I Fought for a Fishing Rule Change & Won!
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- Опубліковано 25 бер 2024
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Many anglers encounter fishing regulations that simply don't make sense. In this case I got fed up and worked to get a rule changed by petitioning of fish and wildlife commission. This video is about that process and what I think about it.
For Washington anglers interested in petitioning for a rule change here is the link: ofm.wa.gov/sites/default/file...
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Good for you. I believe you were right. Perch are such prolific breeders and have so many eggs that they can multiply very quickly even with heavy fishing. And with less competition for food they can grow big, just like at Cascade Lake. Well, almost. The only thing I have seen that can wipe out the perch is having too many walleyes in the same waters as the perch. Especially where there is an egregious size limit on the walleyes. Anyway, glad your petition worked for getting rid of perch limits in Fish Lake. Now the fish and game dept. just needs to plant more perch in other lakes to increase fishing opportunities for this tasty fish.
Well done.
This is a great example of the narrative that sport anglers as a group really need to start adopting to make a positive difference in fisheries management. The rhetoric that I hear all the time about how "the sport fishermen always get screwed" combined with the lack of activism and voice I hear from that crowd trying to actually make a difference is mind numbing at times. While other larger, more put-together "eco-terrorist" groups fairly easily get away with causing ecological damage in combination with removing sport fishing opportunities for hatchery salmon and steelhead. Obviously not everything can be solved by this process, but you demonstrated how one person alone, equipped with time and access to the proper channels (that anybody can access themselves) can make a difference in a fishery. Now imagine if you had a larger united group that utilized this tactic, brought together by social media - rather than abusing it as a platform to only spread "fake" news, BS, and hate against fishery managers and policy makers. A lot of people seem to forget that change in this country can be made but not simply from bitching about it. As you mentioned partially in an example in this video, one thing I wish was fought for more often is creating public access to fisheries. There has always seemingly been a centralized effort to add wildlife refuge land from public resource managers. Why couldn't the same goal be accomplished while also adding additional public access opportunity for fishermen on lakes and tributary streams. Seems like every year I hear of more and more access being taken away. Anyway, I digress. Great video as usual!
From about 1999 to 2012 I worked for WDFW as the fishery biologist in Distrct 7. One of the waters I was responsible for was Fish lake. In 1999 and for about 7 years the lake had no limit on perch. This was the correct way to manage Fish lake, because as you mentioned perch are highly prolific which can lead to stunting. Prior to the time of my tenure the numbers of trout stocked in the lake was greatly increased. Which stressed the lakes carrying capacity. Consequently available forage for all fish was reduced. Perch size decreased. At that time some anglers were catching and keeping large numbers of perch. leading some to believe that the larger fish were being over exploited.
My recommendations then and now are to have no limit on perch. My peers agreed but others went political resulting in preasure to put a limit on perch. Unfortunately the wrong move. You petitioned for a change in reglations on Fish lake. Fortunately, your logic was correct. However, be careful. Politics can help or hinder with fishery management.
Nicely done! Up here in B.C. in the north Okanagan there are a number of lakes infested with that invasive species. We did our part to help (fishing for a good cause never tasted so good) but more needed to be done. The Freshwater Fisheries started introducing different strains of stocked trout. In the end I believe it is the Blackwater River hatchery strain that is working, we noticed a definite decline in yellow perch. The limit is 20 for some reason.
Nice job, and thanks for sharing the process. :) I've only fished from the dock there once for a few in the summer before I got my kayak, and donated my fish into some old guys (old highschool friends newly reunited) nearly empty bucket so they could have a fish fry that evening. Don't worry UA-cam, no limits were broken. :P Seemed like the lake had PLENTY of fish available for harvest at that time, but as you said, they were small.
Interesting… down here in Utah there is a pristine, high mountain lake called Fishlake as well which has a weird sloping shore with a huge weed bank that holds millions of perch and protects them from the splake and lake trout. They have so overpopulated that they are stunted and an average fish is about 5-6”. Every year there are perch parties to try to reduce their numbers and they have decided to allow no limits and it’s now helping thin the numbers.
The commisioners certainly have a full plate. At least 6 of the 9 are really busy trying to take away bear and cougar hunting. Thanks for your work, and congats on your success.
Thank you for your advocacy and dedication to the sport from all aspects!!
The premiere ice fishery here in Battle Born Nevada is Wild Horse Reservoir, and some legendarily big Rainbow and Browns come out of there but there's also no limit on Yellow Perch there because they're like cockroaches in that lake
Studied Fisheries conservation/management at UW back in 2004. Not in the industry these days (or state) but interesting to hear how things are managed up in WA.
Go Dawgs!
Go Cougs!
Good job to get involved and advocate for a change you believe makes sense.
You are fortunate that your authorities actually accept and act upon citizen's comments. In my state, they do request public input, however, it is only after the regs have already been set, and our request/comment fall on def ears! I have never seen or heard of any public input influencing any of our regs. Sad!
wonderful accomplishment given the mess our lakes are in.
Thank you
Great job. I always wondered if the crappie size limit on Silver lake was stunting their growth. I know a couple years in a row they removed a bunch to restock other lakes and said the crappie were over populated and stunted on Silver Lake. I thought why do they have a size limit then? It seems to make it worse not better. I just assumed that someone knew better than me but what do you think. I dont mind filling out a petition but also dont feel qualified to know.
Perch where we are in MN don't have perch in the greatest numbers or quality unless your going to the bigger lakes. Even then your lucky to see any over 10 inch. I suppose that these lakes don't have a very strong eco system to support all the species.
Great work! Thanks for putting in the time and sharing the process!
Lift up the restrictions for rock fish in the sound. Maybe as limited as 2 per person.
I really wish Northwestern Ontario would have no limits for smallmouth bass. They are considered established, truth is they are over populated, but they are invasive and are damaging native fish populations. I don't hate the bass but like you said about the perch, they produce offspring at an incredible rate and their sizes have become stunted. Fish like perch and bass are great eating fish. Selective harvest will fill the dinner plate and create opportunity for fish to get larger. It's a no-brainer and a win-win situation. Bass is open all year here but only 4 are allowed to be kept. I don't see any reason to protect them. they are going nowhere!
No matter what, that is pretty cool that you were able to do that!! I’ve never even thought about that process here in Oklahoma, but now I’m curious.
Good for you sonny. Next there should be a fishing party followed by a fish fry. A change I would like to see it for them to STOP implementing river closures that are not printed in the regulation book. They call them "emergency changes" but they are not emergencies. I know several people who have gotten tickets for fishing on closed rivers when the booklet says they are open. Bogus.
Its everyone's responsibility to check the emergency regs. If u aren't competent enough to do that. Stay off the water and get a new hobby
😂
Way to go. Thanks for speaking up.
Thank you for getting involved!
Perch fisheries need to be fished hard or they will overpopulate and stunt out for sure. I live in Republic and feel that the pressure on Curlew is the reason that we continue to have great fishing here. There are many rules that I think need to be amended that just defy common sense. One that bothers me a lot happens in our marine waters regarding the retention of un-clipped Coho Salmon. Last year like every other year, fishing out of Sekui WA my catch ratio was approximately 10 to 15 unclipped coho to every clipped one. My estimation is out of those fish 90% were either bleeding, exhausted beyond recovery, or had a lethal amount of scales rubbed off "They go crazy in the knotless net while you are trying to get the hook out and determine if they are marked or not". How many of those released fish died? Definitely more than 2 (which is the daily limit). If the game department were to change the rule to where you had to keep the first Coho caught rather than culling through 15 fish to keep one the impact on wild stocks would be greatly reduced. Some people think just because the fish swims away no matter what shape it is in that it will be fine. I think every bleeding fish I release is a dead fish in time. I have never talked to a single fisherman who does not have a story about having to release several big bleeding unclipped Coho's and echoes the same concerns I have. Year after year unimaginable numbers of Wild Coho die needlessly and float to the bottom. I guess the crabs need to eat too.
I don't really know enough about the management of fisheries to really have much of an opinion. Still learning a lot. I fished a lot as a kid, but I just recently got back into the hobby.
I've really enjoyed your explanations and understanding of fishery management, when you do share your opinions, and I was wondering if you had any on my hometown reserviors, Yale and Merwin. I've heard their main issue is high turnover.
Thanks, and love the vids!
Great job Tyler. Not many people take the initiative to get involved in common sense issues. Another reason your channel is one of my favorites!
I don't think the commission even thought of what you said, perch are an invasive species. I believe there are 0, count them 0, on the commission that fish or hunt or have a license. They don't care about your perch fishery. Congrats anyway.
Chad Jackson discussed Yellow Perch and their role as invasive quite extensively actually.
A couple things. Does your petition for rule change allow for year around no limit perch fishing on Fish Lake? Why wouldn’t WDFW from a fish biology stand point allow no limit Perch fishing in all lakes and reservoirs of this size?
Also, I think I know why the Chelan Co. PUD opposed the trout fishing down steam of the dam. Without warning the PUD will spill water through the dam and a real flash flood risk-to-life scenario exists. Don’t ask me how I know this.
It is a year-round limit change. I don't know why perch limits exist elsewhere but this one seemed easy enough to tackle.
Great job showing your followers how to improve things. Maybe an episode discussing some common debate topics on fishing rules that the uneducated love to complain about. Oh yeah and your spot on about Politics and Game Commissions. Luckily in Idaho we’re pretty pro fishing and hunting, but it’s constantly a battle so nice to see boots on the ground making change for the better.
There are several rivers in Washington State where Salmon are extinct.
The only Salmon in the river are farmed hatchery Salmon.
These rivers should instead become, and be managed as, World Class smallmouth bass fisheries instead, while the introduction of more native Washington crayfish (Signal Crayfish) into the rivers should be implemented.
Wish it was this easy to change rules in MN.
As a big fan of warm water species I commend you on your efforts to enhance those fisheries.
I also had a question regarding warmouth. My friend and I are headed to Silver Lake in Cowletz County in about a week. Any suggestions/advice on targeting warmouth?
Thanks again for your efforts to enhance warm water species in our state.
Never caught one in Silver but I know some public ponds that hold quite a few. Shoot me an email Spiltmilt at gmail.com
Maybe you could petition to have the fishing license valid dates from 4/1-3/31 to 1/1-12/1 like most other states. As a nonresident I purchased an annual license last week and went fishing on 3/29. At the end of the day I was checked and it was brought to my attention that my license wasn’t valid until 4/1. I was fortunate that the officer was understanding and didn’t site me.
Don't tell the boys out at Kaiser. The retirees will clean out those lakes
Good work. Is there a similar process down in Oregon? I feel like I could spend a month filling these out.
Not sure haven't dug thru the commissions website in Oregon
I have read that fisherman can't drastically affect perch numbers due to their reproduction ability. Is that true? Thanks for sharing.
Actually they can and WDFW has even documented it at Curlew Lake. I talk about that here ua-cam.com/video/zj0XsciRS3A/v-deo.html
@@spiltmilt thank you for the response. I will check it out.
Perfect! Lower population and bigger perch! Boom 💥 Win Win, WOOOOO
Hey I got one for you... Our Native salmon! Most of the Washington States Indian ran hatcheries, do not clip the adipose or any fin from their hatcheries. Now our state has to clip every fish. Now the thing is no one actually knows how good or the shape many wild/ native fish populations. In any river. So how come our state doesn't enforce fin clipping in indian hatcheries. I've ask the news Many outlets to find out and point that out. They haven't yet, If they don't clip their fish then why Try and save salmon. We will never actually know how depleated it is. Because of that simple factor! They don't clip the fins off any salmon or steelhead. Do your research. I'd like to know?
Tribes are equal to wdfw when it comes to salmon. Wdfw has no jurisdiction over them
This is actionable information. I have engaged in an annual letter writing campaign, I didn't know this was an option. Of course, the rule change I have in mind is a complete impossibility. I want limits on Walleye in the Columbia River. And ... uh... that ain't never gonna happen.
It is hard to believe that fishermen have not petitioned the WDFW to change the Wild Coho rules in our marine waters. I know that I have not because I have this feeling that it would just be a waste of my time because the game dept. will not listen. It seems like somebody out of all of the fishermen who share my concern would have done this. I called my local WDFW fish biologist trying to get some sort of a Steelhead season on the upper Columbia tailored to the different areas not just a blanket of everything above Priest Rapids dam. They say that it is not in their hands it is I believe NOAA that makes the decisions in this particular instance. Some areas would support a limited Steelhead season maybe catch and release, 1 fish limit, or a shorter season. Something could happen but it will not is the message I got until roughly 14,000 fish cross over Priest Rapids Dam there are no other considerations. I have noticed that a Fishery can be shut down in an instant but takes a ton of time and a miracle to re-open.
P.S. Sorry if this is not the appropriate forum for me to voice this concern.
The commission has limited capacity to address salmon as that is regulated by noaa marine fisheries, USFWS, and the tribes
Nice!
Good Job
This is great
Invasive fish species limits absolutely make no sense. Congratulations on your proposal being accepted!
Lakes change. They become inhospitable to “native” species. Might as well use them to create opportunity for fish that can thrive in the evolving conditions.
Bro is Perch arch nemesis after this 😂😂
Maybe you’ll get appointed
I'm shocked that Lorna Smith didn't vote against it. 😮
Nice
Nice work! Hopefully this will prevent stunted growth and overpopulation.
Can't hurt!
How did you petition for a rule change? Looking to change some rules to certain rivers where a lot of snagging for salmon happens and require anglers to fish with a float.
Link to the document in the description
@@spiltmilt you are the main
Dude, wtf.. remove that cow art 😉😉😉
Some places in my Canadian province have a limit of 50 perch. This is a good thing here, as there are groups of people that will take advantage and destroy fish populations.
50 fish limit is nearly the same as no limit. We have a lot of no limit perch lake here and a few folks opt to take more than 50 home most take far less. I'd love to see one documented example of recreational over harvest of Yellow Perch.
A two to five year study after the first restrictions came in? That's not a long enough to study. if this lake is left with no limits you will see the other fish species start to suffer due to people catching what they feed on
That doesn't make any sense. It only lifts the limits on the perch not other fish species in the lake. Reducing perch density will benefit the other species they compete with like trout and kokanee. There will still be plenty of prey for the largemouth bass in the lake.
@@spiltmilt no limits mean free reign. In all honesty, do you actually think people will only keep eaters? They will keep everything that comes out of the hole and that will impact the number of perch that can breed and lay eggs and in 10-15 years the other fish will be stunted as well. The fish didn't grow with a limit and now more fish will be pulled out. How is that logical? Example "caught my limit now I have to leave" vs " well I caught 50, might as well keep going" which one is going to damage the fishery more?
You don’t understand perch biology. Even Cascade Lake, the worlds greatest yellow perch trophy fishery has no limits. Why? Because perch can be exploited at very high levels without risk of population crash. Less perch doesn’t mean more stunted fish it means less competition which translates to even bigger perch. Studies at the most popular perch fishery in the state, which also has no limit and never has, puts exploitation rates about 50-60% annually and the lake has produced 10-12”+ perch annually.
@@spiltmilt I don't know perch limits? I subscribed to your channel because of the name, but it's unbelievable how ignorant you are. I'm within an hour of lake Simcoe which produces some of the biggest perch in North America.....that's why people from your state drive up here to fish it. And They have a limit, That lake also produces some of the best lake trout and white fish opportunities in Ontario and both of those species eat small perch or their eggs. There was no limit on herring until they all got fished out. Once they came back after conservation they put a limit on it and we've still seen numbers thrive. All this video is is you trying to pat yourself on the back for doing something that's going to damage the fishery in the long run
Lake Simcoe has walleye and lake trout both of which prey upon perch. It makes sense to limit harvest of perch in a lake where there is increased predation pressure on the perch. Fish Lake is overrun with stunted perch and aside from a modest largemouth bass population there is almost no predation pressure which is why the perch have overrun the lake and become stunted. Lifting the limits makes biological sense. Sorry you can’t understand that.
Your gonna regret it lake huron is as big as Washington state and its pretty much hit for jumbo perch from commercial fishing
We don't have commercial perch fisheries. Not even a remotely similar comparison.
Man.... why you buy walmart art?
I bet you have artist friends you can support yet you bought the walmart cow who says you have a cow's taste in art.
This is my AirBnB I am staying at. I am currently working on a wind energy project in Montana but your comment sure does go to show people will find quite literally anything to complain about.
I thought it was a digital background like on teams or zoom lol. Btw, I’ve seen those paintings in a million places, not just walmart. And somewhere, someone had to make that picture and sell it so it’s still supporting an artist somewhere.
@@spiltmilt Oh that was a close one! You dodged a bullet!! For a moment I thought you were going to be canceled by radical Interior Design activists!! Haha
Love your videos!!