Fishing for Native Steelhead

[_TONY_]

Ok. Well regardless there is absolutely no way the tribe can restrict non-native anglers from fishing that river...

[PolarBear]

I also read an article where the tribe out of Lapush was trying to trade land in the Clearwater and another river system to move part of their reservation because of tsunami danger.  I wish that I would have kept that article.  I don't really see how they could get away with that.   

[GoBeavs85]

Great feesh!  Congratulations! 
I mostly fish rivers where there is no native retention, except for one.  If I'm gonna bonk a nate I prefer to bonk a buck.  Since the Quinalts are raping the native fishery of hundreds of 20+ natives every year, I have no problem with a regular guy bonking his one nate per year.  These fish snobs who show their vitriol for others who legally take one native per year yet boast about how many 20+ nates that they release are actually killing far more than the few guys who keep one per year and only get to fish a couple of times.  The non tribal fisherman that are the problem are those who C&R dozens of natives per year.  No matter how careful they are, they are still killing a good percentage of what they release.  I would rather see some guy be proud and take home his one nate than some fish snob who is inadvertently killing a half dozen or more by thinking they are doing "the right thing".   

By the way, don't post this on ifish!  Those Oregon steelhead elitists will crucify you!

Haha I was skimming and thought I was on ifish until I read this.

[PolarBear]

 

[_TONY_]

I also read an article where the tribe out of Lapush was trying to trade land in the Clearwater and another river system to move part of their reservation because of tsunami danger.  I wish that I would have kept that article.  I don't really see how they could get away with that.   

Yeah, that was the quileute tribe that was screaming that they were below the tsunami zone... They were granted park land just up the road from La push...

[_TONY_]

Fire station is in too, I believe...

[Halo]

Wow, note to self, don't post on HuntWa, especially pic's.

[Smossy]

Wow, note to self, don't post on HuntWa, especially pic's.

That's old news!

[_TONY_]

You are correct, I am assuming it has spawned before - I have always understood that steelies achieving that size have spawned multiple times.  If that is not the case, I'll stand corrected on that one point about this fish having already met its biological imperative.  If someone has some info to share about that, I'd appreciate it...

Most times the fish's size is directly linked to how long it was at sea, before reaching sexual maturity the first time... Ie 1-salt  2-salt 3-salt 4-salt

This has been proven by pit tag data...

[huntnnw]

I'm not gonna bag on ya for bonkin a nate. BUT...if I were in your shoes, I would have taken a handful of pictures and measurements. Then slip her back in the river. Skin mounts don't last as long or look as good. But congrats on a beauty. I'm still chasing the 20 pound mark. Been close, but no cigar.

 

[Forks]

There is talk about shutting the Clearwater (WA) down to all non tribal fisherman.  That is an all native river.  The tribes net the living crap out of it.

A half dozen hatchery fish came out of it last weekend.

[fish vacuum]

This is one of the greatest myths about how big fish come into existence.  The biological imperative of every fish is satisfied on its first successful spawn.  Anything after that is gravy.  How many times has this fish spawned?  3,4,5 times? 

Few steelhead survive for repeated spawning trips. Fish making it back to the salt don't put on much weight because their bodies are focused on recovering and not growing. Making it up the river, spawning, then going back out is hard on their bodies.

[fish vacuum]

Funny that so many on here claim the WDFW is screwing up EVERYTHING, including our steelhead fisheries. But in this thread, people are saying it's fine to whack a native because WDFW says it's ok.
So I guess the state has mismanaged every other steelhead fishery we have, but they're getting it right when they say the OP steelhead runs are healthy enough for sports harvest.

[Wanttohuntmore]

Nice fish!  I still have not broke the 20 lb mark...  Now days I'd throw a Nate back.  Not sure how much that helps, with all the netting, tribal and offshore commercial.....  Not only targeting these fish, but also the ocean food sources for the salmonids....   Too many people on a limited food source.

[KNOPHISH]

Is Gary S. reading this? Wassup dog?