fnf's post about Golden Trout got me thinking of ways to get more quality trout fishing waters in Washington. Do you guys think people would support buying a trout stamp in order to fish quality waters. Lets say the stamp would cost $10 and ALL of the money from the purshase of the stamp would go to managing and getting more quality waters. I think people would support it. But I would want the program to be jointly managed by WDFW and the fishing public. The fishing public could be made up of different fishing organizations, such as FFF, TU, ect. I don't think the WDFW could assure all the money went to quality trout waters, if they were to be the sole managers of the trout stamp. What ever happened to the Warm Water enhancment money? I have a feeling a lot of this money went into the general fund, instead of warm water programs. Anyone have any ideas on a trout stamp?

Whatever happened to the warmwater enhancement money?

thats exactly why it wouldnt get my vote.

Where is everyone on this post?????.....Out fishin???? Oh yeah,
Roskelly sez they are getting them already on flies in somma the
Pothole lakes. I'm going tomorrow.....sorry no lake names....find
em yourself.
Back to quality water issues, last year I held a Dept. F&G fish fry
where I essentially fried the Department to pandering mainly to
the powerbait (jerk and fry) crowd. My main complaint was the
small number of quality lakes in the state all of which that are decent
fishing are getting loved to death.
My plea waz for MORE lakes....and even a few baiters agreed with me
that more quality waters are needed.
AFTER ALL THIS IS A SPORT.....NOT A WELFARE MEAT PROGRAM.
The net result of my ranting of course was.......ZIP. It will take somma
The Clubs and organizations with NUMBERS to demand action before
the Dept. will STEAL one form the powerbait crowd.

As for a stamp and more money, I and I believe most other quality lake
fishermen would gladly chip in.......If some results could be forseen.
But in fact it's not more money that's needed, the quality fisheries are
LESS EXPENSIVE to maintain than the "Jerk and Fry" lakes.
What's needed is a director of F&G who recognizes that fishing is a
SPORT and dedicates the brunt of his budget to providing quality
sport rather than a "Welfare Meat Program." My humble opinion.

By the way, I might add for anyone interested in seeing an organization
that manages it's lake fishing resource for SPORT first and meat second, I invite you
to obtain and read over the British Columbia Canada sprot fishing regulations
re: freshwater lakes.
You will see immediately a VAST difference. Around 40-50% of ALL LISTED
LAKES have special regulations with 2 to 0 fish limits,NO BAIT USE,fly only water,
or restricted gear with barbless hooks. That's right NEARLY HALF of all
Lakes.
Among the majority of fishermen you encounter in Canada, "Bait Fishing" and
"Killing Your Limit" is not just frowned upon. They capture baiters with big nets
and sterilize em, so they don't proliferate and degrade the resource.

Ron,

I'm here and read this a couple of times. Thought I'd stay away from commenting on it.... but here I go.

I wouldn't contribute one cent to setting aside extra funds for quality trout waters.

My reasons are:
State would just blow the money on various other programs as money is run into the general fund. See what happened to this years increase of the state duck stamp. It was just run into the general fund. Also, the state is reducing game department funding this year.

Would just give poachers more lakes to get big fish from. State doesn't do enough to stop it now. Poachers are bold enough to do it in front of an audience at Rocky Ford, "Secret Lake" and the Lenice/Nunnally chain. Also they know they're poaching when they do it even if the standard excuse is given "Didn't know..." Watched a guy using a coffee can for a reel on one lake... game warden showed.... and all of a sudden the coffee can guy disappeared. He was "low crawling" thru the cattails. Never saw a guy move that fast.

Your trout stamp money would either go to pave some road.. pay for some bureaucrats pencils... or maybe Rapid Transit.

yours sincerely,

cranky today

(my only intention is to stir the pot)

My honest view is that the way WA state does their funding the stamp money would just go into the general fund. When and if it did get to the game dept for trout enhancement, I feel total game funding would still remain the same, even though the stamp money should be extra. I think it would be a "smoke and mirrors" thing and the extra money to the general fund would end up on a non-fish/game activity.

uhhhhh... I may need to backpedal a little. Saw on the WDFW page after my last post where the state was soliciting duck hunting volunteers to determine what to do with the extra $2 per duck stamp. So, it looks like that money was funneled down to what it was collected for.

oops.

Was just gonna comment on that Bill, glad you saw that. Matter of fact it was a four dollar increase and it was raised due in part to the users asking for an increase. It has been something like ten years since the last increase. If your ever interested in seein exactly where the money is spent I can give you some details. matter of fact they are putting a harness on DU and their spending of that money. They are now held accountable for monies recieved and where they are spent.

This is non-DU money as DU had an accountability problem with where they were sending their funds.

Thought it was only a $2 increase and the other $2 came about from the "WILD" system and the surcharge it attaches to what seems about everything we buy in permits and licenses.

I was part of the forum group that was queried on whether we'd go along the the raising of the state licence fee. My vote was yes, at that time.

It all depends on what you consider quality waters.

We have over a hundred miles of quality water streams just on one system alone that provides great stream fishing.

We have some great high lakes too!

The warmwater enhancement was rolled into the resident fish fee. Money is still allocated to the Warmwater Program and we have five great warmwater teams that do surveys on all the warmwater specie across the state. Everything from basic abundance and distribution to diet studies on tiger muskies.

We have support from some of the best fishing groups around including Trout Unlimited, Southwest Washington Anglers, Fish First, Lower Columbia Walleye Club, Oregon Bass and Panfish, BASS Federation and many many others.

These group take one entire rivers raising fish, distributing carcasses and a lot more. And we couldn't do the things we do without their help.

We want to provide opportunities for all types of anglers. Whether they fish stocked lakes or high lakes/streams catch and release; whether they fish for freshwater, warmwater or saltwater; whether they are bank or boaters.

I can see where people get frustrated. Believe me, been there myself a few times.




stace

With all due respect for Stace and alot of other hard working members of the WDFW, I don't have alot of faith in how monies supposedly dedicated to any stamp would be spent.

I suspect an audit would show that state duck stamp funds, warmwater enhancement funds, pheasant enhancement funds, etc. have not been spent to the degree and in the amount promised. Having some experience with Government myself, I know that the best of intentions often get eaten up, little by little, by administrative details and whatever the latest hot priority might be.

In short, let's take a look at where our money is already going before we talk about spending more on another stamp, no matter how worthy the cause.

Check out the Cooperative Trout Ehancement Project (CTEP). You can sponsor a lake and have it stocked with different sized trout to your liking. $500 get the ball going.

FYI Zen

WWW Leads Way For "Duck" Stamp Bill Passage = More Conservation $

The WWA Board of Directors was asked by the Washington Migratory Bird Stamp Committee to sponsor an increase in the price of the Washington Bird Stamp from $6 to $10

From its beginning in 1986 through 1990 the Washington stamp cost $5 In 1991 the cost was raised to $6 It has remained at $6 for over 11 years, far to long to keep up with inflation.
Money collected from the stamp is used to fund habitat conservation projects here in Washington.

These past few years identified conservation projects were put on hold due to lack of migratory bird stamp funding. In the 1999-2001, WDFW had 1.2 million in requests for bird stamp funding and was only able to fund 80% of the amounts requested. In the 2001-2003 biennium, there has been already 1.4 million in requested funding for projects. WDFW projected that they would only be able to fund 55% of the proposed conservation projects in Washington.

WWA board members Bob Boldman, Johnny Walker and John Arrabito logged some long hours lobbying, testifying and generally sheperding the bill through the State Legislature.

We need to thank Senator Mary Margaret Haugen from Camano Island, whom was kind enough to sponsor our request to tax ourselves with a stamp fee increase. Our bill.SB6353 went through the loops with no opposition. However, without the organization Washingtonians For Wildlife Conservation, headed by Bobbie Thornily, and their lobbyist, Ed Owens, our bill would not have passed the Legislature.

We needed the WWC to accomplish our Legislative goal, and the WWC needs us. It takes money to support hunting issues in Olympia. The WWA board of directors will be revisiting the issue of our financial contribution to the WWC.

so...i hope no one actually wrote Ms Haugen a thank you letter, i dont think our senators need any encouragement to raise taxes, better to not give them any ideas...

M Mojo,

This increase was driven upwards by the duckhunters, and Haugen sponsored the bill necessary to increase the amount.

I'd forgotten all about last years email on the increase when I bought my duck stamp in September. Had to fire up a few brain cells ..... and then I realized why... oh yeah.... that survey asking me if I'd support an increase.... yeah.. that's it. Finally things got clear.

But later I wondered if Locke "forgot" that money was supposed to be set aside when he encountered his budget crunch.

Bill