Commercial Gill Nets Target BASS in Lake WA

[AKBowman]

Well they are at it again. I just want to draw attention to the facts here. Muckleshoot tribe has gotten approval to run 3 commercial fishing boats 5 days per week from end of March through At least June. Each boat will be running eight Nets with a length of 100 yards per net. Yes that means there will be 2,400 yards yards of Nets 5 days per week for the next 8 weeks.

These Nets are set in strategic areas to target and kill bass as they move to their spring time spawning areas. The Muckleshoots are under the thought process that bass are significantly impacting salmon smolt survival. There has been zero studies done on Lake Washington to prove this being a fact. Yet they are going to wipe this fishery out the same as they did on Lake Sammamish in 2019. There is just as much or more evidence that native Cutthroat trout target and negatively impact smolt survival yet there are no efforts to target removal of this species.

Largemouth were introduced to Lake WA in the early 1900’s while SM were introduced in the 60’ or earlier. These species thrive in the warming waters of Lake WA while, as upsetting as it is, since the lake was altered to flow west through Union canal, salmon have NOT and will NOT thrive in this lake.

3 commercial boats with 8 Nets each running X 5 days per week is HARDLY a “test”. It’s a commercial decimation of a 100 year old, nationally renowned sort fishery for the benefit of a very small special interest group.

What are everyone’s thoughts on this? How can this be allowable by law and why doesn’t WDFW step up and put a stop to this?


https://nwsportsmanmag.com/tribe-begins-warmwater-test-fishery-on-lake-washington-2-pike-reportedly-caught/

[jay.sharkbait]

Meh

Non native species. And there are viable Salmon runs through the locks and into the lakes.

[huntnphool]

 I gotta say, I am happy to see the tribes doing this myself!

[full choke]

The number one thing killing salmon is development. Politicians won’t touch that though- too many of them have their hands in that cookie jar. Netting the bass won’t bring back sockeye. But whatever, kill the bass. Then you won’t have sockeye or bass to fish for.

Sincerely,

A duck hunter who has lost too much habitat to “salmon restoration”.

[AKBowman]

So you are happy the state is allowing them to decimate a sport fishery with near zero evidence to show the targeted species has any negative impact on Salmon runs?

I am going to assume this is because you are a salmon fisherman? So am I. The difference is I am not silly enough to think that if Salmon were ever to come back that I would actually be able to fish them, let alone retain them here.

 

[Fishmaker57]

Fighting an uphill battle here. Non-native species vs. a Sockeye fishery in Lak Washington that generates millions of dollars every day that it is open. I agree, there should be a smaller, more comprehensive study, during the Sockeye smolt releases upstream, to determine what impact, if any, there is from Bass. Hopefully they will at least be doing some stomach content evaluations to determine if there is predation taking place?

[huntnphool]

So you are happy the state is allowing them to decimate a sport fishery with near zero evidence to show the targeted species has any negative impact on Salmon runs?

I am going to assume this is because you are a salmon fisherman? So am I. The difference is I am not silly enough to think that if Salmon were ever to come back that I would actually be able to fish them, let alone retain them here.

 My first post wasn’t clear enough? Yes, I support this.

[AKBowman]

To the other comment about the salmon having access through the locks. True but they can’t survive the water temps. So...kill all the bass, kill everything in the lake that could possibly predate on smolt, kill all the mergansers and loons for that matter. Then release all the smolt you want and they still won’t come back. If they do get a year where they get a return they will count enough fish through the weir to get to their number then go out and catch their quota. You’ll likely never get a chance to sport fish for them.

The fact is this is a warm water fishery now. The idea of it being a cold water fishery died when the lake was altered to flow West.

My biggest issue with all this is it is simply put:

The tribes are being allowed to act like an unregulated SPECIAL INTEREST group. Department of Fish and Wildlife should be the ONLY group allowed to make these decisions and they should be made in the interest of the public that they serve!

[jay.sharkbait]

So you are happy the state is allowing them to decimate a sport fishery with near zero evidence to show the targeted species has any negative impact on Salmon runs?

I am going to assume this is because you are a salmon fisherman? So am I. The difference is I am not silly enough to think that if Salmon were ever to come back that I would actually be able to fish them, let alone retain them here.

Yes, I’m completely OK with eliminating non native species.

[KFhunter]

Well are salmon in bass stomachs?

[AKBowman]

So you are happy the state is allowing them to decimate a sport fishery with near zero evidence to show the targeted species has any negative impact on Salmon runs?

I am going to assume this is because you are a salmon fisherman? So am I. The difference is I am not silly enough to think that if Salmon were ever to come back that I would actually be able to fish them, let alone retain them here.

 My first post wasn’t clear enough? Yes, I support this.

Not clearing how/why? Your statement is the same as me stating I would support them clear cutting the greenbelt behind your house.

[knighttime25]

So we can expect to see roadside stands selling fresh bass fillets soon? 

[jay.sharkbait]

To the other comment about the salmon having access through the locks. True but they can’t survive the water temps. So...kill all the bass, kill everything in the lake that could possibly predate on smolt, kill all the mergansers and loons for that matter. Then release all the smolt you want and they still won’t come back. If they do get a year where they get a return they will count enough fish through the weir to get to their number then go out and catch their quota. You’ll likely never get a chance to sport fish for them.

The fact is this is a warm water fishery now. The idea of it being a cold water fishery died when the lake was altered to flow West.

My biggest issue with all this is it is simply put:

The tribes are being allowed to act like an unregulated SPECIAL INTEREST group. Department of Fish and Wildlife should be the ONLY group allowed to make these decisions and they should be made in the interest of the public that they serve!

Sorry you don’t like the injuns....lol

I used to walk to work via the locks and can assure you there are lots of returning fish.


My guess is that they survived the spawning cycle via the lake.

[full choke]

So you are happy the state is allowing them to decimate a sport fishery with near zero evidence to show the targeted species has any negative impact on Salmon runs?

I am going to assume this is because you are a salmon fisherman? So am I. The difference is I am not silly enough to think that if Salmon were ever to come back that I would actually be able to fish them, let alone retain them here.

Yes, I’m completely OK with eliminating non native species.

So, that includes sockeye?

[jay.sharkbait]

So you are happy the state is allowing them to decimate a sport fishery with near zero evidence to show the targeted species has any negative impact on Salmon runs?

I am going to assume this is because you are a salmon fisherman? So am I. The difference is I am not silly enough to think that if Salmon were ever to come back that I would actually be able to fish them, let alone retain them here.

Yes, I’m completely OK with eliminating non native species.

So, that includes sockeye?

If they can get approval..  lol