Free: Contests & Raffles.
The tribes are a bigger concern with their gill nets than sportsman will ever be. I've witnessed countless acts of them raking the river from bank to bank with there nets. Nets kill big fish, and alot of them, it's the small ones who can slip through. Tribes are a way bigger issue, get rid of those damn nets to protect those native runs
Awesome fish. Sounds like you had a pretty awesome day, too. Damn shame that sportsmen crucify each other over differences of opinion.I personally think that those who play CnR on the nates are way more of a problem than the guy who keeps the fish of a life time. As a matter of fact, I have no issue at all with a guy legally keeping a masher like this (Congrats again, but I am jealous). I do think the CnR guys kill a bunch. You guys should stop being hypocrites. If you've stopped the CnR, then at least you've moved on to zealot from hypocrite.
Great fish Swatson, I know what its like to pursue a goal like this an finally achieve it. Heres the problem though. Part of the reason that 20# steelhead are the fish of a lifetime now, is because they have been caught and killed for generations. They didn't use to be all that uncommon. But when those fish are killed, those genes are GONE. It might be the only one you kill, but if 30 or 40 other people kill their once in a lifetime 20# fish, those fish won't get to spawn and pass genes on to make more 20# fish. For every one that gets killed, it makes it more and more rare that you will catch one in the future, and eventually those fish will simply be gone and 20# steelhead will be a thing of the past. Its a vicious cycle, I know, and I can't blame you for doing something that is legal. Eventually though, I think we as sportsman need to step up and make personal changes to how we utilize a resource, even if the state is willing to .
I'm glad that was 16 years ago when I bonked my 26 pound native on the Hump and not today, some of these posters probably would have burned my house down, raped my cattle and rustled my children!
It may be legal, but those days are over for me. I couldn't kill that fish.
There is only one reason I would not have bonked that fish and that's because I have one bigger on the wall.( Probably wont until I top the one I have). If I do get one bigger, and its legal, I will be looking for a stick. Now if it came from a river were there was no netting, then that might change things, but every river you can keep your 1 a year in gets the living $#$^ netted out of it. That is a hell of a nice fish, A true trophy you will be able to enjoy for ever. Now, this isn't the 80's anymore and if you go to the right place to get that hog mounted, it wont fade or crack and its your fish you will be looking at not a replica.
Quote from: plugger on February 24, 2014, 07:09:49 PMThere is only one reason I would not have bonked that fish and that's because I have one bigger on the wall.( Probably wont until I top the one I have). If I do get one bigger, and its legal, I will be looking for a stick. Now if it came from a river were there was no netting, then that might change things, but every river you can keep your 1 a year in gets the living $#$^ netted out of it. That is a hell of a nice fish, A true trophy you will be able to enjoy for ever. Now, this isn't the 80's anymore and if you go to the right place to get that hog mounted, it wont fade or crack and its your fish you will be looking at not a replica.Never understood the theory of killing more wild steelhead because the tribe is netting the piss put of them.
Quote from: Bullkllr on February 24, 2014, 07:36:14 PMQuote from: plugger on February 24, 2014, 07:09:49 PMThere is only one reason I would not have bonked that fish and that's because I have one bigger on the wall.( Probably wont until I top the one I have). If I do get one bigger, and its legal, I will be looking for a stick. Now if it came from a river were there was no netting, then that might change things, but every river you can keep your 1 a year in gets the living $#$^ netted out of it. That is a hell of a nice fish, A true trophy you will be able to enjoy for ever. Now, this isn't the 80's anymore and if you go to the right place to get that hog mounted, it wont fade or crack and its your fish you will be looking at not a replica.Never understood the theory of killing more wild steelhead because the tribe is netting the piss put of them. it's BS... Because of the way the system works, technically every released fish is there for foregone opportunity and thus allows those released fish to be allocated to the nets. People like to use this to feel better about killing wild fish... And FYI if you don't want your released fish to be allocated to nets, don't tell your fish checker how many you released.
Quote from: 87Ford link=topic=148272.msg1966988# :bash:msg1966988 date=1393279012It may be legal, but those days are over for me. I couldn't kill that fish.Agreed 100%.... It's funny how many "seasoned" steelhead anglers bonk nates... ALL seasoned anglers that I know, would never intentionally kill native steelhead... And the only reason there is a kill fishery for native steelhead for non-natives, is because of the tribes... And not because this handful of rivers have met escapement and there is a surplus. In fact 90% of these rivers have not met escapement in a long time... CnR all native steelhead period.
