First oversize of 09' !

[huntnphool]

Long term it could be harmful to the species but WDFW has to determine that before anything will really be done about it.

 Agreed Robo, it doesn't make it right in the mean time though is my point, and if there is even a chance that the bios could be correct, then why on earth as a sportsamn would you do it

[billythekidrock]

Try looking at it from this angle.... is it legal to target oversized fish?
I liken this to trapping or baiting, if legal to do so then we should support those that enjoy those activities.
One thing that makes me laugh though is that Hoyt is the first to spout "ethics" when it comes to archery, so why not when it comes to sturgies? Am I saying don't do it? No, but why target them so hard? Catch one or two a season and call it good.
I am not defending nor condeming.

[singleshot12]

Sturgeon don't take 100 years to mature either !!

 This is true, its actually about 30 so its all good then.

Its actually around 18 which is a really long time in my book, Halibut are around 8 years and bass is a long time as well, so really all species are affected by stress and recover slowly.

My whole point is not to point fingers here as we are all guilty in some fashon as fishermen when it comes to stressing different species, I do agree that targeting a specific species when they are spawning is a bad idea regardless which one it is but the WDFW sets the seasons on them and sometimes they coinside with the spawning.

I think it is best to not target anything weather wildlife or fish that we cannot keep. If I don't have a bull tag in my pocket you won't find me trying to call them or persue them in any way, and same goes for fish, I don't fish for salmon when I know I cannot keep them it's simple.

Long term it could be harmful to the species but WDFW has to determine that before anything will really be done about it.

And by the time anything is ever done, it is too late.

[jackelope]

honest question....
it's illegal to keep them.
is there an actual season that is open to catch and release oversizers? or is this just like oops i was really fishing for keepers with a 3lb shad for bait and a 9/0 hook when i accidentally hooked this 10'er. is this just some loophole in the regs so to speak or is it legal to target them?
i have been sturgeon fishing exactly one time and we used little herring or shad or something that were 5" long or so...i was surprised at how small the bait was.

[huntnphool]

There are keeper seasons and catch and release seasons, oversize fish would be considered "incidental" in both if hooked, although fishing with shad up by the dam will result with about a 80% hookup of oversize, that 80% being conservative.

 We used anchovies when you were out Josh, seldon do you hook oversize fishing like that in the lower river, maybe 3 a year on my boat.

[robodad]

Agreed Robo, it doesn't make it right in the mean time though is my point, and if there is even a chance that the bios could be correct, then why on earth as a sportsamn would you do it

I don't know the condition of the species as a whole and from the biological stand point I can't tell you if targeting them is harming them so I have to rely on the WDFW to tell me when it is ok to engage in such activity weather right or wrong although I know the effects of stress on an animal and in some cases they don't recover from it. I do know personally that it's not right to unnecessarily stress any species of game animal or game fish especially when they are already vulnerable so I DON'T do it.

I can see however why some would like to catch these fish because I am sure it is fun and makes them money and is perfectly legal to do, similar to baiting, I don't do it, and you know me I don't condone others doing it either BUT it's still legal and like BTKR says we should support those that do it even if its wrong, right ??

[huntnphool]

we should support those that do it even if its wrong, right ??

 To each his own, not me. Just because WDFW condones it doesn't make it right, there are several subjects that I don't agree with WDFW on, but thats just me.

[Dmanmastertracker]

 "Long term it could be harmful to the species but WDFW has to determine that before anything will really be done about it."

Robo, don't put so much faith in the ability of WDFW to even keep track of this issue, they have been cut back so bad, with the worse yet to come, that this is the exact kind of issue that they will not have manpower to look at closely. It's at least partly up to us to voice our concern.

[boneaddict]

If you consciously do something that is wrong even though its legal, it DOES NOT MAKE IT RIGHT.   And in this case I do not believe you should support something just because its legal.  I also won't support catching steelhead while WHITEFISHING, or running game to find sheds in December and January.   I also believe IT IS OUR JOB if not RIGHT, to police ourselves as sportsman.  I have little to no vested interest in this argument so don't have an agenda.  I will stand up to something I believe is right though.

[KillBilly]

there's at least a couple people here who don't think it's cool to stress giant 80 year old spawning fish and simply don't express their opinions.

well said Josh and a fact for sure

[KillBilly]

the other thing i would add is that for the sake of your business, the last thing i would be doing is posting this stuff on the web especially when you know everyone is going to rip you apart. you are jeopardizing your reputation, and you seem to know you are gonna get ripped.

It actually seems that he is living up to what we view his Rep to be

[Navyhunter]

there's at least a couple people here who don't think it's cool to stress giant 80 year old spawning fish and simply don't express their opinions.

well said Josh and a fact for sure

Sure is.  Let 'em be.

[M_ray]

there's at least a couple people here who don't think it's cool to stress giant 80 year old spawning fish and simply don't express their opinions.

 But for those of us that do express out opinions he tells us OUR view has no merit!!!  

[huntnphool]

Those are great points Bone. I for one, understand Hoyt has every right to do what he is doing, I don't have to agree with it or condone it however, and when even he says things like

remember these fish are over 100years old.. they are all we have left like that, they need to be respected and cared for.....

it makes you wonder why he continues to go after them.

[M_ray]

Exactly!!! I'm not saying don't post success stories or that it is illeagal but for instance I don't retain wild steelhead on the Hoh even though it is leagal to do so! And this is no differnet than any other site that way. Go out and catch a wild steelie in March hold it out of the water by the gills and post your pics all over Piscatorial Pursuits and tell everybody you released it then see what happens to you!!! Not the smartest move you can make This is no different!