Fellow flyfishers,
Yesterday, I submitted public testimony at the North of Falcon meeting where the salmon seasons for Washington, including Puget Sound, are set.
At a previous meeting, it was decided to close Area 9 to all fishing. This includes fishing from the beach for the month of July, which was open last year. I tried to get them to reverse the decision yesterday.
There is still time to voice your opinion. They will begin finalizing the rule changes this coming monday.
It appears that the WDFW does not have a model that includes beach fishing. In other words, they don't know how many people fish the beaches in July for early coho in an area that includes: Point No Point, Eglon, Salisbury Park, Marrowstone Island, and all the west shore of Whidbey Island. Area 9 affords the most opportunities in Puget Sound for catching coho from the shore.
I thought the closing was terribly unfair to people who: prefer to fish from the beach; don't have or can't afford boats; vacationing families at the State Parks (Casey, So. Whidbey, Flagler etc.) spending a summer vacation, including the 4th of July, during a down economy fishing from the beach; and definitely those of us who catch and release while flyfishing.
If you would like to voice your opinion while letting the WDFW know how many people fish from the beaches of Area 9, email:
Pat Patillo at: PATTIPLP@dfw.wa.gov
Phil Anderson at: ANDERPMA@dfw.wa.gov
Tony Floor at: floortaf@dfw.wa.gov
Thanks,
Leland.
Yesterday, I submitted public testimony at the North of Falcon meeting where the salmon seasons for Washington, including Puget Sound, are set.
At a previous meeting, it was decided to close Area 9 to all fishing. This includes fishing from the beach for the month of July, which was open last year. I tried to get them to reverse the decision yesterday.
There is still time to voice your opinion. They will begin finalizing the rule changes this coming monday.
It appears that the WDFW does not have a model that includes beach fishing. In other words, they don't know how many people fish the beaches in July for early coho in an area that includes: Point No Point, Eglon, Salisbury Park, Marrowstone Island, and all the west shore of Whidbey Island. Area 9 affords the most opportunities in Puget Sound for catching coho from the shore.
I thought the closing was terribly unfair to people who: prefer to fish from the beach; don't have or can't afford boats; vacationing families at the State Parks (Casey, So. Whidbey, Flagler etc.) spending a summer vacation, including the 4th of July, during a down economy fishing from the beach; and definitely those of us who catch and release while flyfishing.
If you would like to voice your opinion while letting the WDFW know how many people fish from the beaches of Area 9, email:
Pat Patillo at: PATTIPLP@dfw.wa.gov
Phil Anderson at: ANDERPMA@dfw.wa.gov
Tony Floor at: floortaf@dfw.wa.gov
Thanks,
Leland.