NOf is over

lets here whats going to happen on the Chehalis and Hump this fall.. anyone in the know?

……and Willapa!

Probably not what you want BUT its more than what's been available...


http://wdfw.wa.gov/news/apr1014a/


The quest for Chehalis and Willapa......draws near!!!!!!

GH update...

Still not set in stone because of the rule-making process, but proposed seasons will be going to the printers for the new rec pamphlet. Consider it a written public notice of the state's proposed season going forward in the rule-making process. Errata will be issued if there are changes after the CR 102/103 filings.

Compared to last years season, expect no chinook retention with generous WILD coho retention on the Chehalis side, and no WILD coho retention on the Hump side.

Other add-ons: A jack fishery in August is proposed, as well a marine 2-C fishery for early Hump chinook.

Take backs: This is completely new. Area 2-B is proposed to be closed for the bay fishery... no salmon trolling west of the JR marker for further conservation of Hump-origin WILD coho.

as well a marine 2-C fishery for early Hump chinook.

is this for NT nets or sports????

From Region 6

Greetings,

Sorry there hasn’t been much news from the North of Falcon front. Some of us are running on 3-4 straight weeks without a day off and have been working our rear ends off.

With regards to the Sport Fishing Pamphlet, I’ve indicated in the past that the North of Falcon and pamphlet process do not line up well with the APA process. To partially address that mis-match, WDFW will be moving the pamphlet to a July through June publication next year. Then the APA process will line up better with most salmon regulations, except spring chinook fisheries. In the meantime, we have a need to get the pamphlet to the printer this week. To that end, we have taken a shot at what we believe our CR-102 package for recreational fisheries will look like and put those into the Pamphlet. If at the conclusion of the APA process and public input, a recreational season is changed, we will address the change through an errata to Pamphlet.

We have a meeting scheduled with Quinault tribe tomorrow and hope to conclude our discussions with them. I don’t know whether I will have a chance to report to you after the meeting because I intend to take Friday off come hell or high water. I’ll try to get something out early next week.

With regards to the commercial seasons, Grays Harbor will hopefully come to some resolution in discussions with Quinault tomorrow. Willapa Bay will likely take a bit longer. We need to ensure we have carefully reviewed and considered the abundant public input before finalizing a proposal.

We have discussed the potential of an additional public meeting to present the Department’s proposals for Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor. At this time, I can’t give a potential date until I’m sure that we have a solid foundation for the commercial packages, which we don’t at this time.

I hope this helps bring everyone up to speed. I appreciate your patience as we work through the numerous issues.

Cheers.

Steve Thiesfeld
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Region 6 Fish Program Manager
48 Devonshire Road, Montesano, WA 98563
Steven.Thiesfeld@dfw.wa.gov
360-249-1201

Is "2-B" the south side of MA 2-2...i.e., no fishing west of Johns River on the south side of the bay to protect Humptulips wild coho?

That seems like a lot of water to close for pretty dubious benefits to Humptulips coho.

Fish on...

Todd

2B or not 2B... that is the question.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

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2B is the giant mixing bowl into which the fish first enter the otherwise legal waters of MA 2-2. Hump estuary 2C sits immediately north. 2D sits immediately east... basically the N ans S Chehalis channels and their convergence up to the S Aberdeen bridge.

State proposal for the marine fishery is 2C targeting Hump chinook BEFORE Sept 16 shifting to 2D targeting Chehalis coho AFTER Sept 15.

Doc, can you post me up a map of those areas...I think I know where they all are but I can't find a definitive map online.

Thanks, I appreciate it!

Fish on...

Todd

Picture paints a 1000 words...

http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/commercial/salmon/2012_gh_map.pdf

Thanks, Doc.

That's what I thought...any idea how many Humptulips wild coho they expect to save by closing 2-B?

It looks to me like a lot of area and opportunity is closed and that the great majority of that area is unlikely to have many Humptulips coho in it.

Not really that big of a deal since so much of the good fishing is upstream of the Johns River mouth, but there are definitely some opportunities there that I'll miss.

Could be worse, I guess...they could close it from the creek down.

Fish on...

Todd

I'll pose the question to staff about how many Hump coho will be saved in the model by implementing the 2B closure.

Bet I'll be able to count 'em on one hand.

The paucity of wild Hump coho will be drowned out by all the chinook and the $hitpile of Chehalis coho that are statistically much more likely to be encountered with sport gear in that fishery. Savings will be inconsequential to the Hump wild coho escapement.

Yeah, that's exactly what I thought, too...a handful of fish, at best.

At least there will be no Chinook retention so there won't be 439 boats all packed in above the Johns River!

Hopefully those durn coho will make a better showing than they did last year!

Fish on...

Todd

Humptulips natural Coho....have not made escapement in 20 years....I'm thinking that with the WDFW Commission #1 goal...Conservation, that ANY wild Coho, that might be heading for the Humptulips NEED to be protected.

Model this, model that......pretty clear at the NOF meetings I attended, that the feelings, in general were to protect these fish. NT gillnetters hate it, keeps them out of 2C....as well it should.

Updated out of PFMC is Hump natural origin Coho will not make escapement with zero harvest. With the 2012 QIN seasons plumbed in the model it was about minus 1700. Really odd how everyone loves conservation as long as the other guy bears the brunt of it.

everyone can deal with conservation if it makes sense. And if the QIN doesn't say foregone opportunity and "co-manage" the "extra" fish.

Bump...

Think the answer is coming...either 4/18 or early next week....Not everyone is "happy in river city"!!!!!

R6 Steve Theisfeld updating again on NOF:

Hi Again,

Unfortunately our meeting today with the Quinault Indian Nation representatives has been delayed. I wish we were making more progress finalizing seasons and I had hoped to report more progress by now. The discussions have been difficult to say the least with the new Grays Harbor policy creating some serious challenges for us.

I’ve had some conversation with folks about the sport regulations. They should be online either tomorrow or Monday. I suspect they will be located on this page: http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/.

Thank You!

Been thinking hard about it. I can live with the 2B rec closure for conservation.

Timing of that marine fishery clearly coincides with run-timing of wild Hump coho. If 2B were to be open, it would have to include a "release wild coho" rule to lay off the Hump wilds.

Really NOT a big fan of releasing ANY estuary coho, hatch or wild, due to the obscene release mortality.

The other bad part is that it would be an enforcement nightmare to have diff bag limits/wild retention in 2B vs 2D.

Aug 16 to Nov 30, limit: three adults to Black River? I must have misread
it. Going to re-read it again.

OOPS!
That's coho only, which is the way it should be.

its probably a misprint (aug-16) im sure it will be sept 16th ????

No it is August 16. That is the locals summer fishery that got hi -jacked several years back and Steve Theisfeld got it back for them.

cool.. a little early jack action

A pilot marine area 2C Hump king fishery is in there…

Aug. 16-Aug. 31
Min. size 12". Daily limit 2 (combined). Only 1 CHINOOK may be retained. Release wild COHO. Season may be extended.

Unfortunately this puts participation in direct competition with Buoy 10 and WB. I would encourage anyone who doesn't like crowds or doesn't have a B-10 capable vessel to give this a shot. Also a viable option to stay inside if the ocean gets a bit too lumpy. It's the ONLY marine opportunity for chinook available in GH for 2014.

If we don't use it, we lose it.

I believe rec participation would be better Sept 1-15

Lower Chehalis in a nutshell…

Spring kings
May 1-June 30 Min. size 12". Daily limit 1.

Fall salmon (targeting coho/king jacks, adult coho, chum)
Aug. 16-Nov. 30 Min. size 12". Daily limit 6. Up to 3 adults may be retained. Release adult CHINOOK.

Late salmon (coho)
Dec. 1-Jan. 31 Min. size 12". Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained of which only 1 may be a wild COHO. Release CHINOOK.

Above 101 bridge in another nutshell....

Same spring kings......May 1 - June 30....1 fish limit

Maybe luck out again this year.....early rains, will be great for jacks, both silver and chinook, silvers and Chum.

Satsop......seems to be only river, on Chehalis side, where you can keep a hatchery Chinook.

Wynoochee....2 Silvers and Chum allowed, jacks

Wishkah.....2 silvers and Chum allowed, jacks

Sturgeon.....catch and release only BUT you can fish 24 hours a day.

I don't foresee any changes BUT well after all, this is GH and who knows really knows.

It'll be nice to be able to fish the Chehalis starting August 16th.....early rains.....can be some good jack and hatchery coho fishing.

I appreciate the "any three adult coho" limit. No having to release wild fish until that often non-existent hatchery fish was hooked has to be good for the wild fish population.
Last year when the wild limit was reached, my boat headed to the ramp. No fish ever had to be released and my boat was no longer taking up space. There were others who did the same.