Northwest Fishing Reports

I've been reading around but been getting and yes and a no. What is it.

You'll find your answer in the regs on page 135.

"GENERAL GEAR RULES:
May be harvested by hand or dipnet. Hand operated instruments may not penetrate the shell.
One star trap, one ring net, one castable snare, or one pot is considered one unit of gear. The maximum number of units of gear that may be fished per person is: Puget Sound: (Marine Area 4, east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line, and in Marine Areas 5-13). Shrimp: Two pots per person, and no more than 4 shrimp pots may be onboard or fished by any one boat at a time. Crab: Two units of crab gear per person, and no limit on the number of units of crab gear per boat.Coastal Waters: (Marine Areas 1-3 and in Marine Area 4, west of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line). Two units of crab and/or shrimp gear per person. Exception: Columbia River - three units of crab gear per person."

So, if you are fishing in marine area 9, you can have two rods with a castable snare device and still fish for pile perch, flounder, etc. with yet another rod.

G-Man wrote:You'll find your answer in the regs on page 135.

"GENERAL GEAR RULES:
May be harvested by hand or dipnet. Hand operated instruments may not penetrate the shell.
One star trap, one ring net, one castable snare, or one pot is considered one unit of gear. The maximum number of units of gear that may be fished per person is: Puget Sound: (Marine Area 4, east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line, and in Marine Areas 5-13). Shrimp: Two pots per person, and no more than 4 shrimp pots may be onboard or fished by any one boat at a time. Crab: Two units of crab gear per person, and no limit on the number of units of crab gear per boat.Coastal Waters: (Marine Areas 1-3 and in Marine Area 4, west of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line). Two units of crab and/or shrimp gear per person. Exception: Columbia River - three units of crab gear per person."

So, if you are fishing in marine area 9, you can have two rods with a castable snare device and still fish for pile perch, flounder, etc. with yet another rod.

Well, that is one interpretation.

I personally would only be comfortable using a crab snare on one rod and fishing with another in a two rod endorsement area.

At least that way it isn't open to 'interpretation'

Best of luck.

onmygame

That's not an interpretation, those are the actual regulations. A rod with a crab snare on the end of the line is ruled to be one unit of gear and you are allowed to crab with two units per person everywhere except the Columbia, where you are allowed three. No grey area there.

Seems we interpreted the OP's question differently.

I was under the impression he was asking if it was legal to use two rods, one for crabbing and another for fishing at the same time - and not how many units of crab gear he can use.

onmygame

A star trap or crab-ring on a light rope and your perch fishing gear may be a better option. You can either drop or throw the crab gear from your chosen location and then fish for perch while they soak. There would be no question about gear restrictions and easy-peasy.

"No" is the answer to your question. Two different things. One is shellfish, one is fish. Different rules apply to each. Keep in mind 'shore fishing' has different rules and sizes also. Don't forget to check the emergency rules... Got to love Washington regs!

I called the dept on this matter before. The answer I got was it was legal to use up 2 rods with castables crab snares as your crab gear units and still use another rod to target fin fish(thier term for fish). While i never used 2 rod snares at once, I've had several encounters with wardens while use a ring, a castable, and a rod rigged for flounder with no hassle. The encounters always go the same way, license check, ask what gear is mine, check my catch, check barbs on the flounder rod, then a thank you.

But in all honesty when you have any questions about regulation clarity you should call the enforcement hotline and speak to them (don't call any other dept number for regs because the other departments don't always know the regs and will give bad reg info at times).