Wild winter steelie bags

[my2labs]

I’m headed to a river system soon that allows retention of a wild winter and I am curious everyone’s perspective on those....

My initial inclination is to release all wild hens but to keep wild bucks. But my fishing buddy feels like since it’s open, and there are no hatcheries to chase, that we should take any wild fish we catch.
Likely, the decision will be one we make when we land a fish that brings it up....

Any takers on this topic? Specific to wild steelhead, maybe more so....wild hens?

 

[jamisonace]

I fish those rivers every chance I get. I have a hard time retaining wild steelhead but I don't fault anyone that does. It's legal (for now) and so it's your choice.

I will not keep the giants but I'll take a smaller fish if I feel like it. Anything under 8 or 9 lbs I consider fair game.

Good luck! Will you be banking it or boating it?

 

[my2labs]

I fish those rivers every chance I get. I have a hard time retaining wild steelhead but I don't fault anyone that does. It's legal (for now) and so it's your choice.

I will not keep the giants but I'll take a smaller fish if I feel like it. Anything under 8 or 9 lbs I consider fair game.

Good luck! Will you banking it or boating it?

We’ll float.

And I feel the same way.

Not sure I can bring myself to kill a wild hen. And I will absolutely not kill any wild monsters. Hen or Buck. Breeders!

Small guys may be retained though. If hatchery fish were present though, I’d bi-pass them 100%.

 

[hobster]

I myself could not kill a wild steelhead. I have released them on a river where they can be harvested but it’s just not me. I usually have steelhead in the freezer anyway. Like @jamisonace said, I won’t judge anybody for it since it is still legal in a few places.

 

[Dizzy Fisherman]

I personally would not keep an unclipped fish. It’s unfortunate but we have to be smarter than ODFW. This year they say you can keep unclipped fish and then four years later they could be shutting the entire river down due to low numbers. It’s already happened in Washington State. I feel like we the fisherman must now be the good stewards of our resources as the individuals in charge of managing the resources only care about the bottom line. Just my own personal opinion.

 

[my2labs]

It’s already happened in Washington State.

Can you provide an example or two? And I’m not being passive aggressive here... looking to start a real discussion on this topic.

Personally, my views align a lot with Jamesonace on this topic. No judgements from me, and I’ll do it every now and again, but no trophies and personally, I don’t see myself killing any wild hens.

Waiting for someone to say, “If it’s legal, who cares?”

because I bet that is where the real discussion begins.

 

[my2labs]

I know this is a passionate topic for some in here. Hoping to hear some constructive discussions...

 

[Gulfstream]

I will never kill a wild fish I rarely kill hatchery fish. Way more fun to fight.

 

[jamisonace]

We’ll float.

And I feel the same way.

Not sure I can bring myself to kill a wild hen. And I will absolutely not kill any wild monsters. Hen or Buck. Breeders!

Small guys may be retained though. If hatchery fish were present though, I’d bi-pass them 100%.

Good luck down there. I'll be heading down before too long. Probably my favorite rivers on Earth.

 

[jamisonace]

I myself could not kill a wild steelhead. I have released them on a river where they can be harvested but it’s just not me. I usually have steelhead in the freezer anyway. Like @jamisonace said, I won’t judge anybody for it since it is still legal in a few places.

A true fisherman doesn't mind throwing fish back that could be kept.

 

[Dizzy Fisherman]

Can you provide an example or two? And I’m not being passive aggressive here... looking to start a real discussion on this topic.

Personally, my views align a lot with Jamesonace on this topic. No judgements from me, and I’ll do it every now and again, but no trophies and personally, I don’t see myself killing any wild hens.

Waiting for someone to say, “If it’s legal, who cares?”

because I bet that is where the real discussion begins.

There are a few reasons listed for the decline in Washington with over harvest being one of those reasons. You can no longer keep wild steelhead and many rivers are now closed to fishing altogether.


https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/time-is-running-out-to-save-puget-sound-steelhead/

 

[my2labs]

Good luck down there. I'll be heading down before too long. Probably my favorite rivers on Earth.

Thank you sir. And I agree.

 

[Artwo]

I too wouldn't keep an unclipped fish even if I was allowed. There is more to fishing then taking a fish home with me to me. Let those wilds get big and populate the system so we have some big fish to catch every once in awhile. There are also plenty of rivers where I can catch hatchery fish for consumption. That's just my perspective................