Fishinmaniac Loc: SW Washington

Egg, yes it’s hard to trust the “science” when the results don’t correspond with what we fishermen are experiencing in real time. It is true that most of the science is funded by government agencies and environmental groups/agencies with their prescribed agendas. But, they are the one’s who have the funding. There has been some good work done but as I stated earlier it needs to be improved.
I do believe that there are answers out there that haven’t been verified or discovered for the devastation that they are causing to our Steelhead and Salmon.
I think it is a combination of many factors and they aren’t just biological or environmental.
I will continue to get behind and support any group who is willing to commit time and resources to solving this problem. It isn’t going to solve itself. I see the effects, but I am not qualified to study the problem from biological perspective so I will continue to encourage any work that can be done on the issue.
After all, think about what the alternative is.
I will try to continue to be optimistic and be thankful for days like I had yesterday where I was fortunate enough to tangle with a couple of fish even though they were scrawny and spawned out.

Fishinmaniac Loc: SW Washington

Yes, good points Jeremy!

Egghead

I would love to catch a couple scrawny fish lol . It's been awhile.

Jeremy Loc: America

I agree FM that there could be some ( not explored yet) things to try. If the fix had been discovered the problem would be on the decline. Look at our plastic problem in the ocean. That is worth trying too. A young guy discovered a way to collect it . I say go for it. There is so much dissolved into the water at this point it’s in a microscopic form in most of the sea creatures. Had we realized it in the first few decades of using plastic it probably could of been prevented. One thing that usually slows our reaction to doing the right thing is cost. I think the latest technology on getting the huge island of plastic out of the ocean involves collecting and recycling it. That is what helped with cost.

Fishinmaniac Loc: SW Washington

Yes, the plastic issue is one of those issues being “studied” but only the one independent group is working to solve it.
The Pacific rim countries all contribute to the pollution and they should all be combining resources to clean it up....just my opinion.

Egghead

I agree totally with that FM. Plastic wouldn't be as a big of a problem if people really cared. Some/Alot of people just exist,to many don't care. Sh@t rolls down hill,I live towards the top of the hill. Even clear up here in our lakes and rivers the trash us unreal.but there's more that care. We clean the lakes, beaches,shore lines rivers trails. Who knows why it's acceptable to some to throw trash out.things would probably be different if fines for littering were higher.

Fishinmaniac Loc: SW Washington

It’s a sad testament to human nature that we have still have to worry about people littering and/or compromising our environment by irresponsibly discarding their unwanted items.
Like you, I regularly pick up trash along my stream. Surprisingly a lot of what I pick up is fishing related packaging and discarded monofilament.
You would think that fishermen should be better stewards!

Kerry Hansen Loc: Bremerton, WA

I wouldn't call those assholes fishermen.

Jeremy Loc: America

I agree . The rest of the world won’t take the liberal lead and give dam about the Environment. China is finally starting to ( for awhile now). But in my opinion in this country there is too much disagreements about if the environment matters. A good buddy on here was forwarding factual information about what was being dumped here in the US. His posts got deleted. The same feeling that many of us have had when our statements get deleted because someone doesn’t agree with them and runs to an adm... to me it’s childish. If you disagree and don’t care if the water is ever drinkable and the shores are covered with garbage and chemicals just ignore it and go troll somewhere else. Some of us on fishingstage do give a dam about life... fish... the earth... clean air. Some of us are well studied and really care. Sorry if I offend those that think the environment is theirs and only theirs to destroy I think it’s everyone’s responsibility to try and preserve it. I know the majority will still use gasoline and other fuels to live life but there is a difference on caring for it and constantly saying it’s all bogus. It would be awesome if the rest of of the world would get educated on the topic and do something along side the US about it instead of claiming it’s all bogus. In my opinion it’s the same thing. Do something towards it and give a dam or ignore it and constantly say it’s the stupid people that think we hurt the environment. I understand we usually learn our ways from our parents or grandparents etc but more people and longer amount of time will just prove more and more the crazy hippies way back when crying the blues were actually right about protecting the environment. I where a cowboy hat I love rodeo and all the good stuff country folk do. But I definitely think we should care about the environment.

Whitey Loc: Southeast ohio

There ya go I agree whole heartedly

Big TC Loc: Raytown, MO.

Like jail time. Most people just scoff at fines, especially when they're small. I think it's time for some fisherman to band together and apply for a grant (1 that doesn't have to be paid back) to study the problems worldwide.
I know a few years back, a friend of mine went to Nigeria Falls both sides (USA and Canada). He abserved on the Canadian side that companies were dumping their waist into the river. Canada doesn't care it's going into the good ole USA and what's left on out to the ocean.

StlhdSlayer Loc: Portland, Oregon

L.W. Loc: Spokane Valley, Washington

I am only 20 minutes from Idaho their still open .

oldsalt Loc: Holland Pa

Agree with everything you said Jeremy. Feel like I could write volumes on pollution: acid rain, fertilizer runoff, etc. But I'll go in a different direction - Loss of habitat. Every time some swamp, wetlands or marsh gets developed, we lose a nursery. They are incubators of life - especially marine life. They are the bottom of the food chain and a place where our beloved striped bass (and others) live their early lives. Decline of ocean fish stocks is well documented and we have ourselves to blame.

Fishinmaniac Loc: SW Washington

Not mandatory.
I wish that I could say that there is still a “wild” or “native” strain of fish on the Washougal. I used to catch fish in the 16-20 lb range on a regular basis, but it is rare now. The dilution of the gene pool is evident in the physical composition of the fish. They are thinner, shorter, and don’t have the “shoulders” of a true blood native fish.
I participated in “survey” fishing for the WDFW on the Washougal about 10 years ago. This is where fishermen volunteer to fish during the closed part of the season to collect DNA via a tail punch from any “full fin” fish caught. These samples are turned in at a designated boat launch site to a WDFW biologist. When you register you are assured that you will be provided with the results of the “study”. That never happened.
This program was initiated back when the state was trying to determine which rivers still had native stocks worthy of ESA endangered stock designation. Many of us here on the Washougal where already critical of the fin clip requirement due to the fact that 50+ years of hatchery release had obviously diluted the genes. Now I can honestly say there is little difference in the appearance of the fish. The full fin, naturally spawned fish do show more vigor and fight like a true native compared to the hatchery version.
I do keep most hatchery fish that I catch simply because I can’t be sure that they will return to the hatchery and be trapped. The two spawned out fish that I caught earlier this week are proof of that.
I won’t kill a fish just because it’s hatchery though. These spawned out hens would not be good table fare. It also would be disrespectful to the amazing journey that they have completed during this cycle of their life.
They are proven survivors. Perhaps they can make it out and back again.