I think you have to consider the genes involved. Unless they're selecting for large fish at the hatchery, you'll get a mix across the population that corresponds to the contributing parents' sizes. A few years back, it appears, such an approach was taken on the inside - Quinsam? I don't know details, sorry - and this year they had the best results in a long time at the Tyee Club: 44 tyee when I checked last. Coincidence?
That said, I have no knowledge of feed abundance "out there", and it is quite likely a factor.
another post today...[QUOTE="Cmiles, post: 853941, member: 9135"]Talked to a guy a couple of weeks ago he said islander bought a 30 Boston whaler with a couple big verados on the back and was going to start chartering
another post today...
"Got out Saturday for the first time in a few weeks. Ended up with 2 trips morning and afternoon. Lots of fish all day. It didn't seem to matter where you were from the bluffs down to Wells O Weary. We hit fish everywhere between those two points. Fished 6 inch anchovy from 95 to 125 feet in 130 to 140 feet of water. Many of the fish where either just under or over the 18 inch mark"
Just have to get this off my chest and it may not be a popular opinion!
We can't be hammering these springs 12 months a year, especially when they are nothing more then barely legal.
another post today...[QUOTE="Cmiles, post: 853941, member: 9135"]Talked to a guy a couple of weeks ago he said islander bought a 30 Boston whaler with a couple big verados on the back and was going to start chartering
Thank you for saying this first. I have been holding back on this issue. Catching those babies can’t be good for them in the long run.
I don't think we need a closure as all the great guides know how to release undersize fish properly and they need every winter charter they can get and every tourist who catches a keeper will share their excitement which can only help our guides in the future!"I think you are right, It seems a Chinook closure from the end of October to maybe the end of Feb would give all these little feeders a chance to get bigger. All the reports from every area in this forum are basically reporting the same thing, the odd legal fish and lots of shakers. Nursery areas are hit hard in the hopes of wading through enough undersized to get the odd legal one. A proportion of those shakers are going to die, so the sport impact on the young stocks is much higher than just the reported landed fish."
Don't you think we have enough closures locally already ??
be careful what you wish for, pretty soon we won't be able to fish at all !