DimeBrite
Saltwater fly fisherman
In what year? 2024 maybeLatest rumor is Feb 15th
2023 Skagit/Sauk season is a go
- Thread starter GOTY
- Start date
GOTY
Steelhead
You have way too much faith in WDFW.
All the more reason to start a year early.
Is there scientific rationale, or is it just the spring bear logic all over again?
skyrise
Steelhead
DUH !!!!!!!
Kashf-
Let's go back a bit. The co-managers had a 5-year fisheries plan approved by the feds to conduct their fisheries with some clear guide lines for allowable impacts based on predicted run sizes with in-season monitoring of catches as well as escapements. With that information in hand the managers and feds can evaluate whether the fisheries allowed under the plan was successful in limited wild steelhead impacts to or below the desired levels (met the jeopardy criteria). The last year of that plan was 2022.
Here I'm making some assumptions, but I suspect that the feds in their evaluation of that new plan would want as complete data base from the fisheries operating under that 5 year -plan as possible. Given that the first year was a limited fishery and we did not fish in 2021 we only fished 3 full season the results of all 3 complete years (including 2022) would be of important for their consideration. Given the timing of the wild steelhead spawning in the Skagit/Sauk basin (active spawning continues into July -the latest I have seen steelhead on redds was the 28th of July). In a perfect world the earliest we could expect an escapement (a key piece of the 2022 run size which is essentially to estimate the exploitations of that year fisheries). In the real world the estimate of the previous spring/summer steelhead escapement isn't completed until well into the fall (often November or even early December).
With the feds asking for comments on December 23rd I doubt that they saw the draft 10-year plan from the co-managers until sometime in late November or early December. It would have nice to have that work completed several months earlier but the reality is that if it takes 6 months or more to go through the Federal review/adoption process will not be fishing in 2023. That State seems to have some optimism that the process will not take that long -we shall see.
Curt
Let's go back a bit. The co-managers had a 5-year fisheries plan approved by the feds to conduct their fisheries with some clear guide lines for allowable impacts based on predicted run sizes with in-season monitoring of catches as well as escapements. With that information in hand the managers and feds can evaluate whether the fisheries allowed under the plan was successful in limited wild steelhead impacts to or below the desired levels (met the jeopardy criteria). The last year of that plan was 2022.
Here I'm making some assumptions, but I suspect that the feds in their evaluation of that new plan would want as complete data base from the fisheries operating under that 5 year -plan as possible. Given that the first year was a limited fishery and we did not fish in 2021 we only fished 3 full season the results of all 3 complete years (including 2022) would be of important for their consideration. Given the timing of the wild steelhead spawning in the Skagit/Sauk basin (active spawning continues into July -the latest I have seen steelhead on redds was the 28th of July). In a perfect world the earliest we could expect an escapement (a key piece of the 2022 run size which is essentially to estimate the exploitations of that year fisheries). In the real world the estimate of the previous spring/summer steelhead escapement isn't completed until well into the fall (often November or even early December).
With the feds asking for comments on December 23rd I doubt that they saw the draft 10-year plan from the co-managers until sometime in late November or early December. It would have nice to have that work completed several months earlier but the reality is that if it takes 6 months or more to go through the Federal review/adoption process will not be fishing in 2023. That State seems to have some optimism that the process will not take that long -we shall see.
Curt
HauntedByWaters
Life of the Party
The fish checker on the Nooksack today said that it is unlikely the Skagit season opens before March.
flybill
Life of the Party
I just checked the WDFW site and did a Google search (found the article posted a while ago).. I hope that info is correct, but you would think they would publiczie it if it is. Hopefully by the time I get back from my trip it will be open.. not holding my breath though..
This is some major league bullshit.
Maybe since the season is going to start late they'll have budget to monitor and have boats on the water 7 days a week?
Maybe that's a pipedream.
Maybe that's a pipedream.
HauntedByWaters
Life of the Party
The checker said this over the weekend.
Are the comments published anywhere?
I remember some of the comments from the fish org's the first go round.
I remember some of the comments from the fish org's the first go round.
Hillbilly Redneck
wishin I was fishin
Sure glad I built that spey rod. No big deal. Should work fine on some early spring bass. I didn't fight for this fishery this year so I'm not deserving anyway.
I mean, I hear you. But I'd keep in mind two things...
1: The people who DID fight for it were fighting for all of us. I don't think they'd enjoy knowing that nobody got to use this thing they spent so much time and energy working on.
Especially since...
2: It seems like the fight might not be done if this is how WDFW is going to run things.
Hillbilly Redneck
wishin I was fishin
I'm building another spey rod...
Hillbilly Redneck
wishin I was fishin
I'm sure the Dan's Creek militia has been performing hit and run operations in conjuntion with the Tarheel navy for the past couple weeks.Well I am still on my rock...it is cold, but just watching the poachers, they are not doing all that well, but better than I am.
If it opens I'll be ready.
