daisy's in salt mix and a very low mortality with C&R. Now U & M are different as this is where the Chinook transition and stage and C&R could be dicey to damn near Russian Roulette time for the fish. How the NT commercials fish should be interesting.

Coho not much to worry about as it is a full keep fishery. They will stage up after clearing the bay but the mortality is lower in river. Farther upstream the lower the mortality is as the fish are very durable. Our risk pretty much resides with Chinook staging in the bay and Aberdeen reach of the river.

Be interesting to see if the agency moves to a you catch it you keep for Coho. Ain't no way no how we can do C&R on Coho transitioning in the bay under normal circumstance let alone extreme conditions. There are ways to restructure our seasons to allow Rec harvest but in all likelihood things will have to be modified to protect the fish.