the new normal

[spoonman]

Went to reiter today. Counted 76 cars in the parking lot. Didnt even bother going to the hatchery chute, instead walked down to cable. Was able to elbow in and get a few casts in. It was the most people i have ever seen at reiter. Looking up river towards the hatchery i was reminded of some of the pictures ive seen of the terminal area on the Cowlitz. I know its the day after Christmas and everyone wants to try their new toy out. But couldnt help but think this is what its probably going to look like EVERY weekend in a couple years when there are no other rivers with hatchery steelhead in them.

[4steelhead]

I saw the same thing. Way to many people and hardly any fish caught today. Terrible fish per angler ratio. Next year will be crowded beyond belief, better get in line at 3 am to get a spot. I hope WDFW gets their permits.

[ridgeratt]

I saw the same thing. Way to many people and hardly any fish caught today. Terrible fish per angler ratio. Next year will be crowded beyond belief, better get in line at 3 am to get a spot. I hope WDFW gets their permits.

Maybe you should rephrase that to: I hope I get drawn for a WDFW permit to fish!!

[spoonman]

You never expect to be alone up there.but if thats what steelhead fishing is going to look like on my home river, maybe ill just save up to the op a little more often and just not go there anymore.

[JerryGarcia]

I was thinking of going up to Reiter this morning ( haven't been there this year) but then decided to fish close to home on the Snoqualmie / Big Eddy area. There was a Zero fish per fisherman ratio up till 11 am when I left. I was thinking I should have gone to Reiter. Now I think I should have slept in....

[spoonman]

I was thinking the same thing. Tomorrow will probably be better.

[wbroekhof]

I was out there Tuesday and today and Tuesday was just as bad....

[HOOKEDONFISHING]

I think you are right. I went today also It looked worse then opening day . The parking lot was full and cars on both sides of the road halfway to the sign. I went over to the highway side parking lot was full and cars going down side of road.

[luisdabeast206]

AMEN.... It was so bad the Game Warden showed ( I think someone called him, never seen him there).

[sickbayer]

And this my friends is what I keep asking people? Where are you gonna fish when there are no steelhead left? If the cow is the only place left that has hatchery fish can you imagine how many people will be there in a few years. How many guides can it support.
This will have a massive effect on businesses in WA. How many boat manufacturers will stop selling sleds, how many peeps stop fishing altogether, how many gas stations see a drop in revenues on the weekend, how many guides go out of business? Ya I just mentioned it twice but I really believe the ramifications can't quite be calculated until it actually happens.
But I do see the light, maybe then after all this has happened people will finally get together and put a stop to commercial, tribal, and environmental issues that are really destroying our steel head runs.

[Mike Carey]

I think the model for what an economic impact will look like is the Pend Oreille pike fishery. The netting that wiped out that fishery has not been kind to the local businesses from what I have been told. I do think the steelhead industry in all it's forms will be taking a serious hit in the next couple years.

[Bay wolf]

I know of one person who has already made the decision to give up guiding due to the "Steel Crisis". So the impact is already being felt. And I'm sure it is being repeated in many places. The hard part for me to understand is WHY? Our sister state of Oregon (who manage the same species) seem to be doing a much better job of it. Sustainable numbers and lots of opportunities. Now, before someone screams out at me to "Move to Oregon", I just want to say, I love this state. It just pains me to see the recreational fishing spiral downward. Imagine a day when the OP rivers resemble the terminal area of the Cow, or the Puy on a Humpy year! Those days are not too distant I'm afraid. Even if WDFW gets the permits and somehow overturns the lawsuit, the big picture of recreational fish management is slowly moving in the direction of less and less fish, and less and less opportunities. Yes, we have good runs (like the Coho this year), but the trend is not looking so good. Fishermen will follow the fish. If the fishing opportunities become limited to only a few select places, expect those places to be hammered. And with that competition for the last remaining fish, you can expect the ethics of the river to be compromised. I don't know of any quick solution. But I encourage everyone who loves fishing to write letters to the Governor, the news paper, the Council and to their local Representatives and let them know how important recreational fishing is. There has been a lot of talk about "organizing",however, the sad truth is, it never goes anywhere. And the Clubs and Organizations' don't seem to be going much either. Grass roots is our voice. It does not take much to send an email, and enough voices will be heard. We are being pushed aside by our "Co-managers and other interest groups. It is OUR CHOICE, to keep fighting with each other for the scrapes, or finally say "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!"

[BARCHASER10]

Less fish plus less river areas open to bank fishers equals big crowds at places that are still accessible and may hold a fish or two. Hansens Farm on the Sky below the reformatory used to offer two miles of drift and plunk bank fishing but that has been closed to access for 4-5 years.

And then there is the WDFW decision to drastically cut Steelhead plants..... and you have a recipe for a dying sport.

As for Oregon I grew up in Portland in the 60's fishing the Wilson, Trask, Sandy, Nehalem etc. Those rivers may not be as good as they were 50 years ago but still pretty good and much better than ours.