Northwest Fishing Reports

http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/northfalcon/ ... hanges.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Am I reading this thing right or what! The red part with the line through it has apparently been changed on the new revised 4/3/15 version. Now it sez MA 9 Chinook limit is 2 hatchery fish not 1! AND it is open for Chinooks until 8/31 not 8/15! It also doesnt say anything about a quota.

What? WHAT? If I'm reading this thing right, what happened? I'm used to bad news on this subject.

"except closures" could be related, but it looks like you're reading it right. Huh.

That's how I'd read it too. I wouldn't say its good news until we know what the quota will be (and there surely will be one). Frankly I'd rather have a one fish limit and fish longer than a 2 fish and have it close within a few weeks. I'd love to actually be able to fish for Chinook all of August!

If this is correct, that August 31 date doesn't mean much:

Not sure if you’ve heard the news yet but NOF is just wrapping up in California. The Muckelshoots successfully arm-twisted WDFW to accept one of the most restrictive packages for sport salmon fishing in Puget Sound since the ESA listings back in the late 90’s. Former Director Phil Anderson agreed to the deal and convinced new Director Jim Unsworth to take the deal. Area 10…..no fishing for Chinook. Area 9…..quota cut in half which will mean about a one week season.

And yet we will see gill nets in Area 10 with mesh sizes designed for Chinook and not pinks/coho. I'll also wager the Muckleshoots will be allowed to keep all bycatch, do these people even have a clue what really takes place on the water?

This is what came out today "Neighboring Marine Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet) will be open the same dates as last year, with anglers allowed to retain hatchery chinook from July 16 through Aug. 15. However, the area could close sooner if the quota of 2,483 fish is met."

"Anglers fishing Marine Area 10 (Seattle/Bremerton) will see the biggest change this season. The area will be closed to chinook retention as part of an effort to rebuild stocks returning to Lake Washington. However, Marine Area 10 will still be open for coho and pink salmon retention." WDFW

I dont understand the thinking behind the WDFW management policies. Salmon fishing in the entire sound and all the rivers has steadily declined every single year I have lived in Wa. Every single year it gets worse.

How can they say they are doing any kind of job of management? I know budgets are always tight, but is this a purely political thing with the Indians and commercial fishermen or what?

Politics at its finest.

Don't try to understand it. It will only make you angry.
We pay for it, stock it, maintain it and then it all gets netted. It is really weird that we sit and talk about how to keep and reserve our salmon stock and breeding programs and yet almost every single fish that tries to breed in any river system around are area gets netted and taken away to the market. Only to be sold back to the fisherman who are just trying to catch the fish on the river in the first place. Amazing. And you and I are limited on fishing limits and catch rates every single season. It is politics and that is all you can take away from it. None of these people that make these decisions are actual outdoorsman.






fishnislife

When that tribal money starts getting thrown around our politicians bend over backwards and say have your way with us. Wonder what the state will do when their not collecting all our fees because there is no more fish to be had.

Why don't they just admit reality and put an indian in charge of the WDFW. Call it the WDTFW, Washington Dept of Tribal Fish and Wildlife. Sucks!

Put a indian in charge and all the rivers would be netted dry in 3 years. Then you wouldnt even get your one to two week opener. The only way to make a difference is to get these tree huggin liberals out of office. They dump millions of dollars to get their puppets elected so they can always have their way

The fools the fools…closing MA 10 down will only put stress on MA 9 and 11.

Norm wrote:Put a indian in charge and all the rivers would be netted dry in 3 years. Then you wouldnt even get your one to two week opener. The only way to make a difference is to get these tree huggin liberals out of office. They dump millions of dollars to get their puppets elected so they can always have their way

wise man

Norm wrote:Put a indian in charge and all the rivers would be netted dry in 3 years. Then you wouldnt even get your one to two week opener. The only way to make a difference is to get these tree huggin liberals out of office. They dump millions of dollars to get their puppets elected so they can always have their way

I'm pretty sure it works that way on both sides.