jbird
01-14-2009, 06:31 PM
I cut this report from yesterdays posting on usafishing.com
The Smith continues it's slow drop and in most years this would mean ideal fishing conditions at it's present flow The river is currently running at just under 10 feet here on Monday 1-12 and with the slow drop is in great shape but and action is anything but.
Most guides and private boaters are seeing scores of 0 to 1 fish with a few scores of two per boat. At this time there are just not a lot of fish in the river, at a time of year we that should be seeing the best action of the season.
After the well below "par" season last year we suspect that we will see a similar trend this winter. Yes we could see a big influx of fish into the Smith at anytime but we are looking the multiple year trend which has turned hard south for the past few years. We have been on this down cycle for the past three seasons and the lack of fish again this year confirms there is something wrong. I feel (I won't win fans for this opinion from some parties but I always go with my gut) that the Fish and Game Commission needs to make an emergency ruling closing the Smith to the retention of wild fish until we know what is going on.
Over the past two decades the Smith has been a very stable steelhead fishery but this down turn has me concerned. There are many possible reasons for the drop in counts (high flows during past spawning seasons, poor ocean conditions that have affected salmon populations as well, sealions, seals, yadda yadda yadda) but we don't have the time now to "study" the problem. We need action or at least some leadership from Fish and Game.
If the Commission enacted an emergency closure of wild steelhead anglers will still be able to fish and retain hatchery fish. Until we have a better understanding of why the counts have dropped off a cliff we need to protect the wild fish now, not next year.
I ran "this opinion" past of a couple of our sponsors who's winter incomes rely heavily on the coastal river fisheries, especially the Smith. The Smith, with it's fast clearing flows, trophy fish and incredible scenery is an easy sell and I was surprised by their candor and lack of self interest.
To quote Wally Johnson "absolutely! the wild fish have to be protected. I have never seen a down turn of this magnitude and we have to ensure that future runs are preserved."
Kenny Armstrong who I expected a bit of a rebuttal from also surprised me with " I'm looking to be a guide in the long run, not the short and unless we protect what we have now there won't be a fishery. My clients want to fish and given the choice they would rather release a wild fish than take one home knowing that next year they could still fish this river".
I do expect some flack for my opinion but unlike the collapse of the Central Valley river salmon fisheries the causes of the decline here are not as apparent at least not from an environmental stand point. Hopefully we can get some input from some non-fish-hugging biologists into why this prolific steelhead fishery has dropped off and what needs to be done ensure it's future. Better yet, hopefully the Fish and Game Commission takes notice and actually announces an pre-active emergency closure instead of their usual reactive announcement that is years late and the run on life support.
Until then I ask all true "sportsmen" out fishing the Smith to release all wild fish.
Until we see some rain or a push of fresh fish into the Smith better bets lie on the Chetco, Eel and other nearby rivers.
The Smith continues it's slow drop and in most years this would mean ideal fishing conditions at it's present flow The river is currently running at just under 10 feet here on Monday 1-12 and with the slow drop is in great shape but and action is anything but.
Most guides and private boaters are seeing scores of 0 to 1 fish with a few scores of two per boat. At this time there are just not a lot of fish in the river, at a time of year we that should be seeing the best action of the season.
After the well below "par" season last year we suspect that we will see a similar trend this winter. Yes we could see a big influx of fish into the Smith at anytime but we are looking the multiple year trend which has turned hard south for the past few years. We have been on this down cycle for the past three seasons and the lack of fish again this year confirms there is something wrong. I feel (I won't win fans for this opinion from some parties but I always go with my gut) that the Fish and Game Commission needs to make an emergency ruling closing the Smith to the retention of wild fish until we know what is going on.
Over the past two decades the Smith has been a very stable steelhead fishery but this down turn has me concerned. There are many possible reasons for the drop in counts (high flows during past spawning seasons, poor ocean conditions that have affected salmon populations as well, sealions, seals, yadda yadda yadda) but we don't have the time now to "study" the problem. We need action or at least some leadership from Fish and Game.
If the Commission enacted an emergency closure of wild steelhead anglers will still be able to fish and retain hatchery fish. Until we have a better understanding of why the counts have dropped off a cliff we need to protect the wild fish now, not next year.
I ran "this opinion" past of a couple of our sponsors who's winter incomes rely heavily on the coastal river fisheries, especially the Smith. The Smith, with it's fast clearing flows, trophy fish and incredible scenery is an easy sell and I was surprised by their candor and lack of self interest.
To quote Wally Johnson "absolutely! the wild fish have to be protected. I have never seen a down turn of this magnitude and we have to ensure that future runs are preserved."
Kenny Armstrong who I expected a bit of a rebuttal from also surprised me with " I'm looking to be a guide in the long run, not the short and unless we protect what we have now there won't be a fishery. My clients want to fish and given the choice they would rather release a wild fish than take one home knowing that next year they could still fish this river".
I do expect some flack for my opinion but unlike the collapse of the Central Valley river salmon fisheries the causes of the decline here are not as apparent at least not from an environmental stand point. Hopefully we can get some input from some non-fish-hugging biologists into why this prolific steelhead fishery has dropped off and what needs to be done ensure it's future. Better yet, hopefully the Fish and Game Commission takes notice and actually announces an pre-active emergency closure instead of their usual reactive announcement that is years late and the run on life support.
Until then I ask all true "sportsmen" out fishing the Smith to release all wild fish.
Until we see some rain or a push of fresh fish into the Smith better bets lie on the Chetco, Eel and other nearby rivers.