Take Action for Wild Steelhead

The Caddis Fly passes on a call to action from the Native Fish Society to tell WDFW to designate the entire Skagit as a wild steelhead gene bank. Go HERE and let your voice be heard.

The Drake Weighs In on Washington State Steelhead Woes

Good piece from The Drake, and an opportunity to take action on critical rule changes being proposed by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Luke Kelly Photo

WHY THE STAUS QUO IN WASHINGTON STATE IS FAILING STEELHEADERS
WASHINGTON, OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK—Most anglers will change anything and everything to feel the tug of a wild steelhead. After swinging through a few juicy runs without a grab, we'll vary our presentations. A few more unproductive runs will result in changed tips, new flies, or yes... even a bobber and bead. By the end of an unfruitful day, we might even wade waist-deep and bare-assed if we thought it would guarantee a hookup.

Yet when it comes to altering angling practices to conserve and rebuild wild steelhead populations, our community of anglers can be more reticent to discuss change. 

Read more.

Steelhead Plate?

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is proposing a Steelhead license plate to raise $200K a year to support conservation efforts to benefit these fish. State law requires 3,500 signatures on an "intent to purchase" petition before such plates can be issued.

Read more, and reserve your copy.

It's Official

2012

Upper Columbia River and selected tributaries to open for hatchery steelhead fishing
Action: Allow retention of hatchery steelhead.
Species affected: Hatchery steelhead
General Rules:
1) Mandatory retention of hatchery steelhead, identified by a missing adipose fin with a healed scar at the location of the clipped fin.
2) Daily limit two (2) hatchery steelhead.
3) Selective gear rules and night closure are in effect for all steelhead fishery areas, except the use of bait is allowed on mainstem Columbia River.
4) Adipose present steelhead must be released unharmed and cannot be removed from the water prior to release.
5) Release all steelhead with a floy (anchor) tag attached and/or one or more round 1/4 inch in diameter holes punched in the caudal (tail) fin.
6) Motorized vessels are not allowed on the Wenatchee and Icicle Rivers (Chelan Co ordinance 7.20.190 Motorboat restrictions)
Effective dates and locations:
1) The mainstem Columbia River from Rock Island Dam to 400 feet below Chief Joseph Dam; October 8, 2014 until further notice.
2) The Wenatchee River from the mouth to the Wenatchee River at the Icicle Road Bridge, including the Icicle River from the mouth to 500 feet downstream of the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery Barrier Dam; October 8, 2014 until further notice.
3) The Entiat River from the mouth to approximately 1/2 mile upstream to a point perpendicular with the intersection of the Entiat River Road and Hedding Street; October 8, 2014 until further notice.
4) The Methow River from the mouth to the confluence with the Chewuch River in Winthrop; October 8, 2014 until further notice. Fishing from a floating device is prohibited from the second powerline crossing (1 mile upstream from the mouth) to the first Hwy 153 Bridge (4 miles upstream from the mouth).
5) The Okanogan River from the mouth to the Highway 97 Bridge in Oroville; October 8, 2014 until further notice.
6) The Similkameen River, from its mouth to 400 feet below Enloe Dam; November 1, 2014 until further notice.
Reason for action: Hatchery-origin steelhead in excess of desired escapement are forecast to return to the upper Columbia River. The fishery will reduce the number of excess hatchery-origin steelhead and consequently increase the proportion of natural-origin steelhead on the spawning grounds. Higher proportions of naturally produced spawners are expected to improve genetic integrity and stock recruitment of upper Columbia River steelhead through perpetuation of steelhead stocks with the greatest natural-origin lineage.

The Sinlahekin: Full Circle

This may be letting the bear out of the bag, but I went to a celebration of the 75th Anniversary of the Sinlahekin Wildlife Management Area. The Sinlahekin is the beautiful valley that you have seen in thousands of photos on this blog.

The Sinlahekin Wildlife Management Area was the first of its kind in the state of Washington, and the inspiration for many more areas set aside to preserve and conserve the land, and to provide recreational access to the public. It stands as a symbol of the necessity to continue the fight against private interest groups intent on restricting land use to whatever will yield the highest profit.

The Sinlahekin is 14,000 acres, purchased from ranchers in 1938 for $9,000. The money came from the Pittman-Robertson Funds, a fund created in the 30's from an excise tax on guns and ammunition. That fund, and additional funds from excise taxes on fishing equipment, continue to help support the operation of the management area.

This valley was set aside as prime mule deer range, in an effort to save deer herds, and it is still a very busy place during deer season. But the mission of the area has expanded through the years to include the provision of "functional habitat based on historic ecosystem properties and habitat dynamics to sustain populations of all species of fish and wildlife present."

In addition, the purpose of the prescribed burn program that I have noted in my posts is to restore habitat for Bighorn Sheep. The burns duplicate the former natural process of lightning fires. The Bighorns are here now, and should flourish. One more break healed in the Sacred Circle.

So people mingled and learned more about the Sinlahekin. Like me, they all believe the Sinlahekin is a special place, a place to be celebrated.

Then everyone gathered under the awning for speeches.

We heard from lots of different people, including the head of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. We heard letters from a Senator or two. And we heard from this guy. This is Dan Ashe. He is the Director of the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The top dog in the management of my fishing opportunities, and yours. I was impressed, not so much by him, but by the fact that my favorite fishing area could bring someone of his stature here. He sounded like he was 100% behind the kind of conservation efforts that have gone into the Sinlahekin. May it be so.

I was more struck, though, by this speaker. I'm sorry I don't have his name. He is a local tribal representative and holy man, and was asked to open the gathering. He reminded us that his people had known this valley for many generations, and had used it as a hunting ground. He explained how sacred the deer were, how their remains were treated with respect, and how his people lived in harmony with the earth. When I hear his song and look out over the beautiful land preserved here, I'm hopeful that, through the efforts of enlightened people today, maybe, just maybe, we can come full circle.