Whats up with the Jack Holes at the cow

[flinginpooh]

Ok Lil rant and a why the hell arent the enforcement peeps there.

I showed up at the barrier the other day at 6 am thinking Ill get there early to secure my spot and be ready for 1 hour before daylight 6:59 that day. Daybreak was at 7:59. So I look out and what do I see. A full freaking lot with peeps already fishing. Fish already on the bank and lots of them. So theyd been doing it for awhile. I watched them do this for awhile and started noticing a trend. MOST of the fish was being snagged. People didnt care and why should they? Its before OFIsh30 so who cares if its snagged or not. I mean if they are gonna poach they should poach big or fish legal right? I cant believe the jack holes that are out there. And the freaking amount of them that was there. 20 people, the WDFW coulda had a hayday.

[mallard83]

Not surprised. It sucks but every rivers got'em. Karma will catch them eventually.

[Jhuynh2]

Aren't you allowed to fish at night there now, so all day so it would be ok to fish before sunlight?

[flinginpooh]

Snagging is snagging. If its in the back or the tail its snagged and should be released. If you was to be caught for that 2 times in a 10 year period you can loose liscence for life.

[knotabassturd]

Aren't you allowed to fish at night there now, so all day so it would be ok to fish before sunlight?

I believe so, effective Nov 1.

So pooh maybe get your best coffee in U, get down there for globallin', get one o' them miner lights on your head and patrol for snagged fish being kept?

If you see someone keep an illegally snagged fish, maybe get your cell out and call the hotline saying the # out loud as you dial it. Even if enforcement doesn't show, it'll make the fishing an uncomfortable experience for them since everyone will hear U calling them in. Keep your hea dpointed at 'em and they get the spotlight star treatment too:-" And if you have your posse with you they may leave the river altogether:cheers: . Just make sure it is illegally caught. IMO only:)

[flinginpooh]

And yeah I did forget about nov 1st sorry bout that part. I can admit I spaced on it being Nov 1st and not Dec 1st when Night closure stopped. But still as I said snagging is snagging. If your flinging out reeling in a few feet and setting a hook bring a fish in sideways or tail first and keep it then your a snagger. This is what I was really mad about. And it wasnt just one person here and one there. I watched 10 fish be brought in. 8 of em was snagged and put on stringers. Even mentioning to a few of em too bad thats comming in ass first. What do you mean its right in the mouth. WTH am I at the skok? These fish must have special tail plate forward rules in effect.

[donman]

Pooh, I would love to be down there with you pulling an all nighter and spotlighting snaggers. Let me know.

[salmonslayer117]

Yup. Last time down there we got there about an hour early so we just sat and watched all the lights on the water. People fishin' WAY early. That was in October when the night closure was still in effect. It happens everywhere though.

[wolverine]

I first fished the Cow since back in the 70's. Nothings changed. The old boys from back then have died off but they taught their kids and grand kids how to "put meat on the table". A lot of them are local and when the fish are in they make multiple trips a day. Since a lot of other rivers have been close down or their runs over, a lot of the sketchy types have migrated to the Cow. Salmon season brings out the worst in a lot of peoples behavior. Filling their freezer, as well as their extended family's is a just a part of their lives. I rarely go there anymore as the fish aren't bright enough for my tastes. To each his own. I often thought that the state has sort of looked the other way at the Barrier gong show as it concentrates the sketchy types in one location on a historically large surplus of hatchery fish.

[code3daddy]

i was there this weekend and I saw some snagged fish...the guys I saw snagging were letting them go thought. It's amazing that with all those people out there someone still has the nerve to string up a snagged fish. Cant believe that the guys yelling at people about casting order arent saying something about snagging....maybe they are the snaggers.

[Jhuynh2]

was there this weekend, saw a couple snagged in, really too bad, it's their netting buddy that is at fault, they tell their partner its in the mouth

[natetreat]

I'm with you a hundred percent. If it's not in the noggin, you gotta throw it back. I'd be wanting to keep a bright fish anyways. I used to live out there, and I know that's what some folks do. But htey do it at every river too, I see it all over the place. The problem is the there are only 2 or 3 enforcers per county, and they can't be everywhere at once. I don't like fishing the meat runs that much on account of the chaos and disregard for the law. But what'd'ya do? Call the enforcement hotline.

[Dave]

Hi All,

I know how frustrated we all get with the lack of law enforcement presence, not only in our neighborhoods and roadways in general, but also on our waterways. I also know that the majority of us sportsmen and women support the WDFW and our local law enforcement officers, deputies, and troopers. Unfortunately in today's economy, with the first actual layoffs of actual uniformed personal on the streets that I have seen in my 22 year police career, there just aren't enough of us out there to combat all the Jack Holes (love that) out there. BUT, I would absolutely encourage you to quietly call 911 if you see snagging or any other blatant violation because the 911 call you place from a cell phone goes directly to the closest State Patrol office which is where the WDFW officers are dispatched from to their complaints. There may not be a WDFW officer on or available when you call but nothing says if that is the case, that you can't request a deputy or local law enforcement officer to respond. At least at my department, we wouldn't hesitate to respond to that call and I promise you if we were able to establish probable cause, locate evidence (like a violator in possession of a fish with hook marks in it's back or tail area), and you are willing to give us a written statement, we would do something about the crime you report. I am sure that most of us in the business would say the same thing. Call 911 and unless the officer or officers in your are all tied up on a priority call which is for the most part fairly unlikely at 5:00 am, they should absolutely respond. I know that I will personally arrest or at least issue a criminal citation or infraction to anyone I catch breaking an RCW law related to wildlife so please give the WDFW or your local police agency a try. For all of us who set the example, and live by a higher standard that the Jack Hole, we are better for it!

Dave

[Jaksonbrown]

I was on a boat anchored just below the Barrier dam fishing all day Sat. There must have been 30+ bank guys all fishing in the dark when we got there. I watched dozens of fish snagged and kept.

My question to you all is this. The hatchery already has all the fish they need. All the fish that were stacking up in the river were excess fish and are just going to go to waste anyway. Who cares if they are snagged or legal caught anyway? Granted, its not very sporting, and nothing I would be interested in doing, but the fish are just going to go to waste anyway. I heard about the hatchery dumping fish in indian pickup beds by the tons from a few other fishermen there just trying to get rid of them. It just seems like such a waste of fish, so if a few are caught by snagging and consumed... who cares?

Just playing the devils advocate here..... Flame away!

[jens]

I was on a boat anchored just below the Barrier dam fishing all day Sat. There must have been 30+ bank guys all fishing in the dark when we got there. I watched dozens of fish snagged and kept.

My question to you all is this. The hatchery already has all the fish they need. All the fish that were stacking up in the river were excess fish and are just going to go to waste anyway. Who cares if they are snagged or legal caught anyway? Granted, its not very sporting, and nothing I would be interested in doing, but the fish are just going to go to waste anyway. I heard about the hatchery dumping fish in indian pickup beds by the tons from a few other fishermen there just trying to get rid of them. It just seems like such a waste of fish, so if a few are caught by snagging and consumed... who cares?

Just playing the devils advocate here..... Flame away!

Good point and topic. I will say, these fish are not holding in the lower part of the river like they used to, something about attractant water? Anyways, my guide friends haven't had the years like they have in the past because these fish are blasting thru the river all the way up to the dam.

To keep foul hooked fish or not? I was on that fence last year on the Puyallup. Tribal came and swooped up hundreds of fish right in front of us. I just released a foul hooked fish, and I know that fish went right into their net.

I personally have been learning how to fish with bait or hardware, that way there is not doubt where my fish is hooked, just sayin. I will use drift gear when the water is off color, but I have expertise in DDS

Off topic, my passion is for Steelies, Salmon brings out the worst in people and nothing like a bobber down.

[knotabassturd]

Jacksonbrown it is real simple to me:

the regs say it is illegal. Therefore DON'T DO IT!
I don't care where the fish go. I don't care if the jackhole next to you illegally snags it in the pooper and keeps it (actually I do care and would want to give an earful to "that guy").
If it is LEGALLY caught I don't care if they snagged it in the eye with a 6/0 hook (certainly not very sporty though), flossed it lassoing a tooth or what have you LOL.

But also many of those fish go to food banks in the area and places like that. Most of these fish don't go to waste in the way you mention. Some get sent upriver above the dam to spawn and help provide a smolt crop that can wash back down into Mayfield Lake (at least in the case of Barrier Dam specifically). I'm not certain but believe some of the smolts are separated and sent downriver from Mayfield to help future runs. The reason Mayfield has such a great landlocked coho fishery should be obvious- look at the #s of coho that get trucked upriver. Even dead carcasses have been shown to enhance stream/river habitat for fish and aquatice life. So I don't consider a dead fish on the side of a stream 'going to waste'.

Don't advocate the devil so much LOL, I do get your point though trying to get some discussion about it.

Just follow the rules/regs and seek clarification when not sure IMO:cheers: Best way to avoid problems.

Good luck on the water!:salut:

[flinginpooh]

^5 bassturd Thats what Im saying. I have 5 kids, and would love to keep all the fish I hook. IN the past 3 weeks Ive hooked over 100 fish. Around half of those was either broke off cause I noticed they was foul hooked or I landed them foul and let go. The others was landed fair but 2 dark to keep in my opinion. Then there was 2 silvers. Nice bright and clean as can be. 1 hooked in the toungue, and the other right in the upper jaw. Those are the only 2 I kept. What kind of an example would I be setting for my kids if I took fish that was unlawfully hooked. I may as well tell my kids, hey if theres noone to catch ya its ok, cheat on that test. +1 for character Jackson. And you just started on the site with soo many ?s asked.

[Jaksonbrown]

^5 bassturd Thats what Im saying. I have 5 kids, and would love to keep all the fish I hook. IN the past 3 weeks Ive hooked over 100 fish. Around half of those was either broke off cause I noticed they was foul hooked or I landed them foul and let go. The others was landed fair but 2 dark to keep in my opinion. Then there was 2 silvers. Nice bright and clean as can be. 1 hooked in the toungue, and the other right in the upper jaw. Those are the only 2 I kept. What kind of an example would I be setting for my kids if I took fish that was unlawfully hooked. I may as well tell my kids, hey if theres noone to catch ya its ok, cheat on that test. +1 for character Jackson. And you just started on the site with soo many ?s asked.

Hey Pooh,

Im not sure if your slamming me or not, perhaps im not reading your post correctly. I for one am against snagging as I said in my post. I dont think it is very sportsman like at all. I dont think its right at all and have never, nor would ever do it. I was just trying to spur peoples thoughts and opinions on the subject. Its pretty hard to see all those dead fish laying everywhere going to waste.
But now that you brought it up... you say you have caught over 100 fish, half of those you foul hooked. Arent you basically snagging these fish with the hopes that you snag them in the mouth?? Its honorable that you let the foul hooked ones go per the law, but your entire objective is to snag one in the head.... Correct? I mean, in all of my days of fishing with plugs, spinners, bait, etc... I have never foul hooked a fish. So whatever method you are using, considering you foul hook half the fish you catch, must be a snagging method.
So if your so against snagging... why participate in this kind of fishing?8-[

[Anonymous]

I was on a boat anchored just below the Barrier dam fishing all day Sat. There must have been 30+ bank guys all fishing in the dark when we got there. I watched dozens of fish snagged and kept.

My question to you all is this. The hatchery already has all the fish they need. All the fish that were stacking up in the river were excess fish and are just going to go to waste anyway. Who cares if they are snagged or legal caught anyway? Granted, its not very sporting, and nothing I would be interested in doing, but the fish are just going to go to waste anyway. I heard about the hatchery dumping fish in indian pickup beds by the tons from a few other fishermen there just trying to get rid of them. It just seems like such a waste of fish, so if a few are caught by snagging and consumed... who cares?

Just playing the devils advocate here..... Flame away!

Any fish the ends up dying in the river did not go to waste. Rivers collect and send nutrients downstream and out into a lake or an ocean. Anadromous fish reverse this cycle and bring nutrients back upstream that they acquired while out in the ocean or lake. Aquatic critters and land animals that live in and around the river use and distribute these nutrients throughout the watershed by feeding on the returning fish. Additionally young salmon and steelhead need to feed and grow a bit to increase their chances for survival in the ocean, adult fish carcasses, along with the bugs that feed on them, help ensure that these fish will have something to eat on their journey downstream. If you think about it, it is a pretty nifty system and works well when humans don't get involved and muck it up.

[Jaksonbrown]

I was on a boat anchored just below the Barrier dam fishing all day Sat. There must have been 30+ bank guys all fishing in the dark when we got there. I watched dozens of fish snagged and kept.

My question to you all is this. The hatchery already has all the fish they need. All the fish that were stacking up in the river were excess fish and are just going to go to waste anyway. Who cares if they are snagged or legal caught anyway? Granted, its not very sporting, and nothing I would be interested in doing, but the fish are just going to go to waste anyway. I heard about the hatchery dumping fish in indian pickup beds by the tons from a few other fishermen there just trying to get rid of them. It just seems like such a waste of fish, so if a few are caught by snagging and consumed... who cares?

Just playing the devils advocate here..... Flame away!

Any fish the ends up dying in the river did not go to waste. Rivers collect and send nutrients downstream and out into a lake or an ocean. Anadromous fish reverse this cycle and bring nutrients beck upstream that they acquired while out in the ocean or lake. Aquatic critters and land animals that live in and around the river use and distribute these nutrients throughout the watershed by feeding on the returning fish. Additionally young salmon and steelhead need to feed and grow a bit to increase their chances for survival in the ocean, adult fish carcasses, along with the bugs that feed on them, help ensure that these fish will have something to eat on their journey downstream. If you think about it, it is a pretty nifty system and works well when humans don't get involved and muck it up.

Now that is a good answer! Never thought about it that way G.