Willapa bay

[YoterHunter]

What the hell my buddy just got back from his place in Toklin. he told that the gill netters got to go back in Sunday night. for the second time this month. i should of known that the game department was up to some thing this year . when they gave us a 2 pole endorsment. I would like to thank you for screwing us sports man over again

[BOWHUNTER45]

why would anyone buy a 2 pole endorsement !! No freakin way would I give them the time of day .....

[Encore 280]

We were down there for 10 days and had some good fishing. Biggest one was 27 and smallest was 8lbs.. Crazy, wild fish this year, whatta blast! Headed back down tomorrow for the weekend but not doing the derby. I don't know why anyone wants to fish two poles anyway, still only get one limit and ya gotta deal with the empty pole when ya get a fish on the other, p.i.t.a. if ya ask me. The commercail guys didn't seem to hurt the fishin that much. They don't get the whole bay to fish on an opening.

Good luck guys!!

[jackmaster]

because you can set up the 2nd rod with a differant rig, or fish it a little deeper or shallower, hell with the gill netters out there we should get to fish with 10 rods and dynamite....... gill nettin is horse crap.... if you cant catch a fish you dont get to eat one.......i love salmopn fishn, have done since i was knee high to a grasshopper, but i only go once or twice a year now because of all the B.S. and forget about fishn the puyallup when the pinks are in, your better of gettn a lawn chair and a cooler of beer and watch the combat take place......

[Encore 280]

We've been going to Willapa for the last seven years and love it. We go down about the middle of Aug. and stay for 10 days or so and have a blast. We meet new friends there each time, it's great and we're going back next year. If the gillnetters are in the Bay we just go out by #11 or Washaway and fish there weather permitting. I think they only have a couple of 12 hr openings anyway.

[BigGoonTuna]

all these early gillnetter openings sure haven't helped the fishing in the wilson creek area.  that, and the lack of rain.

[PLUVIUSWAPITI]

BigGoon, Just watched a boat land about a 15lb salmon down below the house. I live just upriver from the Wilson crk boat launch. Fish was bright also.

[bigcountry]

They have had more gillnet openings this year than I ever remember!  Just in the last week they had one Sunday night, Tuesday night and last night.  Spent all day out there yesterday and never got a strike.  The gillnets have definately taken a toll    WDFW doesnt give a sh** about recreational fishing.  From what Ive seen talking with others it has been sloooww. 

[Dhoey07]

Here's a schedule on the gillnetters

http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/commercial/salmon/2012_wb_fall_schedule.pdf

[pianoman9701]

What the hell my buddy just got back from his place in Toklin. he told that the gill netters got to go back in Sunday night. for the second time this month. i should of known that the game department was up to some thing this year . when they gave us a 2 pole endorsment. I would like to thank you for screwing us sports man over again

The commercial fishery in Willapa Bay is tightly monitored, sustainable, and a valuable resource for our state's economy. Net dates are based on fish populations and return counts, biological data. The dates for this year vary only slightly compared to previous years. You're getting upset about something that's been happening for years. The percentage catch of commercial v. sport fishing quotas are the same as last year

Willapa Bay is considered one of the healthiest fisheries and most productive estuaries in the country. I absolutely have a few problems with the game management practices of the WDFW, but this isn't one of them. If you don't like the gill nets, move your favorite spot.

[BOWHUNTER45]

am I missing something here ? RELEASE Wild chinook & Chum .... Never heard of many fish being alive that are caught in a gill net ...the only fish that live are those that are so small they get threw the holes in the net ...or maybe since they only have a 45 min set time then maybe they can retrieve a few live ones !

[bigcountry]

The only ones benefitting from this fishery are the seals