TroutCowboy
1/9/2011 4:07:00 PMI would guess on average (I was working about a half-dozen holes) I was in about 10' of water, fishing at around 8'. If looking from the parking lot, I was on the left side just past the first point. One fish came closest to shore, the other at about the middle of the lake.
hewesfisher
1/9/2011 6:41:00 PMI take exception to the claim you're finished fishing after catching two over 14". This is a direct quote from the 2010 - 2011 WA State Sportfishing Rules Pamphlet for Hog Canyon, "HOG CANYON LAKE (Spokane Co.) TROUT Dec. 1-Mar. 31 No min. size. Daily limit 5. Up to 2 over 14" may be retained."
Unless the state has changed the rules for Hog Canyon, your limit is still 5 with no more than 2 over 14". The regs don't say you have to stop fishing after catching 2 over 14" on the premise you "might" catch another over 14" and I'd argue that all the way to the courthouse if I were ticketed for continuing to fish after retaining 2 over 14". The only situation I see where it might get sticky is if you're fishing with bait and your first 2 trout are over 14". However, if the state wants to enforce that kind of rule, then it needs to read the same as for Rufus Woods, and the rules for Hog Canyon don't. I'm a stickler for following the rules, and I don't bend them, but the wardens can't enforce an unwritten rule. I'm on the WDFW email alert and I haven't seen any emergency rule changes affecting Hog Canyon. I say fish on! :-)
Unless the state has changed the rules for Hog Canyon, your limit is still 5 with no more than 2 over 14". The regs don't say you have to stop fishing after catching 2 over 14" on the premise you "might" catch another over 14" and I'd argue that all the way to the courthouse if I were ticketed for continuing to fish after retaining 2 over 14". The only situation I see where it might get sticky is if you're fishing with bait and your first 2 trout are over 14". However, if the state wants to enforce that kind of rule, then it needs to read the same as for Rufus Woods, and the rules for Hog Canyon don't. I'm a stickler for following the rules, and I don't bend them, but the wardens can't enforce an unwritten rule. I'm on the WDFW email alert and I haven't seen any emergency rule changes affecting Hog Canyon. I say fish on! :-)
TroutCowboy
1/9/2011 7:40:00 PMI'm with you, it's a vaguely written rule (if written!!) and i would think arguable upon appeal. And like I said, who's to know the two 14+ fish weren't your last two? I purposely stayed off bait today (jig only) so I could C&R until I had what I wanted, but I had to leave before I caught more than the two and it became a conundrum. There has been lots of chatter on this topic, I was thinking of emailing the local district office for clarification.
The "problem" at Hog is that all of the fish are good-sized!! ;-)
The "problem" at Hog is that all of the fish are good-sized!! ;-)
hewesfisher
1/10/2011 9:19:00 PMI did email WDFW and requested a rules clarification. I referenced Alan Lierre's comments in his 1/7/11 Spokesman-Review commentary as well as your comments. Will share what they have to say when I get feedback.
hewesfisher
1/12/2011 6:51:00 PMAnd the official response is, no you do not have to stop fishing after catching 2 fish over 14". Here is the response I received,
"Thank you for your email correspondence to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Fish Program.
Your best source for information on licenses, daily limits, season, restrictions, etc. would be the 2010/2011 Fishing In Washington Sport Fishing Rules regulation pamphlet. This pamphlet is full of a lot of useful information, such as license fees for both resident and non-resident on page 14. This publication is formatted with the regulations for Puget Sound and Straits Rivers first (new section this year), followed by Westside Rivers, Westside Lakes, Eastside Rivers, Eastside Lakes, Marine Area Rules and finally Shellfish/Seaweed Rules. There is also a list of the 6 Regional offices that are located throughout the state, with addresses and phone numbers included, on page 9.
Phil, we have had several discussions with staff on this very issue since receiving your e-mail, but the bottom line is this: Nothing in the Washington Administrative Codes (WAC’s, which are the permanent regulations) state that anglers are required to stop fishing after catching two fish over 14”, if those were the first two fish caught. This is not like salmon, where anglers are required to stop fishing after the adult portion of their daily limit has been retained. This lake has a five fish daily limit on Trout, but only two may be over 14”. That does not mean that they cannot continue to fish for the other three – under 14”, unless they are fishing with bait. If that is the case, anglers are required to stop after catching five fish – regardless of whether those fish were kept or released. This is due to the higher mortality rate on fish caught with bait because fish usually take baited hooks much deeper into their mouths than hooks without bait."
I am also sending this to Alan Lierre of the Spokesman-Review so he can correct his report from last week, Like I said earlier, fish on! :-)
"Thank you for your email correspondence to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Fish Program.
Your best source for information on licenses, daily limits, season, restrictions, etc. would be the 2010/2011 Fishing In Washington Sport Fishing Rules regulation pamphlet. This pamphlet is full of a lot of useful information, such as license fees for both resident and non-resident on page 14. This publication is formatted with the regulations for Puget Sound and Straits Rivers first (new section this year), followed by Westside Rivers, Westside Lakes, Eastside Rivers, Eastside Lakes, Marine Area Rules and finally Shellfish/Seaweed Rules. There is also a list of the 6 Regional offices that are located throughout the state, with addresses and phone numbers included, on page 9.
Phil, we have had several discussions with staff on this very issue since receiving your e-mail, but the bottom line is this: Nothing in the Washington Administrative Codes (WAC’s, which are the permanent regulations) state that anglers are required to stop fishing after catching two fish over 14”, if those were the first two fish caught. This is not like salmon, where anglers are required to stop fishing after the adult portion of their daily limit has been retained. This lake has a five fish daily limit on Trout, but only two may be over 14”. That does not mean that they cannot continue to fish for the other three – under 14”, unless they are fishing with bait. If that is the case, anglers are required to stop after catching five fish – regardless of whether those fish were kept or released. This is due to the higher mortality rate on fish caught with bait because fish usually take baited hooks much deeper into their mouths than hooks without bait."
I am also sending this to Alan Lierre of the Spokesman-Review so he can correct his report from last week, Like I said earlier, fish on! :-)
bazzdude
1/12/2011 8:32:00 PMwow, what a topic. I fished this same sunday and we both cought our limits in 2.5 hrs. IT was a blast.