REMINDER - using bait when fishing

[The Quadfather]

LOOK...i'm not try'n start a buncha "stuff" with anyone..or insult anyone...or make anyone feel stupid...not try'n to be a smart a#@ or a dumb a%*....not try'n to get a big 'ol fight go'n...so some "OVERLORD" or someone would lock us down....

i think/thought the forum was a place to bounce stuff like this around....dont know if you saw my other post(hahaha) talk'n to Stace...or my dissssgust'n story about the 2 dead limits on the bottom of the lake in front of the guy fish'n with "ARTIFICIAL" BAIT/DOUGH BAIT and looked at me like i was a idiot!!!!....that 1 was so bad that i(be'n a eyes in the woods guy)called dispatch..waited for the county cop to show up..and made a statement..dont know if anything ever came of it...wasnt a gamey in the area...<shrugs>...or noticed a 1/2 doz violations in reports(with pics even) the last few weeks???...just try'n to help...now a story...lolol

bouta guy...was a contractor/builder guy..worked 6 or 7 days a week pretty much 12 months a year...off and on..pretty much most of 30 years...his time off was precious and fishing ended up pretty low on the list...till he got hurt..couldnt work/build, couldnt golf, couldnt wrestle or coach wrestle'n...none of the stuff he loved to do...sooo started fish'n again...and i KNOW for a fact this guy broke allll kinds of rules,killed/caught alll kinds of stuff he shouldnt where he shouldnt have...LORDY...but then i sorta sat the guy down and showed him how sh#* had changed in a few DECADES..he says "i try'd to read that stupid pamphlet..couldnt make no sense of that thing...he stilll gets cornfused (mostly river sections and game mang areas lordy) but he's a lottttt better...the dumb a#$ was me....DOG

Dog sir, I don't know what else to say, other than I'VE ALWAYS LIKED YER' STYLE. I know you may have thought that it sounds to some like you are making up a whole bunch of goofy scenarios regarding bait, scent, crumb trails, etc. But you are absolutely right that there are a lot of folks who find the whole thing confusing. I am sure that someone out there saw themself in your bait/scent scenario.
I've fished with maybe 20 guys from here. I look forward to having you in the back seat some day (boat back seat)

['OL GREY DOG]

lolol 1st of all thnx i think....and sure i'd love to someday...or maybe meet up with ya and bring 1 of my old tubs and you can show me around...or both...


can you imagine tho ??..the feeling the 1st time i realy READ the rules and try'd to figure out what the heck ...hadnt fished (cept some charters out of westport ect) since the 70s and in 2002 i just stumble on out 'n go fish'n justttt like i always did...rrright where i always did...lolol coulda lost gear , trucks , boats, 'n FINES...OMG coulda been ugly...blind not even be'n led bye the blind or the stupid...jus stumble'n blissfullllly along....lololol...DOG


and PS dont call me sir for gawds sakes...i had stripes on the arms of my fatigues

[spokey9]

gotta a question bout that. if i have my 2 trout over 15 inches in the cooler and i catch another (which i have to release) do that release still count against my limit?

Edited after I re-read your question.

I'm not sure if G-Man's answer is correct actually- I'll ask the Enforcement guys...

thank you stacie:salut:

[G-Man]

Spokey, it really depends why you need to release the fish. If it is because the fish are undersized, they don't count. Now if you are fishing Beaver Lake in King County, using bait, and you have boated 2 fish over 15" and you pick up another 18" fish, you must realese it and I'm sure it counts towards your 5 fish quota. As there is no size limit in that lake, you would be done for the day after landing 3 more fish regardless of whether you could keep them or not.

[Bodofish]

I make real easy for stockers. Don't use bait, then you don't need to worry about it. If others are using bait in your area and you cast a mepps or a little flat fish, you can fish all day lip hooking them, have a blast and pick your fish. I've rarely been out fished by bait slingers anywhere...... OK for trout....

[Uncle Wes]

I rarely weigh-in on these things but last year I encountered several anglers in different counties that had gone way over their limits in allowable sizes. In several counties the size limit changed to only 2 over 14" may be kept in your daily limit of five. Most of them were not aware of the change and once educated they never let it happen again. Yes they did have a copy of the regulations unfortunately for them those regs expired on the last day of April. I knew that most of them were honest anglers and were quite embarrassed. I know that my local tackle store did not get the new regs until the day before and they were gone in hours. I noticed several folks taking hand fulls of them and yes I am guilty of taking two, one for my desk and one for my rig. I have often wondered if the regs came out a little sooner and folks limited themselves on the amount they took if this would help. I'm sure it wouldn't hurt. But like a lot of you I have encountered folks who don't care either way, they are going to keep whatever they want and high grade reguardless if they are using bait or not. Yes I will keep a few on occasion but I like them in the 18" range or better, firm and full finned. My better half and I do enjoy trout every now and then. If I do have to keep something smaller because of injury I always look for a youngster on the bank to give them to. Hopefully he will learn to tell his first fish story.lol I like dragging fly's so I can cover the whole lake just to see how many I can hook and release in a day and have something to write about. I have found most of my hook-ups are in the lip or jaw, an easy release, injury free. I guess I have rambled on enough. Just some thoughts.

['OL GREY DOG]

some good "ramble'n there Wes.....the dang regs never come out on time because they are still try'n to figure out seasons/limits/quotas on things...as for how many copies???...i take 2 early in the season, when i pay for my $100 licence...and maybe a couple more later in the season because the truck/boat 1s always get screw'd up or i end up give'n it to someone that doesnt have 1 a NEEDS 1 out in the field...DOG

[Stacie Kelsey]

One of the many reasons our regs come out later is because we have very complex fisheries (salmon, endangered stocks etc.) plus add cross state jurisdiction with Oregon and well, you've got a lot of stuff to be covered for the regs.

A reminder about giving your fish away - follow the rules in the reg book when doing so.

[The Quadfather]

A reminder about giving your fish away - follow the rules in the reg book when doing so.

Not to add insult to injury...lol. But, Yeah! There is a statement in the regs that covers giving your fish away. Read up on that one, Ol' Dog.

['OL GREY DOG]

ok..but im kinda greedy....a carnivor who hunts/fishs for the enjoyment of the outdoors 'n all that crapola but mostly so's i can eat dead animal flesh <shrugs>...DOG

[Uncle Wes]

Luckily I carry a pen & paper with me at all times. It seems I've become a little feeble minded in my old age and can't remember everything after visiting a lake, especially names. But I'll let Stacie explain that regulation about giving your catch away to you in a little more detail. Something I've learned over the years is that priorities, and compromise generally are a winning combination. I have always been a big supporter of the jobs the WDFW Bio's & Enforcement do as my writing has proved over the last decade. With that said I think there is always a happy medium that can be reached. Numbers of anglers predicted to hit the lakes on this opener is 300,000, thats a lot of folks. I've read that 60% of all licensed Washington anglers are trout fisherman, again that is a lot of folks. I'm not sure what the numbers are for raising stockers but I would imagine that it is right up there and probably close to being the number one expense, just guessing on that. I'm sure Stacie can put it into perspective for us.
Because I have always been a man that believes in options here are a few I have given some thought to. Opening trout season a few weeks earlier so the regulation's will be in effect for more than a day or two after the opener, and allowing a little more time to get the new regulation books in ciriculation. Or open it a little later say the first weekend in May for the same reason, getting the new trout regulations out. Or making the new regulation booklets available a couple weeks before the old one expires. Maybe even publishing a trout angling booklet by itself and not including it in the main booklet. If there are regulation changes and booklets are so late hitting the stands have a grace period before enforcing said changes. Again I'm just rambeling and do not want Stace to take offense to any of my suggestions, I have a great amount of respect for her and the job she does. Just my thoughts and was thinking this would be a great subject to discuss.

[hewesfisher]

This same issue came up during the winter fishing season here in the Spokane area, and there were reports here, as well as in the Spokesman Review that anglers were being cited for continuing to fish after having caught two fish over a specified length. The rules state, no more than 2 over 14" (in this particular case) may be retained and the daily limit was 5 trout. Now, that doesn't say you have to stop after keeping 2 trout over 14", the regs say you cannot retain any more than 2 over 14". I challenged WFDW enforcement for clarification and they agreed that WACs do not say one must stop fishing after catching, and retaining, 2 over 14" at this particular lake.

To keep things simple, if you fish for trout with bait (as defined by the state in the current regs pamphlet), then after you have caught your 5th trout you are done for the day unless special rules for the body of water you are fishing apply. I define caught as being any trout that I have to physically remove the hook from. The key point being the fishing with bait rule in the regs, whether retained or released.

To the question about two rods, one with bait and one without. I would fish both, and when I have caught and retained or released 5 with bait I'm done for the day, as that meets the definition of a legal limit. If, during that time, I have caught and released 30 trout on the artificial, non-bait lure on the other rod, it doesn't apply at all because when not fishing with bait you can catch and release until a legal limit is retained. That's why I say when I catch 5 on the bait rig, I am done.

It's important to note that the rules apply statewide, and no county or municipality may relax the rules. They can certainly tighten them up however.

Lastly, I have no interest in attempting to catch and release trout when fishing with bait. It's a well known fact that trout suffer a high mortality rate when caught with bait, but the rules don't address personal sportsmanship and ethics, so if someone wants to trout fish with bait, and release what they catch up to a legal limit and then stop fishing for trout, it's perfectly legal to do so even if every fish they release will die. Not saying it's right, but it is completely legal.

If I wanted to catch and release, then I would take up fly fishing, or use non-bait lures. I stick to what works for me, and that means scent and bait. I like fresh trout and absolutely love it smoked.

[Uncle Wes]

hewesfisher, Would love to introduce you to "Blue Collar Fly Fishing." I have hooked many an angler with this method. It's like anything else once you master it you will want to do nothing else and yes I do enjoy a trout dinner and smoke several a year myself.

[hewesfisher]

hewesfisher, Would love to introduce you to "Blue Collar Fly Fishing." I have hooked many an angler with this method. It's like anything else once you master it you will want to do nothing else and yes I do enjoy a trout dinner and smoke several a year myself.

I might take you up on that if you were on this side of the state, but like many other things in my life, finding time is the issue.

[Uncle Wes]

I can understand the time thing. If I had anymore sticks in the fire I'd have to call in smoke jumpers to bring it under control.