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FYI: Boat-ban suggested for Klickitat, Hoh, other rivers

22K views 159 replies 59 participants last post by  Deceased 
#1 ·
#3 ·
There's undoubtedly seniors and mobility challenged individuals that would likely give up fishing were it not for the occasional float. Them aside, I'd love to see a ban like that. Fish deserve significant places of refuge in the river where they are difficult to fish too. Boats virtually eliminate that.
 
#4 ·
Not sure how I feel about the sol duc and calawah changes.

Guides can't effectively fish clients from the bank in these sections and therefore will move into already crowded zones which I can't imagine will change the overall impact by much. The impact is already minimal in the proposed sections relative to the tamer flows surrounding, so it would make more sense to me to place the ban on the more crowded areas BUT I can see why they didn't go there ; )
 
#5 ·
Not sure how I feel about the sol duc and calawah changes.

Guides can't effectively fish clients from the bank in these sections and therefore will move into already crowded zones which I can't imagine will change the overall impact by much. The impact is already minimal in the proposed sections relative to the tamer flows surrounding, so it would make more sense to me to place the ban on the more crowded areas BUT I can see why they didn't go there ; )
Those are the only two rivers I wasn't fully in agreeance on as well. The Duc has been getting absolutely hammered... But so has every other river out there. I think the Hoh, at least above 101, absolutely needs that regulation.
 
#7 ·
This would be Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
G
#78 ·
I agree with this regulation on the Klick. It's not saying you can't still boat, but you need to stop, get out, and fish a hole/run and then move to the next. I see nothing wrong with this.
OMFG!!! I dont care how you word this, if you want to protect,then stop fishing. Period!!!! Oh wait,we can just takeaway someone else's fishing style,thats the answer......from a hater!!
I think we should ban boats on all rivers including the yak, then we'll see who the fishers are, This is another attempt by the Elitist to mess up the gear guys so they can have the river to themselfs. If you want to save the steelhead ban fishing for them all togather and let the runs rebuild.
 
#9 ·
nobody's fishing "style" is impacted. you can drift fish, float fish, plug fish (side planer), spoon fish, spinner fish, bait fish, bead fish, bobberdog, and fly fish under these regs. you just have to do all of that while standing on terra firma.

if you have to fish out of a boat, fish tiny baits, and kill loads of juvenile and resident trout along with sea-run cutthroat and never stop fishing because there is no c&r limit even if you have your one wild steelhead on ice then maybe you should reconsider your "style."
 
#12 ·
I'm surprised the Methow wasn't listed.
 
#15 ·
Ok, keep in mind that I primarily wade fish for steelhead. I think I've fished from a boat like once in 3-4 years. However, in the spirit of food for thought, I have often wondered if we should outlaw wade fishing and require all angling to be from a boat. I see anglers trampling redds constantly, fly and gear. It has ocurred to me that this might be worse than boats, IF boats were prohibited from anchoring and only allowed to launch in designated spots (to control shore and bank damage). Like I said, just food for thought. It shouldn't impact anyone's choosen method anymore than 'no boat' angling and would serve to protect redds and our future fish. I will have to read the report though as I respect WSC's opinion.
 
#16 ·
From talking to some biologists I fish with, anglers trampling redds is typically not much of an issue, even in high traffic areas. Not saying we should be careless, but they say the weight of the average human isn't enough to really do damage to a redd in most situations. Just what I've been told, I have little else to back that up.
 
#18 ·
I think limiting the number of guides would be a better option for most those rivers.
That would be a good step in my opinion, though tough to enforce. Those that get pushed out will resort to "taking buddies fishing." the same buddies who like to pitch in $400 for the gas and shuttle.

I'd like to see at least a few of our rivers managed as quality fisheries. Right now, WDFW doesn't seem to care about that as far as fish go. There are plenty of quality hunt areas... Why not a quality fishery?
 
#21 ·
Excellant.The Thompson River was regulated as such alledgedly due to B.R.and his ilk hammering Steelhead at Spences Bridge-I understand they were hotshotting.No-one seems to have suffered.Boats are still used on the Thompson-you are just not supposed to fish out of them and have to stand on shore [or sit in a chair if you wish].
A fair amount of shuttling goes on from Spences Bridge.I have a couple of jet boats and wouldn't mind if there was a boat ban on such quality rivers
 
#22 ·
We definitely need more regulations -- the WA fisheries pamphlet is borderline anemic as it is currently written. :rolleyes:

Sorry, just had to get that out -- Ira's to blame as he primed the pump. I agree that some rivers (or sections of rivers) might be better off not allowing fishing from floating craft. The Deschutes is managed this way and it works. As has been noted, fishing from boats allows natural holding spots to simply get hammered. While they may still be accessible from shore or wading, the pressure would be significantly reduced. With increasing pressure on these systems, changes like this are inevitable.
 
#23 ·
I'll play devil's advocate on this issue.

While we squander the remaining resource and allow large impacts go unchecked such as non compliant fish screens, perched culverts, diking, fish blockages, unregulated guiding and a host of other problems, we continue bickering among ourselves on such issues as two-rod endorsements, fishing out of boats, fish allocation and wild steelhead retention, among others.

We don't need more government, rules, and regulations in our fishing. We need to address the bigger problems that are actually impacting the fish populations.

I fish out of a pontoon boat, often anchoring because I have a really good boat for doing it. While it wouldn't necessarily bother me to get out and fish from the bank, I would prefer to keep that option open to me. If it resolves a social issue, that is one thing. But studies show that harvest, let alone catch and release steelhead fishing is not the limiting factor to recovery. While I understand we need to implement actions that will aid recovery of wild steelhead, adopting rules that prohibit angling from boats would be pretty futile in recovery efforts.

Think about all of the already crowded spring-time steelhead fisheries and what it would be like if there was no angling from boats. You will be crowding all the anglers in a handful of rivers onto gravel bars that already have too much traffic as it is. You'd have to setup a number system like you see at the Department of Motor Vehicles just to get a chance to fish through a run.

If WDFW, NOAA Fish, USFWS, and the tribes want to get serious about wild steelhead recovery, there are dozens of actions that will have a greater affect than to prohibit fishing out of boats.

I'll start a list:

Prohibit the harvest and selling of wild fish statewide
Remove all bag limits of exotic fish in the Columbia (bass,walleye, etc.)
Enforce HPA permits
Monitor and enforce activities that are found to be non-compliant
Prohibit bait in streams year round.
Implement a guiding program that limits guides and waters that can be fished
Increase license fees
Implement a statewide steelhead tag (like what is required for the Columbia)
Ensure hatchery reform recommendations are being implemented
Mark all hatchery steelhead
Review ESA take permits
All fisheries statewide must be selective (selective in that unmarked fish must be returned alive to the water)

As you scroll down the list (there are many more) the pressures of society make most of these options nonviable. But again, if folks want to get serious about recovery, drastic measures must take place. And I'm extremely pessimistic that we have the wherewithal to make those changes. So, we will continue to gradually slide downhill to extirpation while we argue about something as trivial as fishing out of a boat.
 
#24 ·
I Think this would take a lot of opportunities away from fishermen, increase crowds in accessible spots, and do little to benefit the fish.

There needs to be a way to separate the men from the boys in the guide community. For as backwards and bureaucratic as ts state is, why is guiding like the wild west? Guides should be required to carry insurance, be licensed, have basic first aid and pay taxes like the rest of us. Every idiot with a drift boat is a "guide" around here. There are too many who are just in it to make a buck and their actions show that they have nothhing vested in the long term success of these fisheries.

You want to solve the problem? Figure out a way to grant the "autonomous" nations the autonomy they proclaim to already have.
 
#25 ·
"In Germany they came first for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time no one was left to speak up.”
--Martin Niemöller, 1945
 
#33 ·
"In Germany they came first for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time no one was left to speak up."U
--Martin Niemöller, 1945
Which WSC proposals are most Nazi-like?

Is it the ban on all harvest of wild steelhead?
Is it the ban on all harvest of resident rainbows?
Or is it just the no fishing out of boats on a few stretches of river that is most Nazi-like?

Seems like it is only fascist when you disagree with the rule.

There should be a discussion and debate on the issue of boat bans but equating fishing rule changes to Nazi Germany adds nothing to the debate.
 
#26 ·
The Thompson is an excellent example. No fishing from boats and look at how that run has rebounded... Bwahahaha! Sorry, I know.... It's not funny at all. The numbers are in the toilet and we continue to dance around the issues that really affect our fisheries.

So, ban angling from boats if it makes you feel better. Or just stop fishing for them. Not fishing for them at all would lead to the biggest impact. Because without fishermen as the fishes advocate they stand no chance. Do you really think anyone who buys steelhead at The Market really gives a crap whether or not WE have a season?

Get out of your boat if you feel likes that's what is best for the fish.

It's like an alcoholic giving up whiskey yet still drinking beer and wine. The liver ain't getting any better.
 
#56 ·
The Thompson is an excellent example. No fishing from boats and look at how that run has rebounded... Bwahahaha! Sorry, I know.... It's not funny at all. The numbers are in the toilet and we continue to dance around the issues that really affect our fisheries.

So, ban angling from boats if it makes you feel better. Or just stop fishing for them. Not fishing for them at all would lead to the biggest impact. Because without fishermen as the fishes advocate they stand no chance. Do you really think anyone who buys steelhead at The Market really gives a crap whether or not WE have a season?

Get out of your boat if you feel likes that's what is best for the fish.

It's like an alcoholic giving up whiskey yet still drinking beer and wine. The liver ain't getting any better.[/quot

Unfortuantely the Thompson run hasn't rebounded and that is a shame.However if we had of kept on fishing every holding area for these magestic fish with roe/sand shrimp/hotshots/side planers etc I think the numbers might be even less.GPS marking and marking the redds with colored rocks meant that holding fish could be targeted within a few feet.Much easier to do if you can sit above them in a boat with a fishfinder etc.
 
#29 ·
I just skimmed through the proposal and on the penisula rivers the rule would be from feb. 1st to november 30th, on the Sol Duc from the hatchery to the bridge above KLahowa, the Bogey from 101 upstream to the park, the calawah from 101 to the confuence and the Hoh from Morgans crossing to the park. While I think you will still get alot of kick back from boat anglers, there is still plenty of water for them to fish and their hatchery fishery is still intact. It seems reasonable to me, but I rarely fish from a boat in those rivers.
 
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#32 ·
BDD
I think that list is a great start, but even if all those were in place and there were 10x the fish something else would take place. What would that be? Well, for starters, the word would spread even more so that the “said” river(s) had tons of fish and that would bring even more ppl in boats and on shore. Why? I believe there is a correlation between number of fish and number of fishermen. Are tons of fish going to bring out tons more anglers? I think so.

IT really sucks to be swinging a run, and have 10 boats go by, and some of them tossing their bobbers and nymphs in the run when they get 20 yds past you, or even worse, never pick up and just fish right over you. If there were more fish, that would cause even more boats to do the same.

If a rule were in place that made people get off their ass, and get out of a boat, would it help the situation? I believe so. Are certain spots going to be crowded? Probably, but it might open up more spots that are a little tougher to get to. I think the overall effect is a good thing, especially if you look at the Deschutes and the Sandy River in Oregon. Both require you to fish from the shore.
 
#34 ·
If you fished the Klick as much as I do, and have seen and heard about certain guide programs that include GPS coordinates for every fish they have landed on the bead, you may feel that a boat fishing ban is a little more appropriate. I own a boat, and have run the bobber game just like the rest......but I honestly feel as though this is a good step for those wild fish. They just get throttled for months on end, as Evan has stated above. All this libertarian rabble rousing is interesting though.......
 
#36 ·
I think the klick is in a whole other debate compared to the OP rivers. The OP fish, for the most part, roll in and spawn in a relatively quick manner. The Klick fish roll in all summer long looking for a place to chill til next spring. They find a nice bucket to hang out and will have beads by the dozen hitting them in the face every day from June to November since the guys on that river know exactly where they like to chill for a bit.

I think some restraint needs to be shown in some of these fisheries. I have started to try this myself, limiting my klikitat fishing to one trip last year, and only one real OP trip this winter. I just don't feel like my adding to the problem is something I want to let happen any more. There are still plenty of fisheries that I'll employ a variety of methods and boat fishing on, but I think the ones listed here are special cases that were due to be dealt with.
 
#35 ·
If a rule were in place that made people get off their ass, and get out of a boat, would it help the situation? I believe so. Are certain spots going to be crowded? Probably, but it might open up more spots that are a little tougher to get to. I think the overall effect is a good thing, especially if you look at the Deschutes and the Sandy River in Oregon. Both require you to fish from the shore.[/quote]

They'll get me out of my driftboat when they pry my cold, dead ass out of the rowing seat. : )
 
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