Cedar River Open to Fishing Soon?

The newest Fishing and Hunting News: Washington, had an artical on this. The WDFW plans on onening the Cedar River to trout fishing. The temperary sockeye hatchery, soon to be perminent, that was put in a few years ago has brought many salmon into this river. Some of these salmon don't make it to the hatchery and their eggs and themselves are eaten by the trout. Plus the millions of seckeye fry released from the hatchery are easy prey for hungary trout. So as an unseen effect of the hatchery, the trout population had boomed in numbers and size.
I really hope that the Cedar River would become a flyfishing only river and that someday we will be able to fish for salmon and steelhead as well as the trout.

Dose anybody know how we can make the Cedar River a flyfishing only and C&R river? We should try to push this to be one and if we can't get that at least make it a selective fishing and C&R water.

Hi,


Selective fishery is enough, why fly only?? hoping to keep the pressure down for yourself??

Well ya........and all of the people at www.washingtonflyfishing.com and it's forum!

Hey Junky,

I think it is great they are considering opening up the Cedar. Depending on the health of the runs, I can certainly see the value of selective gear regulations but I would hate to see any attempt to make this fly only. Such efforts in my experience just further divide user groups. Fly fishers already have a rap as elitest exclusionary snobs and this would only serve to further that view.

As for your comment regarding WAFLYFISING.COM, I have noticed you like to post that URL on this site. In one post you alluded to the fact that information posted here was available over there much earlier. Once again, I would suggest that this approach only serves to foster the division between user groups. Besides, I know Chis and he has no problems promoting his site on his own.

sinktip

fj15,

I have not seen the article you are speaking of but I did see the one in either the PI or the seattle times a few months ago. That with a little inside info on the topic leaves me to believe that the Fish and hunting news left a little bit out.
It is true that a test fishery was done in the spring of this year to help determine why the returning salmon have been dropping since the enitial closure of the river some 10 odd years ago. What was found were large numbers of trout in the 4 to 8 pound range.
Ofcourse eating the fry as well as the eggs.
Also was a large number of large white fish.
Add that to a good return of sea run cutts and the salmon don't have chance.
I too would love to see this river open to all types of fishing in the future whether it fly only or whatever but to also make it c n r would defeat the whole purpose. The purpose being they want the river come back into balance and by taking the trout from the river would help.
Obviously everyone has their own view on all of this but I think if by me catching some large trout and taking them home is helping the cause. Fine by me.

Sinktip:

I'm not trying to divide the fishing world. I was just refering in my prevous two posts that I, and some other people on this forum, have also disscussed these topics on WaFlyfishing's forum. I would settle for this river to become a selective fishery and a C&R fishery though. I also hope that you don't lable me as one of the fly fishermen that think they are better than gear fishermen because I'm a gear fisherman also.

FFJ,

I am not trying to label anyone. I just am aware of how flyfishers are perceived and feel that these stereotypes, or for that matter others like how gear fishermen are portrayed on some sites, only serves to divide user groups. We as fishers have little political clout as it is, any division among us reduces it even more.

By the way, I am curious as to what you are trying to communicate in that blurb you have in your signature? Please explain.

Sinktip

My signature is this: Who in their right mind would stand an a 35 degree river for hours when it is raining, snowing, sleeting or all at once, the air temperature is between 20 and 40 degrees, and to do this they get up at 3-5 in the morning? These people look like they are in need of proffesonal help.

I hope that explans it.

That does explain it quite well. I suspected you were a fair weather fisher but wanted to give you the chance to explain it yourself.

Winter steelheading is not for everyone. And I do thank god for that. Maybe it just takes a special addiction to both the fish and the river to fish for these magnificent fish in the winter/spring. Or maybe you just need to be tough enough to ignore the discomfort in return for the rewards.

I guess by your definition I'm in need of help as although I do enjoy casting a floater and a sparsely tied purple spey for summer fish, give me my preference and I would much rather be swinging a heavy tip and a 3" long Black Scampi through a soft seam of 42 degree water.

Might I suggest you consider changing your name to FlyFishingHobbiest. If you can't stand the conditions six months of the year, I hardly think you qualify as a Junky.

Not to worry though, at least you are steelhead fishing and not going on and on about fishing for humpies and chums.

before you label, just remember, there are plenty of rednecks who know how to cast a fly.

http://www.wa.gov/wdfw/fish/regs/regchng/aug0103a.htm

WARNING!!!

The Cedar River will never become a catch & release fishery for trout. My WDFW sources tell me the only reason for this possible opening is to reduce the population of cutthroat in the system. They claim these wild trout are killing to many sockeye fry.

"My O MY, gotta protect those Sockeye"


Cigar

What's even worse is that these sockeye are not native to Lake Washington. They are part of the Baker River stock. So they want use to kill wild fish to save stocked fish?!?!?!