1 chinook limit

[Crunchy]

Did I miss something this year with the one chinook limit on all marine areas?  Might have read the regs wrong, but where did this come from?  Last I heard there was a stronger run expected this year than last, and we killed them last year.  Why cut it back from 2 chinook to 1 if the run is expected to be better.  Even my fav MA6 is 1 chinook.  Not worth the gas to trailer to MA6 for one chinook.

[Mfowl]

Probably to ensure the quota lasts through the season and there will be less chance of sudden early closures. If things are going well I bet they up the limit to 2 in the latter part of the season provided remaining quota supports it.

Could also be to reduce encounters with protected runs. Less time on the water to retain 1 fish equals less opportunity to catch "endagered" wild run fish.

[lazydrifter]

I can't find anything on this.  can you post a link.

[Crunchy]

https://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01914/2017-18_marine.pdf

two fish combined, only one can be a chinook.

[lazydrifter]

Those are 2017-18 regs.  Ends June 30th 2018.  From what I saw earlier MA6 will be 2 hatchery kings.

[MooseStock]

Yes....those are last years regs and Area 6 was two hatchery Chinook in them anyway. They lowered Area 11 and Area 13 to 1 hatchery Chinook a couple of days before it was to open June 1st but nothing has come out yet that is final on the rules beginning July 1st. Those new rules should come out in a week or so. Hopefully Area 6 is still 2 hatchery Chinook....that area has been my stomping grounds for 35 years. They did change the opening date for Area 6 to July 3rd while Area 5 is July 1st as has been the opener the last few years. I was hoping that loss of a couple days in Area 6 was in fact a quota thing and they will keep the limit at 2 Chinook.....we will find out soon.....Fish On I hope......Good Luck.......Les

[Crunchy]

well that is good news.  I usually wait a few days after July 1 for the crowd to thin.  might have to wait a few more days.  Need to start camping in the truck so I can get a two day limit, cause last years fish weren't very big compared to years past.

[3boys]

I saw the title and thought it was about SE Alaska. Last year we could not keep any kings in Sitka after July 1. This year the non-resident limit after July 1  is one king total per year not per day in SE  Alaska. I hope that holds up but chances are they might close it before I go in August. I have been going up there for 20+ years and this will probably be my last. We have always caught some nice kings in July and August and there seems to plenty around to the point of sometimes we have had to move the boat when we  were after silvers and couldn't keep the kings off the line. I guess the 1 fish per day in Washington is not that bad.

[Crunchy]

Never would have thought Alaska could be worse than here.  No more belly aching from me.

[3boys]

Never would have thought Alaska could be worse than here.  No more belly aching from me.

They have chipped away at limits and opportunities for the last several years up there. Nothing worse then releasing a 70-90 pound halibut because its too big. Fishing for lingcod can be a pain when all the fish you catch are above the slot size and you release  them. Eventually it will all be eco tours since the guys that like to fish will go elsewhere.

[W_Ellison2011]

Never would have thought Alaska could be worse than here.  No more belly aching from me.

They have chipped away at limits and opportunities for the last several years up there. Nothing worse then releasing a 70-90 pound halibut because its too big. Fishing for lingcod can be a pain when all the fish you catch are above the slot size and you release  them. Eventually it will all be eco tours since the guys that like to fish will go elsewhere.

You only have to throw back the 70-90 lbs halibut if you are doing guided fishing. Not sure if you heard but they are closing down the Kenai for king salmon retention also. You can fish with a single barbless nonbaited hook for kings in the kenai but the fish are not to leave the water. Breaks my heart to think that my dream of fishing the kenai and catching a big 60+ lbs king on the kenai river to bring home is done for and might not ever happen.

[spoonman]

Yes....those are last years regs and Area 6 was two hatchery Chinook in them anyway. They lowered Area 11 and Area 13 to 1 hatchery Chinook a couple of days before it was to open June 1st but nothing has come out yet that is final on the rules beginning July 1st. Those new rules should come out in a week or so. Hopefully Area 6 is still 2 hatchery Chinook....that area has been my stomping grounds for 35 years. They did change the opening date for Area 6 to July 3rd while Area 5 is July 1st as has been the opener the last few years. I was hoping that loss of a couple days in Area 6 was in fact a quota thing and they will keep the limit at 2 Chinook.....we will find out soon.....Fish On I hope......Good Luck.......Les

I cant find any emergency rule change for areas 11 or 13 for only 1 chinook? Its 2 combined salmon.

[MooseStock]

The rule changes are on the WDFW fishing web site. Area 11 as of June 1st was a two fish limit of which only 1 may be a hatchery chinook....Area 13 is still a limit of two and two may be hatchery chinook. Good news for us Crunchy.....the new years regs came out on the WDFW web site and Area 6 is still a two hatchery chinook limit as in the past.....Fish On in a couple of weeks hopefully.......Les

[j_h_nimrod]

Probably to ensure the quota lasts through the season and there will be less chance of sudden early closures. If things are going well I bet they up the limit to 2 in the latter part of the season provided remaining quota supports it.

Could also be to reduce encounters with protected runs. Less time on the water to retain 1 fish equals less opportunity to catch endagered “wild” run fish.

There, I fixed it for you...

I agree with the halibut restrictions in AK, it is long past due. There should have been a slot limit imposed (commercial fisheries included) 20 years ago; the largest breeders and suppliers of eggs are heavily hunted. One 200lb halibut produces something something like 900% more eggs at a larger average egg size than a 60lb Fish, halibut fecundity is based on size and increases exponentially with larger fish. 

[Buckewe]

I believe that so.e of the closures in alaska are to protect the fun down here. Some of the kings we get summer upon in Alaska.