The Latest on Salmon Fishing for This Year

[Burke]

From today's Sacramento Bee:

Anglers will be allowed only one stretch of river in the Central Valley to catch salmon this year under new rules adopted Friday by the California Fish and Game Commission.

The rules follow recent decisions to close all ocean fishing for chinook salmon. The moves are designed to protect Central Valley fall-run chinook, the most important salmon species on the Pacific Coast, which is expected to plunge to a record population low this year.

It was widely expected the commission would not allow anglers to keep any chinook from the rivers. But on Friday, meeting in Monterey, the commission adopted a staff proposal to allow a limited recreational fishery on the Sacramento River between the Red Bluff Diversion Dam and Knight's Landing.

Anglers will be allowed to keep only one chinook salmon caught in this area per day between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31. But for the first time, no chinook can be taken from any other stretches of the Sacramento River, nor from the American and Feather rivers or any other tributaries.

Department of Fish and Game biologists determined that a limited take of chinook from this stretch of the Sacramento will not harm the fall-run population, yet would provide some fishing opportunity to support the recreational economy that depends on the species.

Yet several recreational fishing representatives urged the commission to allow more fishing in more areas. In particular, guides in the Redding area wanted the Sacramento River upstream of the Red Bluff Diversion Dam kept open, a request that was rejected.

"Our fathers fished this stretch of river," said Redding guide Dave Jacobs. "I would certainly be very disappointed to not be able to fish the Feather, the American, the Sacramento rivers. These are my home waters. This is where we make our living."

Some fishermen fear the valley's rivers will not be reopened to fishing again once the closures occur. But state officials pointed to the Klamath River as reassurance. The chinook run on that river this year is predicted to be "robust" after closures two years ago.

The commission may adopt increased fishing opportunities on the Klamath at its June meeting, which could ease some of the pain from the closures on valley rivers.

[gt5bass]

That really sucks...

So much fer coming up ta gits sometime in fishin' the Feather this summer

[CN]

This is where I am confused I guess.I have a beautiful boat that I cant use here in Monterey this year,sorry Rock Cod just dont do anything for me,yet your going to be allowed to take Salmon in the very river and area they are concerned about.

I'm glad for these guy's that fish there but what am I missing.

Of course if old Packard get's her way you wont even be able to let your kid's wade in the water by the Wharf.

Are we going to eventually lose our sport in this State.

Good luck

[Tin Can]

CN, you should start Halibut fishing. It's good times and they are damn tasty!

[Phil]

HATE TO SAY IT BUT WE HAVE USED, ABUSED EVERY NATURAL RESOURCE WE CAN THINK OF IN THIS STATE, AND NOW WE CAN SIT BACK AND BLAME SOMEONE ELSE FOR IT ALL BEING GONE SOON; UNLESS DRASTIC MEASURES ARE TAKEN. I HAVE FISH THE SAC RIVER SINCE I WAS A KID IN 1960 WHEN YOU COULD CATCH SALMON AND STEELHEAD IN REDDING AT THE RODEO CGROUNDS OR UP AT THE FACE OF KESWICK DAM. THEN IS ALL WENT POOF ALL GONE ! USED TO WATCH 1000'S OF SALMON JUMP AT LAKE REDDING PARK OVER THE FISH LADDER ON THE WAY UP TO KESWICK THE END. THEN NO MORE SALMON FROM ANDERSON UP RIVER. BOATS WERE ANCHORED BY THE 100'S DOWN BY ANDERSON BACK TROLLING WITH FLATFISH. THEN POOF, THEN IT WENT TO MOUTH OF BATTLE CREEK , WHERE THE SALMON NOW ALL SEEM TO MAKE THEIR WAY TO COLEMAN HATCHERY. SALMON WERE HATCHED BY THE MILLIONS AND STOCKED IN LAKES ALL OVER CALIF AND CALLED TROUT OR STERILE SALMON SO IT WAS OK ???HUH ??? WHAT MADE THEM STERILE ??? NOW POOF ALL GONE, NOW ONE SALMON BELOW RED BLUFF DIVERSION DAM. WHY NOT JUST CUT IT ALL OFF FOR A FEW YEARS LET IT BUILD BACK UP, THEN RE-OPEN IT ALL WITH LIMITATIONS ? OH YES THERE IS THE FORIEGN TRAULERS OUT IN THE OCEAN MAYBE THATS THE REAL PROBLEM OR MAYBE IT WAS DFG AND THE PLANTS ? THEY SPENT MILLION BACK IN THE 60'S TO BUILD A DIVERSION RIVER SOUTH OF RED BLUFF A GRAVEKL CHANNEL TO DIVERT SALMON TO GO THERE AND SPAWN................DIDN'T WORK !! SO WE HAVE BLOCKED EVERY NATURAL SPAWING GROUNDS, TRIED TO DIVERT SALMON STEELHEAD TO GOD KNOWS WHERE, TRIED TO CONPENSTATE FOR OUR SCREW UPS BY PLANTING THEM IN LAKES AND OTHER STREAMS. IMAGINE CATCHING STEELHEAD TROUT IN LAKES IN SO CALI ???/ NEVER BEEN THERE BEFORE. SALMON , SILVERS, KINGS IN DON PEDRO, NOW MC CLURE, WHY NOT BACK IN THE RIVER...NOW WHO PAYS FOR NO MORE RIVER SALMON, BUT YOUR LICENSE GOES UP AND UP...........ANY SUGGESTIONS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM ??? GO FOR IT !!! I AM SURE I WONT LIVE TO SEE IT COME BACK !

JIGS

[Bill kizer]

Ever heard of catch and release? Buy your salmon at Bel Air for dinner.

Tule Bender

[Phil]

BILL, WE BUY OURS AT COSTCO NOW AND HAVE FOR LOTS OF YEARS..............CRAB ALSO

[Bassphish]

IMO, let kill all the salmon and fish in the Delta rivers. That way DWR can pump all the water out to grow cotton and alfalpha in the So. San Joaquin valley desert, and export the rest to Southern California cities to make up for the loss of Colorado River water.

The U.S. has a huge trade imbalance with Asia, why not let 'em net those salmon in the North Pacific Ocean, right? They have people to feed, and it's not like they've haven't done it before or anyone is going to do anything about it.

And after all, there's plenty of those Canadian farm raised, color added, Atlantic salmon in the stores for us Californians to eat.

Thanks, I feel a little better having said this..........

[leachman90]

We are expected to have a HUGE run this year.Even the Yakima(Off the Columbia) is expected to have a record run.

[BassManDan]

Bassphish,
NICE RANT
It really is appaling some of the things that go on, simply because no one "feels" like doing anything about it!


BassManDan

[Bill K]

Why stops sport fishing? DFG knows they are not the problem, what the sport fisherman take does not harm the salmon at all. The one, main reason, is the seals and walrus population. They are moving inland and they take many salmon/steelhead. But since they are a protected species no one can touch them. Even the commercial fisherman do not hurt the fish as much as they (government) says they do. Alonewith predations the water boards and people that control the flow from dams, as the second cause of river problems. At least that is my take. I know people that worked for F&G game in Kalifornia and they left here and want to work in other states, that manage F&G much better. Bill K

[Buzzbait]

I think the problem is not weekend fishermen, but guides who have it down. They take a different group of 4 people out 3 days a week during peak seasona and limit them all out.

They should just outlaw guide services altogether and let the rest of us try our luck. Most recreational anglers would be lucky to catch one salmon in a whole season.

This would improve the run without a doubt.

[Tin Can]

They should keep everything open for catch and release only.