Puyallup Closes To Sport Fishing...

[leahcim_dahc]

Got an email today from the WDFW, looks like they are closing the Puyallup River where I fish most often for a couple days a week...

Lower section of the Puyallup River will
close two days a week to sport fishing

OLYMPIA - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is closing the recreational fishery on the lower section of the Puyallup River two days a week through the end of September due to safety concerns.

Recreational salmon fishing on the river will be closed from noon Sundays to noon Tuesdays, Sept. 13-15, Sept. 20-22 and Sept. 27-29 in the portion of the river extending from the 11th Street Bridge in Tacoma to the City of Puyallup Outfall Structure across the river from the junction of Freeman Road and North Levee Road. This section of the river flows through the Puyallup Tribe's reservation.

Recreational fishing will remain open seven days a week upstream of the closed section. The lower section will reopen seven days a week beginning at noon Sept. 29.

With a strong return of pink salmon this year, hundreds of recreational anglers are fishing the river, which is also open to tribal fishing two days a week, said Pat Pattillo, salmon policy coordinator for WDFW.

"Unfortunately, we've received reports about gear conflicts and other incidents between the two groups, raising public safety concerns," Pattillo said. "To reduce the safety risk and ensure that the tribe and the state can conduct an orderly fishery, the department is closing this section of the river."

Pattillo said WDFW enforcement officers will patrol the river to ensure the sport fishery closure is being observed.

[scott080379]

Well that blows my Sunday trip....oh well I will hit it Saturday the following weekend

[tommytitan08]

Well this sux. I'm going to keep my mouth shut and my opinions to myself.

[aTrOcIoUs]

Me and the wife will be there tommorrow. Hope to see some of ya. Tight lines and im a keep my mouth shut also even tho i have a few choice words for a few certain individuals and there crappy guidelines! Guess in the long run maybe a few of us will be the lucky ones to pull these lunkers outta the river that make it thru this year.

Tight lines :dwarf:

[leahcim_dahc]

The way I see it is it's only a couple days a week. I used to get pissed off and wanted to give the netters as much grief as possible, but I have learned, getting bent around the axle over things you have absolutely no control over will not get you anything but into trouble or give you a headache. Makes for a crappy day of fishing.

I spoke with a couple while they drifted down the river a few days ago, and they were fairly nice. Cracked a few jokes with them, got some information out of them about their netting and we went our separate ways. When I do see the boats and nets, I just wait until later in the week to hit that spot, move upstream, or pack my gear up and go home.

From a half-hearted strategic stand point, closing the river for those two days could work out to one's benefit. I see the busiest times at the river are usually during the weekend...this limits that traffic to Saturdays, and Sunday morning...providing those fishing have regular jobs during the week. Now, that being said take into account football season starts this Sunday...that will cut down on traffic even more. So, from my perspective loosing a couple days of fishing along that stretch of river isn't all that bad.

[Blackmouth]

That river is a joke anyways...

Ever seen the antics that go down there?

WDFW could support itself for years if it enforced the snagging and other fishing violations that are commonly occurring on that river.

[leahcim_dahc]

That river is a joke anyways...

Ever seen the antics that go down there?

WDFW could support itself for years if it enforced the snagging and other fishing violations that are commonly occurring on that river.

There's an old adage that goes something like..."The squeaky wheel gets the grease....". If you see violations of WDFW Regulations...report it. There's a hotline on the WDFW website you can call to report them, or you can wait until you get home and report them online.

While I don't agree we should be doing their jobs for them, I do believe it's rather difficult to be in multiple places at once. It is my responsibility to do what I can to preserve the natural resources that have afforded me the opportunity to pursue a sport I throughly enjoy. That being said, I take absolutely no issue with telling someone they're being a douche-bag and give them the opportunity to correct themselves before I make a call to WDFW.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/enforcement/reportin ... tions.html

[Blackmouth]

That river is a joke anyways...

Ever seen the antics that go down there?

WDFW could support itself for years if it enforced the snagging and other fishing violations that are commonly occurring on that river.

There's an old adage that goes something like..."The squeaky wheel gets the grease....". If you see violations of WDFW Regulations...report it. There's a hotline on the WDFW website you can call to report them, or you can wait until you get home and report them online.

While I don't agree we should be doing their jobs for them, I do believe it's rather difficult to be in multiple places at once. It is my responsibility to do what I can to preserve the natural resources that have afforded me the opportunity to pursue a sport I throughly enjoy. That being said, I take absolutely no issue with telling someone they're being a douche-bag and give them the opportunity to correct themselves before I make a call to WDFW.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/enforcement/reportin ... tions.html

WDFW knows darn well what goes on there... Time for them to start patrolling it hard and give out more tickets

[jens]

Well this sux. I'm going to keep my mouth shut and my opinions to myself.

I hope you don't TT08, I have had the pleasure of reading and listening about your experience fishing. You had me at hello, not to mention we both are RedSox fans.

[mav186]

Well this sux. I'm going to keep my mouth shut and my opinions to myself.

I hope you don't TT08, I have had the pleasure of reading and listening about your experience fishing. You had me at hello, not to mention we both are RedSox fans.

YEAH...c'mon Tommy...let er' rip!!
Geez...I too can remember the first time I saw your...pliers...it still makes my tummy tingle....(sigh)...ahhhh those were the days......

[Dustin07]

What a bunch of crap. And the RedSox suck. :P go back to Boston :cyclops:

[Dustin07]

My question is, how would the typical fiserman who has his regs, but does not visit fishing websites, know about this closure?

[leahcim_dahc]

My question is, how would the typical fiserman who has his regs, but does not visit fishing websites, know about this closure?

You can subscribe to the email lists on the WDFW website...linky below.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/lists/index.htm

[leahcim_dahc]

That river is a joke anyways...

Ever seen the antics that go down there?

WDFW could support itself for years if it enforced the snagging and other fishing violations that are commonly occurring on that river.

There's an old adage that goes something like..."The squeaky wheel gets the grease....". If you see violations of WDFW Regulations...report it. There's a hotline on the WDFW website you can call to report them, or you can wait until you get home and report them online.

While I don't agree we should be doing their jobs for them, I do believe it's rather difficult to be in multiple places at once. It is my responsibility to do what I can to preserve the natural resources that have afforded me the opportunity to pursue a sport I throughly enjoy. That being said, I take absolutely no issue with telling someone they're being a douche-bag and give them the opportunity to correct themselves before I make a call to WDFW.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/enforcement/reportin ... tions.html

WDFW knows darn well what goes on there... Time for them to start patrolling it hard and give out more tickets

++

I was down there fishing a couple days ago and a friend told me a couple game wardens was working both sides of the river, one on N. Levee Rd. and the other on River Rd., busting a handful of guys. Don't know what they got them on, nor have I seen them...but then again, I've only fished the river maybe five times this year.

[jens]

What a bunch of crap. And the RedSox suck. :P go back to Boston :cyclops:

Come on Dustin07, you know the words, "Sweet Caroline..."

[fishermom]

I'm from out of state (California) and have never fished for salmon except for the last 3 weeks, so please excuse my ignorance. That being said, I'm wondering why there are not more wardens giving out tickets. I've been fishing every day on the Skagit and the Stilly and have yet to see a warden.

Have my reg book, and have noticed a lot of violations - 50% of the fishermen on the Stilly were using bait in a no bait area. On the Skagit, pinks were foul hooked, (flossing?), in their side, their tail, and kept.

Hens seem to be preferred, and I've watched people let the bucks flop around on the shore, and then kick them into the river like a football when another hen was caught.

I don't understand what is going on. It is very easy to catch your limit without violating the rules. Also it seems to me that the wardens could easily make up for their pay by giving out tickets. Maybe some temp wardens could be hired in salmon season.

[kcc]

The state is broke, so hiring more wardens even temp. might be a stretch on the buget. Im guessing the wardens out there are working there tails off. They have to patrol lakes, the salt, and rivers. They cant be every where, even thou it would be nice.

[fishermom]

LOL, California is broke too. I'm heading out NOW to fish, and promise you that I will see 50 violations of the rules. At $150. a pop, that would be $7500. just today. Maybe I should be deputized.

[Amx]

today on ch 4 news web page;

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/59069032.html

[Dustin07]

The state is broke, so hiring more wardens even temp. might be a stretch on the buget. Im guessing the wardens out there are working there tails off. They have to patrol lakes, the salt, and rivers. They cant be every where, even thou it would be nice.

Its my understanding that the wdfw was one of the ONLY profitable agencies in WA and for some reason it got budget cuts... yet it's expenditures lead to a net profit for the state...?

What a bunch of crap. And the RedSox suck. :P go back to Boston :cyclops:

Come on Dustin07, you know the words, "Sweet Caroline..."

Having the best team song does not constitute awesomeness. Although I do envy their singing voices and "monsterous' green wall. It puts our Louie Louie to shame.. BUT alas, we have the fancy footwork of an amazing ground crew!

My question is, how would the typical fiserman who has his regs, but does not visit fishing websites, know about this closure?

You can subscribe to the email lists on the WDFW website...linky below.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/lists/index.htm

see, that's the kinda of crap i'm talking about. For a season such as razor clams, where the regs tell us in advance that we need to check back regularly with agencies for openings, that makes sense. But for a season that appeared to be going VERY strong, and was basically written in stone... it makes no sense to expect fishermen to be up to date on this stuff daily.

keep in mind, while it may be 2010, not everyone spends as much time on the net as we do. How many of the fishermen you saw on the river the last two weeks were over the age of 60? Probably 1/2 for me.