What % per species?

[mallard83]

Does anyone fish for NATIVE species in Washington anymore? Such as salmon and steelhead. It seems that everyone fishes for bass, lets hear from some real Washington fisherman please. I am not saying that you bass fisherman are not real fisherman, I am just saying that I just want to hear from the fisherman that stick to the true roots of WASHINGTON fishing that fish for the true native species. So don't cry non-native species fisherman, I am not putting you down. I fish for bass too. I just want to hear from the true old school Washington fisherman like me, we are a dying breed, obviously.

[jmay]

Mallard I'm with you man, I'm 4th generation Washington and grew up near Lake Wenatchee catching wild cutts, Dolly's and mnt whitefish on the White, Napeequa, Chiwawa, Icicle and Wenatchee Rivers. The reason on one fishes for them anymore is in 1998 the Feds shut down all East Slope rivers that hold what I concider "real" fish due to the Endanger Speices Act for Chinook salmon. ( I've had several rant on the topic before)

Native Washingtonions where a dieing breed and the Feds finished us off. I don't fish on the coast much, but did as a small kid because my grandparents lived on Hoods Canal. When I look at the Salt Water rules I think it requires a PHD in biology and a GPS to figure out where you can be and what you can keep.

[YellowBear]

True Trout guys seem to be few and far between.
I still enjoy fishing the Rainbows and Cuts but most of my time is spent on the Spiney Rays.
Bass Walleye and Pan fish get most of my attention these days.

[cavdad45]

When I was younger I fished mostly for native species, but nowadays I don't put much effort into them because the government and other influences have decimated the sport.

My favorite native species was searum cutthroats. You hardly here of them anymore since it's almost a crime to fish for them. Even in special rules catch-and-release scenerios, I won't do it. I personally believe that the mortality rate on catch-and-release trout (any trout) is very high, and I don't kill fish.
Remember how great the Nooksack River was for Steelhead? Nowadays it's a fragment of its former glory as are most of the rivers.
I hate fishing for government issue, cookie cutter, stocker trout. What's the sport in that?

I turned to bass because they are prolific and are available in numerous lakes, lakes that if they were all native fish would be empty to gamefish because of water temperatures and/or water quality. The bass fishery in the Northwest in general is a quality fishery because for the most part the government doesn't do much. Anything the government touches it ruins.
Bass fishing is more exciting to me. I don't have to do what everyone else does to catch fish. No hog lines here. There are so many different techniques and strategies in bass fishing that by its own diversity it opens that doors to more anglers. Bass have an extremely low mortality for catch-and-release fishing. In bass fishing you make your own luck and can constantly improve your skills through understanding the fish and its environment.

Bass fishing is more economically viable to the local economies around bass fisheries. Bass anglers spend more money on equipment and lures than any other segment of the fishing community. Marketting studies have proven that over and over again. I have atleast a dozen bass rods, one trout rod, one steelhead rod, and a pair of general purpose rods. Let's not even get into tackle boxes and their contents.

I wish the native species were strong enough and viable enough for angling, but sad to say they are not. By the way, have you ever heard of an emergency closure for bass fishing? My season isn't dependent on quotas, either. The fishing world is different today than the fishing world of our memories. SAD stuff!

[Basshunter046]

When I was a teenager, I use to fly-fish for cuts, bows, and brookies all the time. As I got older I ended up getting more into Bass fishing, it had its ups and down till I got into local Bass torniments. Got a Bass boat ect.ect. and trout fishing went on the wayside. I still run up the CDA River and flyfish a day or two a year on catch and release. But really have gotten into the warm water fishing. (But steelheading is still my #2 favorite) a good run is coming up the Columbia this year looking at the counts. Again antsy antsy antsy :bounce:

[Nik]

Does anyone fish for NATIVE species in Washington anymore? Such as salmon and steelhead. It seems that everyone fishes for bass, lets hear from some real Washington fisherman please. I am not saying that you bass fisherman are not real fisherman, I am just saying that I just want to hear from the fisherman that stick to the true roots of WASHINGTON fishing that fish for the true native species. So don't cry non-native species fisherman, I am not putting you down. I fish for bass too. I just want to hear from the true old school Washington fisherman like me, we are a dying breed, obviously.

Just so you know many trout species aren't native either, not to mention all panfish, pike, and walleye too. If you were to only fish for native species you would be looking at a few species of trout and salmon and a bunch of trash fish basically. Also most of these fish were introduced almost 100 years ago, so chances are they've been in Washington far longer than most people here. Lastly, I love taking advantage of our ocean-run fishery, but dozens of dams have made it so East-siders such as myself have to make a several hour trip to reach those fish. Heck, half the lakes I fish in wouldn't even exist if it weren't for dams.

[mallard83]

Does anyone fish for NATIVE species in Washington anymore? Such as salmon and steelhead. It seems that everyone fishes for bass, lets hear from some real Washington fisherman please. I am not saying that you bass fisherman are not real fisherman, I am just saying that I just want to hear from the fisherman that stick to the true roots of WASHINGTON fishing that fish for the true native species. So don't cry non-native species fisherman, I am not putting you down. I fish for bass too. I just want to hear from the true old school Washington fisherman like me, we are a dying breed, obviously.

Just so you know many trout species aren't native either, not to mention all panfish, pike, and walleye too. If you were to only fish for native species you would be looking at a few species of trout and salmon and a bunch of trash fish basically. Also most of these fish were introduced almost 100 years ago, so chances are they've been in Washington far longer than most people here. Lastly, I love taking advantage of our ocean-run fishery, but dozens of dams have made it so East-siders such as myself have to make a several hour trip to reach those fish. Heck, half the lakes I fish in wouldn't even exist if it weren't for dams.

Yes, I am completely aware that there are lots of other species that are non-native also. And the fact that a lot of these non-native species have been in this state for 100 years is not the point. The fact of the matter is it does not matter if these fish have been have been here longer than most people. They are still a non-native species that were put here by man and in a perfect world it should reflect that. Meaning that our government is responsible for the decimation of our native species. I just feel that these non-native species should have never been introduced in the first place because there was obviously a reason nature did not allow these fish to be here in the first place. But I thank our government for ruining our native stocks. Hey thats ok, as long as we are paying for their wallets to get fatter and our fishing to get poorer it makes me feel better knowing that.

[cavdad45]

Since we cannot fix 100 years or more of non-native introductions, I will be quite content to fish for bass and the others, Make the best of it.

Another reason the natives are almost gone, besides the government, is just plain old loss of habitat. My home is non-native as is my work.

[Kenster]

I just want to hear from the true old school Washington fisherman like me, we are a dying breed, obviously.

old school? i tried to find some post from you "83". Is that your son as your avatar holding that nice BASS?

Tigers 50%
Bass 45%
Crappie 3%
trout walleye cats 2%

[kzoo]

Does anyone fish for NATIVE species in Washington anymore? Such as salmon and steelhead. It seems that everyone fishes for bass, lets hear from some real Washington fisherman please. I am not saying that you bass fisherman are not real fisherman, I am just saying that I just want to hear from the fisherman that stick to the true roots of WASHINGTON fishing that fish for the true native species. So don't cry non-native species fisherman, I am not putting you down. I fish for bass too. I just want to hear from the true old school Washington fisherman like me, we are a dying breed, obviously.

Where are you going with this Mallard? I had a discussion with you on an earlier post that said you have caught COUNTLESS 5lb to 8lb Bass using 15lb mono in the thick vegetation with wood, I thought you fished bass full time. If you're such a dieing breed of WASHINGTONs old school fisherman that sticks to your true roots, why pursue bass? What's this "dont' cry non-native species fisherman"? Your the one who asked us "what % per species we fished for", we posted what we fished for, and you turn around and segregate us to a bunch of foreigners.

[mallard83]

Does anyone fish for NATIVE species in Washington anymore? Such as salmon and steelhead. It seems that everyone fishes for bass, lets hear from some real Washington fisherman please. I am not saying that you bass fisherman are not real fisherman, I am just saying that I just want to hear from the fisherman that stick to the true roots of WASHINGTON fishing that fish for the true native species. So don't cry non-native species fisherman, I am not putting you down. I fish for bass too. I just want to hear from the true old school Washington fisherman like me, we are a dying breed, obviously.

Where are you going with this Mallard? I had a discussion with you on an earlier post that said you have caught COUNTLESS 5lb to 8lb Bass using 15lb mono in the thick vegetation with wood, I thought you fished bass full time. If you're such a dieing breed of WASHINGTONs old school fisherman that sticks to your true roots, why pursue bass? What's this "dont' cry non-native species fisherman"? Your the one who asked us "what % per species we fished for", we posted what we fished for, and you turn around and segregate us to a bunch of foreigners.

I am hardly trying to sgregate any of you, I was just curious if there were anymore people on this site that fish more for salmon or steelhead (which are true native species). It just seems to me that most of you fish mostly for bass and I do not put anyone down for that because I to fish for bass often and yes I have caught more 5-8 lb'ers than I can remember. The purpose of this post for me was to find out if I was a dying breed in this state of fisherman who fish mostly for native species. So if you feel I am putting you down if you do not fish for native species, that is deffinatly not my intentions at all. I fish for lots of non-native species only because that is what has been laid out in front of me and some of these introduced species are doing a lot better than our native fish are. So what is a guy to do to fill the slow gaps of salmon, steelhead and trout fish, well, I go bass fishing. Don't read just a few words of my posts, and read the whole thing because if you would have just read what I wrote you wouldn't have even needed to get all upset over me asking a simple question.

[mallard83]

I just want to hear from the true old school Washington fisherman like me, we are a dying breed, obviously.

old school? i tried to find some post from you "83". Is that your son as your avatar holding that nice BASS?

Tigers 50%
Bass 45%
Crappie 3%
trout walleye cats 2%

Yes thats right I said old school. No that is not my son, that is me with the smallie. I am 24 years old and am very knowledgeable on most aspects of fishing in Washington, aside from a few species I don't fish for. Remember it is not age, it is experience. And you don't have to be ancient in order to be old school, I just appreciate what used to be here. And so you know, since other people aren't getting it, I am not trying to be a smart alec I am just trying to find others with similar interests within the Washington Lakes fishing community.

[mallard83]

Since we cannot fix 100 years or more of non-native introductions, I will be quite content to fish for bass and the others, Make the best of it.

Another reason the natives are almost gone, besides the government, is just plain old loss of habitat. My home is non-native as is my work.

Good point and I agree with you, it just pains me that I have to make the best of it even though I enjoy fishing for other species. And on the loss of habitat you mentioned, I blame that on just plain ignorance and greed of our government.

[kzoo]

Does anyone fish for NATIVE species in Washington anymore? Such as salmon and steelhead. It seems that everyone fishes for bass, lets hear from some real Washington fisherman please. I am not saying that you bass fisherman are not real fisherman, I am just saying that I just want to hear from the fisherman that stick to the true roots of WASHINGTON fishing that fish for the true native species. So don't cry non-native species fisherman, I am not putting you down. I fish for bass too. I just want to hear from the true old school Washington fisherman like me, we are a dying breed, obviously.

Where are you going with this Mallard? I had a discussion with you on an earlier post that said you have caught COUNTLESS 5lb to 8lb Bass using 15lb mono in the thick vegetation with wood, I thought you fished bass full time. If you're such a dieing breed of WASHINGTONs old school fisherman that sticks to your true roots, why pursue bass? What's this "dont' cry non-native species fisherman"? Your the one who asked us "what % per species we fished for", we posted what we fished for, and you turn around and segregate us to a bunch of foreigners.

I am hardly trying to sgregate any of you, I was just curious if there were anymore people on this site that fish more for salmon or steelhead (which are true native species). It just seems to me that most of you fish mostly for bass and I do not put anyone down for that because I to fish for bass often and yes I have caught more 5-8 lb'ers than I can remember. The purpose of this post for me was to find out if I was a dying breed in this state of fisherman who fish mostly for native species. So if you feel I am putting you down if you do not fish for native species, that is deffinatly not my intentions at all. I fish for lots of non-native species only because that is what has been laid out in front of me and some of these introduced species are doing a lot better than our native fish are. So what is a guy to do to fill the slow gaps of salmon, steelhead and trout fish, well, I go bass fishing. Don't read just a few words of my posts, and read the whole thing because if you would have just read what I wrote you wouldn't have even needed to get all upset over me asking a simple question.

Mallard, I'm just wondering why your calling yourself an OLD SCHOOL REAL WASHINGTON FISHERMAN that sticks with its roots when you've caught more 5lb to 8lb bass than you can remember, anyone who's caught that many quality fish and that's your age, I'm assuming fishes bass full time. I'm sorry man, I'm just confused about it, maybe I need to be native Washington resident? Seriously, there are other websites that are more into salmon and steelie fishing, if that's what your looking for? Try Washingtonfishingfools.com, I'm not sure if you'll find your fellow real washington fisherman, but you'll probably find more salmon and steelie fisherman. Good luck man.

[A9]

kzoo....
Just cause he's "young" doesn't mean he's never caught big bass....Age doesn't determine how much one fishes or how good he is...Lay off him man.
And why are you getting so wrapped up with what he calls himself?

[kzoo]

kzoo....
Just cause he's "young" doesn't mean he's never caught big bass....Age doesn't determine how much one fishes or how good he is...Lay off him man.
And why are you getting so wrapped up with what he calls himself?

Never doubted if he caught the bass at that age, it's quite possible, I just thought he was a full time basser. He can call himself whatever he wants, I moved on. Good Luck with everything there Mallard, I hope you find what your looking for.

[raffensg64]

I don't think someone has to be a bass fanatic in order to feel that smallmouth bass are the greatest fighting fish they've encountered.

For my first five years in Washington I fished trout 90% and dabbled with some steelhead and chums.

This year has been more like 85% trout and 15% panfish, with no salmon/steelhead trips to date.

[bigastrout]

I would say that 70% of the time I am fishing for trout and salmon.

[cavdad45]

Have you tried any of those big swimbaits that look like 10" trout or juvenile salmon. They work great for bass! Just joking around:-"

[mallard83]

Have you tried any of those big swimbaits that look like 10" trout or juvenile salmon. They work great for bass! Just joking around:-"

I haven't had a chance to get around to using these yet, but if if Washington ever lets me use a live one I may try those on a gang line. LOL!!!