Post by: bearpaw on February 19, 2020, 08:43:08 PM
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov/
February 18, 2020
Contact: Steve Caromile, 360-902-8315
Public Affairs contact: Ben Anderson, 360-902-0045
New limits on bass, walleye, and channel catfish now in effect for select lakes, rivers throughout Washington
Corrects information about allowable size limits for largemouth bass.
OLYMPIA As of Monday, Feb. 17, anglers on 77 lakes, as well as rivers, streams, and beaver ponds across Washington are allowed to keep more bass, walleye, and channel catfish as part of their daily limit under new permanent rules approved by the Fish and Wildlife Commission late last year.
The rules, approved at the Commission's December meeting in Bellingham, were the result of legislation passed in 2019 by the Washington State Legislature, and intended to help aid the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whale population by reducing the risk of predation on salmon smolts by these warmwater species.
"These measures were implemented in part to help meet the recommendations of the governor's Southern Resident Orca Task Force, and we presented commissioners with a range of options to choose from," said Steve Caromile, inland fish program manager with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). "We believe we landed on a set of rules that address those recommendations, while still allowing for robust fishing opportunities for these popular species."
The following changes to size and daily limits went into effect Monday in 77 lakes around the state:
Largemouth bass: Change from 5 to a 10-fish daily limit; anglers must release fish between 12 and 17 inches, and only one fish may be over 17 inches.
Smallmouth bass: Change from 10 to a 15-fish daily limit; only one fish may be over 14 inches.
Channel catfish: Change from 5 to a 10-fish daily limit. No minimum size.
Walleye: Change from 8 to a 16-fish daily limit; only one fish may be over 22 inches.
Additionally, all size restrictions and daily limits for these species are lifted in rivers, streams, and beaver ponds statewide. You can find a list of all affected lakes online at https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2020-02/2shb1579-lake-list.pdf
Several other freshwater rule changes also went into effect Monday, including:
Restoring a year-round fishing season on the portion of the Colville River that extends from the mouth upstream to the bridge at the town of Valley.
Implementing a permanent fishing closure in the upper Green (Duwamish) River in the Tacoma Municipal Watershed from the Tacoma Municipal Watershed Boundary Marker (approximately 1.3 miles downstream of the Tacoma Headworks Dam) to the Friday Creek confluence.
Removing eastern brook trout from the trout daily limit in Patterson Lake (Okanogan County), removing the daily limit of lake trout in Lake Chelan, and removing trout and cutthroat special size restrictions on Black Lake (Thurston County).
As is the case with trout, kokanee caught with bait will count toward the daily limit whether kept or released.
For more information on all of these rules, view the rule filings at WDFW's rule-making webpage at https://wdfw.wa.gov/about/regulations/2020#19-13-052.
Post by: bigtex on February 19, 2020, 08:50:08 PM
Post by: Mr Mykiss on February 20, 2020, 05:47:12 AM
Post by: C-Money on February 20, 2020, 07:26:53 AM
Post by: blackpowderhunter on February 20, 2020, 07:47:10 AM
so yes, moses, banks, and potholes are not on the list.
lake wa, samammish, union, etc have high levels of predatory warm water species eating salmon fry which are pushed out of rivers early due to reduced habitat.
WDFW could offer everyone free licenses and there'd still be some people who complained and expressed their hatred.
Is this a perfect idea? no. nothing in this world ever is.
in my opinion in many of the lakes not much will change, how many people are keeping 5 large mouth or 10 smallmouth a day as it is? most of those fish are catch and release.
Post by: Sandberm on February 20, 2020, 08:30:37 AM
For what its worth.
Post by: Bill W on February 20, 2020, 09:06:29 AM
Appears Moses, Banks & Potholes limits will not be affected? Glad of that.
I went thru the list of lakes also. I think almost all of the listed lakes do not hold walleye. Westside bass waters took a big hit.
Post by: Southpole on February 20, 2020, 09:26:56 AM
these increase in limits are directed at lakes that salmon pass through for spawning, or that fry come out into.Non u.s. type people...
so yes, moses, banks, and potholes are not on the list.
lake wa, samammish, union, etc have high levels of predatory warm water species eating salmon fry which are pushed out of rivers early due to reduced habitat.
WDFW could offer everyone free licenses and there'd still be some people who complained and expressed their hatred.
Is this a perfect idea? no. nothing in this world ever is.
in my opinion in many of the lakes not much will change, how many people are keeping 5 large mouth or 10 smallmouth a day as it is? most of those fish are catch and release.
Post by: KopperBuck on February 20, 2020, 01:04:28 PM
Post by: Chesterdog on February 20, 2020, 01:18:18 PM
I remember when lake Washington/Sammamish salmon runs were epic. Warm productive bass lakes will exist in the future. Clean/healthy salmon spawning lakes... not so much.
http://nwsportsmanmag.com/lake-sammamish-gillnetting-raises-questions/
Post by: KopperBuck on February 20, 2020, 02:08:55 PM
Post by: Southpole on February 20, 2020, 03:16:43 PM
That's kind of a *censored*ty statement.Is that for me? Is foreigners that don't speak english a better term? I've seen on many occasions where a big family of Russian/Ukrainian/east European folks keep bass.
Post by: blackpowderhunter on February 20, 2020, 09:11:18 PM
eh...i said how many people. not what type of people. so you took it there.That's kind of a *censored*ty statement.Is that for me? Is foreigners that don't speak english a better term? I've seen on many occasions where a big family of Russian/Ukrainian/east European folks keep bass.
Post by: Southpole on February 21, 2020, 08:11:19 AM
Oh, my comprehension skills are off, carry on :(eh...i said how many people. not what type of people. so you took it there.That's kind of a *censored*ty statement.Is that for me? Is foreigners that don't speak english a better term? I've seen on many occasions where a big family of Russian/Ukrainian/east European folks keep bass.
Post by: Katmai Guy on February 21, 2020, 10:13:32 AM
Post by: Southpole on February 21, 2020, 10:33:35 AM
Post by: Bullkllr on February 22, 2020, 07:55:33 AM
They're taking an easy and cheap option that will likely have negligible impact while continuing to ignore enormous factors that would require more expensive and less PC solutions.
I'd say there is a very strong likelihood that this results in some more ruined warm-water fisheries while having near zero positive effects toward saving salmon or orcas. This is why we can't have nice things.
Post by: bassquatch on February 23, 2020, 10:13:31 AM
I get the "invasive species" argument, but the real issue with this for me is it's typical WDFW grabbing at the lowest hanging fruit.
They're taking an easy and cheap option that will likely have negligible impact while continuing to ignore enormous factors that would require more expensive and less PC solutions.
I'd say there is a very strong likelihood that this results in some more ruined warm-water fisheries while having near zero positive effects toward saving salmon or orcas. This is why we can't have nice things.
That's called 'common sense' and not allowed in Washington! :chuckle:
Meanwhile, I will be fully implementing my new 'handling' standards for all my salmon, trout and steelhead going forward. WDFW and the huggers can kiss my bass. :tup:
Post by: Skillet on February 23, 2020, 10:32:26 AM
Meanwhile, I will be fully implementing my new 'handling' standards for all my salmon, trout and steelhead going forward. WDFW and the huggers can kiss my bass. :tup:
Well, I for one wish you wouldn't... I don't see how it would benefit you or the warmwater fisheries in any way?