Trout limit change coming for Roosevelt?

[hewesfisher]

Read this in Friday's paper, not yet approved, but definitely an interesting proposal - http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2016/f ... uld-prese/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[hewesfisher]

Thought I'd update this based on WDFW email I received this morning...

WDFW NEWS RELEASE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

June 23, 2016
Contact: Chris Donley, (509) 892-1001, ext.307

Comments sought on proposals to change
Lake Roosevelt daily catch limit on trout

Fisheries managers are seeking public input through July 25 on proposals for changing the daily catch limit on trout at Lake Roosevelt, the Columbia River reservoir in northeast Washington.

The proposals are available for review on the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/redband_trout/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. Comments can be e-mailed to Carmen.Perez-Frayne@dfw.wa.gov. Input can also be provided at a public meeting, which will be held from 6 to 8 p.m., Thursday, June 30, at WDFW's Eastern Region office, 2315 N. Discovery Place, in Spokane Valley.

Proposed changes to the catch limit are designed to help further protect wild redband rainbow trout while still providing anglers with opportunities to harvest hatchery fish, said Chris Donley, WDFW Eastern Region fish program manager. Redband trout are a subspecies of rainbow trout found in the Columbia River and its tributaries.

Currently, anglers fishing Lake Roosevelt can keep five trout (hatchery or wild) per day, including two that are 20 inches or larger.

Under one proposed option, Lake Roosevelt anglers could keep up to 10 trout, only one of which can be a wild trout that is 18 inches or larger. This proposal also extends by two months the closure of the Sanpoil River arm of the reservoir where redband rainbow trout stage to make their upriver spawning run. Currently, the arm is closed Feb. 1 through March 31. Under this proposal, it would close Feb. 1 through May 31.

Another proposal would limit anglers to five hatchery trout per day with no harvest of wild trout allowed from Grand Coulee Dam to the Northport Bridge. Anglers fishing from the Northport Bridge upstream to the Canadian border would be limited to two trout (wild or hatchery fish) that are 18 inches or greater in length daily.

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission also will hear public testimony on the proposal during its Aug. 5-6 meeting in Olympia. For the specific day and time, check the commission's website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Persons with disabilities who need to receive this information in an alternative format or who need reasonable accommodations to participate in WDFW-sponsored public meetings or other activities may contact Dolores Noyes by phone (360-902-2349), TTY (360-902-2207), or email (dolores.noyes@dfw.wa.gov). For more information, see http://wdfw.wa.gov/accessibility/reason ... quest.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

If you have comments/suggestions, be sure to contact WDFW. I plan to attend the meeting since it's so close.

[hewesfisher]

UNBELIEVABLE.

Public meeting and two people show up. Sad.

If it weren't for the fact I posted this on the Hewescraft Owner's Forum, I would have been the only one there. So the two of us who did show got a personal presentation. We provided our input, but if anyone else cares about the proposed changes, comment period ends July 25th. Only comment option left is by email.

Relevant links for basis of rule changes including email address to send comments:

http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/redband_trout/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/meetings/ ... r0416.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

There are two .pdf links to support documents in the second link above. I suggest taking the time to read the supporting documents, it is a sensible and logical recommendation. I'm supporting option 2 and recommended they change the one native trout retention size from 18" to 20".

One benefit will be eliminating the "no more than 2 over 20" rule for fin clipped trout something I strongly support. Those hatchery fish aren't reproducing so no need to protect them from harvest.

Still stunned over virtually no participation. There were more people at the public meeting to discuss the Badger Lake rehab a few years ago and that's a very small lake.