Commercial Gill Nets Target BASS in Lake WA

[Stein]

I caught one in the two times I tried.  I think it's the fishing version of trapping for a living.  A couple people may make a meager living and most are lucky to pay the fuel bill.

[M_ray]

Hilarious that you guys that are in favor of this think that Bass are your Salmon's problem.

 Stop for one second and think??? There were no problems with the Sockeye runs in the 50's & 60's and even into the 70's and 80's and there have been Bass in that lake for over a hundred years. There were bass in there when the runs were strong so when did Bass become the problem?

I Guess the bass of 50 years ago were wussies and the bass of the 2000's are larger Salmon predator's? 


The sea lions and seals in front of the locks aren't a problem? huh? how soon we forget.

[pianoman9701]

You should probably read all the posts. Your horse won't be quite so high when you try to get off of it.  Let me phrase that differently. Other predators, including sea lions, have been mentioned, not forgotten. It's like talking about wolves. Just because you're targeting the wolves, doesn't mean you're ignoring the other predators. You can target them all. All of the salmonid predators aren't mutually exclusive, either. You can target one or many. But this post is about the control of one of them - bass. That's why people aren't necessarily talking about sea lions.

[Angry Perch]

I imagine more sockeye will return to the lake this year than 120 years ago.

[pianoman9701]

I imagine more sockeye will return to the lake this year than 120 years ago.

Runs can improve. Baker River sockeye are a great example.

[Angry Perch]

I imagine more sockeye will return to the lake this year than 120 years ago.

Runs can improve. Baker River sockeye are a great example.

These are Baker River sockeye for the most part, from what I understand. it doesn't sound like there was ever a substantial sockeye run prior to hatcheries.

[pianoman9701]

I imagine more sockeye will return to the lake this year than 120 years ago.

Runs can improve. Baker River sockeye are a great example.

These are Baker River sockeye for the most part, from what I understand. it doesn't sound like there was ever a substantial sockeye run prior to hatcheries.

I don't believe so. The Baker River sockeye spawn in Baker lake for the most part, way further to the North. Could be wrong but I don't think so.

[Stein]

It's a mix and not very conclusive.  Some people think there are native Bear Creek (Sammish) fish in addition to the transplanted (and now planted) fish and other streams.  I think there is also debate as to whether kokanee existed prior or around 1900 which would indicate native sockeye were there at some point prior.

I think the Cedar and Issaquah fish are generally believed to be Baker transplants and they are different from the Bear Creek fish which are either native or from somewhere else.  Apparently not a bunch of records exist as to what was done.

[Kola16]

10 bass totaling 20 lbs. is considered a good day of bass fishing in Washington. Bass fishermen's jaws drop over a 5 lb. bass. Pretty pathetic. Salmon need help, get rid of the bass. There are 1000s of lakes in Washington with them, and you don't have to fish in Seattle either.

[Angry Perch]

Ya, I think they planted Baker fish in the 1930's. Judging by the size of Bear Creek, it's hard to imaging a super sizeable run. Interesting that early accounts refer to "red fish".

[Angry Perch]

10 bass totaling 20 lbs. is considered a good day of bass fishing in Washington. Bass fishermen's jaws drop over a 5 lb. bass. Pretty pathetic. Salmon need help, get rid of the bass. There are 1000s of lakes in Washington with them, and you don't have to fish in Seattle either.

 

Are you saying it's pathetic to be gaga over 5 pound fish? I'd take a 5 pound smallie over a 20 pound king every day of the week and twice on Sunday. (As long as I can still buy a 20 pound king from Skillet!)

[full choke]

10 bass totaling 20 lbs. is considered a good day of bass fishing in Washington. Bass fishermen's jaws drop over a 5 lb. bass. Pretty pathetic. Salmon need help, get rid of the bass. There are 1000s of lakes in Washington with them, and you don't have to fish in Seattle either.

There are actually tens of thousands of square miles you can go fish for salmon too- what was your point?

Bass aren't the problem with Lake Washington sockeye.

It was said earlier- coho are doing fine. Are Lake Washington bass related to Puget Sound Orca's? Do they only eat one type of smolt?

[Kola16]

10 bass totaling 20 lbs. is considered a good day of bass fishing in Washington. Bass fishermen's jaws drop over a 5 lb. bass. Pretty pathetic. Salmon need help, get rid of the bass. There are 1000s of lakes in Washington with them, and you don't have to fish in Seattle either.

 

I'd take a 5 pound smallie over a 20 pound king every day of the week and twice on Sunday.

Then you're in the wrong state...

[Kola16]

10 bass totaling 20 lbs. is considered a good day of bass fishing in Washington. Bass fishermen's jaws drop over a 5 lb. bass. Pretty pathetic. Salmon need help, get rid of the bass. There are 1000s of lakes in Washington with them, and you don't have to fish in Seattle either.

There are actually tens of thousands of square miles you can go fish for salmon too- what was your point?

Bass aren't the problem with Lake Washington sockeye.

It was said earlier- coho are doing fine. Are Lake Washington bass related to Puget Sound Orca's? Do they only eat one type of smolt?

What's your point? Where in the world did I mention orcas? Bass may not be the problem, but a problem for sure regardless of how little or big. Are you saying bass don't eat salmon smolt?

[Stein]

I would happily take either a 5# smallie or a 20# chinook although the latter would make substantially better sushi.

I think one of the problems is we are trying to save everything and it just isn't going to work.  We can't have airports, malls, cars, dams, bass, sockeye, orcas, fishermen, overabundance of predators and everything at levels we are happy with in every waterway.

ESA stocks get the priority from the Feds and until they either extirpated or removed from the list, which is nearly impossible, we get these types of situations where we pay a price for a long time and they never really recover. 

Although most will admit that if they killed every predatory fish in the lake that the salmon would certainly benefit would that along with the other things we are/can do recover them?  I don't think so.  If we aren't planning on doing other substantial things I wonder if we are wasting time, money and other resources.