Northwest Fishing Reports

Saw this and thought it was great. Why didn't they do this during humpy season, the state would have made serious money and maybe some offenders would change their ways.

http://tdn.com/articles/2007/09/19/area_news/news14.txt

Good to see some enforcement......

Take care

Actually when Humpy madness was going on there was a tv report on KOMO 4 News. The DFWL had spotters across from a popular bridge and would call in the dogs on guys. it was so obvious to guys bringing them up by the tail and everything. also if you foul hook a fish remove the hook carefully please. i was at the Nisqually when the Kings were hot and a guy grabbed his pliers and shook the fish about 6 ft off the ground until the hook came out and then soccer kicked it back.. i was like WTF dude but of course i kept my mouth shut i didn't wanna ruffle the feathers of all the locals hanging out.

Those guilty are lucky they arent in Alaska. If your caught hooking a salmon anywhere other than inside the mouth and you remove it from the water they take all your possessions at the time of the incident. Your vehicle, boat, gear, camping stuff everything plus you are fined thousands of dollars. They dont play in AK!!

That's a great story...of course we'd like to hear more of this more often...but every little bit helps!!

Another message that people should get from that report is that enforcement was there on the river because they had recieved a lot of complaints about this stuff from people who care. To me this is a strong notch in the right direction, in that it shows that if enough people complain about this sort of activity that the officials will try and crack down on it. to the people who make the call in.

Thanks for the article, justice has been served (for those people at least).

Every one that got caught knew they did wrong. If they didnt they shouldnt be fishin in the first place. 5 year lisc. revoction. Its a preveledge more then a right. I know there is gonna be newbies every year, but please learn rules, edicate, and that your momma dont follow to the river usually so pick up after yourselfs. Ty

Another thing that I've seen alot of is people dragging a fish out of the water onto the bank to remove the hook then kicking it back in to release it. Does anyone know the fine for this? I mentioned to one guy that it's illegal to even remove a fish from the water if it's going to be released and he said it didn't matter as long as it was released. Can you get a ticket for removing a foul hooked fish from the water to remove the hook? I know there a rare situations when you need to net a fish to remove the hook (mainly when fishing with barbs), and I think that as long as you do so responsibly and don't drag the poor thing through the sand the warden would be understanding.... Right?

Nice to see. They should get further south to the N Fork of the Lewis. You could make a killing with fines. Stupidity is no excuse. How much fun is it really to drag a fish in sideways? How does that story go to the guys at work " I snagged it in the belly and brought it in without much fight".

That's why Steelhead is more fun. Not only the dance but I have yet to see one snagged. A better class of fisherman all around.

i have seen many steelhead snagged. but at least they got some high fines out

Steel lover wrote:A better class of fisherman all around.

Steelhead are a protected species due to a combination of degraded freshwater and estuarine habitat, poor hatchery practices, hydropower dams, management and harvest policies.

From the management and harvest standpoints, commercial fisherman don't target them, which leaves recreational fisherman as the largest cause of the decline in native born numbers (as far as managment/harvesting goes), yet people still go out there and catch as many as they can. Presumably because they are a better class of fisherman all around.


Your comment is both wrong and inflamatory.

jtrapier wrote: Does anyone know the fine for this? I mentioned to one guy that it's illegal to even remove a fish from the water if it's going to be released and he said it didn't matter as long as it was released. Can you get a ticket for removing a foul hooked fish from the water to remove the hook?

I had looked this up before I said anything to make sure I was right. Straight from the book.


FRESHWATER: “It is unlawful to totally remove salmon, steelhead, or Dolly Varden/bull trout from the water if it is
unlawful to retain those fish, or if the angler subsequently releases the salmon, steelhead, Dolly Varden, or bull trout.”

As the rule states if it is an unlawful fish to retain then you cannot take the fish out of the water completely. The people taking out chum unhooking and kicking actually is not breaking a rule. They are a lawfully retainable fish. So technically there is no crime. But it still doesnt make it good practice to kick a fish back into the river. I like most people have to take a fish to shore to unwrap the line from around a thrashing fish and unhook em. Just take care to not harm the fish.

Guess that's something to keep in mind when you're taking a picture with a Native Chinook that has to be released

Even when I was c&r the humpies I would not drag them up onto the sand, always kept a part of the fish in the water while unhooking. Seemed like only a few people would do this but I felt it was good practice for when I get to c&r native steelhead. Maybe gws or someone should go up behind the people dragging and kicking fish and grab them by their collars, drag them down the beach aways and then kick them as far into the water as they can...or atleast write them a ticket.

I now notice what was being said about the native chinook comment I thought you was talking about mine lol. Its a hatchery.

flinginpooh wrote: FRESHWATER: “It is unlawful to totally remove salmon, steelhead, or Dolly Varden/bull trout from the water if it is
unlawful to retain those fish, or if the angler subsequently releases the salmon, steelhead, Dolly Varden, or bull trout.”

As the rule states if it is an unlawful fish to retain then you cannot take the fish out of the water completely. The people taking out chum unhooking and kicking actually is not breaking a rule. They are a lawfully retainable fish. So technically there is no crime. But it still doesnt make it good practice to kick a fish back into the river. I like most people have to take a fish to shore to unwrap the line from around a thrashing fish and unhook em. Just take care to not harm the fish.

Actually that is not true, if you plan on releasing or not keeping a certain fish, you are not to remove them even if allowed to retain. Read the "OR" part.

yup, that's how I would interpret it as well.