sturgeon culling!

chummer · 11-25-2002, 08:33 AM

Anchored on the washington side between horsetail and the fishery, and watched 2 boats that had limited with thier fish tied through the gills, start trading up in size. Let the smallest one go, and keep the bigger one. Maybe Oregon and washington ought to dis-allow C&R after you've retained your keeper. Wonder if the fish survive after having a rope tied through the gills for 5 or 6 hours. Any thoughts?

Miss B Haven · 11-25-2002, 08:37 AM

Considering that everyone I know gills there Sturgeon to bleed while roped off, this could be REALLY bad news! :depressed:

[img]graemlins/berry.gif[/img]

chummer · 11-25-2002, 09:05 AM

These guys did not cut the gills on the fish they kept until just before they left, however I can imagine that rope chaffing across the gills is'nt doing any good.

11-25-2002, 09:07 AM

Beer Waggin · 11-25-2002, 09:17 AM

Since the law says you need to tag or release the fish, I would think this is against the law. No different than roping a salmon and trading up for the next bigger one.
Write down the boat numbers, take pictures and turn them in. This is not a fishery that we can mess around with! If we keep allowing people to mess around with it, we�ll be the ones getting screwed.

steelheadslayer · 11-25-2002, 09:45 AM

I agree with Dave, these guys are fishing illegally and totally unethically. [img]graemlins/berry.gif[/img] Here in Wash. we can keep fishing C&R after we have tagged our keeper. If you see this happen again, yeah, write boat numbers, take pictures and if you have a cell, call right NOW. Guys like this will keep the rest of us off the river who truly care and respect the resources God has given us.

fishing is life · 11-25-2002, 10:01 AM

also i would drive up to them and tell them you saw what they did and you think that is a bunch of crap what they did. what are they gonna do tell you to mind your own business. it is your business if they set bad examples and ruin this fishery. police ourselves.

SHLEPROCK · 11-25-2002, 06:10 PM

Some may think that bigger is better but I like my sturgeon in the 44 to 46 range for eating. I would never throw back a good clean smaller fish just to take home some fatty meated brute. Fresh out the ocean fish are great when bigger but not the resident fish.

fish_on · 11-25-2002, 06:12 PM

you need to call OSP right a way. This is as bad as snagging.

Dipnet · 11-25-2002, 09:00 PM

I agree with Schleprock, the smaller ones are much better eating than the 55-60 inchers. There's too much fat on the bigger ones for my liking. :smile:

Dipnet · 11-25-2002, 09:02 PM

Sorry, Shleprock for mispelling your moniker. :depressed: