The WindRiver Experience

[TheRogue]

Made the trip Sunday. I sure wish I could find that sensor in the floor of my shop that sends a signal to the fish in the NW when I grab a fishing rod from the rack! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Anyway, the fish disappeared on Sunday. Almost nothing in the stretch below the hatchery. We went down to walk into the gorge, and met several groups of people coming out....very few fish seen or caught.

What really got me was a little incident below the hatchery deadline I watched involving a small pod of fish, a whole bunch of rocks, and three young men with fishing rods. I had talked to these gentlemen first thing in the morning. They had 1 fish on the bank, and were pounding one area of this run very heavily. They were complaining about lots of fish on Saturday, but they had disappeared. I went on my merry way. Later, looking back, I watched as one guy went upstream into a brush/log choked hole, and started throwing rocks....large ones. This went on for a while, until he ran back down to the hole they were fishing in. I got closer to watch....they proceeded to quite obviously attempt to snag fish: cast, drift, jerk, reel quickly, cast, drift, jerk. This kept up until the guy ran back upstream, threw some more rocks, and came back down. Finally, a fish was hooked, and tried to go downstream. One of the guys ran down with the net, waded in, netted the fish, and immediately took the hook out from wherever it was at. Quite excited, the guy cleaned the fish and they went back after whatever was left.

There were lots of rigs, couldn't tell which one was theirs. Obviously, they weren't going to give up names or license numbers to me. Didn't want to search for a phone. Amazingly, this place is visible from the main road, but there didn't appear to be any law driving by all day. Didn't bring my video camera. I did go back down and express my opinion that there was probably a "legal" way to fish for salmon, and that was NOT it, but they didn't pay too much attention.

Several other people who watched these interesting tactics didn't seem to care too much. I guess that kind of thing is OK there....and I thought everyone was complaining about the expert "liners".

T.R.

[THE REEL HEY_YALL]

You should have seen the 3 crackers trying to floss fish with a spinner on the Santiam. They could have tossed it out into the seam and probably had better results. We watched them try this method for a little bit, and they weren't any threat to the fish where they were trying that nonsense. You could tell they weren't going for the foul hook either.

[parker]

That's the problem. Things of that nature shouldn't be *ok* down there.

I think what happens down there is a lot like what happens when people get filmed during a pro sporting event. You can get the smartest, nicest people in the world to do stupid stuff on film at a pro sporting event. It's amazing how people act when a camera passes over or by them.

Same with the Wind. People start doing stupid crap when they see piles of salmon in a hole. Screw ethics and break out the snagging gear! Forget about the laws and being nice or curteous to your fellow fisherman.

[hawgcatcher]

Years ago, the state of Washington tried an idea on the Washugal River. It was called legalized snagging. It brought out every idiot that could buy a pole and 60# line. They lined the hole at the Hatchery on both sides. When the whistle blew, hundreds of lines flew into the air. The jerks started jerking and soon they were tangled lines all over. What fish were snagged, often were caught from both sides of the hole and were yanked up into the air, where they hung, while each side pulled them. People that normally were nice people went wild, over fish the were often black and not worth taking. Seeing this, made me sick.

This same type of mentality hits people when they get anywhere near a hole full of fish. They jerk and pull and when a fish is snagged, they say "he was trying to hit my lure (bait etc.) so I should be able to take him". Justifying their catch. I don't think that these people will ever learn. And when the fish are gone, they will blame everyone but themselves for the loss of a giant.

I guess I better get off my soapbox. I think I will go get my carp gear. At least I won't see too many of the maniacs there snagging carp.

[Jellyhead]

Just a note---It's leagal to snag carp [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

In fact I shoot em' w/my Bow!!

But you know what's funny....No crowds, trash, or maniacs arrowing carp.....Maybe we should open an archery season on salmon. (just kidding) I know, I'm comparing apples to oranges. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Better be quiet now, or this will turn into another salmon snagging/moral/ethical post. [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

Aaron