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Yakima report and WDFW parking permit fine question

4326 Views 48 Replies 22 Participants Last post by  Steelheader69, 
codswallower
2
Fished Saturday up and downstream from Irene. Lots of fish to hand, nothing larger than 12 inches. I did catch a fish on both of the flies in my dropper rig at the same time though. Double rainbow all the way!

There's a sign on the bridge at Irene saying that the river is closed to floating between Irene and Ringer. Which made me think that stretch was probably getting less pressure than other sections around Ellensburg. So I started fishing at Ringer at 7am on Sunday and hiked upriver to the water treatment plant. And it turned out to be true. I saw one driftboat and two bank anglers the entire day. Again, lots of fish to hand but this time many of them where quite healthy in size. I had the most success with lightning bugs and flashback pheasant tails in sizes 16 to 20. But all the big fish where taken on dries.

At one point I had a pretty hard hit on my orange strike indicator. So I tied on a big orange hopper pattern and took the cut in the photo on the first cast over the same spot. Sweet. Also the first cut I've taken on the Yak.

Around noon the october caddis hatch went off and I got 3 rainbows in the 14-16 inch range in around a half an hour. All of them in water that was deep and fast.

I've seen a lot of elk tracks around the river over the years but I'd never seen any elk. Yesterday I was coming around a sharp bend in the river behind a huge log jam and I heard this really weird whistling sound. At first I thought I was going to come across someone whistling up their dog but as I came around the log jam I saw a herd of elk standing in the river drinking. They didn't let me get too close before they took off so the picture's not very good. The male had a rack that seemed almost as tall as he was.

Just a word of warning to anybody who wants to hike this section. It's a pretty ardous hike with lots of bushwacking. It also requires about 6 river crossings which might be less doable when the river's running higher than the 1500 cfs it was at yesterday. I can see why floating is being discouraged. Lots of tight spots with low hanging vegetation and one log spans the whole river about a mile up from Ringer with 6 inches of water going over it and the rest going under.

The bummer of the day was to get back to my car and find a ticket for parking in the Ringer lot without displaying my WDFW permit, which was sitting on the passenger side floor. The fine is for $136! For not displaying a permit that was free with my fishing license!

If anybody has experience contesting one of these tickets, please let me know how it went.
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Mumbles
Cool photos and nice trip report. Derek Young took me down that stretch during the high flows and that stretch just below Irene was pretty dang cool.

I also enjoyed one of those tickets, which apparently was caused when my crappy mirror holder could not handle the wind as I had left my windows cracked slightly. Mine too was on the passenger floor. My mitigation hearing is being done electronically and should be seen by the Judge on October 13th. Until then I don't know if I'll be paying $136, more for wasting their time, or less because I've provided them enough digital photos and letters to persuade them that I did in fact have said parking permit and attempted to display it as required. Best of luck to us both.
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orangeradish
Sounds like you had a pretty good day, ticket aside. I've always wondered why the pass is needed. If you have a fishing lic, you are good to go. If not, you'll get hit eventually. Seems like an un-needed extra bureaucratic thingy.
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Steelheader69
Unfortunately A LOT of people park there who don't fish. And the rules are that you have to have that pass in plain view on the windshield I do believe. Mumbles case is one thing but you unfortunately were in violation. Sucks but true. That permit isn't just for fisherman guys. Its for anyone who wants to access those WDFW areas (including nature siteseers, rafters, and people stopping for a riverside lunch, etc)

Great report. We slayed them as well on the Yak on Saturday.
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Steelheader69
Unfortunately A LOT of people park there who don't fish. And the rules are that you have to have that pass in plain view on the windshield I do believe. Mumbles case is one thing but you unfortunately were in violation. Sucks but true. That permit isn't just for fisherman guys. Its for anyone who wants to access those WDFW areas (including nature siteseers, rafters, and people stopping for a riverside lunch, etc)

Great report. We slayed them as well on the Yak on Saturday.
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JesseC
Jerry Daschofsky said:
Unfortunately A LOT of people park there who don't fish. And the rules are that you have to have that pass in plain view on the windshield I do believe. Mumbles case is one thing but you unfortunately were in violation. Sucks but true. That permit isn't just for fisherman guys. Its for anyone who wants to access those WDFW areas (including nature siteseers, rafters, and people stopping for a riverside lunch, etc)

Great report. We slayed them as well on the Yak on Saturday.
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It's a good rule. The summer months get really crowded with recreational users and that parking lot would be swamped with a tailgate party vibe if it wasn't for the wdfw enforcement. I've even been there when they have the truck parked and check people coming in to make sure they have permits. I guess that's a nicer way to do it than writing tickets.

Sorry you forgot to put it up though - but thanks for the reminder! And thanks for the nice report!
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Blake Harmon
Is it not true that they can run your plates to see if you have the license/parking permit?
I guess this wouldn't work if you weren't the registered owner of the vehicle. which is probably why they wouldn't rely on it.
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Old Man
It used to piss me off when I lived in Washington and had all the things required to fish legally. Then in the summer time all the river floaters would show up and park at the access and not one had a sticker on their autos. I never ever saw any of them get tickets.

I guess a lot has changed in the four years I've been away.
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Mumbles
Blake Harmon said:
Is it not true that they can run your plates to see if you have the license/parking permit?
I guess this wouldn't work if you weren't the registered owner of the vehicle. which is probably why they wouldn't rely on it.
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Blake, I'm fairly certain that they can run your plates, but it would take them using their Mobile Computer Terminals, if their vehicles are so equipped. If not they would have to contact a dispatcher thereby tying up them and that dispatcher. I can see the logic in issuing the citation car side if the pass is not visible. I had put mine up, but I have a bulky mirror attachment, not just a small post. The pass does not sit there well. Worst case I've learned a costly lesson that will prevent my next career from being in Fish and Wildlife Enforcement. Best case they will slap me silly and call it a good lesson learned with no additional issues. Ed
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Luke77
Blake, I'm going to assume that whoever issued the fine was probably NOT WDFW, but rather a deputy or statey who knows that parking their requires the yellow tag. That being said, no, they don't have terminals that will check to see if you have a fishing/hunting license and they most certainly are not going to waste their time calling WDFW to check just to save you the ticket. It's much easier to scratch you then investigate all that...after all, having it not displayed properly is all they need to know to scratch.
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Steelheader69
Luke its the WDFW who usually writes the tickets and I've seen them on writing sprees at Ringer during the float season.

And no those tags aren't issued to a vehicle. Running a plate means nothing since they hand you a blank tag and YOU are to write in which 2 vehicles you want to use it with.
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Steelheader69
Luke its the WDFW who usually writes the tickets and I've seen them on writing sprees at Ringer during the float season.

And no those tags aren't issued to a vehicle. Running a plate means nothing since they hand you a blank tag and YOU are to write in which 2 vehicles you want to use it with.
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JesseC
Jerry -you're a little trigger happy today. Weekend of upland game hunting gone wrong? Looks like every post you're doubling up.
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codswallower
If they have the technology to find out my name, address, phone number etc, they have the technology to find out if I have a fishing license and, thereby, a parking permit. But then they can't ding me for $136. I look on this as an undeclared tax levy by Kittitas county.
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Luke77
Jerry Daschofsky said:
Luke its the WDFW who usually writes the tickets and I've seen them on writing sprees at Ringer during the float season.

And no those tags aren't issued to a vehicle. Running a plate means nothing since they hand you a blank tag and YOU are to write in which 2 vehicles you want to use it with.
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Interesting Jerry, last I heard, they were hemorrhaging financially pretty bad and couldn't afford new officers. I would have thought they handed it off to the sheriff's offices. Good to know...
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Luke77
codswallower said:
If they have the technology to find out my name, address, phone number etc, they have the technology to find out if I have a fishing license and, thereby, a parking permit. But then they can't ding me for $136. I look on this as an undeclared tax levy by Kittitas county.
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Like I said, if it's WDFW, then I'm guessing they DO have that technology, but if the citation was issued by Kittitas county, then I'm almost positive they don't.
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Mike
When we signed our licenses we agreed to the terms below.

Do I Need a Vehicle Use Permit?

Anyone entering or using a WDFW improved access facility is required to display a current WDFW Vehicle Use Permit. (See Revised Code of Washington 77.32.380). Access sites facilities are clearly identified areas specifically created for vehicle parking and recreational use activities. View WDFW Wildlife Areas and Water Access Sites.
• Vehicle Use Permits may designate up to two vehicles for use.
• Licence vendors will provide purchasers (free of charge) with a rear view mirror placard for displaying the vehicle use permit.
• Permits must be placed in full view from outside the vehicle. Please have the license plate number(s) of the vehicle written in the space provided on the permit.

Time to pay up for the oversight. Bet it won't happen again.
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Steelheader69
Sorry guys. Its my smartphone (ain't that smart lol) that's doing it. I hit reply once and its doubling up for some reason.

Onto checking to see if you have a license. I have 3 vehicles and 1 permit. How would they know if the vehicle I'm driving is the one I wrote down on the permit?

And yes I've personally have seen the WDFW officer several times at Ringer. I know the difference from a sheriff and the WDFW. Hell I've seen them writing tickets several times at White bridge and Black Creek on the Nooch. Like I said it sucks.
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Steelheader69
Sorry guys. Its my smartphone (ain't that smart lol) that's doing it. I hit reply once and its doubling up for some reason.

Onto checking to see if you have a license. I have 3 vehicles and 1 permit. How would they know if the vehicle I'm driving is the one I wrote down on the permit?

And yes I've personally have seen the WDFW officer several times at Ringer. I know the difference from a sheriff and the WDFW. Hell I've seen them writing tickets several times at White bridge and Black Creek on the Nooch. Like I said it sucks.
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B
Here is my issue with people and the parking fines. You are giving the mirror placard thing for a reason, so you can hang the parking pass which makes it easier for an officer to see. WDFW Officers are busy, they are not going to spend the time looking at your seats, back windows, side windows and so on to find the pass, when you were suppose to hang it on your mirror. You were in violation, pay the fine.

Heck for sno-parks pass it is required that the sticker be on the lower left portion of the windshield. If it is anywhere else other then the lower left you can be ticketed.

I never knew it was that hard to put a access pass on your mirror....
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