Punching wild fish

If you guys haven't turned in your punch cards yet, punch out your 5 wild fish for the coast rivers. That way it'll get our quota up so the tribal members won't up theirs.

As you know, that's blatantly dishonest. It also sounds like a great way to blow our entire credibility and put a powerful card in the hand of the tribes during negotiations over future quotas. They're would love to be able to allege that the sportsfishermen were manipulating harvest numbers.

Yes, that could ruin our credibility so it's not a good idea. But most folks will agree that the tribes aren't 100% truthful in reporting their catches. I doubt they would be dumb enough to bring up the subject in negotiations.

That dosent make any sense.

All you will be doing is making the run look better than it really is. If everybody punched thoose five fish for the O.P. that would add up to a lot of fish.

Actually, it's ten fish this year ... There are too many fish! says the state of Washington.

I don't trust anyone's numbers ... but I trust those who make money from killing fish's numbers even less.

All be a moot point if we (humans) just stopped harvesting them!

Why do we not punch fish that we release anymore? It's hard for me to believe that this information isn't useful in some way. Wouldn't someone who c&r 30 natives have some value info. to be reported rather than sending in a blank punch card.

Monty,I was told by the region bio that not enough angler participation was involved in marking released wild fish.He said that less than 15% of anglers actually marked released fish,make the data on returned cards invalid.

On a simular note,we all need to make sure we turn in our punchcards this year because the WDFW is going to be sending out questionnaires to those who turn in their cards involving wild steelhead release proposals.

punch all you want the state doesn't count the cards any ways don't have the man power or time at least thats what i hear