Northwest Fishing Reports

I saw something today that just made me livid. I love bass fishing, and it's finally became my favorite type of fishing to pursue. I've caught some nice bass (4-5 pounders), but still have yet to hook into that 'trophy' 8 pounder.

That said, I was fishing Rotary Lake in Yakima today. I had caught and released a few one to two pounders, and despite the relentless mosquitos, was having a dandy time. As I was fishing, some other anglers told me that someone had left a 8-10 pound bass on the bank to just rot. They were both really upset. I thought perhaps they were messing with me, but curiosity got the best of me and I went to investigate for myself. What I saw made me feel completely ill. Exactly where these fisherman said, layed the body of a huge bass (easily an eight pounder, which is pretty incredible for this small small lake). It was starting to smell and had flies swarming it...

This sight just made me so mad, because bass this size are a true treat, and needed to be treated with respect! Someone like me, who's personal best is under five pounds, would love to catch an eight pounder, it's what I fantasize just before drifting off at night. Seeing this huge fish so blatently disregarded felt like a slap in the face to me. I'm becoming quite the advocate for catch and release, but I could understand better if the bass was to lose it's life because someone planned on putting it on the dinner table. But, to catch something like this and throw it up on the bank like it was a dirty diaper, is just ignorant and disrespectfull. [-x [-x [-x [-x

I'd like to find who ever did this and slap them across the face with their rotting trophy bass........

Thanks for letting me vent. It's just a matter of time before I catch and release my first true trophy.

Beerman

Are you sure it wasn't dead of natural causes? Or was it way up the bank and obviously caught?

Sad sight nonetheless....

I considered that too, but this thing was way up on the bank. Unless it commited suicide by lunging itself as far onto the bank as possible, I'd have to say it was caught and left... sad sight

Sam Kafelafish wrote:Are you sure it wasn't dead of natural causes? Or was it way up the bank and obviously caught?

Sad sight nonetheless....

i hate it when people catch fish and keep them only to leave them there to rot or throw them already dead into the water. i have seen people do that sort of thing to trout and even some salmon. i have no idea what these people are thinking if you kill the fish keep it!!!!!!!!!

That's too bad. Unfortunately not all anglers out there have the right education or morals we'd like them to have and they should have....For some people an 8lb bass is just a huge fish they somehow catch and it's gonna get eaten, for many people it's the fish of a lifetime and is going to be released to catch another day, and for a few, a big bass is something to kill for the heck of it....

That pisses me off too,even regardless of its trophy size. Maybe a little off topic...but I've been finding dead muskies on Tapps with their gills cut...obvious poaching. So I called WDFW and now they are up their hunting for the little bastards and so am I.

just to play devil's advocate (my wife HATES it when i do this), i have to share a story...

one time as a kid in montana we were hiking along the stillwater river up to a mountain lake called "su charlie", and for a kid it was a loooong hike (3 miles) with many creek crossings. well, as we are hiking back down we come back to these creek crossings and some of them have a dead fish or two lying on the banks of them. what in the heck was a fish doing this far up a creek, in such shallow water, and why in the **** did it just jump up and croak in the dirt???

well later on we run into a couple hiking back up the trail picking up these fish and putting them in her backpack. i remember her explaining to my folks that she & her friend had caught the fish up on su charlie (legal) and put them in her backpack to bring back down. only she forgot to zip the backpack, and everytime she goes to jump the creek crossing, she shakes a fish or two out!! haha! they got to the parking lot and found their backpack nearly empty!

anyway, i didn't see this bass and where it was in proximity to a parking lot or launch, but just maybe they laid the fish out to take pictures, or it slid off the cooler or back bumper or something. or maybe somebody stressed it during a long pursuit and it died and some kids found it floating. i have seen some fellow fisherman do some disgusting things (i pick up after them all the time, it seems) but maybe we can give this one the benefit of the doubt. maybe that pig just up and choked while trying to swallow beerman's NEXT personal best (7lbs). ;-)

Yo Beerdude! My personal best LMB is 23 inches and I would NEVER think of letting it rot! Making a fiberglass reproduction sure but to find one that was just tossed to the bank just pisses me off.

Saw a native pulling his nets on the Stilly one time just tossing the "incidental" catch on the bank. The "incidental" fish were Chum salmon, he was trying for Steelhead. Talked to a game cop and was told that they could do nothing about it.

I'd love to see anyone who intentionally wastes fish to have ALL their sporting privelages (fishing and hunting) taken away!

Beerman, I noticed you have photos of your catch that day, why not take picture of bass in question. I fish there sometimes and agree 100% about the POOR appearance, garbage everywhere, and constant wonder if your car will be there after fishing. I would have liked to see a lunker like that, I'm sure it was not in good condition with heat. Not saying you did anything wrong. Picture like that sent to WDFW might get some changes around there. Really sucks, that is 2x my record and could have grown to be several peoples "Once in a Lifetime" catch had they released it. Keep up posts I enjoy reading them.

GJorgy wrote:Saw a native pulling his nets on the Stilly one time just tossing the "incidental" catch on the bank. The "incidental" fish were Chum salmon, he was trying for Steelhead. Talked to a game cop and was told that they could do nothing about it.

I'd love to see anyone who intentionally wastes fish to have ALL their sporting privelages (fishing and hunting) taken away!

Nothing torques me more than watching people wantonly or intentionally kill off game that they arbitrarily determine is uneccessary. Sadly, this incident doesn't shock me as much as it would have if it occurred back home. The sour attitude and malevolent actions against bass in this state by silver fishermen goes far beyond crass. I think the definition of poaching should include the harvesting of game with the intent to dispose.

when i was going to klineline pond last night there are though big poster boards right before you cross the bridge.. and someone put a little bluegill right there.. its all dried up dead.. but its totally uncalled for :(

delyakguy wrote:Beerman, I noticed you have photos of your catch that day, why not take picture of bass in question. I fish there sometimes and agree 100% about the POOR appearance, garbage everywhere, and constant wonder if your car will be there after fishing. I would have liked to see a lunker like that, I'm sure it was not in good condition with heat. Not saying you did anything wrong. Picture like that sent to WDFW might get some changes around there. Really sucks, that is 2x my record and could have grown to be several peoples "Once in a Lifetime" catch had they released it. Keep up posts I enjoy reading them.

It was a brainfart, honestly. When I trecked over to that part of the lake, I had intentions of taking a picture, but by the time I located it, it smelled and their were lots of flies, I completely forgot. It was pretty tore up, and I poked at it a little bit to examine it. I was clear back to the other end of the lake when I thought "#@$@#$@#, I didn't get a picture!"

yeah i think they should have someone patrol the boat launchs.. it will help illegal fishing and people over taking there limit.. and stoping causes of wasting fish.

I've come across trout fishermen who kill LMB and SMB! At the time I didn't know what they were doing found out when we got back to the boat launch. I look for them every year haven't seen them yet but when I do?

Trent Hale wrote: I've come across trout fishermen who kill LMB and SMB! At the time I didn't know what they were doing found out when we got back to the boat launch. I look for them every year haven't seen them yet but when I do?

Snag them with a 12 inch culprit and look away

PokerAddict wrote:yeah i think they should have someone patrol the boat launchs.. it will help illegal fishing and people over taking there limit.. and stoping causes of wasting fish.

Good call,however with so many budget cuts,its very difficult to do so. But as anglers,we need to be more observant and watch out for low lifes that commit these acts.

PokerAddict wrote:yeah i think they should have someone patrol the boat launchs.. it will help illegal fishing and people over taking there limit.. and stoping causes of wasting fish.

I wish this could happen, but it's unrealistic b/c of the lack of funds and there are so few WDFW officers in each county it's just pathetic...

But it is our duty to keep an eye out and spot a poacher if we see one. I think you can even call local law enforcement if the WDFW isn't responding....

so its possible if we see someone with like 30 trout we can call law enforcement if there going over their limit?
i mean if their smart and do this and write fines for over limiting and stuff they might make some profit out of it

what about this...

yeah, i like to give MOST anglers the benefit of the doubt.

Let's say it's a big bass. big bass means old bass. old bass equals weak bass. either someone caught it and threw it back (most likely the case) and it died or it died of natural causes. EITHER WAY......it eventually died, floated to the surface, then to shore. after a night or two a big raccoon (or coyote or whatever) came up, drug it away from the shore (as to not have it stolen by other raccoons ) found out it was nasty and left it. IMO, i think there is far greater chance this is the situation then some one actually leaving it for dead. That really could be the case though, i don't know.
I have heard many stories like this, 50"" muskie that, 30" walleye this. i say every fisherperson in yakima is good, until proven otherwise...

Rollin with Rolland wrote:either someone caught it and threw it back (most likely the case) and it died or it died of natural causes. EITHER WAY......it eventually died, floated to the surface, then to shore. after a night or two a big raccoon (or coyote or whatever) came up, drug it away from the shore (as to not have it stolen by other raccoons ) found out it was nasty and left it.

That is entirely possible, the other day I was exploring this little pond near my house. There are no signs whatsoever of anybody fishing it and so far I only know it holds carp. Anyway, I was doin a little bush whackin to get to a spot where I could cast and came across a 20" concrete drain pipe. There was a 30" dead fish inside the pipe and rotting. There were racoon tracks all over and I know there hadn't been a human near it in a really long time.