Bass and Walleye Rule change on the Columbia and tributaries-CRAZY

[WSU]

The bass have been here way to many years to still be considering them "invasive species" guys so grow up. Everybody loves bass, theirs nothing wrong with them, yes they eat a few salmon smolt and deserved to be managed scientifically for whats best but completly uncontrolled harvest of the quality fish, which are the breeding fish and the fish that will be effected the worst is such a miserable fail by our fish and game department. Their job is to manage ALL populations of game fish and bass should be included in this. Its their job to find a healthy median between controlling the bass population and helping the salmon and steelhead populations as well.

That's where some of us disagree with you.  They will always be an invasive species because they were planted here by man.  Not only that, they have a negative affect on the local ecosystem.  And, some of us don't think it is WDFW's job to manage invasive species that shouldn't be here in the first place.  They should not find a median balance between managing invasive species and native species.  It should be open season on invasives with the only "management" being aimed at removing them and reducing their impact to as close to zero as possible.  I agree with Pianoman (is hell freezing over?  ) and think we should kill them all. 

[WSU]

Cant wait to float the lower Yak for smallmouth and catfish! Gonna bring lots of coolers with ice and fill the freezer! This is the best rule change in along time!

and there goes all thee big 3-4 pound hens tha go up the Yak to SPAWN. The big fish bass fisherman strive to catch, and are so easily caught when they are spawning because they are protecting their young! The big fish don't even taste good, thats somthing people dont undersand. Sometimes I take my family along and will keep 10 or 12 small, 12 inch fish for he frying pan and thats fun every now and then. But now everyone is going to slaughter those large hens that don't even taste good. Catch and Release the big ones, thats all I ask.

There is a study that shows bass in the lower Yak eat a ton of smolts every spring.  Why should we be protecting those fish when we know they are eating a ton of smolts?

[Sniper101]

its true, the salmon smolt are running back out about the same time the smallmouth finish spawning, and they are very hungry...so I guess more  leniant bag limits make since here, say 2or or 3 over 18 inches? But not completely non-restricted.   But you are very correct WSU, there is a reason why so many tournaments are won by running up the Yak, the fish are huge from such abundant food:Salmon smolt. But both populations deserve conservation

[Curly]

The dams have helped create great bass and walleye habitat.  The Columbia pools are great bass fishing because the water is warmer than it would have been without the dams.  It is a world class fishery for bass and walleye now............I don't feel like the goal should be to eliminate the species, though.  (And we all know that the Columbia R dams are not going anywhere).

I agree with Sniper, WDFW should be protecting the large females.  Hell, it was WDFW bios that introduced smallmouth into the Yak in the 60's isn't it? 

I said earlier in this thread that the rule change wouldn't make much difference to bass populations.  I was only thinking about the serious bass fisherman that C&R most everything anyway.  I forgot about the people that go down to the river fishing to eat bass.  They could impact the population, especially if they target bass on their beds.

[woodywsu]

There are plenty of lakes to practice C&R. This is a great rule change. Millions of dollars and efforts are spent annually for the protections of upper columbia river salmonids/steelhead.

[WSU]

Cant wait to float the lower Yak for smallmouth and catfish! Gonna bring lots of coolers with ice and fill the freezer! This is the best rule change in along time!

What time of year does this occur?  I will be in Richland over memorial day and may drag the drifter over if fishing would be good then.

[Gobble Doc]

Fill the freezer with smallmouth and cats?  More like fill your freezer with pesticides from the Yak valley runoff.   

[Sniper101]

The dams have helped create great bass and walleye habitat.  The Columbia pools are great bass fishing because the water is warmer than it would have been without the dams.  It is a world class fishery for bass and walleye now............I don't feel like the goal should be to eliminate the species, though.  (And we all know that the Columbia R dams are not going anywhere).

I agree with Sniper, WDFW should be protecting the large females.  Hell, it was WDFW bios that introduced smallmouth into the Yak in the 60's isn't it? 

I said earlier in this thread that the rule change wouldn't make much difference to bass populations.  I was only thinking about the serious bass fisherman that C&R most everything anyway.  I forgot about the people that go down to the river fishing to eat bass.  They could impact the population, especially if they target bass on their beds.

THANKYOU!!!! 

[Sniper101]

Fill the freezer with smallmouth and cats?  More like fill your freezer with pesticides from the Yak valley runoff.   

the smallmouth arnt as bad because the majority are seasonal fish tha go up to spawn and feast on the salmon fry then run back out to he mouth of the columbia but the cats eat everything floating along the botom dead...and that stuff has to die somehow eww

[Sniper101]

Well Sniper, you got someone to agree with you. Take as a win. 

You mean someone with enough sense to look at the problem at hand with a fair eye??

[Curly]

Cant wait to float the lower Yak for smallmouth and catfish! Gonna bring lots of coolers with ice and fill the freezer! This is the best rule change in along time!

What time of year does this occur?  I will be in Richland over memorial day and may drag the drifter over if fishing would be good then.

Memorial day weekend is prime time.  There should be plenty of spawners up the Yakima on that weekend.

[WSU]

Cant wait to float the lower Yak for smallmouth and catfish! Gonna bring lots of coolers with ice and fill the freezer! This is the best rule change in along time!

What time of year does this occur?  I will be in Richland over memorial day and may drag the drifter over if fishing would be good then.

Memorial day weekend is prime time.  There should be plenty of spawners up the Yakima on that weekend.

Good deal.  I will watch the water conditions and probably bring the boat.  Want some bass when I get back?  I live just up the road (on Littlerock Rd).

[MtnMuley]

Well Sniper, you got someone to agree with you. Take as a win. 

You mean someone with enough sense to look at the problem at hand with a fair eye??

I'm with ya sniper101.  Pathetic management strategy at best by WDFW once again.  I wouldn't take too much of this argument on this topic to heart.  Just like with many other debate topics here, many of the posters just try to stir the pot or prefer to argue that water isn't wet.   

[Sniper101]

Well Sniper, you got someone to agree with you. Take as a win. 

You mean someone with enough sense to look at the problem at hand with a fair eye??

I'm with ya sniper101.  Pathetic management strategy at best by WDFW once again.  I wouldn't take too much of this argument on this topic to heart.  Just like with many other debate topics here, many of the posters just try to stir the pot or prefer to argue that water isn't wet.

[backyard bucks]

I'm with ya sniper101.  Pathetic management strategy at best by WDFW once again.  I wouldn't take too much of this argument on this topic to heart.  Just like with many other debate topics here, many of the posters just try to stir the pot or prefer to argue that water isn't wet.   

and most will not know how or where to look anyways..