This has been an ongoing harshly debated issue for years now - without good resolutions between riverfront property owners and bankfishers. I would like to re-open debate, including new info, on this important fishng issue. Please keep it civil (unduely harsh or derogatory posts will draw a warning and possible edit). It's an important concern that is growing into a bigger issue as numbers of fishermen increase yearly. Cowlitzfisherman's post thread "New Cowlitz River access being developed" is a good preface to this one. Another one disclosed that a major Wind River front property owner strongly restricted access for this years springer fishing on a very popular productive stretch due to property abuse and litering by fishing slobs. Same thing for a very popular stretch on the Sandy River; where the Assoc. of NW Steelheaders are negotiating for getting it re-opened for bank anglers who will treat it properly. ...

I have always beleived strongly that nature's rivers, like the mountains and beaches, belong to all people; not exclusively for the wealthy or fortunate heirs! The navigable river laws state that bankfishing below the mean high water mark is legal as long as posted private property was not crossed to get there. Although many rivers have not been declared 'navigable', many informed landowners now realize that bringing this issue to court likely will not only result in a declaration of navigability to their river, but also media publicity that the river is open for bank anglers who properly access it (could take chestwaders in some cases). Even though this could put bankies in holes where I would otherwise boatfish, I believe in the ethical fairness of this law. And I am stating this knowing that it could cost me some boatfishing opp and won't make some guides and landowners real happy with me. Still going to put my 0.02 worth in for what I believe is right - on both sides of this issue. Therefore, I also advocate the stiffest of penalties for those that abuse or liter private property - taking away fishing licences for 6 months and a large fine for a first offense; and upward of a 2 year fishing license ban from both of the NW states and a huge fine for a repeat offense; regardless which state it occured in. For further offense or fishing w/o a license ... jail time with Bubba! We need more officers afield, and camcorders used by landowners. These stupid slobs are what degrade property and fishing opportunity for others, and they don't deserve to be out there (so stupid and so easily avoidable). ...

Further, I agree with reasonable reassessment of property value for tax purposes in cases where anglers can henceforth readily access a landowner's bankfront property without having to cross his main property above said mean high water mark if this was not common prior to the previous assessment. Isn't this only applicable in Oregon, due to Washington's salestax? There also is now a new law in Oregon, undergoing court reviews for legality as worded, to compensate property owners who lose significant property value due to unforeseen state or other unexpected activity that occurs after purchasing the property at a market value greater than it would hence be worth. Sounds fair to me; albeit very complicated. Does Washington have such a compensatory law? However, I think buyer awareness of any laws pertaining to a property purchase is ultimately their responsibility. Same for car purchases. ...

So what are your thoughts and/or suggestions to help solve this increasing conflict over lost fishing opportunity due to riverfront land ownership? Gee, will there be any unbiased replies? I hope so. They are likely to be noticable. Mine here is unbiased, being primarily a boat fisherman.

RT

[ 04-24-2001: Message edited by: RT ]