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

[Mfowl]

AI'm passionate about bass and walleye! I'm also passionate about salmon and steelhead! I really don't think that lifting these restrictions is going to destroy the fishing in the Columbia or its tribs. The limit on smallies is already very liberal and I can't recall a time I've ever encountered someone at a boat ramp with a full limit of bass. When the average joe fisherman is lucky enough to tie into a 10lb plus walleye, they keep it anyway. I really don't see people flocking to the targeted areas to load up on bass and walleye. They are readily available in many waters and most anglers don't take thier legal limit anywhere. The people with the know how to consistently take trophy class fish of each species are already practicing catch and release and likely will continue.
Since sealions, cormorants and terns are protected it makes sense to employ a more simple tactic such as this to boost smolt survival. When we can kill the sealions, cormorants and terns we'll do that to!

[plugger]

So you say that it wont make a difference, There wont be any more killed than there already are. So then what's the point in making the rule change. Make changes that will mater, Not one's that piss off the ones supplying the funds for there pay checks. Like I said before I grew up fishing salmon and steelhead, I'm passionate about all of them myself. But I know a stupid rule when I see it. If you think for one second that this is going to bring back the native stocks then you just have not been around long enough to see what the real issues are. I have seen it, Its a complete waste of time until they address the real issues,

[Mfowl]

I do think more fish will be taken but I don't think it will have the devastating impact some on this thread are fearing. Bass and walleye are resiliant and thier populations are abundant. They could handle a little thinning out and bounce back. Whereas our salmon and steelhead stocks need all the help they can get right now. I didn't say that this rule would revive native runs of fish, I said it would boost outgoing smolt survival. They still need to survive the ocean and return to thier spawning grounds, no easy task. If I had to pick a single factor to eliminate it would be commercial netting. Since that hasn't happened yet, other options must be considered. I pay my fare share of our fisheries management staff's salaries and this rule doesn't piss me off.

[Thenewguy]

OR how about taking away the protection of sea lions, Cornmerants, and mergansers? Don't think "enough" people would shoot them? I would kill a limit of each if there was a seperate one from my normal duck limit. 

+1, I'd be down there tomorrow.

COUNT ME IN AS WELL! hate all 3.

I would pay 100 bones for a sea lion tag!

[hunterrcc]

OR how about taking away the protection of sea lions, Cornmerants, and mergansers? Don't think "enough" people would shoot them? I would kill a limit of each if there was a seperate one from my normal duck limit. 

+ Pelcians!!

[Bullkllr]

Early on in this thread, I suggested that this decision is more about $$$ and taking the easy way out for the WDFW than anything else.

They are federally mandated to recover wild salmon (under ESA).
They are hoping that removing some of the predatory fish population will help smolt survival. Its the cheapest (almost free) thing they came up with. Will it even make a dent? I don't think they have anything other than hope to go on.

All of the other suggestions (sealion/bird/net removal-up to and including getting tribal nets out and removing dams) would be much more effective. Also much more expensive and difficult. There are federal rules protecting seals/birds that would/do require months in court to figure out. Then there are the politics involved with marine mammal/bird removal as well as tribal/non-tribal nets that have the WDFW's hands basically tied. Could they do more in these areas...probably... But with politcal/social pressure on them from multiple outside sources, they simply lack the money and will to do what it would take to make it happen.

Sorry to see it happen in such a divisive way, but the bass and walleye guys are the unwilling victims.

[Special T]

Even tho sealions/birds may be hard to do nearly everyone would get behind it. I would bet you could get tribes, Dams, Sportmen, farmers and some others to get behind SOME kind of MGT... That is a pretty large group.  and that is worth something. 

[WALLEYEGUY]

This just released for lake Roosevelt
 
WDFW FISHING RULE CHANGE
   Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
   600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
   http://wdfw.wa.gov <http://wdfw.wa.gov/>

   March 28, 2013

   New walleye rules for Lake Roosevelt,
   lower San Poil River, lower Spokane River

   Action: The daily walleye bag limit for Lake Roosevelt, the lower San Poil
River, and the lower Spokane River will increase to 16 fish with no size
restriction. In addition, the lower Spokane River from mouth (SR 25 Bridge)
upstream to 400 feet below Little Falls Dam will open for walleye fishing
April 1.

   Effective Date: April 1 at 12:01 a.m. until further notice

   Species affected: Walleye

   Locations:

   *   Lake Roosevelt;
   *   The lower Spokane River from mouth (SR 25 Bridge) to 400 feet below Little
Falls Dam; and
   *   The lower San Poil River from Boundary Line A upstream to Boundary Line C
(as illustrated by the map in the current WDFW "Fishing in Washington" rules
pamphlet, or the Fishing section of the WDFW webpage at
http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/ ).

   Reason for action: In early March, the Washington Fish and Wildlife
Commission approved new fishing regulations designed to increase harvest on an
overabundant walleye populations in Lake Roosevelt and the lower Spokane
River. Besides providing additional fishing opportunities for anglers, these
changes will help to reduce walleye predation on native fish populations as
well as the number of small walleye in those waters. The permanent regulations
approved by the Commission will take effect May 1, 2013.

   The emergency regulations will effectively initiate these changes April 1,
2013, a month sooner, to expedite the goals of the Commission's permanent
rules for Lake Roosevelt and the lower Spokane River. In addition, they apply
the 16-fish daily limit for walleye to the lower San Poil River, which also
has an overabundance of the species.

   Other information: All other WDFW fishing regulations for Lake Roosevelt,
Spokane River, and San Poil River remain in effect.

   Recreational fishing in Lake Roosevelt, and in the San Poil River between
Boundary A to Boundary C, requires a Washington State freshwater license and
compliance with established State fishing regulations. The Colville
Confederated Tribes (CCT) have established non-tribal recreational fishing
regulations which differ from State regulations in this area. Be advised that
anglers fishing in this area may be checked by tribal enforcement officers for
a tribal license. All waters upstream of Boundary C (above the 1310 mean sea
elevation) and within the CCT Reservation boundary are under the regulatory
authority of the CCT. For CCT fishing information call (509) 634-2110.

[MtnMuley]

I agree, pretty pathetic.  Curious to the comments from many on here agruging this rationale..........

[Roosevelt walleye]

Seems that they are overlooking the fact that Lake Roosevelt is not a native body of water. When the the native species thrived in the natural Columbia River it was in fact a river that is now a reservoir. I am not a biologist but it makes sense to me that once a river is stopped from being free flowing it changes the entire ecosystem. If we knock down every tree in Stevens county would we not expect for the species that are currently thriving to dwindle and other species to become more abundant?

[WSU]

Seems that they are overlooking the fact that Lake Roosevelt is not a native body of water. When the the native species thrived in the natural Columbia River it was in fact a river that is now a reservoir. I am not a biologist but it makes sense to me that once a river is stopped from being free flowing it changes the entire ecosystem. If we knock down every tree in Stevens county would we not expect for the species that are currently thriving to dwindle and other species to become more abundant?

That is a lot of the problem we have on the entire system (big C and Snake).  I still don't see that as a justification to keep invasives around.

[WALLEYEGUY]

  REALLY, walleye and bass fishing generates 10s of thousands of recreational hours for fisherman, which equals $s for those comunities at Roosevelt and on the Columbia.  Myself and many like me would not spend a day on these waters without them.  I hope this stupid solution does not ruin a world class fishery, but when it does they will have to come up with a viable real answer versus the easy answer.  When the it does happen I will take my dollars else where and good luck getting enough trout and salmon fishman to replace them, because it will not improve the fishery.

[buckcanyonlodge]

The ONLY reason they did this in Lake Roosevelt is to appease the indians. PERIOD