Saw this article in the Seattle Times
Increasing Pressure To harvest Small Fish Worries Scientists
And then I see the following advertisement that is a product based on small fish's food. We sure seem to be working hard to destroy the entire marine food chain.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Friday, March 9, 2012
Why Fish?
I have non-fishing friends and family who often question why I always feel the need to bring a fly rod along on every trip outdoors. I occaionally wonder if they have a point. Is it really necessary to bring fishing gear along? Being out on the water or wandering through the forests should be enough. It really should be enough but it is not.
Walking along a river, paddling the saltwater, or watching whales feed ten miles offshore are great visual feasts but I would be missing something without fishing. First, I would likely not found any of those places had I not originally planned on going there to fish. Fishing is the reason I am there in the first place and the sights and sounds are a great side benefit. We have all struck out on fishing trips due to high water or being too early or late in regard to run timing. These trips are often memorable due to the beauty of being outside but those unforgettable days would not have existed without fishing being the driving reason for even venturing into those special places.
The greatest whale and bird watching I have ever experienced all came about in search of fish. No one ventures to this particular place to view whales and birds because it is a fishing spot that requires a long run in rough water. It is virtually a private nature preserve only seen by offshore fishermen and possibly the crewmen on a passing freighter.
Have you ever noticed the patterns in the gravel bars that the river currents create? Every stone seems stacked at the exact same angle along the entire shoreline. You wouldn't necessarily see that from any other vantage point except standing knee deep in the river swinging a fly. The backpacker hiking a riverside trail will never view the river in the same way we do spending time right next to the water and spending hours observing relatively small areas.
A non-fisherman only gets the rare glimpse of life underwater. A waterfall where salmon relentlessly jump to access spawning grounds upstream or a shallow creek with spawning fish are a few of the rare spots that one can view fish in their natural environment. We fishermen get a glimpse of that every time we hook a fish. We learn to understand currents and the way rivers move in the hopes of increasing our knowledge enough to get better at hooking fish. This gives us not only an understanding of the fish but the environment underneath the mirrored surface of the water.
In bigger waters such as the saltwater we have to pay attention to tides, currents, weather, and run timing to get the reward that often feels like an distant handshake at the end of the fly line as one feels the initial grab and first couple headshakes of a fish. Learning run timing and the type of water the fish like takes time. Like a steelheader waiting for a grab, the time spent casting and exploring the salt give us plenty of time to soak in the natural world around us. We notice things that a person standing fifty feet away on the shore wouldn't see or even think to look for.
The act of fishing brings us closer to the natural world. The closeness and understanding of natural processes gives us a perspective no non-consumptive user can have. It is like our own little secret. The park overlooking a prime fishing ground has tons of visitors that look at the same water and see the beauty right on the surface. Little do they know about the beauty lying just under the surface.
So the next time you are asked, "Do you always have to bring fishing gear?" respond with a resounding, unapologetic "Hell Yes!"
Walking along a river, paddling the saltwater, or watching whales feed ten miles offshore are great visual feasts but I would be missing something without fishing. First, I would likely not found any of those places had I not originally planned on going there to fish. Fishing is the reason I am there in the first place and the sights and sounds are a great side benefit. We have all struck out on fishing trips due to high water or being too early or late in regard to run timing. These trips are often memorable due to the beauty of being outside but those unforgettable days would not have existed without fishing being the driving reason for even venturing into those special places.
The greatest whale and bird watching I have ever experienced all came about in search of fish. No one ventures to this particular place to view whales and birds because it is a fishing spot that requires a long run in rough water. It is virtually a private nature preserve only seen by offshore fishermen and possibly the crewmen on a passing freighter.
Have you ever noticed the patterns in the gravel bars that the river currents create? Every stone seems stacked at the exact same angle along the entire shoreline. You wouldn't necessarily see that from any other vantage point except standing knee deep in the river swinging a fly. The backpacker hiking a riverside trail will never view the river in the same way we do spending time right next to the water and spending hours observing relatively small areas.
A non-fisherman only gets the rare glimpse of life underwater. A waterfall where salmon relentlessly jump to access spawning grounds upstream or a shallow creek with spawning fish are a few of the rare spots that one can view fish in their natural environment. We fishermen get a glimpse of that every time we hook a fish. We learn to understand currents and the way rivers move in the hopes of increasing our knowledge enough to get better at hooking fish. This gives us not only an understanding of the fish but the environment underneath the mirrored surface of the water.
In bigger waters such as the saltwater we have to pay attention to tides, currents, weather, and run timing to get the reward that often feels like an distant handshake at the end of the fly line as one feels the initial grab and first couple headshakes of a fish. Learning run timing and the type of water the fish like takes time. Like a steelheader waiting for a grab, the time spent casting and exploring the salt give us plenty of time to soak in the natural world around us. We notice things that a person standing fifty feet away on the shore wouldn't see or even think to look for.
The act of fishing brings us closer to the natural world. The closeness and understanding of natural processes gives us a perspective no non-consumptive user can have. It is like our own little secret. The park overlooking a prime fishing ground has tons of visitors that look at the same water and see the beauty right on the surface. Little do they know about the beauty lying just under the surface.
So the next time you are asked, "Do you always have to bring fishing gear?" respond with a resounding, unapologetic "Hell Yes!"
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Good News....Bad News
What a day.
Due to work by wild fish conservation groups the Elwha Tribe will not be planting Chambers Creek hatchery steelhead in the Elwha. Check out the link below:
Agreement protects Elwha steelhead from hatchery releases
It is moments like this that make me actually hopeful that our wild fish stand a chance. Finding optimism is often one of the hardest things for me to do in the fishing world. My eternal pessimism is likely not made to deal with wild fish issues as I am constantly feeling a bit down when it comes to long-term trends even though we are winning more and more battles every year. First, we got the state to create a Wild Steelhead Management Zone on the Sol Duc against local opposition. Now we got a co-manager to make the right call when it comes to restoration of wild fish after a dam removal.
Now for the bad news. The coho forecasts for this summer and fall were just released here.
It looks like the saltwater salmon numbers will be way down for everywhere inside Puget Sound. It looks like a repeat of last summer's fishing will not be happening. With the good news about the Elwha I am going to make an attempt to stay positive for the saltwater fishing this summer. Even with less fish coming through the Strait that doesn't mean that fish won't stop and feed in areas which should still provide great fishing at times. Even with the poor news of total run sizes I am making a vow to remain positive in chasing fish come August, September, and October this year. I may even attempt to make a trip or two to other areas that have better forecasts for 2012 than 2011.
Hope springs eternal.
Due to work by wild fish conservation groups the Elwha Tribe will not be planting Chambers Creek hatchery steelhead in the Elwha. Check out the link below:
Agreement protects Elwha steelhead from hatchery releases
It is moments like this that make me actually hopeful that our wild fish stand a chance. Finding optimism is often one of the hardest things for me to do in the fishing world. My eternal pessimism is likely not made to deal with wild fish issues as I am constantly feeling a bit down when it comes to long-term trends even though we are winning more and more battles every year. First, we got the state to create a Wild Steelhead Management Zone on the Sol Duc against local opposition. Now we got a co-manager to make the right call when it comes to restoration of wild fish after a dam removal.
Now for the bad news. The coho forecasts for this summer and fall were just released here.
It looks like the saltwater salmon numbers will be way down for everywhere inside Puget Sound. It looks like a repeat of last summer's fishing will not be happening. With the good news about the Elwha I am going to make an attempt to stay positive for the saltwater fishing this summer. Even with less fish coming through the Strait that doesn't mean that fish won't stop and feed in areas which should still provide great fishing at times. Even with the poor news of total run sizes I am making a vow to remain positive in chasing fish come August, September, and October this year. I may even attempt to make a trip or two to other areas that have better forecasts for 2012 than 2011.
Hope springs eternal.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
WDFW and Bobbers
On the department's Facebook Page they are promoting the opening of the kill season on wild winter steelhead on the Olympic Peninsula.
The funniest part of the post is the picture they used.
Celebrate killing wild fish with pictures of bobber caught steelhead. I only wish I could make stuff like this up. Laughter is the best medicine for insane policies.
The funniest part of the post is the picture they used.
Celebrate killing wild fish with pictures of bobber caught steelhead. I only wish I could make stuff like this up. Laughter is the best medicine for insane policies.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Stop Lying!!!!!!
Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe and Olympic National Park Sued Over Hatchery
"Elofson (Lower Elwha Klallam river restoration director) also said in September that the Chambers Creek steelhead is used to provide a harvestable steelhead run.
He said then that the native and Chambers Creek runs happen at different times of the year and that studies have not shown a genetic impact on the native run."
Stating that native steelhead return at different times of year than hatchery fish is a lie. Historically the rivers of the Northern Olympic Peninsula had large runs of early returning native steelhead. The long term impact of planting Chambers Creek steelhead have devastated these early returning natives. The intense harvest pressure on early timed hatchery fish have destroyed the early natives along with the ecological impacts of planting hatchery fish.
Early timed steelhead fill habitats that cannot be utilized by later returning fish. Think of small tributaries with no snowmelt that have peak hydrographs in late winter and early spring. Early spawning fish are able to utilize these habitats that later spawning fish cannot. Diversity within the species is a good thing and continuing to push the idea that native steelhead only return in a narrow window in the spring is 100% untrue.
Giving up on what was once a large part of the run means we will never really see restoration of wild winter steelhead in the Elwha River. Giving up before the dams are even down is unacceptable.
"Elofson (Lower Elwha Klallam river restoration director) also said in September that the Chambers Creek steelhead is used to provide a harvestable steelhead run.
He said then that the native and Chambers Creek runs happen at different times of the year and that studies have not shown a genetic impact on the native run."
Stating that native steelhead return at different times of year than hatchery fish is a lie. Historically the rivers of the Northern Olympic Peninsula had large runs of early returning native steelhead. The long term impact of planting Chambers Creek steelhead have devastated these early returning natives. The intense harvest pressure on early timed hatchery fish have destroyed the early natives along with the ecological impacts of planting hatchery fish.
Early timed steelhead fill habitats that cannot be utilized by later returning fish. Think of small tributaries with no snowmelt that have peak hydrographs in late winter and early spring. Early spawning fish are able to utilize these habitats that later spawning fish cannot. Diversity within the species is a good thing and continuing to push the idea that native steelhead only return in a narrow window in the spring is 100% untrue.
Giving up on what was once a large part of the run means we will never really see restoration of wild winter steelhead in the Elwha River. Giving up before the dams are even down is unacceptable.
Friday, February 10, 2012
"Coho Are Just Ugly This Year"
With the start of the saltwater salmon season setting process (North of Falcon) beginning over the next month we are starting to learn what the preseason forecasts will be. The Columbia River coho forecast has just been released.
Columbia River Coho Forecast Not Encouraging
My saltwater season goals usually begin with thinking about at least a trip or two out to Neah Bay. This forecast does not make me optimistic for this summer out at the NW tip of the Olympic Peninsula. It seems like a Columbia coho return over 500K is a guarantee of incredible fishing and below that results in spotty fishing, especially closer to the entrance and just inside the Strait.
I will not let this keep me from my plans to fish out there this summer, but it will minimize the number of trips out there. Hopefully, the Puget Sound forecasts will make me smile about the fishing closer to home.
Fingers crossed for that Puget Sound forecast.
Columbia River Coho Forecast Not Encouraging
My saltwater season goals usually begin with thinking about at least a trip or two out to Neah Bay. This forecast does not make me optimistic for this summer out at the NW tip of the Olympic Peninsula. It seems like a Columbia coho return over 500K is a guarantee of incredible fishing and below that results in spotty fishing, especially closer to the entrance and just inside the Strait.
I will not let this keep me from my plans to fish out there this summer, but it will minimize the number of trips out there. Hopefully, the Puget Sound forecasts will make me smile about the fishing closer to home.
Fingers crossed for that Puget Sound forecast.
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