Tedster
01-02-2007, 01:53 PM
Here is an article form local fishing expert: Tony floor
My New Year's Resolution: Go Fishing More!
As you read this writing, it's 2007 and a time to take a quick look back at 2006 while anticipating the new year. Like life, salmon fishing is a sport where you learn from where you've been, and apply contemporary approaches for 2007.
I learned a lot in 2006 challenging the old dog, new tricks cliché:
I learned that the forecast for the ocean fisheries were about as accurate as KING-5's weather forecast for a month from now.
Never say never about the forecast for Lake Washington's summer sockeye salmon run. Forecasted at a return of 211,000 sockeye salmon, the actual return pushed a half million. Right on target but different.
I learned that the Willapa Bay shallow water king salmon fishery in late August and early September is one of the few fisheries in our state that is consistent.
I rolled the dice, based on the forecast, and said adios to the lower Columbia River in mid-late August and said hello to the Sooke, B.C. fishery across the Strait of Juan de Fuca from Port Angeles. It made me look like a genius. You know better.
The Hein Bank blackmouth fishery in February and March returned to it's productive form, competing with successful trips back from the 80's.
Taking new anglers fishing, with great results, continues to be one of the most gratifying activities for this angler after over 50 year's on Washington's saltwater.
Now, we get to start all over again. Here comes the Seattle Boat Show, on January 25th followed by sportsmen's shows in Puyallup, Portland and Monroe. Then, in early February, winter blackmouth fishing kicks into high gear as I'll hit the road for Roche Harbor, Discovery Bay, Anacortes and Hood Canal to participate in annual salmon derbies as part of the 2007 NW Salmon Derby Series. Life is good.
There is no question that salmon fishing has changed in the diverse waters of Washington state. While the evolution of technology in the sport of salmon fishing continues to improve with boats, motors, trailers, electronics and downriggers, learning to be more effective fishing is a work in progress, along with understanding changes in hatchery production affecting the presence of salmon from area to area with timing as the common denominator.
Another wild card to consider, as you layout your salmon fishing strategy for 2007, is the pending expansion of selective fishing. What is selective fishing? Selective fishing, applicable to this writing, is fishing for fin-clipped hatchery produced coho and chinook salmon while protecting wild salmon stocks, bearing an adipose fin located between the dorsal fin and the tail, on a salmon's back. In the next few months, state and tribal salmon managers will be considering new fishing rules that will hopefully improve and expand the selective fisheries in Puget Sound today. For example, the marine waters around Everett provide the only fall, winter and spring blackmouth fishery for hatchery produced, marked fish. It is time, in 2007, to expand selective fishing to other areas in Puget Sound. The science has been done on selective fisheries. The hatchery chinook salmon, for the most part, have been marked. Washington tax-payers have funded the marking, through the legislature and the federal government. Now, it is time to expand the fisheries for hatchery marked chinook and coho salmon. Amen.
I am on fire about 2007. My new year's resolution? Get on the water more. Go fishing more. Take more time to live and breathe in the natural world. Go fishing more. Share more of my fish with friends who love to eat fish but don't catch it. Go fishing more. Get my drift?
Come see us at the Seattle Boat Show. You'll find me, licking the paint off one of the hundreds of boats at the show, tying leaders getting ready to go fishing. See you on the water!
My New Year's Resolution: Go Fishing More!
As you read this writing, it's 2007 and a time to take a quick look back at 2006 while anticipating the new year. Like life, salmon fishing is a sport where you learn from where you've been, and apply contemporary approaches for 2007.
I learned a lot in 2006 challenging the old dog, new tricks cliché:
I learned that the forecast for the ocean fisheries were about as accurate as KING-5's weather forecast for a month from now.
Never say never about the forecast for Lake Washington's summer sockeye salmon run. Forecasted at a return of 211,000 sockeye salmon, the actual return pushed a half million. Right on target but different.
I learned that the Willapa Bay shallow water king salmon fishery in late August and early September is one of the few fisheries in our state that is consistent.
I rolled the dice, based on the forecast, and said adios to the lower Columbia River in mid-late August and said hello to the Sooke, B.C. fishery across the Strait of Juan de Fuca from Port Angeles. It made me look like a genius. You know better.
The Hein Bank blackmouth fishery in February and March returned to it's productive form, competing with successful trips back from the 80's.
Taking new anglers fishing, with great results, continues to be one of the most gratifying activities for this angler after over 50 year's on Washington's saltwater.
Now, we get to start all over again. Here comes the Seattle Boat Show, on January 25th followed by sportsmen's shows in Puyallup, Portland and Monroe. Then, in early February, winter blackmouth fishing kicks into high gear as I'll hit the road for Roche Harbor, Discovery Bay, Anacortes and Hood Canal to participate in annual salmon derbies as part of the 2007 NW Salmon Derby Series. Life is good.
There is no question that salmon fishing has changed in the diverse waters of Washington state. While the evolution of technology in the sport of salmon fishing continues to improve with boats, motors, trailers, electronics and downriggers, learning to be more effective fishing is a work in progress, along with understanding changes in hatchery production affecting the presence of salmon from area to area with timing as the common denominator.
Another wild card to consider, as you layout your salmon fishing strategy for 2007, is the pending expansion of selective fishing. What is selective fishing? Selective fishing, applicable to this writing, is fishing for fin-clipped hatchery produced coho and chinook salmon while protecting wild salmon stocks, bearing an adipose fin located between the dorsal fin and the tail, on a salmon's back. In the next few months, state and tribal salmon managers will be considering new fishing rules that will hopefully improve and expand the selective fisheries in Puget Sound today. For example, the marine waters around Everett provide the only fall, winter and spring blackmouth fishery for hatchery produced, marked fish. It is time, in 2007, to expand selective fishing to other areas in Puget Sound. The science has been done on selective fisheries. The hatchery chinook salmon, for the most part, have been marked. Washington tax-payers have funded the marking, through the legislature and the federal government. Now, it is time to expand the fisheries for hatchery marked chinook and coho salmon. Amen.
I am on fire about 2007. My new year's resolution? Get on the water more. Go fishing more. Take more time to live and breathe in the natural world. Go fishing more. Share more of my fish with friends who love to eat fish but don't catch it. Go fishing more. Get my drift?
Come see us at the Seattle Boat Show. You'll find me, licking the paint off one of the hundreds of boats at the show, tying leaders getting ready to go fishing. See you on the water!