Thanks for getting on the soap box, Michael. What you said is accurate and
well-conveyed, and I hope others heed it.
Thanks again.
Richard
-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Santangelo <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: 'Washington List' <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Monday, November 27, 2000 2:05 PM
Subject: Rocky Ford Thanksgiving Weekend and Associated Narrative
>I had the opportunity to fish Rocky Ford Thursday (an hour just before
>dusk), Friday and Saturday of this last weekend. The temperature never
went
>above freezing and the sky always had a low overcast. Wind was nil most of
>the time. Fishing was fine and the catching was great on Friday and a
>little slower on Sat. Thursday crowds were marginal, Friday and Saturday
it
>was busy. Most of the summer weed growth has died out which made it easier
>to fish the fast water below the lower hatchery. I normally fish heavily
>weighted scuds, but this weekend small pheasant tails and brassies were the
>best producers.
>
>So much for the fishing report, now I want to get on my soapbox. First, I
>am not trying to point my finger at others. I am just trying to make my
>point with examples. Why? We have a scarce resource that is going to get
>loved to death over the next few months and we need to take care of it.
The
>tough driving conditions this past weekend and the number of anglers
fishing
>Rocky Ford tells the story. The Ford offers the best public fly-fishing
for
>trout during Washington�s winter months. With the steelhead closures, this
>place is gonna get even busier. In other words, only so many fish and
lots
>of anglers.
>
>People are still taking fish home even though the Ford is strictly catch
and
>release. One fellow I spoke with told me about someone taking a fish on
>Thursday and proclaiming it as his Thanksgiving dinner. If you see someone
>take a fish and can get a license plate number, report it.
>
>Also, people need to practice better fish releasing technique. I watched
an
>experienced Rocky Ford angler (I gathered he had fished the Ford frequently
>in the way he was talking to his buds) catch a nice fish in the middle
>riffle. He took the fish out of the water, carried it over to the path
>several feet away and laid it on the ground. Fortunately the path was snow
>covered, he then shoved his fingers under the fish�s gill plate to get a
>better grip on the fish�s head and proceeded to forcibly disgorge the hook.
>I can only guess that it must have been the last of a very special fly.
>Offering the benefit of the doubt, I really don�t thing he was trying to
>hurt the fish, I can only guess that he just didn't know any better.
>
>I am not advocating accosting poachers nor telling other anglers that their
>catch and release technique stinks. Tempers can flare and now days that
can
>be dangerous. I am advocating that we all re-educate ourselves in how to
>release a fish. Please take the time to review page 25 of Washington�s
>2000/2001 Sport Fishing pamphlet. It gives good basic guidelines on
>releasing a fish safely. Also, the Ford has its peculiarities. To safely
>release a fish, it shouldn�t be taken out of the water and using a landing
>net removes the protective slim from the fish�s body. That doesn�t leave
>much slim on a fish that may be caught several times in a week. Ever
wonder
>why you see so many fish with body infections. At Rocky Ford, you can�t
get
>into the water with the fish since wading isn�t allowed. You need to squat
>down at the waters edge and use forceps or a hook disgorger to get the hook
>out of the fishes mouth. With a tiny fly that doesn�t always do the trick.
>Cutting the leader does. In other words, once you hook a fish, play it
hard
>and get it in fast and release it quickly without taking it out of the
>water. If fly is lost, so what! Is it worth endangering a fish that so
>many others can get pleasure from? Besides, gullible fish in Rock Ford are
>hard to come by.
>
>As far as poachers, Ephrata�s cell phone service (AT&T) reaches Rocky Ford
>well. Call the poaching hotline at (800) 477 6224 or the State Patrol in
>Wenatchee (509) 663-9721. The rules pamphlet states that the State Patrol
>has direct contact with Fish and Wildlife Officers. While the odds are
>long, maybe a couple of these poachers can be caught.
>
>Oh well, thanx for bearing with me.
>
>Regards,
>
>Mike Santangelo
>
>
