OP Steelhead Face ESA Listing

Grandpa Jim · Mar 3, 2023

This is a sidebar to the original question but somewhat relevant IMO.

While bank fishing, I have been surveyed by fish checkers regarding my experience fishing winter-run steelhead in Forks area rivers 4 times in the last 2 years...yet surveyed only once in previous 10 years. A checker was waiting by my car on the upper Hoh at an obscure access point with a long hike in to the river on February 5th. So current WDFW resources are committed to surveying the north coastal winter steelhead angler impact. However, there has been no 2023 data posted on the WDFW website and the 2022 WDFW website posting seemed to have less days and anglers surveyed than previous years. I'm not sure what to make of that. Is it lack of WDFW personnel resources to compile and post the data, even though it seems like resources are being increased to gather data?

Personally, I like to review the data to see how it correlates with my experience. Also, it is interesting to see when fish start showing up...and being encountered by anglers.

I decided to e-mail the WDFW this week and ask about it. This is reply I received:

Good Morning,

Thank you for your email correspondence with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

We are currently working on getting that information to the website and hope to have it available as soon as possible.

Feel free to email or call us at 360-249-4628 with any further questions.

Matt

Fish Program Customer Service

GOTY · Mar 3, 2023

Grandpa Jim said:
This is a sidebar to the original question but somewhat relevant IMO.

While bank fishing, I have been surveyed by fish checkers regarding my experience fishing winter-run steelhead in Forks area rivers 4 times in the last 2 years...yet surveyed only once in previous 10 years. A checker was waiting by my car on the upper Hoh at an obscure access point with a long hike in to the river on February 5th. So current WDFW resources are committed to surveying the north coastal winter steelhead angler impact. However, there has been no 2023 data posted on the WDFW website and the 2022 WDFW website posting seemed to have less days and anglers surveyed than previous years. I'm not sure what to make of that. Is it lack of WDFW personnel resources to compile and post the data, even though it seems like resources are being increased to gather data?

Personally, I like to review the data to see how it correlates with my experience. Also, it is interesting to see when fish start showing up...and being encountered by anglers.

I decided to e-mail the WDFW this week and ask about it. This is reply I received:

Good Morning,

Thank you for your email correspondence with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

We are currently working on getting that information to the website and hope to have it available as soon as possible.

Feel free to email or call us at 360-249-4628 with any further questions.

Matt

Fish Program Customer Service

A very prominent and outspoken fly guide on the OP was just complaining about a lack of monitoring out there. Said he hasn't been checked in 15 trips, and has only been checked 6 times since January 1. This is while doing trips every day, usually with multiple anglers.

Granted, he has for a while been making an argument along the lines of "the forecasts are terrible/nobody is actually counting/etc, so how can you close the rivers for a lack of fish if you don't try to count them?"....so take it with a grain of salt.

brownheron · Mar 3, 2023

I tend to fish a little 'sneaky' and stay away from the guides (unless I'm fishing with them) and I have yet to even see enforcement/checkers in at least 10 outings since January in the Quil system. However, I rarely go down to the Hoh.

I think I've been checked once in the last 5 years (on the Hoh).

Grandpa Jim · Mar 3, 2023

I didn't mention in my recent post that I was also checked on the upper Sol Duc in January. That was at the take-out on a guide trip. I must be a magnet for those guys...

It will be interesting to see if and when the WDFW posts the coastal steelhead creel results for 2023

LBL · Mar 4, 2023

Last year I was checked by a couple of officials on the Sol Duc (Max to WD). Looked at my fly and license. Surprised me because they rafted(!) up while I was working a float in only run. Very nice encounter.

GOTY · Apr 7, 2023

FYI all - the comment period ends in 4 days. Comments made during this window are infinitely more effective than comments made after a decision has been made.

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skyriver · Apr 9, 2023

skyrise said:
Well Maybe, just Maybe if we had Enforcement any near what it was 30 years ago that crap would be a more rare thing ( and yes I know about the poaching going on from the lime quarry all the way to bacon creek) not to mention the free range alcohol being made in those parts. This state has been in a “Defund the Game Enforcement “ for a long time at least up here around region 4. When was the last time you saw a Game Warden when you were out and about ?

I have fished 30-50 days per year the last 5 years. Only 5-10 days of those are usually for steelhead or salmon. Usually 2 or 3 day trips to the Klick, Deschutes or John Day. I've hit the Skagit only 3 or 4 times in previous open years. I haven't been checked once. Not once! Washington or Oregon.

From 1986 until about 2004, there were years I was on the water 50-100 days. Most of those days were on the Sky, N Stilly or Snoqualmie and I got checked twice, both times on the Deschutes in Oregon. Now, could it be that fly fishers don't get checked as much? Not sure, but most of those 50-100 day years I didn't even see enforcement out. Even at places like Fortson, Cracker Bar, Ben Howard, Tolt River, Lewis St, etc.

Enforcement is drastically inadequate.

I support closing rivers to protect spawning fish, during high temp periods, etc, but the poachers still go.

With the current lack of enforcement, there would actually be more protection from poaching by keeping the rivers open year round so there might be more mostly responsible fishers out there watching the river and hopefully reporting & limiting the poaching activity. Not that enforcement could respond to our reports, but I think there is some natural deterrence for poachers if we're out there.

Ok, going over to fun forums like Lakes, Warmwater and Trips now.

Paige · Apr 9, 2023

In the last 20 yrs been checked on the Skagit/Sauk once at the mouth of the Baker while pulling out, must have been 2008ish.

The OP, in 20 yrs only once by ONP Ranger on the Queets.

Never on the Stily.

And in 48 yrs fishing the Sky, only 3 times. between 2000 - 2015 give or take a few years.

JACKspASS · Apr 9, 2023

I've been checked once on the Sauk, once on the Sky, once on the Snohomish. Been checked alot more on lowland lakes. This was from 95 - 05

Big Tuna · Apr 19, 2023

I went to the OP twice this year and was checked both times.

Dave M · Apr 21, 2023

Been checked maybe 6 or 8 times . SKY , Skag./Sauk and OP. One floater on the Sauk in a green Lavro. They checked my license and barb on my fly. Probably late 90ish.

Dustin Chromers · Apr 21, 2023

GOTY said:
A very prominent and outspoken fly guide on the OP was just complaining about a lack of monitoring out there. Said he hasn't been checked in 15 trips, and has only been checked 6 times since January 1. This is while doing trips every day, usually with multiple anglers.

Granted, he has for a while been making an argument along the lines of "the forecasts are terrible/nobody is actually counting/etc, so how can you close the rivers for a lack of fish if you don't try to count them?"....so take it with a grain of salt.

The fish checker probably sees him fly fishing and knows he didn't get anything except that grab which was actually a branch. I mean why would you survey a fly guy? They never get anything.

Yard Sale · Apr 21, 2023

Dustin Chromers said:
The fish checker probably sees him fly fishing and knows he didn't get anything except that grab which was actually a branch. I mean why would you survey a fly guy? They never get anything.

I've actually been told this by a game warden. He was checking licenses and he basically said that since i had a grand worth of gear he wasn't worried about me skimping on a license. Felt weird.

Dustin Chromers · Apr 22, 2023

Yard Sale said:
I've actually been told this by a game warden. He was checking licenses and he basically said that since i had a grand worth of gear he wasn't worried about me skimping on a license. Felt weird.

You should come to my hood. There can be a pack of mouth breathing snagging poachers engaged in competitive drinking and violation Olympics with a pile of dead forbidden kings in full view and the warden wants to check my barbs with cheese cloth and doesn't even talk to the tribe of Cro Magnum. No I didn't misspell it or exaggerate the incidents. Yes plural. Why? Well cause I look like I'll pay a ticket and be polite. Then they have the gall to get angry when I question why they have never talked to the resident Cro magnums as long as I've fished there despite multiple calls and obvious flagrant violations in full view. Is this the best WDFW enforcement is capable of? Around here, yes. Zero confidence. Just another glorified tax pirate looking up penalize the people making an attempt to follow the rules on a slip up. Stay frosty and keep those barbs down. Officer cheese cloth is on the case with his cheesy assignment. No confidence.

GOTY · May 1, 2023

Idaho fish will be next with this kind of BS going on.

Dustin Chromers · May 1, 2023

GOTY said:
Idaho fish will be next with this kind of BS going on.

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Montana Wild girl power edition?

Rob Allen · May 1, 2023

Yard Sale said:
I've actually been told this by a game warden. He was checking licenses and he basically said that since i had a grand worth of gear he wasn't worried about me skimping on a license. Felt weird.

Fly privelige.