Coastal rivers closed to fishing until further notice

[Dustin Chromers]

They had all Thursday and Friday, but the app isn’t updated…

You expected otherwise?

 

[Gyrfalcon22]

Pretty quiet on the river so far actually

 

[Shad]

Pretty quiet on the river so far actually

Everybody must be at the mouth of the Satsop. Just kidding... glad it's not too crazy so far. Sounds like the fish need the break.

 

[The Coho King]

I'm hearing mixed answers there. It may depend on the system. Since the lower Chehalis is still open to sporties, I can't imagine the QIN is pulling their nets, but maybe they are?

It's really simple why the Chehalis tide water is open, so they can net.

 

[Shad]

It's really simple why the Chehalis tide water is open, so they can net.

As much as I hate thinking about gillnets mopping up a trapped run (the nets DID go back in on the Chehalis today, if anyone's wondering), I don't think the Tribe played any significant role in this decision (aside from maybe a rubber stamp). The decision to close the tributaries was likely made by WDFW alone. The Tribe is fishing according to their posted schedule, and they have made no announcement of changes. They haven't posted their numbers yet (which is for another thread), but I think it's safe to assume they are doing VERY well right now, with the bulk of a recent record run effectively stuck in the water they fish. My point is, they probably aren't interested in changing anything right now. So... yeah, this sucks, but in this case (*catch numbers pending), it seems the State acted alone.

That leads us to WDFW, which is the only authority that HAS made changes. I don't want to go so far as to declare that they meant to sell out the vast majority of the upstream opportunity in favor of the big boat crowd, but that will be the "net" result of this decision, because as anyone who understands how fishing in the tribs works knows, whatever it is that gets them moving, when it happens this late in the season, the entire early run bolts for the gravel or hatchery en masse, and after about 2 days, it's over. By the time WDFW decides it's safe to open it back up, the early run will be largely out of the legal harvest areas, and me and @Dustin Chromers will be left to fish for boot chums.

To be clear: this closure MAY have been the right thing to do. My only concern is that fishing is still going on in the place where the bulk of the run is effectively trapped until the "crisis" changes. I bet if we asked the fish what would help them have a successful spawn, continuing the lower river onslaught would not be their ask...

 

[Stonedfish]

As much as I hate thinking about gillnets mopping up a trapped run (the nets DID go back in on the Chehalis today, if anyone's wondering), I don't think the Tribe played any significant role in this decision (aside from maybe a rubber stamp). The decision to close the tributaries was likely made by WDFW alone. The Tribe is fishing according to their posted schedule, and they have made no announcement of changes. They haven't posted their numbers yet (which is for another thread), but I think it's safe to assume they are doing VERY well right now, with the bulk of a recent record run effectively stuck in the water they fish. My point is, they probably aren't interested in changing anything right now. So... yeah, this sucks, but in this case (*catch numbers pending), it seems the State acted alone.

That leads us to WDFW, which is the only authority that HAS made changes. I don't want to go so far as to declare that they meant to sell out the vast majority of the upstream opportunity in favor of the big boat crowd, but that will be the "net" result of this decision, because as anyone who understands how fishing in the tribs works knows, whatever it is that gets them moving, when it happens this late in the season, the entire early run bolts for the gravel or hatchery en masse, and after about 2 days, it's over. By the time WDFW decides it's safe to open it back up, the early run will be largely out of the legal harvest areas, and me and @Dustin Chromers will be left to fish for boot chums.

To be clear: this closure MAY have been the right thing to do. My only concern is that fishing is still going on in the place where the bulk of the run is effectively trapped until the "crisis" changes. I bet if we asked the fish what would help them have a successful spawn, continuing the lower river onslaught would not be their ask...

It’s too bad the late wild run coho have been hammered by the steelhead net fishery. Those are some absolutely stud fish and super unique.
Being able to catch big shouldered coho and winter steelhead on the same day was special.
Maybe steelhead being in the shitter will be the saving grace for what remains of them.
I’m not overly optimistic about it though.
SF