Skok

[FishBaitThe2nd]

Well im about as updated as it gets with the skok lol im calling daily and finding out what I can. Official regs should be out middle of next week. BUT there will be a $25 annual pass that every body has to buy in order to fish any section of the Skokomish river. You can buy this pass at the tribal center. I actually kind of like that, maybe hopefully itll keep some people off the river.

[Brat Bonker]

that's stupid they are going to make us pay to fish on their river yet they still get to drift an gill net. how many days is it open above the bridge at hunters farm.

[FishBaitThe2nd]

Don't know yet, they haven't said anything else. Ill keep it updated on here.

[natetreat]

I don't see how they can get away with that. See the other thread about occupy the Puyallup. This is a bunch of bullhockey.

[natetreat]

that's stupid they are going to make us pay to fish on their river yet they still get to drift an gill net. how many days is it open above the bridge at hunters farm.

It's not "their river". It's "our" river. That's why we have to work with the tribe for the fishery.

[FishBaitThe2nd]

It sucks just extra money coming out of my wallet... but it is what it is, im gonna have fun on that river either way this year. I don't care if its bobber fishing, leader restrictions, itll be a good year regardless. Ive been fishin the skok since 2007...I was told it was 2004 when lots of people started going there, and the snagging etc started, the state wants less fish snagged because it supposedly kills the fish, Im sure some die but I don't think they all do.

[natetreat]

It sucks just extra money coming out of my wallet... but it is what it is, im gonna have fun on that river either way this year. I don't care if its bobber fishing, leader restrictions, itll be a good year regardless. Ive been fishin the skok since 2007...I was told it was 2004 when lots of people started going there, and the snagging etc started, the state wants less fish snagged because it supposedly kills the fish, Im sure some die but I don't think they all do.

Where are you getting your information? This is huge and precedent setting if it is indeed the case.

[losaturn]

How can they make you pay to fish from public land? I can understand paying for access on the North side of the river, but the south?

[natetreat]

That's what I don't understand. I get that they can make a stamp for the columbia river and its tributaries. But requiring a tribal stamp is pushing the limit. That's why I question where fishbait is getting his info. I'm sure the tribe is putting ideas like that on the table, but I'm wondering if that is even legal. We pay to access hunter farms, I'm okay with that, it's private property, we're not fishing the north side of the river. But unless they own the river and the water that's in it, that's ridiculously unreasonable.

[natetreat]

Aside from the main river, Hood Canal is open for kings right now. We can fish the tidewater out before the main river. They're catching them right now. I say we build a bunch of big rafts out of big drums, anchor them out at the mouth and ferry everyone out to them. We can fish all day off the rafts, and get to the fish even before the tribe can.

[FishBaitThe2nd]

It sucks just extra money coming out of my wallet... but it is what it is, im gonna have fun on that river either way this year. I don't care if its bobber fishing, leader restrictions, itll be a good year regardless. Ive been fishin the skok since 2007...I was told it was 2004 when lots of people started going there, and the snagging etc started, the state wants less fish snagged because it supposedly kills the fish, Im sure some die but I don't think they all do.

Where are you getting your information? This is huge and precedent setting if it is indeed the case.

For the information on the tribal pass to fish, you can call this number and a lady named Cynthia Gray can tell you everything regarding that.
360-877-5213
Everything else is coming from the Region 6 WDFW Office. Most of the people up front when they answer the phone cant answer any of my questions, they pass me on to another guy.
I don't like listening to rumors from other guys, and I don't pass on rumors then everyone starts getting crazy. All my information is coming from 'legit' references and resources.

[natetreat]

Where does the money go?

If this is the case, I say we organize an occupy the skok. I think it will have a lot more impact than the occupy Skagit event did, and there are tons and tons of guys that will do it. Rather than one day, I say we do it for a whole weekend, if not longer. Until WDFW and the tribe get the message loud and clear.

[Brat Bonker]

I fish the north side but only in one spot and it is normally under water from october through the winter. but yeah one plus is that it might thin down the crowds plus how will they know we payed, it is going to be like the columbia endorsement. I fish the river a lot but not as much as fishbait so who knows if the $25 is really worth it but I have heard that the run is supposed to be good this year..

[flinginpooh]

They are going to require you to wear a visible licence if you don't you don't deal with wdfw you deal with tribal courts. I'm sure they are ready to take a lot of people in. I actually don't mind paying. I hope it keeps the slapahos as FB calls them to a minimal. If not hopefully they get tickets for the fish landing and release techniques. One more thing I didn't notice what day this all starts but I'm sure there will be limited numbers of the pass for sale.

[racfish]

If it could happen to fight these laws is go back to the 60's and not serve or sell to Natives anything from non native land.Dont use our hospitals,our libraries,no medical clinics or colleges. Let them know how it feels to be cut off. Or have a gate at the reservation where they have to pay to drive on our roads.Or shop at our grocery stores. Unfortunately our state is way to liberal to enforce these kind of restrictions.
Fishbait ask this Cynthia Gray if we need a license and punchcard to fish after we pay the tribe. Are there going to be limits on how many fish we can catch in a day. Will the WDFW stick their greedy hands in this also? Are there size limits and gear restrictions. Us sports men really get screwed everytime.
Natives are netting Sockeye in Shilshole bay. Figure that one out. Its called ceremonial fishing. The ceremony is cashing in the fish at Safeway and QFC. LOL... Its such a joke.

[natetreat]

They are going to require you to wear a visible licence if you don't you don't deal with wdfw you deal with tribal courts. I'm sure they are ready to take a lot of people in. I actually don't mind paying. I hope it keeps the slapahos as FB calls them to a minimal. If not hopefully they get tickets for the fish landing and release techniques. One more thing I didn't notice what day this all starts but I'm sure there will be limited numbers of the pass for sale.

Everyone will pay that fishes the Skok every year. This won't cut back on the numbers of anglers, or the nature of the conduct that some of them do. Every year they raise the price of our fishing licenses and every year more people buy them. The Skok is a tradition for many of us, especially those of us that grew up in the southwest. There is no way that there can be a limited amount of "passes" sold. Our state and federal monies pay for the fish that they put in that river, they belong to all of us. Limiting access to it will, if not simply illegal, be unconstitutional. They could have a quota and then close it I guess. All of this is speculation until the final regulations are announced though. There is no precedent in Washington history for regulations of this kind that you guys are telling us will happen, and if they do enact them, we need to do everything that we can to fight them. Because if this tribe gets away with this, there is nothing to stop other tribes from demanding the same. We will be paying a fee to fish every system that the tribes are co-managers for. The OP will be unfishable for most citizens. All the fish will be monopolized by the tribes. Short of arresting everyone that doesn't abide by the rules, there is barely any way to enforce such regulations. And hopefully someone will challenge it in court, because I am certain that they will win.

[flinginpooh]

You'll need to follow tribal and wdfw rules. However not just in mouth but gill plate forward. A lot better. Get your two and head out. I'd pay 100 dollars or more to get more people off the river that don't follow the rules. I know a lot of people that fish wouldn't be able to do this but. Maybe the people that did pay and show up there would pack the crap out. Wouldn't act like fools and snag fish and get lead to their heads. Maybe I'd see less people cast into the same trees over and over again. Its humorous and disturbing at the same time. But I'll pay and and pay a lot to keep some people off rivers.

[natetreat]

You'll need to follow tribal and wdfw rules. However not just in mouth but gill plate forward. A lot better. Get your two and head out. I'd pay 100 dollars or more to get more people off the river that don't follow the rules. I know a lot of people that fish wouldn't be able to do this but. Maybe the people that did pay and show up there would pack the crap out. Wouldn't act like fools and snag fish and get lead to their heads. Maybe I'd see less people cast into the same trees over and over again. Its humorous and disturbing at the same time. But I'll pay and and pay a lot to keep some people off rivers.

I realize that pay to play may keep the numbers down to a point. The regulations are already in effect, we have laws against littering, snagging, poaching, tresspassing. They need to enforce them is all. Maybe a deputy could fish with us at each hole, every infraction write a ticket. Enforcement isn't the issue here.

The issue is that these regs are not fair. WDFW is supposed to be negotiating our best interests, and if this is what it is, it's not. If there are a limited number of access passes, this will be unacceptable. It doesn't matter that fewer folks on the river would be better for some, it's not right. It is not only not fair, it sets a dangerous precedent for future tribal/state relations. It is exclusionary. But freaking out about it until it's announced is premature.

[FishBaitThe2nd]

They are going to require you to wear a visible licence if you don't you don't deal with wdfw you deal with tribal courts. I'm sure they are ready to take a lot of people in. I actually don't mind paying. I hope it keeps the slapahos as FB calls them to a minimal.

I don't mind paying either. I hope it keeps more people off the river. But the locals, that I fish with anyway, will all still be there regardless, we are all talking every day, we have our own facebook group lol. Were a close group of friends, fishing together year round, not just at the skok, So the slapahos will still be there. Sorry 'pooh

[jd39]

Just playing devil's advocate here, but why should we follow wdfw rules/laws if they are not serving our best interest? This is just a philosophical question, not a call for or encouragement for anyone to actually break the rules/laws. Americans have a long history of leveraging civil disobedience as a means of driving conflict and change. At what point does the wdfw become akin to the British Crown in colonial times for us sporties? Collecting our taxes (license fees) only to enrich themselves and serve other’s interests. When do we free ourselves from their yoke? May not be the best analogy but I think the point’s made.
Personally I’m pretty happy with how wdfw manages the trout/kokanee side of things.
When it comes to salmon/steelhead they just rob us plain and simple and hand over their ill-gotten gains (fish our money bought) to the commercials and tribes. It will take legal action or civil disobedience on a massive scale before anything changes. There’s too much money for this to change just because it’s the right thing to do, money will always win over morals and ethics at this scale….always. So force will be necessary. The only questions that remain are: what kind of force or forces are to be employed and if/when will critical mass be reached to enable their employment?
Force doesn’t mean physical violence either. I’m not killing or hurting anyone over fish. I simply believe if sporties are the major source of the funds that support these fisheries then we should receive the major share of them. Let commercials and tribes net the fish they fund. If that’s not happening we have a legitimate grievance that needs to be redressed one way or the other.