Northwest Fishing Reports

I'm wondering why it is they plant fish right before the opener? It truly seems counter-productive as most will be gone in two weeks basically. Why not plant directly after the season ends (especially in lakes that are seasonal, but even in year round lakes it would help), let the fish grow some, maybe smarten up a bit and keep the fishing better for more of the season instead of just the opening weeks?

Well, just remember that they are planted for the purpose of being caught. If they are mostly all caught in the first few weeks of the opener, then to the state it is mission accomplished. I understand your thinking though.... as an angler my thoughts would be to let these fish grow for 9 months until opening day and then us anglers are happy. Also some lakes get hit really bad by birds taking fish.

Aside from birds, most of the planter lakes can't support the numbers of fish planted in them.

Personally I think the better solution would be to lower the daily limit to 2 or 3, and increase the minimum size to 14 or 16 inches in lakes.

But we live in a quantity > quality state

bionic_one wrote:Aside from birds, most of the planter lakes can't support the numbers of fish planted in them.

Personally I think the better solution would be to lower the daily limit to 2 or 3, and increase the minimum size to 14 or 16 inches in lakes.

But we live in a quantity > quality state

I like this idea. I think the next step would be figuring out how to enforce the limits better. How do you stop those morons who think they are practicing catch and release when using a 1/4 pound of powerbait and then pulling a fishes guts out to remove the hook, then NOT counting it against their limit?

Clearly there needs to be more enforcement; but how would that happen?

1. Raise the costs of licences? no that won't make people happy
2. Raise taxes? no that won't happen
3. Have WDFW personnel focus on giving out more fines? that might help
4. Increase the amount fined for infractions? that would probably help

They are planted to be caught. Put and take hatchery lakes appeal to people who want to get their limit of 5 fish. If you want quality fish, search out some selective reg lakes. They are out there. I'm talking lakes with one or 2 fish limits with fish over a certain size.

The other reason they stock em right before the opener is that those fish don't usually survive well in lakes. They get thinned out pretty hard by eagles and other cormorants. They also have no survival instincts since they've spent their life in a cement pond eating pellets that are regularly fed to them. Doesn't translate well when you throw them in a lake and expect them to survive.

[quote="bionic_one"]Clearly there needs to be more enforcement]

FYI:
Money from fines do not go to the WDFW. it goes to the county.

I'd more than welcome an increase in cost in licenses if it meant that there was some improvements made in several areas.

Increased fine amounts, I'd also welcome that.

As it is, the WDFW isn't given a very high budget and that is why they have trouble being present everywhere. Per county, there are VERY FEW game wardens, certainly would like to see more as it's been 3 years since I've seen one, and I spent 60-80 days fishing per year.

Oh trust me, I know where to get big fish and most places I fish are pretty outta the way anyhow never even seeing plants. I just don't understand why people want to take home five, skinny 10-12 inch fish that probably don't even taste good cuz they're fish tank fish. I would totally be for smaller limits (at least in smaller lakes) and I've ALWAYS been for not keeping small fish (most times I'm C&R'n anyhow). It'd just be nice to see some planted late season too in order to mix it up, even if it has to be smaller numbers planted. Besides, right now, all the eagles for the most part are after salmon anyhow. Definitely start fining people more too if they're breakin the law too with unpaid fines leading to no ability to buy license after that until fines and late fees paid.

VooDuuChild wrote:I just don't understand why people want to take home five, skinny 10-12 inch fish that probably don't even taste good cuz they're fish tank fish.

Ever take a youngster fishing for the first time? See the joy in their face when they catch what seems to be a huge fish to them?

You won't get any argument from me on the quality of said fish as table fare, but even larger, well fed trout will taste like crap if left on a stringer in warm water, which is what most people do. Having said that, I'll bet I could make those planter trout taste pretty good (not that I plan to do so) because I know how to take care of them before they get to the table.

I don't take part in the opening day put and take thing, not my cup o tea, but to those that do, more power to them.

Stronger enforcement? You bet. Bigger fines? I support that. Higher license fees? Nope, generate the revenue from fines imposed on poachers and rule breakers.

My $.02.

We don't have skinny fish in this region! So, going to a put and take lake can be a really nice experience. And we are working really hard right now on the fight against the cormorants. Because the truth is, they get more fish than our anglers do right now.

Cormorants are the main reason we try to do it so close. We did it early one year at Kress Lake. The cormorants decimated the plant prior to opening day. On Opening Day there was 1 fish caught. People accused of us of not stocking the fish at all. It was a really horrible experience. I was the creel checker that day.

The fish actually do fine in our lakes, but the idea is to get people fishing on them so they don't stay in the lakes very long, especially if they get eaten.

stace

Kitsap, Mason, Thurston, & King County offer a great fall & winter fishery. In Kitsap County you have Kitsap Lake, in Mason you have Spencer, Nahwatzel, Lost, Island, & Kokanee. In Thurston you have Black & Munn, King offers Beaver lake. In Kitsap, Mason, & Thurston Counties you have a limit of 5 per person but you can only retain 2 over 14-inches, These stockers usually range in the 1 to 3 pound range and as the winter goes they get a little smarter and don't jump in the boat to go home with you, this is great fun and through out the year a 5 pounder is a real possibility. Munn is catch & release and I'm not to sure what the regs in Beaver are. I'm just saying there are some great opportunities out there for a weekend of fun in the fall and through out the winter. I have had the pleasure of working all of these lakes except Beaver & Munn.

sure glad he didnt mention Offut in Thurston county.....i'm hope'n there's some of those skinnnnny cut throut they planted last spring (and that they've gained some weight) and i'll have 'em all to myself....lolol.....DOG

They plant those every year.

SO

I thought it would be a good idea to re-state something I stated on another thread.

We, the members of WL, are the more avid anglers, not the money makers or the more numerous anglers the state counts on for MONEY. Most anglers are not interested in quality, they are interested in quantity.

Numerous States have done surveys to determine this, and we need to respect the fact that we are not the majority.

Nevertheless, I too would like to see something done.

First, trout are raised in a few feet of water, and when first planted, they swim on the surface for several hours. Montana and Idaho have experimented with stalking late in the evening so the fish can acclimate and go deeper before the Cormorants can get them. My understanding is that it helps, but the fish tend to stay shallow for several days, so the results is less then perfect.

Some advantages have been had in planting fry and fingerlings instead of catchables. In general, a very small number of fry and fingerlings survive, but they are extremely cheap compared to raising catchables. Additionally, those that do survive are deeper dwellers so the Cormorants can't get as many. Nevertheless, as smaller fish, they become targets to larger fish. I have a place where the Browns and Larger Bows feed on the 8" catchables that the State Plants.

This is really a tough call, quantity verses quality, how, when, how many, etc. That is why we have fisheries managers, and biologist. Something few of us are qualified to be. Still, as I am sure Stacy would say, opinions change, desires of the anglers change, management changes and matures, and our comments and desires, if expressed intelligently and politely, can help direct future management goals.

I forgot about Offut, I only get that way a couple times of year and your right I have found myself being the only one on the lake a few different times especially during the week. I wrote an article on Offut about 3 maybe 4 years ago on the winter fishery and it does provide a good time. I believe they plant it again in October and one more time in February with jumbo cutts and they seem to have a pretty good holdover rate every year even though they get a lot of traffic during the spring and summer months. If I recall correctly they also have a speed limit which makes it quite enjoyable and relaxing, we generally practice hook and release here but we have been known to take a holdover every once in a while for dinner. I can't help it I do like a nice 3 or 4 pound trout for the oven stuffed with my version of corn bread stuffing and baked at 350 degrees until done served with a fresh vege and a warm potato roll it makes for a very nice dinner.

It's good there's been a lot of input to this thread and lots of ideas and opinions abound. Around here, up north (Snohomish, Skagit, etc counties) we do have lots of good winter fishing and I do as I'm a year rounder myself....heck, yesterday I hooked and fought eleven cutts (from ten to eighteen inches each), boated six and only kept two (one hooked bad and the other was a hog), (today was slow, three to the boat all released). I usually catch and release (trout) myself, but will keep a biggun for grandma here and there since grandpa's not there to fill her freezer any more. I just long for more lakes like this one which will remain nameless. I now understand Cormorants are the main issue.......




So is there a Cormorant season?...I'll buy that tag and FILL IT with glee.

In my neck of the woods, the majority of the planted trout are fry, which are often planted by the hundreds of thousands throughout the summer and early fall. Many of these fish are "catchables" by the following spring (those that survive, anyway). The Spring catchables augment the fry and are meant to be caught.