Salmon/Steelhead tag for fly fishing catch & release only

[ycxc16588]

Do I need to have salmon/steelhead tag if I fly fish salmon/steelhead for C&R only for I don't intend to keep any of them?

 

[redhawk50]

I believe it is tag/license so I would say if you are targeting them you need the license/tag no matter if you are catch and release only. Plus would you plan on convincing the person you are just catching and releasing who is writing you the ticket and taking your gear. So I would for sure get one.

 

[joesnuffy]

I would say that this falls in the grey area. You could always lie and say you are targeting something else but i wouldn't recommend it. Better off to buy a license.

 

[Irishrover]

Your best bet is to check the regulations. What they say is that if you are "angling" you need an angling license. It also states that if you are "angling" for salmon, steelhead, halibut, or sturgeon you are required to have in your possession a valid combination angling tag. Angling for a fish is "trying" to catch a fish, successful angling is catching a fish. I hope this helps. I sure don't want you to get tagged!

 

[ycxc16588]

I do have fishing license. It looks like combined angling tag is also required for targeting steelie/salmon.
If you fish for steelie/salmon or other specified species, you will need combined angling tag. You are required to record tag with ball point pen as soon as you remove a fish from water.
If you want to keep it, you will also need harvest tag. Therefore for strict catch and release, you probably don't need harvest tag if you don't intend to keep any steelie/salmon you catch. License plus combined angling tag are minimum for targeting steelie/salmon.
Thanks.

 

[PDXKush]

What the hell is a Harvest Tag?..Ive caught a salmon and had my stuff checked (Angling License + Salmon/Steelhead/Sturgeon/Halibut Tag and It was all good. Is there something else I am suppose to have?

And as to your question I spoke with a F & G recently and asked him the exact question and he told me straight up No Tag angling for Steel or Salmon and its a ticket and license gone. These guys are all fishing trained and know if you're targeting them or not. Be safe and buy your tag everyone. At the very least your putting much needed $$$ back into your/our local fishing spots and to the sport.

 

[Irishrover]

You are close. You do not need a harvest tag. A harvest tag is a tag that allows you to keep 10 hatchery fish in addition to the 20 that you are allowed to keep on a combination tag. You can keep and tag wild fish on a combination tag (if you are fishing in an area that allows you to keep wild fish). You can not tag a wild fish on a harvest tag only hatchery fish. You can purchase multipal harvest tags. But you can only purchase one combination tag. Confused yet? Maybe there should be a catch and release permit that would be given out free from ODFW so you could C&R without having to buy a combo tag. Good luck

 

[Irishrover]

PDXKush......there are two ways to record your catch. One is on a harvest tag the othere is on a combo tag. The difference is that a harvest is for recording hatchery fish only. You can tag ten hatchery fish on a harvest tag, then go buy a new tag and fill it up. On the combo tag you can tag wild fish along with hatchery fish. Lets say you are fishing down at the B-10 area on the Columbia, you can keep two hatchery coho. You can put them on your harvest tag. If you catch a wild (non fin clipped) chinook you would put it on your combo tag. The idea is you can only catch as many wild fish as there are spaces on your combo tag. If you fill thoses spots on your combo tag with hatchery fish, that's one less wild fish you could keep. If you check the code for fish you will see 1w is for chinook wild. What some folks do is save the combo tag for their wild fish and use the harvest tag for hatchey fish. You do not need a harvest tag to keep fish if you record them on the combo tag. I don't bother with a harvest tag the combo tag give me all the keepers I need. I hope that helps

 

[ycxc16588]

Thank you, Irishrover. It is very clear to me now. I will buy a combined tag. I doubt that I would be able to use the limit number this season.

 

[rippin fish lips]

Good stuff to know!