My Stance on Native Steelhead, what I'm going to do about it

[natetreat]

This time of year always causes a big stir with steelheaders. Big native steelhead invade the Olympic Peninsula rivers, and the anglers of Seattle make the journey to steelheader heaven, the pilgrimage to river fishing Mecca. I years past, I have enjoyed the catch and release fishing for our states hardest fighting freshwater fish. There is something magical about hooking into and playing these majestic creatures, saying hello, and letting them swim to complete their thousand mile journey unmolested.

This time of year also rekindles the fire in many fishermen and conservationists. It is no secret that our steelhead runs are declining. Native fish out there struggle to make the escapement goals every year. Yet we WDFW still allows retention of native fish. For example, historical abundance estimates by researchers at the Wild Salmon Center placed the Hoh run at 35,000 to 59,000 steelhead in 1920 based on a watershed size and abundance comparison to the Queets River. Now modern escapement goals are around 2,000 fish, and we don't even make that half of the time. Even when we do make escapement, it is a small victory. A tiny victory.

There are many explanations of why the runs are in such a state. The first and most detrimental is over-harvest. Gill nets are strung across the river for days on end. The Queets river is netted six days a week. The Hoh tribe nets the river, in violation of state fish management decisions that they agreed to. Logging operations throughout the years result in habitat destruction. Past harvest by sport anglers had a large effect on the numbers. All of these factors have contributed to the holocaust of native fish.

The problem with addressing this issue and solving the problem is money. Why is it that we do not even have a catch and release season on the Skagit river, the run is listed as ESA threatened by the federal government. It has 6,000 fish coming back the past few years. The Hoh can't even make escapement of 2k. The problem is money. Money from tribal interest groups. Money from fishing guides. Politics within WDFW. Extremist conservation groups that misrepresent sport anglers. Scientists paid by these interest groups to find in favor of either side. Sport anglers with bad behavior, poaching native fish, posing with fish for a glory shot. Everyone can agree that the problem is politics and money. There is an entire industry that ignores the facts, and makes money off of killing native steelhead.

This is why I will not be offering any trips targeting native steelhead this year.

While catch and release mortality is barely an impact on the numbers, I still will not be booking trips. My boat hooking ten to twenty fish a day, tiring the fish out, snapping a picture and letting them go isn't great for the fish. catching those same fish over and over again takes up a lot of their resources. Every guide boat out there does the same to those fish, and that isn't helping things. But that's not why I'm not booking trips.

It's money. Every steelheader wants to catch that fish of a lifetime. That's how guides can stay in business. But we need to invest in the future, not take the present for granted. The market is huge this time of year for native fishing. Fishing guides out of Forks are booked up. I've been booked up. This is money.

If every fishing guide stopped offering trips out there, the anglers that want to catch these fish would take notice. We need to fire up everyone to put pressure on WDFW and the state to change our management practices. If every fishing guide spent more time advocating for the fish, we would be able to put the pressure on the tribal netting to raise escapement numbers. We could get the nets off the river.

I'm not advocating that anglers stop fishing the peninsula. It isn't the average angler that is the problem. The money is with the guides. Our business supports the local economy out there. Hotels, tackle shops, campgrounds, tourist shops all benefit from the clients that make the journey out to Forks. Without the guides, this would inspire the businesses to abandon their apathy towards native fish; this would inspire them to donate time and money to put pressure on the state to actually DO SOMETHING.

Personally, I struggle with the idea of profiting from targeting these fish. By offering trips out there, I become part of the problem, not the solution. I have decided to not take part in it. Instead, I will take a stand. There are many opportunities to catch steelhead this time of year. We have been doing great on the Wynoochee and other Chehalis systems. Soon, I will be fishing for springers and late run hatchery fish on the Cowlitz. These are hatchery fish. I will spend my time educating the angling community on native steelhead conservation, rather than harassing the fish, ignoring the obvious. I wish more guides would do the same.

So if you are thinking about booking a trip with any guide to target these fish, I would encourage you to rethink this. Ask them to take you fishing for hatchery fish. I realize more than anyone that guides need to work. But if we could take a stand, we could make some change.

At least, write a letter to someone. Put pressure on the state to fight back against the nets. We need to do something. This is how I plan to do my part. What are you going to do?

[kodacachers]

Where's the "Like" button?

[Mordalphus]

That's cool that you're not doing trips there, but like you said, the real problem is the ritualistic reaping of the native fish by tribes. (my phone changed what I wrote to reaping, but I'll leave it) And unfortunately our state is gutless in its stance against native harvesting, and apparently the money isn't there anymore to supplement with hatchery programs.

Sad, but I think we will see these OP runs look more like the Sammamish river salmon runs pretty soon. Sad and sad.

[natetreat]

That's cool that you're not doing trips there, but like you said, the real problem is the ritualistic reaping of the native fish by tribes. (my phone changed what I wrote to reaping, but I'll leave it) And unfortunately our state is gutless in its stance against native harvesting, and apparently the money isn't there anymore to supplement with hatchery programs.

Sad, but I think we will see these OP runs look more like the Sammamish river salmon runs pretty soon. Sad and sad.

I don't mean to quote myself out of vanity but this is my logic -

If every fishing guide stopped offering trips out there, the anglers that want to catch these fish would take notice. We need to fire up everyone to put pressure on WDFW and the state to change our management practices. If every fishing guide spent more time advocating for the fish, we would be able to put the pressure on the tribal netting to raise escapement numbers. We could get the nets off the river.

[MarkFromSea]

That's quite a sacrifice.... Hat's off to ya! There's enough data out there to support the resurgence of fisheries, target species, by temporarily stopping commercial fishing... Native people or Non Native people... The state should take some drastic measure at some point... Hopefully, before it's too late.

I can't find the years on the web... Redfish fishery off of Louisiana, 20ish years ago.

[Steelheadin360]

Hats off to you Nate. This is the same reason I am not doing trips on the coast

[AJ's Dad]

This would fix those gill nets!! I just wish someone would have used a few of these up on the PendOreille River back in 2012.

[Brat Bonker]

you know what is real BS is the only thing stopping fisherman from keeping natives is blown out rivers, this past creel survey 7 were kept on the bogy, 12 on the sol duc and another 3 on the hoh, its like come on people, were trying to save them, yeah its one thing if the fish is hooked really deep and bleeding really bad but its another if you just kill one because you can.

[skagit510]

Nate, I'm surprised, and highly impressed. i salute you sir. way to put your money where your mouth is. bob triggs has taken the same stand. I'm am touched with your regard for the resource. true grit my friend. i hope your dance card stays full with the other opportunities in fishing this season. best of luck to you, though you probably don't need it with karma like this coming your way.

[FishBaitThe2nd]

Youre giving back Nate, good for you.

You cant just keep taking from the rivers, or the wilderness. occasionally you have to give back, because if you just keep taking eventually theres going to be nothing left to take.

[EAmon ___hoffman123]

Hats off to ya nate!

there may nothing like having the oppurtunity to release such a beautiful fish that swims out of your hands in to the cold fresh river. But with this being the case for alot of people and some of them are keeping them its starting to show effect!

[RiverChromeGS]

I have never guided much for wild steelhead. Occasionally with my best clients, but I dont see myself taking hundreds of people to all the more fragile systems now days. However you surely wont see my stop fun-fishing for wild steelhead. Handle them with care, release quickly and you are not part of the problem. A year without wild steelhead season could kill me

[sickbayer]

ya hats off to you nate maybe it will be the start of something.

[primetime]

My only thing now is that every guy who catches a wild steelhead and wants to post a pic or give a report will be condemned on this site. I'm a sport fisherman and my ultimate joy is fishing for wild steelhead. I fish for hatchery fish but it's not because I want meat it's for the thrill of fishing. However, it's not nearly the same enjoyment I get when I'm wrestling a hard fighting native metal head. I guareentee every wild fish I've ever caught has swam away unharmed. Picture taken properly and released without harm.

[fishslayer80]

You can tell what is really important to people by how they spend their money and time.
Nate I will be contacting you to book a trip on the Cowlitz .
Thank you for looking out for this wonderful resource.

[Bay wolf]

I have never caught a steelhead, native or hatch. I have this on my bucket list and since I'm not getting any younger, I have started to look for my very first this year. Nate, I admire your morals! Understanding that your decision is literally taking money out of your pocket, I applaud you. Although some will argue that properly landing and handling the fish does little harm, and that sport fishermen are NOT the problem, it all combines to stress the fish. Your sacrifice may not make a major impact in and of itself, but by you planting a flag and saying NO MORE, it may give others courage to follow.

Although I would really love to catch a steelhead before I pass, I will only target systems that have hatchery runs. My promise to you!

I need to save up some money to book a trip with you, just to shake your damn hand!!

[Steelheadin360]

A year without wild steelhead season could kill me

Thats because you have an "addiction" Haha.

I think there is a deference between fun fishing and truly appreciating the fish you catch. And trying to catch a fish to make a buck.

[RiverChromeGS]

A year without wild steelhead season could kill me

Thats because you have an "addiction" Haha.

I think there is a deference between fun fishing and truly appreciating the fish you catch. And trying to catch a fish to make a buck.

Agreed!

[wlai]

Thank you Nate for standing up for the cause. To support your sacrifice, I am definitely going to book a trip with you on my next outing.

[buzzardbait2]

to AJ's dad, a much better fix for those nets stretched across the rivers, hay bales with rebar stuck in them, very low profile, hard to see them coming. Those nets are a large part of the problem but not the only problem. Purse Seiner's raping the ocean often consider steelhead and salmon as collateral damage. THEY SHOULD OUTLAW ANY NETTING OF FISH ANYWHERE!!