STATE FISHERY MANAGERS are seeking public comment on a proposed package of simplified recreational fishing regulations for freshwater species, such as steelhead, trout and warmwater fish.
Since last summer, state fishery managers have been working to simplify Washington’s fishing regulations for freshwater species, including steelhead, trout, warmwater fish, sturgeon, shad and carp, said Fish and Wildlife Director Jim Unsworth.
“For years, we’ve heard from people about how our regulations are complex — even for some of the most seasoned anglers — and act as a barrier to people trying to take up the sport,” Unsworth said. “So we’ve been developing a set of regulations that will be easier for all anglers to understand.”
I sure hope so. Coupled with tiny text in the rule book, many regulations require not just a magnifying glass, but a lawyer to help decipher the content.
Changes proposed this year would apply to freshwater throughout the state, with some exceptions. Some of the changes include:
• Standardizing the statewide season for rivers, streams and beaver ponds to the Saturday before Memorial Day through Oct. 31. Currently, there are three dates in and around the traditional first Saturday in June gamefish opener.
• Eliminating mandatory steelhead retention in most waters.
• Reducing the complexity of regulations — such as daily limits, size limits and seasons — in lakes and ponds.
• Standardizing regulations in rivers and streams for bass, channel catfish and walleye. Under the proposal there would be no daily limit or minimum size for those fish.
Salmon changes next year
This is the first year of a three-year effort to simplify sportfishing regulations throughout the state. Next year, fishery managers are scheduled to work on salmon fisheries in marine and freshwater, while fisheries for shellfish and other marine fish will be addressed in 2019.
“We’re excited about this effort and look forward to discussing our first year of proposals at upcoming meetings with the public,” said state Fish Management Divsion head Craig Burley. “This is a great opportunity for anglers and others to help us make our recreational fishing regulations more user friendly.”
To review and comment on the proposed rules, visit tinyurl.com/PDN-FreshwaterRules. Comments will be accepted through Nov. 30.
For a hard copy of the proposed rules, call 360-902-2700.
Public workshops to discuss these new rules are scheduled for the west side of the state:
• Mill Creek: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Oct. 3, WDFW Region 4 headquarters, 16018 Mill Creek Blvd., Mill Creek.
• Ridgefield: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Oct. 4, WDFW Region 5 headquarters, 5525 S. 11th St., Ridgefield.
• Montesano: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Oct. 5, Montesano City Hall, 112 N. Main St., Montesano.
The public will also have the opportunity to provide testimony on the proposals during the state Fish and Wildlife Commission’s meeting Dec. 8- 9 in Olympia.
The commission will then vote on the proposals in January and the rules will take effect July 1, 2018.
Sutherland afternoons
Avid Port Angeles angler and lure designer Pete Rosko relearned a lesson this week.
“After 37 years of fishing at Lake Sutherland, there is one constant that remains true. That being, kokanee become more active in mid-afternoon.”
That lesson was delivered Wednesday when Rosko and his neighbor suffered a poor bite when fishing the lake in late morning.
“The kokanee bite was very poor over the entire lake until we returned to the public boat ramp area at 3 p.m.,” Rosko said. “Last week, I recommended jigging for kokanee between the second and fourth no-wake buoys, positioned off the left shoreline from the ramp. Forget that as it appears one of those buoys is no longer in place. Instead, there is still the most important kokanee buoy in position. It’s easy to locate because it’s the only buoy that’s across from a small A-frame structure on the shoreline.”
Rosko said he found kokanee stacked within 30 feet off the ramp side of the buoy.
“It’s a 48- to 52- feet deep hole where most of the kokanee are striking metal jigs within 3 feet of bottom. As evening progresses, jig on the inside of the buoy in 38- to 45-feet of water, about 1 foot off bottom. Glow pink Sonic BaitFish and cerise Kandlefish, remain the hot jigs. Keep your hook point sharp to avoid missed strikes.”
