Rumor or fact?

[mrmoskillz]

I was fishing at Frenchmans this weekend and did not see even a single bite yesterday.  A older fellow said he got a call from his buddy who works for bonneville and he said a couple days before the gill netters start they put something in the water that sedates the fish and it doesnt disipate until it hits the salt.  He said it turns off the bite like a switch and fills the river with fish making it easier to net them.  I call bs on this but was wondering if you guys have heard this?  I asked him if they did put stuff in the water shouldn't it be public knowlege and he said they don't want anyone to know bc there would be an uproar.

[boneaddict]

Sounds like hogwash to me.   EPA would have a field day.

[boneaddict]

All the pressure changes happening would have a big impact on the bite, from awesome to bad.

[pianoman9701]

 

[runamuk]

I've read of this rumor a few times and to date cannot validate one way or the other

[snowpack]

I haven't heard of that being done here.  There are places in the world where people have been known to crush up lots of plants that have chemicals like you describe and then throw all the crushed plants in the water.  It slows down the fish and they are easier to grab and don't try to escape as much.

[WSU]

That is a ridiculous rumor.  No such thing happens and fish bite great right before, during, or after gillnetting in the big C (assuming all things are equal, such as fish being present and weather).

[mrmoskillz]

Thank guys.  I thought this sounded fishy(no pun intended).  I will try again after work.  I suck at steelhead fishing.  I fished kalama, frenchmans and N bonniville and only had two take downs.  I only saw about 5 caught in 3 days of fishing out of 80 or so poles I counted.  Bank fishing.

[Mfowl]

The fish are deep through most of the river right now. 70° water makes them run in the deepest parts. The bite was good yesterday at Longview though it was all salmon, not much for steelhead.