Wouldn't it make more sense to not have a silly slot size limit and just call it 2 chinook any size? How many more fish die because of this restriction? If you catch a bigger size fish and tire him right out and then take it from the water to try and measure it, then if you wouldn't be legal to keep it and release it what are the odds that fish will survive? Maybe i'm wrong here but it seems like the current regs are counter productive and more detrimental.
Chinook limit
- Thread starter fortyfour
- Start date
Dogbreath
Well-Known Member
Most people don't take fish out of the water to measure them they just do a quick check while the fish is in the net which is itself in the water (for the most part).
Catch & Release on Salmon is estimated to have a 5%-10% mortality rate-fishing is a blood sport and always will be.
Catch & Release on Salmon is estimated to have a 5%-10% mortality rate-fishing is a blood sport and always will be.
trendsetter
Active Member
I don't take them out of the water to measure unless it's really close. even then, if it's within a cm or two the fish gets bonked. If it's clearly over use the gaff the unhook at the side of the boat and don't even bother netting them.
I agree and have never taken a fish out of water to measure or if im planning to release a fish would try not to net it either. Just merely pointing out that many people don't.. not knowing any better. Many fish released probably are bleeding and or damaged in some way if not just completely exhausted. With seals everywhere any weak fish will likely become seal food and anything bleeding or with a damaged eye will likely die. Interesting that there is only an estimated 5-10% mortality rate. I would think on average it would be a lot higher.
wolf
Well-Known Member
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YOU are right but one thing you have to remember is "COMMON SENSE IS A SUPER POWER" and the minds down their are in the office looking at things scientifically they do not have any clue as to what happens on the water they are clueless ive sat in on many a meeting and 1 on 1 talking to these guys in there mind they know everything and if you call them on it they wimper. and get hurt feelings. my faith in them is very limited
Hindsight
Active Member
I disagree with 2 Chinook any size. There is a REAL problem and the larger fish are becoming less abundant. Sure still the odd years with slight improvement but overall it is a downward trend in numbers. While the west coast sport fisheries do have an impact we know there is another group doing as much or more to harm this class of fish. Regardless if something isn't done they will disappear. I'll sleep better knowing I did my part.
Anyone see the episode of nice fish Jr. When Dylan and Cameron (both probably under 12 years old) were coho fishing and they brought about 20 wild cohos on board via the net to flop around and bleed while Dylan tried to figure out if it was a hatchery or not.
Great example of angling ethics Garry Cooper! I know he wanted the kids to do everything themselves but no harm in getting an adult to help gently unhook all those fish off the side of the boat if the kids can't safely reach themselves!
Anyways despite all that it's a great documentary into why these hatch vs wild regs do NOT work. Max size limit isn't quite the same but when it applys to some fish and not others it gets confusing.
Great example of angling ethics Garry Cooper! I know he wanted the kids to do everything themselves but no harm in getting an adult to help gently unhook all those fish off the side of the boat if the kids can't safely reach themselves!
Anyways despite all that it's a great documentary into why these hatch vs wild regs do NOT work. Max size limit isn't quite the same but when it applys to some fish and not others it gets confusing.
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Ummm..the coho restrictions aren't working? I would say that oval there are more coho around now then 10 years ago. The Thompson coho may not be responding to this effort but there are other issues with those stocks which continue to hamper their recovery. WCVI and Georgia Strait coho stocks have responded quite well. The problem with take 2 fish and go home is that most won't go home. They are still going to high grade especially if action is hot and they get their 2 fish quickly. Nobody waits all week to fish the weekend only to be heading home after an hour on the water. I prefer to look at it this way...with practice comes perfection...so hopefully over time all anglers will be releasing fish properly and very few will die. I think the percentage now is still lower than some would think. They are fairly tough if they aren't bleeding.
Deewar25
Well-Known Member
We know why there is more coho - its because of the US and nothing more. I wouldn't say the wild population that the 'restrictions' are trying to protect are thriving by any means, so no, I don't believe these restrictions are doing what they hope. In fact, I think they are hurting the population much more because of the 20-30-40 released sifting for your fish. We have had this discussion over and over...yeah yeah, a properly released coho has low mortality, but we know that isn't the case for 50% of the fishers out there and as GDW states...prime example, even guys that really should be representing better as roll models are not releasing properly! Of those 30 or 40, likely 5+ don't make it 50% of the time, so every outing, you are losing 5 more fish than you 'could' be losing with a any 2 policy.
you say "the problem with take 2 fish and go home is that many wont go home. They are still going to high grade especially if action is hot and they get their 2 fish quickly" Im confused a bit here your saying people "high grade" does that mean people catch a smaller fish and then catch a bigger fish and throw the smaller fish back dead? that does not sound like very good etiquette.
I do not feel sorry for you if you waited all week to go fishing and tubbed out in the first hour. Go harvest something else!! Bottom line we are allowed 30 chinook/year @ 2/day max possession 4. 15 of which can be from ECVI and 15 from WCVI and to get that limit how many fish mortalities are caused by those who sift through fish??? And "high grading" guys are throwing dead fish that they bonked back into the water? Either that or guys sifting through fish all day even throwing back bleeders to get their big ones is probably a huge contribution to the current mess we are in with "the larger fish becoming less abundant."
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Foxsea
Well-Known Member
X 2! I think your analysis is right on.
Some days last summer were crazy for coho off the west coast. And it's nice to see the wild fish, for sure. But it's sad to send wild fish back when we know, in spite of our best efforts, they will not live - badly hooked and bleeders. These are fish i.d.'d in the water that never felt a hand or saw a net, released as gently as one can. With four guys on the boat, having to filter through those 20 or 30 wild fish to get a limit of hatchery fish is just sad. Too bad actual fishermen don't get to create some rules.
BTW: no hi-grading on our boat, either.
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Coho are making a comback, but the large majority of the fish encountered in sooke and WCVI are large majority hatchery American fish. 1300 is not many(but VERY impressive).. .Considering that the US hatcherys expect millions to return. Look at the fraser stocks... not too sharp.
Deewar25
Well-Known Member
that is true and I will give u that - was thinking more our 'fishery' than last years returns. To say those returns are a result of the restrictions would be unproven. We don't know if it was just favorable water conditions for this cycle or not. Now if this becomes the norm, maybe there is something to it. Still say the restrictions are doing more harm to the stocks than good though.
Unfortunately Canada only clips some of our Hatchery Coho and virtually none of the Hatchery Chinook. I suspect a number of the fish that we are forced to release off Sooke for supposedly being wild are in fact Hatchery fish.
This is appalling since many come from hatcheries supported by angler’s volunteer fund raising and hatchery labour.
There are of course rationales, but they are only apparent to a few DFO bean counter types who’s own priorities and budget management needs takes priority over supporting the development of a vibrant sport fishery.
I find it very frustrating to release an unclipped Coho or a Chinook that is over slot off Sooke while knowing that it very well may not be a wild Fish at all but rather one of our hatchery fish.
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