WDFW Q & A Thread - Questions for Stacie Kelsey, WDFW

[Stacie Kelsey]

Today was the Mayfield Musky stocking day! Beautiful day, 1250 tigers.

Extra special thanks to Mark and Kevin from Cascade Musky Association who came out and helped us get the little guys out into the lake.

Also big huge thanks to Mike Erickson who hauled the fish all the way over and Tim from Mossyrock who lended a big hand and Jim Byrne from WDFW for driving the boat.

We all had a very fun time!

Here are some pictures:

The infamous Jack Tipping stopped by to check things out!




Starting the Off Load




And into the barrels




The Ride Out!



And Adding More!



Didn't get any of the actual dumping into the water - too much to handle the little guys plus the camera.

Again, many thanks for your great work out there today!!!

stace

[Dex]

Since some of the posts above have been “edited” from their original words I want to make sure everyone reading this understands that I made a mistake….

The original “TOPIC” for this thread was thanking CMA for their help in stocking Mayfield or something extremely close to that title….I unfortunately misread this title and though Stacie was referring to Lake Tapps where both CMA and Chap 57 assisted the WDFW in their stocking efforts. Knowing that both organizations had worked together I was offended that those volunteers didn’t receive thanks as well from a WDWF official. So, because of that I asked for Stacie to please explain her post and didn’t understand why she would publicly thank some and not all.

Within minutes of posting my reply I realized my mistake in that she was referring to Lake Mayfield and not Tapps and immediately e-mail Stacie an apology and stating I would delete my post. As I went back to do just that I learned you can just delete a post, so I simply edited it with a more supporting words.
The bottom line is that I made a mistake in reading the original topic and have apologies to Stacie in an e-mail and felt I should do that here as well.

I don't know whats else to do other than admit my mistake, apologies, and move on....

Hope everyone understands and will not read too much into this.

Stacie, I’m sorry for my error and I will ensure I fully understand what I’m reading in the future before my reply goes out.

ND

[Stacie Kelsey]

Attached is a really interesting article on illegal stockings. Sorry the pictures didin't copy well, but hopefully the text is clear enough to read. If anyone would like a hard copy, I'd be more than happy to mail one.

The title is: Introduced Species - Are We Doing All We Can to Stem the Tide of Illegal Fish Stocking by Brett M. Johnson et.al. in Fisheries Vol. 34 No. 8 August 2009. www.fisheries.org

Well, the attachment size is too big. Which is a bummer because the article is really interesting. Might try to figure out a different way to attach it.

[YJ Guide Service]

Its all good Dex we all make mistakes thats why were humans and not fish, fish are perfect right lol....

[Gringo Pescador]

Stacie,

Does the WDFW have any type of "Ride Along" program? Kind of like the police departments where you could ride along with an WDFW enforcement officer for a day to get an idea of what they do, what they have to deal with?

[natetreat]

So I was down at the Edmonds pier, fishing for lings, and there was this old guy with his limit just chilling down at the pier, and told me that the trick was using live bait. I know live bait is the best for lings, and have used shiners, greenling, bullheads, flounder etc. with good success. But this guy told me that he doesn't bother with that anymore, he just goes to Petco to get feeder goldfish and uses them instead. Now at around 10-25 cents per bait, it sounds like a great alternative to even frozen herring price-wise. They aren't saltwater fish, so eventually they would die from excess salinity, but this guys said they live for about a half hour, which sounds great. They use them in the south, there is even a hatchery I found online with a special breed of "black shiners" or something that are bred and sold as bait minnows.

But what I'm wondering, is the legality of it. They are strictly prohibited in freshwater, as is other live bait, to prevent the spread of invasive species. My first inclination is to be very scared of even trying this, but as they won't survive long in the salt, it would seem logical that it could be a no harm no foul situation, but the last thing that I'd want to happen is to have a bait bucket with a couple goldfish in it and have a warden walk up and hand me a thousand dollar fine. Is this old guy breaking the law, or is this a secret trick that I've never heard of before?

[Stacie Kelsey]

I know some OffIcers in the past did ride alongs but then they moved away from it and I'm not sure the reason. Best bet would be to contact your local regional office to find out if your local officers do them. Ours do not anymore.

As far as the goldfish go you cannot use them in either freshwater or saltwater.

Hope that helps!!

[natetreat]

Thanks stacie. That's good to know. What are the rules on live bait in the salt? There's nothing in the regs about it as far as I can tell, are there any?

[Amx]

The way I understand it, they aren't native, therefore can't be used for bait anywhere in the state.

[Stacie Kelsey]

I got the impression that meant no live bait at all not just goldfish but I'll double check on Monday.

[kevinb]

Thank you for the photos from the musky stocking. Had a great time helping out
and thank you again for investing your time to help us with all our endless questions

[yooper_fisher]

Stacie, I want to thank you for your time here and also I never thanked you for sending me the information last year when I first moved to WA. It was very informative and much appreciated.

I have a comment and a question. First, my comment: I have noticed quite a few posts on cormorants. We had/have a large issue with these birds in the upper Great Lakes also. The state agencies had their hands tied as it is federally protected. It took many years and good organization by sportsmens groups (lots of public meetings and petitions), but we were finally able to convince the USFWS to start managing these birds. Each spring officials from the USFWS oils cormorant nests and the local tribes with commercial fishing interests shoot the birds. Due to this management by Federal agencies we have seen a dramatic reduction in cormorant numbers and an increase in perch, trout, salmon, and bass (it may be a coincidental increase as the studies haven't been done, but I doubt it).

Now my question:
I, like many anglers, like to target multiple species while I'm fishing. I also tend to use bait when fishing. I understand that when fishing for trout with bait, even if I release fish, I can't catch more than my daily limit. My question is, can I legally fish for perch (or other non-trout) with bait after I have caught my 5 trout, knowing that I may catch another trout incidentally? I realize that you're not law enforcement, but I haven't run into a WADFW officer yet to ask him.

[BentRod]

Thanks stacie. That's good to know. What are the rules on live bait in the salt? There's nothing in the regs about it as far as I can tell, are there any?

I'm curious to know too, as after nate asked about the goldfish, I inspected the regs. and couldn't find any info on live bait in the salt either. If there is a rule in regards to live bait in the salt, where would it be found?
The goldfish idea almost seems more of an ethical one. Pending no rules against live bait in the salt, although it is a non-native species it seemingly would not have an impact in an environment in which it could not survive. I would venture to guess that due to the potential for people to abuse this idea with negative effects someone somewhere has thought up a rule against it.

[Stacie Kelsey]

I'll work on thesequestions Tuesday. I took the day off today!!

[Stirfryfly]

Question concerning fishing from a boat with a gas motor attached on a lake designated as No Internal Combustion Motors Allowed.
Can a person fish with that motor attached?
I have been fishing in King County lakes like North Lake in Federal Way, WA where this type of sign is posted. Yet I see large boats with gas motors attached and a electric trolling motor being used. Is this setup still legal? To me its posted as No Internal Combustion Motors for ecological, noise, safety and the small size of the lake reasons.
Thanks for clarification.

[Mike Smith]

I think that would be a terrific idea. I have questions all the time. It would be good to have a specific place to ask my questions and to look for others' too, all in one place.

[Stacie Kelsey]

Hey guys still working on the questions. Should have answers tomorrow.

Stir - what I have been told in the past regarding motors on boats on no internal combustion waters is that you cannot have a motor on the boat at all. Not even tilted up.

I will double check to see if that is still the case.

Also on many of these waters that we do surveys on we have permission to use motors because we can't get our big sampling boats around by way of electrical motor. Just wanted to throw that out since I get that question a lot when I work a lake like Kress Lake.

[Mike Carey]

Question concerning fishing from a boat with a gas motor attached on a lake designated as No Internal Combustion Motors Allowed.
Can a person fish with that motor attached?
I have been fishing in King County lakes like North Lake in Federal Way, WA where this type of sign is posted. Yet I see large boats with gas motors attached and a electric trolling motor being used. Is this setup still legal? To me its posted as No Internal Combustion Motors for ecological, noise, safety and the small size of the lake reasons.
Thanks for clarification.

this issue has come up before and I'm pretty sure that is the rule - no gas motors means even on the boat. It's a water quality issue. I can't reference the specific code but I know I found it before when this came up.

[MarkFromSea]

Hey guys still working on the questions. Should have answers tomorrow.

Stir - what I have been told in the past regarding motors on boats on no internal combustion waters is that you cannot have a motor on the boat at all. Not even tilted up.

I will double check to see if that is still the case.

Also on many of these waters that we do surveys on we have permission to use motors because we can't get our big sampling boats around by way of electrical motor. Just wanted to throw that out since I get that question a lot when I work a lake like Kress Lake.

Page 18 of regs pamphlet(LOL thick enough to be a BOOK!), definitions:
"Internal Combustion Motors Prohibited
Means fishing from a floating device equipped
with an internal combustion motor is not allowed."

[Stacie Kelsey]

Okay - got the answers and further clarification on the gold fish.

1. live bait - you can use live bait in the salt which will include your herring type fish etc. And you can use gold fish. Those fish cannot be used in freshwater however.

2. You cannot continue to fish for non-trout species once you have reached your trout daily limit. If you catch 5 trout and you want to fish for other warmwater fish, you will need to change your gear.

3. On page 26 under 'Special Rules Instructions' the information regarding motors is listed. If the water is a 'motors prohibited' water, then you cannot have any motor including electric motors. If the water is an internal combustion motors prohibited you cannot have a motor attached and tilted.

Hope this helps!! Let me know if you do need further clarification.

stace