Michael, I'd like to chip in a little on this, too.
Saltwater beach fishing is becoming more and more popular. Unfortunately,
the release tactics you observed by some of the Rocky Ford fishermen are
similar release tactics I have noticed some folks using on small resident
coho and cutts caught along the beaches. Often a fisherperson will drag the
coho or cutt up onto the rocky, sandy beach, attempt pin it down with their
knee several times (repeated attempts are required because the saltwater
fish are pretty scrappy and flop around pretty vigorously) to yank out the
hook. Not only do the fish get banged up and oxygen-deprived from being
pinned down against the rocks and for being out of the water for X amount of
time, but sand gets in their gills and slime and scales get removed.
I think a lot of folks don't think about it and/or realize how delicate
these fish are, probably because the fish seem so tough relative to trout,
and the person subconsciously think they don't need to handle the fish so
delicately because they are tough. The coho and the cutts need to be
treated just as Michael described how the trout are to be treated, if the
fish are to be released. That 14" fish (oops, 18" fish by Leland's scale -
grin) you realize in January may be that 4 or 5 pound fish you catch in
August.
Don't forget to go barbless!
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
>
>
