Area 9

[DimeBrite]

Now I’m worried that WDFW is gonna do some unnecessary restrictions like shorten the Aug-Sept season or some bullshit to compensate for the overharvest

It will soon be closed to chinook forever, the current system is designed for it. Think Lake Washington Sockeye, the final seasons were measured in hours not days or weeks (then gone). They will likely still produce hatchery chinook though .

What happens to the already shortened coho seasons will be a similar gradual mathematical strangulation based on some selected native coho stock (analogous to Stillaguamish chinook).

 

[Chucker]

Part of the reason for the staggered openings were based on requests to do so.
MA 10 fishes better a bit later and in recent years almost always had additional days added. Not likely this year with a quota reduction from 3,166 to 1,300 fish.
If I recall correctly, peak chinook passage at the locks is around 8/12.
I’m not saying the staggered openers are right or wrong, just some perspective on why they happened this year. I would recommend commenting during NOF next year if you’d like 7,9,10 and 11 to all open on the same day.
Good luck to those that get out tomorrow.
SF

Was there actually any discussion of the impact of this change, or was it that a bunch of guides and retired guys with big expensive boats said “we want more days for us” and it just got rubber stamped?

As it is it’s a net loss in fishing opportunity for people with smaller boats. I did not fish 9 because of weather and because I am not a fan of playing bumper boats with boats twice as big as mine is. This morning I am not fishing either, because there is a small craft advisory out for the area. I might get 2 days of chinook fishing, if the quota lasts through Saturday. If 9 was open with a separate quota, most of the fleet would be up there, 10 would get extra days because fewer fish would be caught, and it would probably be a better experience for everybody.

Time for annual catch limits for PS chinook, like they do with halibut and sturgeon?

 

[Scudley Do Right]

When 9 and 10 are down to 3 days when it used to be year round it's already over. If you don't already have a boat and the shit to fish for Kings I wouldn't recommend buying them.

 

[Stonedfish]

Was there actually any discussion of the impact of this change, or was it that a bunch of guides and retired guys with big expensive boats said “we want more days for us” and it just got rubber stamped?

As it is it’s a net loss in fishing opportunity for people with smaller boats. I did not fish 9 because of weather and because I am not a fan of playing bumper boats with boats twice as big as mine is. This morning I am not fishing either, because there is a small craft advisory out for the area. I might get 2 days of chinook fishing, if the quota lasts through Saturday. If 9 was open with a separate quota, most of the fleet would be up there, 10 would get extra days because fewer fish would be caught, and it would probably be a better experience for everybody.

Time for annual catch limits for PS chinook, like they do with halibut and sturgeon?

There were guides involved in the discussions and most of the input was from folks that fish 10 and 11 a lot.
I totally get that not having great weather doesn’t help.
As I mentioned previously, please submit comments next year at NOF regarding your thoughts on the staggered openers.
If there are extra days for 10, they’ll likely be announced either Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning.
SF