Just as i expected!

[riverhunter]

Is it just me or do others feel like we got the short end of the stick here. On an average coho year the Wallace is open as of Sept 16 this year being an exception. Wdfw decided to close the rivers for coho as they predicted short runs but instead of realizing they were wrong they just waited until huge numbers of fish reached hatcheries. The wallace a prime example. If opened like a normal year most of us would have gotten the chance to catch a few of the 5000+ fish that have already made it to the hatchery but instead we are given a small opportunity to catch way fewer fish. Not saying there isn't plenty to catch still but come on 5000+ swam past us before we even got a chance at them. To me this sounds like a more then average year and a disappointment knowing that we didn't get to fish the earlier run fish. We might be stuck fishing for just stragglers but I might be wrong any one else feels this way or is it just me.

[strider43]

Is it just me or do others feel like we got the short end of the stick here. On an average coho year the Wallace is open as of Sept 16 this year being an exception. Wdfw decided to close the rivers for coho as they predicted short runs but instead of realizing they were wrong they just waited until huge numbers of fish reached hatcheries. The wallace a prime example. If opened like a normal year most of us would have gotten the chance to catch a few of the 5000+ fish that have already made it to the hatchery but instead we are given a small opportunity to catch way fewer fish. Not saying there isn't plenty to catch still but come on 5000+ swam past us before we even got a chance at them. To me this sounds like a more then average year and a disappointment knowing that we didn't get to fish the earlier run fish. We might be stuck fishing for just stragglers but I might be wrong any one else feels this way or is it just me.

HOPEFULLY we are not just fishing for stragglers, with this storm we could still see large numbers of silvers come in.

[riverhunter]

I'm hoping the same thing. Will be out on Tuesday and hopefully I'm wrong!

[66kma]

What do you expect from them? Every next year will be worst, too many too smart , too much "over educated " people will run that business. They have to show or prove that they are smart and they know everything from school, not from real life, by sitting by computer and tell how many fish will come. Statistics!
Somebody bend us over last year, this year more low, next year will be much lover even with pink run.I'll bet they will do that, by finding any excuse to keep us out of rivers!
License fee will go up for sure. For fishing trout, planted trout?!
Thanks, I do not fish for that trout, since they've desided to close hatchery for steel and dumping smolt in lakes,increasing limit? That is just not right. For kids and retired people is fun. For me is just ....
Why Cowlitz is doing so good! Tried many times, got luck and fun!
Looks, like I am upset? Yes , I do.

[253Caster]

Of course Voights is chocked full of them. So the state decided to allow hatchery coho retention halfway through OCT when the run is already over... gee thanks, how kind...
Theres my 2c of bitching.

[dj2loud]

wrong post...

[riverhunter]

Of course Voights is chocked full of them. So the state decided to allow hatchery coho retention halfway through OCT when the run is already over... gee thanks, how kind...
Theres my 2c of bitching.

My point exactly. As soon as any big numbers arrived they should have opened it. Any one who catches a silver out of the Puyallup can consider himself lucky as the bulk of the run is already at the hatcheries. Boy am I pissed off about this. I don't fish the Puyallup and never have so not sure how the run does there but as you can see the hatchery has an excess of fish. A little to late wdfw thanks

[4steelhead]

This Monday morning quarterbackin is silly. First you have to ask yourself, how do you want our fisheries managed? Do you want to keep escapement at minimal levels risking falling short. Or do you want a conservative approach, fishing only excess hatchery fish knowing absolutely that escapement goals will be met?
It is possible that scientists may be able improve run accuracy with more studies, of which cost money. But as old Abe said, "You can't please all of the people all of the time."

[BARCHASER10]

If they had opened it earlier they prob would have had to give the Tribes their cut, gillnets in the Sno for sure. I don't think they wanted to start a precedent like that. Look at what happened in Lake Washington this Fall. I don't think the WDFW wanted to open up another tribal can of worms.

[riverhunter]

If they had opened it earlier they prob would have had to give the Tribes their cut, gillnets in the Sno for sure. I don't think they wanted to start a precedent like that. Look at what happened in Lake Washington this Fall. I don't think the WDFW wanted to open up another tribal can of worms.

The tribes don't net the snohomish systems. What are you getting at. If they opened as normal us fisherman wouldn't have caught the 5000+ fish. Plus aren't the hatchery fish there for us to catch we paid for them every time we pay for licenses and me sir have bought a license since the moment I was required to buy one and I can't say that I have caught over 5000 coho in past 15 years of fishing. That's not including other salmon species as we are only speaking of coho. A conservative approach is not protecting hatchery fish but rather wild fish so get these facts straight.

[riverhunter]

If they had opened it earlier they prob would have had to give the Tribes their cut, gillnets in the Sno for sure. I don't think they wanted to start a precedent like that. Look at what happened in Lake Washington this Fall. I don't think the WDFW wanted to open up another tribal can of worms.

The tribes don't net the snohomish systems. What are you getting at. If they opened as normal us fisherman wouldn't have caught the 5000+ fish. Plus aren't the hatchery fish there for us to catch we paid for them every time we pay for licenses and me sir have bought a license since the moment I was required to buy one and I can't say that I have caught over 5000 coho in past 15 years of fishing. That's not including other salmon species as we are only speaking of coho. A conservative approach is not protecting hatchery fish but rather wild fish so get these facts straight.

[riverhunter]

I am not speaking for any other system but the snohomish

[strider43]

I am not speaking for any other system but the snohomish

its amazing the misinformation out there. A week ago Sunday I was down by the 522 and talked with a guy who was telling that the Coho aren't biting because the nets are in........I said really, they net this river? and his reply was yes, its a real f#$% up mess...........

[Bay wolf]

Lack of transparency leads to misinformation and rumors. WDFW and the Tribes have created an environment of secrecy by there insistence to keep the citizens of this state (tax payers and license's buyers) out of the information loop.

Ask for in season tribal impact numbers and you get dead air. Ask for total tribal actual harvest numbers vs quotas you get no answers! Ask to sit in on the tribal/state negotiations at the NOF process, your told "It's closed to the public."

No wonder most guys think something is up....

[BARCHASER10]

The Tribes didn't used to net Lake Washington either. But they can net the Lake five days a week for four weeks this year. I don't think referring to "what used to be" applies anymore, that's what I'm "getting at". The Tribes have changed, becoming much more aggressive. They complied with the NOF process for 30+ years but not this year. They completely walked away NOF and right now there is no process for setting seasons next year.

I expect next year they will be even more aggressive. This may wind up back in court, but in the past the Tribes always won.

[strider43]

I'm hoping the same thing. Will be out on Tuesday and hopefully I'm wrong!

Have been out on the Rivers, have you seen many Coho?
I was on the Wallace Saturday below the hiway, saw two caught and a few rollers under the bridge......

[dj2loud]

Tribes always win as they have federal backing..... What the state can't touch or regulate they have no control of, but if we as sports fisherman step in it's a racist argument......