Sturgeon fishing poll

[Sturgeon Tom]

To find out how people really feel about different aspects of Sturgeon fishing.
st

[steelheadslayer]

Tom, interesting poll.
[img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]
Some of the answers may have warranted a third choice like 'unsure'. Speceifically for me the oversize question, I'd like to go for em but I've also heard that it stresses em out too much. I'm unsure about a committed response because I don't feel the science is all in yet.

I'm mixed on splitting the river too. I think what it does is concentrate a lot of fisherpeople in one area for a certain time. When that section closes, they move to the other area in a concentrated group again. I would most like to see a smaller yearly bag limit and possibly cut the season to 4 days a week or open for two months and closed for a month or something to that effect.

[Sturgeon Tom]

Steelheadslayer it sounds to me like your really decided on the river issue. It seems you would rather it be different that is is.
I like you do not like it for the same reason and several others. One is I think it was politics for the charter people and no thought for any other business or fisherman.
As there is no scientific study that shows we harm the fish (just speculation)I didn't give a third choice. I guess I should have. Sorry.
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[Born to be Wild]

Good post Steelheaderslayer and Tom!

What? Politics?

Dan

[ssteelheadsteve]

I hope more folks will take the time to VOTE.

[SHLEPROCK]

http://www.wa.gov/wdfw/fish/whtsturg.pdf
:smile:

[roadsend]

Sturgeon Tom:
"As there is no scientific study that shows we harm the fish (just speculation)I didn't give a third choice."
If there is no study, they should be working on one. At last years sturgeon meeting in Astoria, an attendee read several data into the record documenting oversize mortality incidental to sport fishing. He had several pages of such data, but was halted by a moderator who said that he had made his point. This subject cries for scientific study. I will not participate in this fishery (targeting oversize) until I have a reasonable assurance that it does not harm the overall resource.
As to spliting the river. I have never seen the ramps so congested. I would speculate the same results upriver as folks are concentrated there.
I would rather have a lower limit or fewer days per week than have everyone crammed into one area. If they want to split the river, folks should have to pick one or the other just like we do for deer (eastern or western).