Why is night fishing illegal in Oregon, anyway?

Silent Lucidity · 10-23-2001, 07:28 AM

I'm sure that there is a good reason, but it escapes me. What would be the logic behind not allowing night fishing in Oregon? Washington seems to think that it is okay...

FEAR NO FISH! · 10-23-2001, 08:44 AM

Silent Lucidity,
It is only for steelhead,salmon and
sturgeon. I love chasing crappie at
night, on Brownlee in Richland,
Oregon.
I think PETA has infiltrated ODFW.
They are trying to limit the amount of
fishing a person can do. Steelhead and
salmon love to come to the red light at night! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

garyk · 10-23-2001, 08:44 AM

From various regulation hearings, as I recall, it's always been an enforcement issue.

TheRogue · 10-23-2001, 08:54 AM

I agree that there are places that should be open for night fishing in Oregon (Columbia), but there are lots of places that just can't be.....Salmon R, Eagle Ck, PC, etc. It would be insanity.

Open the large rivers...Columbia, Willamette, Rogue, etc., but leave the small rivers just as they are.

My .02

Kyle

THE REEL HEY_YALL · 10-23-2001, 10:16 AM

It's only legal to nightfish in WA on a couple of rivers. They are big rivers. Keep the closures on small rivers and creeks.

Silent Lucidity · 10-23-2001, 10:54 AM

Okay, that's cool. Keep the smaller streams daylight only. However, keeping the Columbia closed to Oregonians at night while keeping it open for Washingtonians is silly.

And if it is a safety issue, then may I please submit yet again that we mustn't get in the way of natural selection.

Got Fish? · 10-23-2001, 05:05 PM

In washington you can't fish for sturgeon at night anywhere. And I do believe that fishing for salmon or steelhead at night is closed in the columbia for washingtonians too.

FEAR NO FISH! · 10-23-2001, 05:16 PM

Got Fish,
You are mistaken about a night closure on the Columbia for steelhead and salmon. That only applies to the imaginary line they draw down the middle of the Columbia River. It is not legal on the Oregon side of that imaginary line. Sturgeon fishing at night is illegal in both states. Too bad about that. That is when it is the best fishing for sturgeon. [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img]

Wood Shampoo · 10-23-2001, 11:18 PM

Is it legal for Washington residents to fish for Sturgeon at night on the Columbia?

[ 10-23-2001: Message edited by: wtbarrong ]

TheRogue · 10-23-2001, 11:34 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR> And if it is a safety issue, then may I please submit yet again that we mustn't get in the way of natural selection.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

You gotta love some of SL's ideas!! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

kyle

Phish_on · 10-24-2001, 08:24 AM

Gee, Wally ! Maybe it's to protect the fish !

How come chumming and snagging are illegal? How come you can't use bait in certain places ? Why can't I use rotenone or dynamite ?

Silent Lucidity · 10-24-2001, 08:42 AM

Oh cmon Phish. Fishing at night isn't a bloodbath every time. I think that nightfishing would open the angling opportunity up to those who aren't available during the day. And the numbers of folks who would fish at night are tiny compared to the daytime activities.

So let's open it up.

THE REEL HEY_YALL · 10-24-2001, 08:49 AM

I think snagging is illegal, phish, because of the native stocks to the rivers. If a river was a complete hatchery run, then maybe.

You guys don't have the fish we do. I don't see why y'all can't fish the Columbia. I guess it's because everyone that settled in Oregon were either outlaws or rednecks from Kentucky.

note: I said Kentucky, not Alabama. [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

happybrew · 10-24-2001, 04:39 PM

Hey Phish-On, I don't think it's to protect the fish, because if they wanted to do that they wouldn't let me on the river! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Personally, I think its because they don't want everyone to see the top-secret black helicopters and UFO's that fly around our popular fishing spots at night. [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

happybrew

Fishful Thinkin' · 10-24-2001, 05:10 PM

OK folks, Who stole happybrew's PROZAK?

Tilla · 10-24-2001, 05:19 PM

If I am not mistaken they even still allow night fishing in the Sacramento/San Juaquin Delta in Ca. Sturgeon, Catfish and Striped Bass are the targets [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img]

FEAR NO FISH! · 10-24-2001, 09:01 PM

Hey Phishon,
Over 1000 steelhead and 500 salmon in the last 11 years can't be wrong. Those are the kind of numbers that night fishing can produce. I go fishing to catch fish, why do you go? Protect a fish? They are the enemy. You just keep sleeping at night, I will protect you from the hoards of fish sneaking by you at night. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

BUGLEMAN · 10-25-2001, 08:03 AM

You can legally fish for pikeminnow at night in OR.

AuntyM · 10-25-2001, 08:24 AM

We used to fish in the Napa River down in CA for stripers at night. That's how I caught this fishing disease. Or was it the snuggling together under an old quilt and sipping cocoa while we were fishing?

Anyway, it was very productive! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

THE REEL HEY_YALL · 10-25-2001, 09:18 AM

LOL snuggling. She tried that excuse and the cops still didn't believe her [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

Phish_on · 10-25-2001, 10:55 AM

OK, I was wrong! It can only be part of some vast left-wing treehugger conspiracy.

[img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img]

Silent Lucidity · 10-25-2001, 11:53 PM

Even treehuggers need to sleep.

4Salt · 10-25-2001, 11:59 PM

The WA regs say "Night closure and non-buoyant lure restrictions" during the salmon runs on the majority of our rivers. Obviously it's to try to limit illegal activities like snagging, keeping more than your limit, wild fish etc.. (don't we wish [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img] ) It appears that night fishing is legal usually where snagging isn't a problem (Columbia, and certain other rivers) Sturgeon fishing is legal at night pretty much everywhere you fish for them up here, because who snags sturgeon? Steelhead fishing at night is also legal on some rivers at certain times of the year. (Cowlitz) Again, because there aren't enough of them stacked up to create a snagfest. I'm not sure exactly what Oregon's rationale is, but I'd bet they figure it'll help reduce illegal activities in some way.