I just came to the realization last weekend that a couple of weeks ago I had fished for Pinks on the North Fork when it was closed. I'm not the type who would willfully fish in a closed area. I have the feeble excuse that I misunderstood the Regs, but that's just an excuse of ignorance. Ignorance is no excuse for law, as the saying goes. Apparently, I was not alone in my ignorance as there were a number of others fishing the river also. Both fly fishers and gear fishers were specifically targeting pinks. So I think there were a number of other folks in the same boat as myself, so to speak.
I'm not real keen on fishing for sea run cutts, "wink, wink" either. That's not a backhanded "dig" at those that legitimately do fish for sea runs on the North Fork. I just don't believe in fishing for salmon or steelhead in waters closed for salmon or steelhead under the guise of fishing for trout. Actually, I felt so bad about my transgression that I called a Dept. of Fish and Wildlife office on Saturday and turned myself in (anyone who has read this far is probably thinking I've now gone from ignorant to stupid). The office was closed, so I left my name and number and explained what I had done. The reason I called Fish And Wildlife was to use myself as an example in an effort to make it less likely that those who do not want to break Regs, end up breaking them by mistake. I hope it made a difference. Bill Brown [EMAIL PROTECTED]
