Rufus Woods being overfished?

[skhan]

Reading the reports here and having fished Rufus Woods a few times recently, it would appear that this wonderful resource is being overfished. The bite is not what it once was and the size of the fish has generally declined. With some reports indicating up to 700 fish being caught by one group over a couple of days and some 200 boats out each weekend, one can imagine why this has occurred. I was out recently and my gear got entangled with the gear of another boat trolling nearby. These guys had a full stringer of fish but were trolling pop gear with worms so it is obvious that the rules are being followed by just a few.
Even with the most delicate handling, only a small minority of fish caught and released ever survive.

So my appeal is to the readers of this forum:practice moderation and please observe the rules regarding your limit. I can't imagine what enjoyment there could be in catching a fish every 3-4 minutes as some have boasted about here, knowing that only a small number will survive.

[SmokinAces]

Are you kidding me? Rufus is too big to be overfished. The limit is only 2, and not many people want to make the trek to fish there because of the terrible cold/rain/snow in the winter months. Whether fishing is hot or cold mostly depends on the water flow, not how many people are pulling fish out of there.

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Reading the reports here and having fished Rufus Woods a few times recently, it would appear that this wonderful resource is being overfished. The bite is not what it once was and the size of the fish has generally declined. With some reports indicating up to 700 fish being caught by one group over a couple of days and some 200 boats out each weekend, one can imagine why this has occurred. I was out recently and my gear got entangled with the gear of another boat trolling nearby. These guys had a full stringer of fish but were trolling pop gear with worms so it is obvious that the rules are being followed by just a few.
Even with the most delicate handling, only a small minority of fish caught and released ever survive.

So my appeal is to the readers of this forum:practice moderation and please observe the rules regarding you limit. I can't imagine what enjoyment there could be in catching a fish every 3-4 minutes as some have boasted about here, knowing that only a small number will survive.

I could not agree with you more. I wish the State would re-examine the daily limit and raise it to 5 and change the “Catch and Release” quota to “O”.

[SmokinAces]

Even with the most delicate handling, only a small minority of fish caught and released ever survive.

Actually a number of scientific studies have now found survival rates of shallow water fish caught-and-released on fly and lure have extremely high survival rates (85–97%) This number is obviously debatable but with a proper release keeping the fish in the water and pinched barbs, these fish have a pretty good chance of making it.

[Malottguy]

The bad thing is that alot of the people not following the rules are fairly local people. I live fairly close and when I go for my one day a week trip I see the same other locals that have no regard for rules. For one every time they catch one they hide it in their vehicles and go for more until they are bored and/or they use bait and if it is small through it back and fish til they get the ones they want(some consider worms not bait and only power baits are what the rule implies to). I myself will fish with barbless hardware and will release what I catch unless its big enough to smoke up, but then switch to bait and if it is to small I count towards my limit(which is the rule correct) or if it's big enough I keep. Even when I use bait it is barbless.

I oberve alot from shore and for most part people are good and follow the rules but there are those that dont and ruin a good thing for all of us. I wish they would patrol it more. Only people I see are the Park Ranger and occasionally the Douglas Co Sheriffs Deputies.

[blufin loui]

WOW, What a controversial thread. Even though RW is alot of water, and if the rules were changed, the results would most likely be the same. The persons not following the rules now, wouldn't follow them with a change. Unfortunatly the problem lies in those who disregard what most of us consider ethics when it comes to fishing. I've also watched folks pull the stuff mallottguy describes, and it makes a dark moment on an otherwise spectacular outing.
I've read some posts where someone would think bait fishing is bashed on this web site, but what I've read is persons using bait and still wanting to catch and release. Bait caught fish have a greater chanch of beeing hooked n a vital (gills eye, tongue, etc) because of the nature of the technique. If the line is cut on a fish with a swallowed hook, it still is not leagal, but there are some that will do just that, thinking it better to leave the hook in rather than dig it out. They would be right, but once again not leagal.
Oh well, we, as sportsmen/wemon have to do the best we can and help the fishery where we can.
My wife and I get to fish RW on a regular basis, and I have been checked numerous times there, in fact more than I've been checked in the 20 plus years fished in WA elsewhere.
This is good stuff, so keep up the great comments.
Thanks all for making this site what it is.

[hinds2912]

You can bet the fishing will slow down over the next year or two for a couple of reasons. The first, you have already mentioned. People have a total disregard for the rules and with the budget cuts for enforcement they have little chance of getting caught. So, they take more than their share and don't care if their released bait caught fish die. Second, the net pens have new owners. The previous owner went bankrupt after several years of not maintaining his net pens. Thousands and thousands of fish escaped and flooded the river with hungry triploids. I believe his contract with the state only required him to release about 20,000 fish per year to provide for recreational fishing. It is estimated that lasted year around 100,000+ escaped from the poorly maintained pens in addition to his required release. Hence, the reason for the bankruptcy! You can bet that since the new owners are a corporation that they will not stand to let their profits escape and end up on a fishermans stringer!:-"

So, the moral of this story is enjoy the good fishing now for in a year or two it will be back to the days of having to work to get even 2 fish!#-o

[fishingboy]

if rufus wood is being over fished! either fish at banks lake, crescent bay, lake roosevelet , or the river below the dam! ( grand coulee dam)

[Joe Heater]

Well something has drastically changed at that part of the river since this summer because I was up there walleye fishing and you couldn't keep the damn things off your line. They were annoying. Personally I would like to see them clean that out but I realize that is a hugely minority thought there. I will just go away now.

[Fish On!]

I've fished RW quite a few times this past year and would agree with most of what you posted. I don't think I've fished once this year without seeing at least 3-4 people fishing illegally. Cherry picking while bait fishing is the most common. I'd like to see a single barbless hook requirement be implemented to match what's required on the Reservation side.

Those trips are pretty tough fish. If you've pulled up next to a full pen you can see how banged up they get fighting for space. It's a wonder they can survive at all. If you don't drag them into your boat or on shore. Leave them in the water and use forcepts or a hookremover I bet 90-100% survive.

What can you do other than hope people try to respect the fishery and not be too greedy. I'm looking forward to many more years of RW fishing.

[Bodofish]

Rufus over fished? Ha! With an estimated 300,000 fish escaped from the pens last year and an expected lifespan of a Triploid of being 4 years outside the pen. Those tasty tid bits from the Colville biologists doing the fish counting.
Fish On!

[Anglinarcher]

This a case of starting a thread for the right reasons, but not having all of the facts.

Fact, you are ABSOLUTELY CORRECT about all of the illegal fishing taking place on RW. But, in fact, it is indeed mostly the locals, and they know the fish cops routine. I worked there for a long time this last spring and early summer, and I assure you, if you were not at the net pens, you did not get checked.

Fact, a far greater number of released fish survive then you think. In fact, during the cold, highly oxygenated, water cycles, I have seen a fish with a gill hanging out and it was still feeding. Still, I wish more people would learn how to release a fish properly. Did you know that most states do not have a "no release of bait caught fish" rule? Most states understand that you can indeed cut the leader and the fish will survive quite well. AM I SUGGESTING THAT WE SHOULD IGNORE THE RULE? NO! I am suggesting that those of you that have lived in Washington all of your lives have been misinformed, and mis educated. If bait is the issue, then ban bait on RW all together. I know Joe Heater, this will make Walleye somewhat harder to troll up, but you and I can do fine with artificials.

Fact, there is only so much food in any body of water. There was over a 100,000 'escaped' fish that I heard of when I left during the summer. That was so much that there is no way enough food exist for the previous fish, and the new escapees. The result will be smaller fish, until they are caught out or die off. For now, people will catch fish like they are fishing a fish hatchery - which they kind of are. With new owners, better nets, the population will drop down and you will see the size increase again.

So, is RW being over fished? Not now, in fact, the two fish limit should be increased for a year IMHO. Can RW sustain this type of pressure in the future? Probably not.

[MikeFishes]

This a case of starting a thread for the right reasons, but not having all of the facts.

Fact, you are ABSOLUTELY CORRECT about all of the illegal fishing taking place on RW....

Yup, just released, fish illegally, and lose all of your equipment!

Read the thread.

[Hal]

Yeah, lets worry about a genetically engineered "fish". Meanwhile maybe they could find another lake like Sprauge and kill off so they can restock it with trout. I'm glad that area is finally getting cleaned out of these puppy chow lovers.

[Malottguy]

I am a local but I would like to see more enforcement down on the low end where I fish.I bank fish mostly and am tired of seeing peopleside stepthe rules.
The only people I ever see is the Park Rangerwho rarely stops unless like the last time someone was parked sideways across a hadicapped spot, otherwisethey just drive in circles.
Also I see a Douglas County Deputy but all they are doing is checking license plates.

One concern I am having and the last arrest from there is bringing this to my attention is the hispanic group(before I get flamed I have hispanic friends and brother in law is one as well) it that fishes from the rocks inside the can line. For one is the fires they build i can see huge flames if it was drier and now no snow that wouldnt take much to burn on off the hill. But more so is the how when one catches a fish it is handed to another and they are cooking them right there(which is fine) but the same person is catching everyones limits.

Should we all contact the WDFW to see if we can get more patrols or do you think they would just blow us off.

[Anglinarcher]

Yeah, lets worry about a genetically engineered "fish". Meanwhile maybe they could find another lake like Sprauge and kill off so they can restock it with trout. I'm glad that area is finally getting cleaned out of these puppy chow lovers.

One correction. Triploids are not "genetically engineered" fish. Triploids, or otherwise called sterile fish, are the result of something that occasionally happens in nature, we just found out how to do it ourselves.

To make a triploid trout, you increase the temperature a specified amount, or increase the atmospheric pressure a specified amount, within 20 minutes of mixing milt and egg together. The results? The first chromosome split does not happen correctly and you are left with an XXX or an XXY instead of a normal XX or XY.

In fact, genetically engineered fish would require adding or subtracting genetic material, which was/is not done.

Otherwise, I can accept your point of view and your issues with Sprague.

[Hal]

L O L

[Fish On!]

I'm surprised the WDFW hasn't brought in more agents to patrol RW especially on the south end. Every time I've fished there you could have written a dozen tickets. Talk about a cash cow. I didn't want to bring it up, but MG you are very correct with the Hispanics and Russian immigrants catching way over their limits. I know some are probably feeding their families, but that's no excuse to turn a blind eye on what they are doing.

Something needs to be done if it's to remain a viable fishery in the years to come. I'd like to know how many trips are stocked in there by the state or is it strictly the Colville reservation and what's been released from the pens. Does anyone know? I would hope the state is taking some serious notice of how good the fishing is and will not let it go to hell like they've done in so many other lakes around the state.

[steelhead64389]

That's a very fair statement. I've tried to impress upon the readers of the Rufus Woods Blog that there are too many fisherman who believe because there are good #s of fish and that they are "hatchery" fish that it won't matter to take an extra 1 or 10 fish in some cases. After all, the fish are being raised to be eaten right? LOL!! I hate greedy fisherman. they ruin it for all who respect and treasure the sport. that's a good commentary and I will reinforce your opinion that we need to conserve and respect the fishery. we are lucky to have the resource! let's not kill it!