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Sauk River Rules

6K views 42 replies 22 participants last post by  Shamoo 
#1 ·
On page 35 of the general regulations it states "Internal combustion motors prohibited." That rule did not go away for the C&R season. If you or someone you know is the one running their sled up it in higher water, knock it the fuck off.
 
#3 ·
An angler can use a motor boat for transportation legally and then get out and wade fish. It's that whole, "not fishing from a boat equipped with a motor" rule. If they're fishing from the motor boat, get the numbers and report them.

Remember, WDFW cannot restrict navigation. They can only restrict fishing, as in no fishing from a floating device or no fishing from a boat equipped with a motor, or like on the Skagit, no fishing from a boat with a motor while the motor is running. Man, that's a lot to keep track of.
 
#9 ·
It used to be legal to motor the Sauk. That went away like a decade ago.
 
#10 ·
The county has jurisdiction over navigation, not WDFW. Unless there's been a change in state law that I don't know about, my contention is that the WDFW restriction on I.C. motors applies only to fishing and not to navigation. For example, what would a WDFW agent do if a non-angler drives a jet boat up the Sauk? Clearly not fishing from a motor boat. An angler with fishing gear on board who stops the boat and gets out and wade fishes has always been legal in the past. Count me as surprised if it's any different now.
 
#13 ·
That was the same year they prohibited internal combustion above Marblemount for seemingly no reason. Seems longer ago than that. It pissed a few guys off I know besides me.

I guess we have all been fooled according to Salmo.
 
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#16 · (Edited)
Is the Sauk considered a navigable waterway? I ask because it seems like they can regulate propulsion on lakes, which if small enough I assume are not considered navigable waters? I know navigable waters fall under USCG jurisdiction in some regard.

lol I don't know what I'm talking about
Absolutely. There's waterways that are a tiny fraction of the size of the Sauk that are navigable and are thus "waters of the United States."

My understanding was similar to Salmo_g's, except that I thought it was more a question of federal pre-emption than County vs. State purview. As a navigable waterway, I think the Sauk would be one of the "waters of the united states" and prohibiting travel would probably be an infringement on the right to "freedom of movement" under the Privileges and Immunities clause of the constitution. The state, under the 10th amendment, would get a carveout for "police powers" (public health/safety/welfare) which would probably allow closing a river to navigation or specifying allowable modes of transportation for safety reasons, but probably not for fishing reasons.

Edit: yeah, riverrun's right. It's right there in the definition for "Internal Combustion Motors Prohibited" that it actually means "no fishing from boat equipped with internal combustion motor." I wouldn't have thought a phrase like that would get a definition. Seems like the fine-print really changes the common-sense reading.
 
#20 ·
Ah, the nice hum of a jet right when you get to the sweet spot of the run.... Just because it's legal doesn't mean it's cool. Especially with drift boats coming down and as busy as it sounds like it has been.
I saw a lot of close calls on the Sky in the 90's (including me and my neighbor in his little 15' sportcar of a sled) and it has way more room than the Sauk.
 
#25 ·
As Salmo g posted WDFW has only the authority to regulate the time, place and manner of how we fish but not how we get to the "hippie bar".

The history of the fishing from boats equipped with motors on the Sauk goes back at least in the 1970s. Such restriction has always had a spilt interest and has come a gone as various folks lobbied for their interest. There was a period in the 1980s that one could have fished from a motor boat on the Sauk during the general season but not the CnR season where as part of the selective gear regulation packet (single barbless hooks, no bait, etc.) was the fishing from boats equipped with motors. With regulation changes in 2008 where the Sauk was placed under CnR requirement (excepted for hatchery steelhead -fin clipped) and selective gear rules whenever the Sauk is open for fishing there should be consist regulations including fishing from boats equipped with motor prohibition.

We often see speed limits, motor boat prohibitions etc. from other entities that have authority to regulate such actives - for example various county rules on a variety of lakes. If folks were truly limiting jet boats on the Sauk the best approach maybe through the USFS under the Sauk's designation as a "wild and scenic river". When I looked that designation the USFS was some pretty wide power and one could make the case for they eliminate those jet boats as being incompatible with the wild and scenic rivers. They also have the responsibility regulate the fishing guides which they are required to permit. Potentially they could limit the number of guides permitted to work the Sauk or potential even whether such activity should be allowed. It has long been clear that the USFS is unlikely to take on these issues without outside pressure.

BTW - Jets boats have been seen on the Sauk as far upstream as Darrington.

Curt
 
#27 · (Edited)
I saw sled traffic on the Sauk go way down when they banned internal combustion engines in the regs. It wasn’t unusual at all 20 years ago to run up the Sauk from the Skagit.

This clarification makes me dislike WDFW even more if that was possible. The regs should say no fishing from a floating device with a motor if that is what they actually mean.
 
#28 ·
HauntedByWaters -
The problem is that according to Webster one (first definition) of Motor is-"anything that produces motion". After discussion that the specific concern was just internal combustion motors which is exactly what is covered under the rules.

Expanding the rule to all motors would eliminate even oars. Such move would eliminate fishing from an anchored boat, pulling plugs, side drifting etc. which I'm sure would be support by many here those activities were not the concerns that were being addressed by the internal combustion motor .

Curt
 
#29 ·
Maybe it is just me, but it seems it would be easier if they used the same verbiage for both the Skagit and the Sauk for the spring season.

Just looking at the Sauk, I just don’t see the need for sleds on that size of river. It reminds me of folks taking sleds way up the east fork of the Satsop. In both cases it is ridiculous in my opinion.
SF

Skagit:
Fishing is prohibited from a vessel that is under power.

Sauk:
Fishing is prohibited from a vessel equipped with a motor.
 
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#30 ·
Maybe it is just me, but it seems it would be easier if they used the same verbiage for both the Skagit and the Sauk for the spring season.

Just looking at the Sauk, I just don't see the need for sleds on that size of river. It reminds me of folks taking sleds way up the east fork of the Satsop. In both cases it is ridiculous in my opinion.
SF

Skagit:
Fishing is prohibited from a vessel that is under power.

Sauk:
Fishing is prohibited from a vessel equipped with a motor.
Skagit:
Fishing is prohibited from a vessel that is under power.

Sauk:
Fishing is prohibited from a vessel equipped with a motor.

Sauk:
Internal Combustion motors prohibited.

I don't see a problem here. Not confusing in the slightest. So in the Skagit, if your using your oars you can't fish?
 
#32 ·
I agree that regardless of regulation that it's tacky to drive sleds well up the Sauk, especially upstream of the Suiattle. That gets to be some pretty skinny water where the channel braids begin. Maybe it's time to lobby the Skagit and Snohomish County Commissions to ban ICE boats on the Sauk. I think it would be a rather small minority who would oppose it.
 
#38 ·
As soon they seen Chris, John and me they corked the next two runs as we were in a drift boat and him and his little buddy were In a sled. But at least I didn't have to change 6 tires in the dark in a different state in an area with little cell coverage or any kind of services around!
 
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