Chum salmon fanning a redd in Chico Creek
Despite repeated attempts on their lives via: egg mortality (90%), natural predation in Dyes Inlet (raptors, ducks, grebes, seals, fish et al) , a gamut of man made hazards, (politics, profit, pollution and prejudice), the salmon have returned. Their three or four year ocean odyssey having converted about 1 gram of fry, to about 14lbs of biomass. Their purpose in life now, is to convert that biomass back into eggs, die and feed the watershed with what is left of their bodies. I think the least we can do is insure they have a clean, cool stream in which to complete their circle of life. The most we could do would be to "not be", but then who would hear and watch them struggling upstream.
Josh Mastel with Silver Lake Tiger Muskie
Another pending regulation change will reemphasize the Tiger Muskie as a control predator. This will be done by prohibiting the use of live bait, to prevent "deep hooking", as we want these fish to remain "on the job".
The prolific yellow perch, began crowding out other species of fish in Silver Lake, Spokane County. This overpopulation was probably caused by "us". We target the larger fish (bass, trout, walleye) that would normally keep the perch population under control. When we remove the large predator fish from the lake, the perch escape predation, and begin to dominate the food chain. By using this sterile predator, the WDFW can improve the balance in the fish populations, without concerns that the predator will turn on us and become a problem itself. The first use of the tiger in Washington, was to remove Northern Pikeminnow (formerly Squawfish), from Lake Mayfield. These native fish had overpopulated the lake, and were damaging anadromous fish headed down the Cowlitz drainage. Studies have shown a direct increase in escapement of anadromous fishes, with a proportional decrease in Northern Pikeminnow populations. The pikeminnow got out of balance because "we"changed the lotic environment to a lentic one, by the construction of Mayfield Dam, making that environment more favorable to Pikeminnow reproduction.
Dolly Varden
There will be a major change coming in how we manage recreational fishing in our coastal streams, rivers and beaver ponds. I don't know how this change in strategy will be received by anglers, but I think it is the right thing to do. The strategy will attempt to increase protection of endangered and threatened anadromous species. In order to accomplish this, the incidental catch of these fish will be reduced by closing fishing on these waters.
You will have an opportunity to provide public input to WDFW on several occasions, and at locations across the state. Please exercize your right to provide input on this matter. Knowledge is power.
Coastal Cutthroat
As a long time resident of Kitsap County, I have watched a lot of lakes become "private" (Blacksmith Lake, Lake Erdman, Ludvig Lake, Deer Lake) in Region 6. These lakes truly are in private hands, and we were allowed to fish them at the generosity of the land owners (Manke Bros Lumber Co, Weyerhauser et al) . Increasing liability and abuse of this privilege caused loss of this access.
A lot of them are small beaver ponds, quiet places to get away for a while, and perhaps catch a fish. If the fish don't want to play, there are Osprey, Eagles, Beaver, Otters and other wild things to marvel at. Not one jet ski or water skier to be found.
More and more lakes are closed due to toxic algae blooms, or e-coli bacteria, as their watersheds become developed due to urbanization. Anderson, Leland, Island, Kitsap and others, were closed this year and Crocker Lake has been closed for reasons unknown to me for some time now.
Bull Trout
Lake Tahuyeh was built circa 1930. A developer (Mr Calvin Wyatt) built a dam across the Tahuyeh River (a salmon stream) creating the lake. At that time, he gave 3 lots to the Department of Game (now WDFW) for PUBLIC ACCESS, and stated in his last will and testament, his personal commitment to public access.
A private lake is one in which all the access is held by PRIVATE parties, a public lake has PUBLIC access.
We have an access to Lake Tahuyeh, it just isn't developed. Our right to access has been established many years prior to the Lake Tahuyeh Community Club. If you want to know more, read more at www.kitsapsun.com/news/local/environment-l
300 Kids, none "skunked" none hooked.
We had a good day. Thanks to all our corporate, government and private sponsors, and most of all our volunteers. We would like to increase the number of kids able to attend this event, but we are exhausted after just 300. Next year we are thinking about adding an event in the southern end of Kitsap County. With 300 kids, their parents and our volunteers safety and crowd control are our biggest problems. When we started our fund raising, I wondered why it cost so much to put this thing on. When all is said and done, it costs about $20.00 per kid (in cash). This does not include the many hours our volunteers donated, thank goodness they are worth a lot more than we pay them. The kids got a T shirt, and a rod and reel, two fish, a goodie bag and some lessons on water safety and the outdoors. Pretty cheap after all.
The frogs must like KFC
This is in Silverdales' Old Mill Park. If this is ironic, check this out. I was recently on the Potomac in Washington DC, and was saddened by the plastic bottles and filth floating and swirling in back eddies. Car tires, boards, even a picnic table was scattered in an area marked Critical Habitat. This cup was one of the nicer things washed ashore. Take pride, America your lookin' good.
Facing West on the Big Beef Creek drainage side of the ridge
Did you see the front page of the Kitsap Sun on the 26th of April? Seems as though the RUMORS were more than RUMORS. The mountain bikers were not at the meeting with DNR because they were out building trails in our wetlands without a permit.
I am going to take a water sample above and below that bridge they built, I hope I do not find methylene di hexafloride or other chemicals used in treating that wood in my fishes water.
Fisher said they didn't build anything, but the website showed pictures of it being built. Then he tells the Sun "that thing goes across a swamp. The state has so much more to worry about than people building trails out there.
We have found the problem again, and it is still us.
Island Lake 2008, fishing mom teaching.
Even with the tight economy, we have managed to find enough financial support for another kids fishing event this June, on Island Lake. Thank you all for your generosity. We will do our part.
Chico Creek into Dyes Inlet, facing North
This is the spot where all that has happened upstream is deposited. This is the place that is in short supply. We can't keep "biggering and biggering" without intended and unintended consequences.
Chico Creek washed out. salmon eggs suffocated by silt.
Well, we met with Kitsap County and DNR last night. The room was filled to capacity with Kitsap Rifle and Revolver Club members. I think the brouhaha could have been reduced if Kitsap County Parks and Recreation personel had a better idea how our country works. I attribute this to their youth. All the rumors spread about the county closing the range to let mountain bikers and horsemen use the future park trails was a good thing for getting attendance at the meeting. We have all kinds of sports fields for football, baseball, soccer, tennis, track etc, but no shooting sports. DNR missed an opportunity to let people know about the good work they do when they sell OUR timber. Imagine your real estate taxes without the added revenue they generate on OUR timber when they sell it. The mountain bikers, and horsemen were not there. I wonder where they were.
I was the only one there for the fish. No one listened. The representative from Klahowya Secondary Shool spoke after me, and confirmed my worst case fears by stating "we can't wait to get in there and clean up the swamp" There go the last of the fish. This watershed is being assaulted by development. This past winter the runoff was so bad, we had two bridges washed out, and the salmon eggs were buried in the silt. We love nature to death.
Prime fish habitat. Aaron Wheeler, Beaver hut, O'Sullivan Reservoir
No matter your preference for a specific fish specie, you need habitat. I need it for my bass, you need it for your trout, or whatever your preference as an angler. ALL fish need it to survive. One type of habitat (speaking for the fish) that is in short supply is the pristine anadromous stream. Most people don't know that approximately 65% of sea run cutthroat trout originate on the Kitsap Peninsula. These precious streams don't hold any bass, so my selfish interest is in protecting these waters for future generations. My bass can pretty much take care of themselves. They reproduce in large numbers, and can tolerate much lower oxygen levels than their sea run relatives. Their habitat requirements are found in abundance all across the US, every state in fact, except Alaska (Yes Hawaii has LMBs). There are no sea run anythings in Kansas.
DNR is holding a meeting on land swaps with Kitsap County (Project manager Brad Pruitt, DNR www.dnr.wa.gov/BusinessPermits/Topics/La
I have high hopes that this land exchange will help the Chico, Wildcat, Lost Creek, Kitsap Creek drainage in a positive way. The swamp in section 36 is the "sponge" providing late summer water for this drainage. This water is critical to fish returning. The area adjacent to the exchange proposal has been rapidly developing as a residential community, and each house increases run off and erosion. Two bridges in this drainage were washed out this past winter due to heavy runoff. I have had as many as five bears in my back yard as a result of lost habitat nearby, and for the first time in my twenty years here, I have deer browsing my orchard, and my wifes roses.
Get involved.
See why it is called a Largemouth Bass, Crab Creek, O'Sullivan
Pittman-Robertson WIldlife Restoration Act funds are being disbursed. When you buy sporting goods, sporting firearms, ammo, bows, boats, boating equipment and such, there is a Federal Tax that is collected, and apportioned back to states. The share we get is based on land area and the number of paid licenses. Washington State got about $15 Million. $6.5 Mil for Wildlife Restoration and Hunter Education and about $8.3 Mil for Sport FIsh Restoration. Tell your wife you need that new rod to help the fish.
Mike Blatt with a nice pair of non-indigenous, transplants (AKA Walleye), O'Sullivan
The debate rages on: indigenous, native, exotic, deleterious specie. Here are a few facts. The Large Mouth Bass is a native species, transplanted to Washington in 1890 (Sprague Lake, Spokane County) This is the earliest record that USGS can document. The West Slope Cutthroat is a native species, and was first transplanted in 1935, and statewide by 1942. The Rainbow Trout was transplanted in 1920. How about the Tiger Muskie? I had a hand in that one. We had to change Washington WACs to even allow it in the state. We first used this Introduced predator to control a Native salmon predator in Lake Mayfield. The squaw fish (now known as PIKEMINNOW since 1998) population had exploded thanks to "us" improving the habitat for them by building a dam. I like dams, they drive the economic engine that allows me the economic means for leisure time activities, such as fishing. The TIger Muskie is working, salmonid predation has been reduced and escapement of young salmon has increased, and a new recreational fishery has been established. Not perfect perhaps, but close.
Dillon Griffey, Duck Lake, Ocean Shores, Largemouth Bass
Circa 1930 the people of Washington State by resolution (Initiative 62), separated the commercial fisheries from the sport fisheries. Prior to the formation of the Department of Game, each county did pretty much whatever it wanted. For example they planted Smallmouth Bass in Clear Creek, a Salmon stream near my home. Around 1980 we became more socially aware and the Department of Game became The Department of Wildlife to include what was termed "non consumptive users of wildlife" (Audubon birders, hikers, etc). In a cost savings action these agencies were recombined in 1994 by HB 2055. Just so you know, I am not the Frank Stricklin listed on the bill, I was there, and we (Washington State Federation of Bass Clubs, Washington State Sportsman's Council were CON). I respect the opinion of the other Frank Stricklin, but he was wrong on this issue. Check your history or you are doomed to repeat it,.
Lower Snake below Ice Harbor Dam Smallmouth Bass
The WDFW will soon be planting their Triploid trout throughout the state. In Kitsap Lake they will release about 400 in May. They plant these fish to "add a little excitement to the angling experience" (read sell more licenses, as well they should). The lowland lakes in my area (Region 6), once quite rural are now near population centers. These lakes are very hard to fish due to competing user groups. It is not a pleasant experience to fish while jet skis and skiers zip around and around, even if the lake was packed with Triploids. Don't get me wrong, I think jet-skis and skiers should get to use our water resources just as fisher folk do. Unfortunately, it is all ski all the time on these lakes, from early spring til school starts. I would like to see the county (apparently the state can not) regulate use of these lakes to allow fishing in the morning (for example) and skiing in the afternoon. Fish from say safe light to Noon, give fishermen an hour to pull out and head home, and commence the ski/jet-ski party at 1PM till end of safe light. Lake water quality would improve, the carbon footprint would be reduced, the lake-shore residents and wildlife would have a little peace and quiet in the morning, and I might get to catch one of those bad boys.
Mike Blatt, Banks Lake, Incidental Catch Trout
I attended the IFPAG meeting in Olympia this past weekend. The budget cuts will be fierce. There are four hatcheries set for closure and this makes some people happy. If you think wild trout are better than hatchery fish, you may think this is a good thing. Wait until those casual anglers show up on your wild trout stream, because they can't catch any hatchery fish. You can't catch and release using live bait. It's just catch and filet.
The "Duck Hole" O'Sullivan April Largemouth Bass
The current budget crisis has forced governor Gregoire to seek ways to reduce spending. She hopes to reduce spending by merging WDFW law enforcement with WSP. Is this a good thing?
Banks Lake Sunrise, October Scholarship Tournament
I will try to be objective and say what I think is right on this blog. I have to say that because my peer group will not agree with most of my opinions on the role of warm water species in our Washington waters. Make no mistake though, I am a lifelong bass angler. Washington's unique habitat provides many challenges and opportunities for diverse species. Although I am not a fan of hatchery fish, I can see the need for them. Our WDFW periodically sterilizes a lake, to remove all competing species. They will introduce small trout that can have the entire food chain to themselves. This is a totally unnatural situation, but so is a loaf of bread. Imagine what it would cost for wheat if we did not grow this crop as a monoculture. By using the monoculture system, it is cost effective to plant trout in lowland lakes for casual anglers to catch. These anglers (opening day anglers) constitute a large percentage of license sales for WDFW. Our job as thinking anglers is to decide if this is the right thing to do.
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frankstricklin- Frank Stricklin
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