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To Whom It May Concern

6K views 65 replies 40 participants last post by  Wild Chrome 
#1 · (Edited)
Dear People in Charge,

Please tell me why I should not find a new hobby.

I spend well over 5 figures a year fishing for salmon in Oregon.

I bought a boat made in Oregon. This was a large investment (24' Willie's do not come cheap. I am not a guide, I paid retail).
I bought a pickup capable of towing such a boat.
I am thinking about buying a beach house in Oregon, so I have more convenient access to ocean/bays.
If I buy a beach home, I will buy an ocean boat. This will be another 40k spent in Oregon.

You have transfered 1 million smolts from Willy hatcheries to the SAFE aras. To me, it is very clear that future Willy fisheries are in jeopardy. By 2014, I would be suprised to see the Willy open after April 15.

Please tell me why I should continue to spend my money here in Oregon, on Oregon made products, funded by a business that I operate that is based in Oregon.

For springers we get a season that is 36 days long. Half of those will be a waste of time considering the return that is expected (3rd largest return in the last 50 years)
For Summer kings, I seriously doubt we will see more than 15 days on the water.
For URBs I expect another 15 days on the water.

So for the biggest salmon factory in the world (Columbia River), you have given me more or less 55 days a year of opportunity that is worth a damn.
The Willy stocking program is a remnant of it's former self. Gone are the days of multi fish thru June.

Should I thank you for this?

I could spend my money in Vegas.
I could go visit family across this nation.
I could go to several NASCAR races a year.
I could travel to the ends of the earth, and see all the world has to show me.
I could take up the shooting sports again (Most of that money is spent in other states as well)
I could fish in BC and Alaska for salmon in world class fisheries.
I could do a thousand things other than fish for salmon in Oregon.

Oh yeah, my wife fishes with me most of the time. She does not spend her money shopping at Macy's. She buys Grundens for herself at local retailers. So, when I say "I", I mean "My Wife And I.".

Please explain to me why I should not spend my money elsewhere.

Mark Duray
 
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#4 ·
well said, unless a guy is a gillnetter, or a fishing guide he's probably working Mon-Fri. What good is a season that Doesn't include Sunday?:passout:

And what good is a Season Scheduled Ahead of the fish? You'll probably do us a favor and let us fish 7 days a week with a limit of 3 chinook, long after the last ones over bonnie.

Here's a thought what happens to the gillnetters way of life, after a sealion gets caught in the nets, or would anyone ever find out?:twocents:
 
#5 ·
that's a great question although I am a banky you have a great point that others are probably wondering too you might want to take that money and spend it on your 2 headed stepchild instead
 
#6 ·
Join a Country Club.You might be very very happy.You could complain and get people to respond because you are paying to be a member.Fishing is all about the experience and the journey getting the fish bla bla bla, I'm just kidding :D.Take up bass fishing and do away with all of this politics of salmon.You can spend $ 50,000 on a good bass boat!:D You should find a new hobby you don't sound happy.Fly down to cali,fish alaska like every one else who has doe in Oregon.Good luck. At least you have money with times like this.People would love to have your problem.
 
#7 ·
Dear People in Charge,

Please tell me why I should not find a new hobby.

I spend well over 5 figures a year fishing for salmon in Oregon.

I bought a boat made in Oregon. This was a large investment (24' Willie's do not come cheap. I am not a guide, I paid retail).
I bought a pickup capable of towing such a boat.
I am thinking about buying a beach house in Oregon, so I have more convenient access to ocean/bays.
If I buy a beach home, I will buy an ocean boat. This will be another 40k spent in Oregon.

You have transfered 1 million smolts from Willy hatcheries to the SAFE aras. To me, it is very clear that future Willy fisheries are in jeopardy. By 2014, I would be suprised to see the Willy open after April 15.

Please tell me why I should continue to spend my money here in Oregon, on Oregon made products, funded by a business that I operate that is based in Oregon.

For springers we get a season that is 36 days long. Half of those will be a waste of time considering the return that is expected (3rd largest return in the last 50 years)
For Summer kings, I seriously doubt we will see more than 15 days on the water.
For URBs I expect another 15 days on the water.

So for the biggest salmon factory in the world (Columbia River), you have given me more or less 55 days a year of opportunity that is worth a damn.
The Willy stocking program is a remnant of it's former self. Gone are the days of multi fish thru June.

Should I thank you for this?

I could spend my money in Vegas.
I could go visit family across this nation.
I could go to several NASCAR races a year.
I could travel to the ends of the earth, and see all the world has to show me.
I could take up the shooting sports again (Most of that money is spent in other states as well)
I could fish in BC and Alaska for salmon in world class fisheries.
I could do a thousand things other than fish for salmon in Oregon.

Oh yeah, my wie fishes with me most of the time. She does not spend her money shopping at Macy's. She buys Grundens for herself at local retailers. So, when I say "I", I mean "My Wife And I.".

Please explain to me why I should not spend my money elsewhere.

Mark Duray
I agree with you Mark, I have already had thoughts of selling the float home which I bought thinking that I could get in alot more fishing time, but with the short seasons it's starting to be not worth it. I've been seriously thinking of selling out and moving the family to Alaska where good fishing can still be had. The problem is the people who manage the fish here have hidden agendas and don't really care if you or I catch a salmon or not. Also they don't seem to care much for the economic impact that sportfishing brings to the economy. Your right, there are other areas that will welcome our dollars. Shane Asivido
 
#9 ·
Well maybe if we hadn't allowed such liberal harvest for so long with no thought to the survival of the species we wouldn't be in the position we are now in.... The bad fishing now is not the result of poor recent managment!!!! it is the consequences of decades of managing our fisheries exactly the way you guys want them managed now!!!!!
 
#8 ·
to whom it may concern


the survival of the species is more important the the economic benefit you or any or all anglers have on the economy.. I see no reason why my tax dollars should go to subsidise your fishing.. it is clear that you have enough money to do pretty much whatever you want in life and i am happy for you but to ask the government to plant more fish and put our troubled salmon stocks in more danger so you can have more fishing opportunity is just plain old selfish... Spending money does not give you more right to fish than anyone else and it does not make your opinion of the issue more valid that anyone elses.. How much money you shoose to spend in Oregon and so you could fish in Oregon is entirely irrelevant..

I thienk we should close all hatcheries and close fishing for salmon and steelhead throughout the Columbia river system until such time as the fish populations can support a large catch and release fishery... I know my opinion isn't very popular but it is what would be morally right for us to do.. wanna catch lots of fish in Oregon????? shoulda bought a bass boat....
 
#16 ·
I thienk we should close all hatcheries and close fishing for salmon and steelhead throughout the Columbia river system until such time as the fish populations can support a large catch and release fishery... I know my opinion isn't very popular but it is what would be morally right for us to do.
There is no moral justification for catch and release fishing.
 
#12 ·
Rob, do you only favor stopping salmon harvest?
Do you also favor removing the dams, reflooding the wetlands, restoring the forests, cutting off the irrigation and all of the other things which have affected the salmon population?
I believe that if you cut out all fishing tomorrow, and did nothing else, that the fish would be worse off 10 years down the road that they are now.
 
#31 ·
Of course... i in no way think closing down fishing would be a silver bullet approach I do however believe the elimination of hatcheries would have a incredible effect on our wild fish populations.. I believe that hatchery/ wild interactions are the single largest limiting factor on salmon and steelhead recovers followed closely by lost habitat and a huge part of that by not allowing fish passage at grand Coulee dam...
 
#14 ·
flatfish, my man. i couldnt have said it better!!!!! everything u said in that letter applies to me. i will probably spend my money in other places since oregon doesnt give a crap about me


ron rangel
 
#15 ·
Hey everybody, Rob is right. We should quit salmon fishing... and get all the guys together who used to salmon fish and have a Columbia River Smallmouth fry. Catch a couple thousand non native predators and eat em. I wonder how many steelhead and coho smolts get eaten by 5 lb bass at Tenmile? And its not legal to kill a 5 lb bass at Tenmile. Must be poor management that somebody wanted and got, how selfish. For the record I think Rob is a good guy, and a pretty good bass fisherman, just happen to disagree with his opinion. Go CRB!
 
#19 ·
Ladies and Gentlemen, everybody is entitled to their opinion. However, you are not entitled to use that opinion to debase anybody. Please keep the low blows out of your replies. Then we can have a discussion that doesn't have to be edited or closed.
 
#20 ·
I think flatfish was trying to point out how much he (and others) contribute to the economy pursuing a fish he doesn't need simply because he want to. And there are other ways to spend his hard earned money.

Flatfish, you hit the nail on the head. I have wondered the same things on more than one occasion myself.
 
#26 ·
Dear Fish and Game Departments:

If winter steelhead don't pick up, I'm just going to fly to Alaska and catch a fish behind every rock, because you can do that year-round up there, even on the rivers that are frozen over.

By hte way, all the rivers I read about in Alaska that produce so many fish have no dams. Why did you guys screw up and put dams in down here? Why can't you just manage a river system with a few million residents the same as a river system with zero year-round residents?

And I'm really, really looking forward to the day when you remove every sea lion, arctic tern, and non-native creature, including all of the people who have moved into the Northwest over the last couple decades. Not that these have anything to do with declining fish runs, because the only thing that could possibly reduce the number of adult salmonids returning is your poor management decisions.

ODFW and WDFW, you should just tell every farmer not to suck any water out of the Umatilla, John Day, Yakima, Snake (might want to involve Idaho Fish and Game on that one), or other rivers, because you have that kind of political power.

All you have to do is plant zillions of fish and fix all the problems. It's easy.
 
#35 ·
:yeahthat::applause:

On another note, I understand the frustration with "short" seasons, but let's be realistic here. The run could end up being a total flop, and a short season will help make sure it isn't wiped out by fisherman. If it's as good or better than what people are predicting then extend the season or raise the limit.

Most of those fish are returning to Idaho. We get nowhere the allowed limit or season that you guys will have DESPITE them returning to my state, yet everyone on the LCR still finds a way to complain...
 
#28 ·
Ladies and Gentlemen, please state your opinion without personal shots. If you can't figure out how to do that, we will fix the problem for you. You will keep it civil or you won't be able to post here.
 
#33 ·
Flatfish,
You could always send a 5-figure check to the government earmarked for hatcheries. I'm sure they'd appreciate it. Call it your personal "Fishing Stimulus Package". Maybe Maybe a few of your whining friends would care to do the same? Maybe you guys can keep the next hatchery from shutting down due to funding problems (it's only going to get worse). The first thing I thought of when I read the thread was the bumper stickers I occasionally see that say "Stop Global Whining".

It's too bad the fish won't spawn without a check.
:twocents:
 
#34 ·
Flatfish,
You could always send a 5-figure check to the government earmarked for hatcheries. I'm sure they'd appreciate it. Call it your personal "Fishing Stimulus Package". Maybe Maybe a few of your whining friends would care to do the same? Maybe you guys can keep the next hatchery from shutting down due to funding problems (it's only going to get worse). The first thing I thought of when I read the thread was the bumper stickers I occasionally see that say "Stop Global Whining".

It's too bad the fish won't spawn without a check.
:twocents:
:bricks: Flatfish was expressing his frustration. many people feel the same way as him. What is the point of your pot shot?? Are you entirely happy with the way things are going?
 
#40 ·
Not everyone is fortunate enough to be able to live down by the river Dan:D, you are not heavily invested in this sport like many others here on this site.
Mark's point about supporting local area jobs is valid, supporting the local economy of the entire state makes a lot of sense.
Law makers and decision makers need to start thinking outside the box to support any business that is recession proof, and sportfishing is that industry.
 
#43 ·
Everyone fails to realize that fishing and hunting in Oregon is so much more complex than other Western States. You have half the habitat, etc. and twice as many people wanting to fish and hunt in that area.Per square mile of huntable, fishable places in the West, Oregon is the most populated. Fish and wildlife can only be managed to a certain level. Mother nature dictates the big share of the end result. We need to learn to live in a crowded environment and deal with what we get. It is only going to get worse in the future.
 
#44 ·
Oregon would do well to emulate what Florida has done with it's sportfishing industry.
 
#47 ·
I was born in Oregon in 1961, Dad moved us to Wisconsin when I was 12. I had the good fortune to come back for a year and a half to work on a certain large project in The Dalles starting in the fall of 2005. While there I caught and released many steelhead in a bunch of rivers, got nooks from a few less rivers, got some sturgies from the Columbia and Willie, and some silvers, redbands, and smallmouth just to top it off. In total I think I killed maybe 7 steelies, and one nice Sandy springer. I made some great friends, and have been back for 2 week long fishing trips since, and am planning on coming back this year sometime. I was, and remain, amazed at the entitlement mentality of the "locals", who demand to kill as many fish as they could ever dream of catching, which is way more than they could ever hope to consume, and yet they are lightning quick to complain about how crappy the fishing is. It is stunning. You guys really have no idea how good you still have it, even if it isn't anything like it used to be. Things change, both for the good, and for the bad. If you really love to fish, as opposed to just killing or eating, then maybe it's time for a change, a change of mindset.

Your fisheries left such an impact on me that I plan my vacations there, and follow Ifish regularly, yet so much of the communication here is negative. Sometimes it boggles my mind.

Fishmonger
 
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