How to get the WDFW to do?

[kuttkilla]

I am friends with a WDFW Sergeant who I have known for about 15 years. I know the WDFW are very short handed and one or two officers often cover a very large area.

As for helmets] that should not be decided upon by the government. Same goes for seatbelts.

Couldn't agree more Dave. Great post. I seem to run into WDFW officers all the time, but at the usual "hot spots" like Beaver Lake, Cottage Lake, Pine Lake, Alice Lake, etc...and early in the year...I have also witnessed their presence up along the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie River where poaching native cutties with bait can be a problem...it's sad...

The government should not dictate to us everything we need to do like wearing helmets and wearing seatbelts...it's ill-founded...what's next...the government will tell us what to wear? Geez...I'm all about government in protecting society and its associated mores, but that's about it...

[cavdad45]

WDFW is excellent compared to Oregon. To get my fishing license there it would around eighty dollars. They charge you terrible prices to launch boats at alot of lakes. Now you even have to take and pass a test in order to drive a boat...

I have all but given up on Oregon fishing because of the cost. Over 90% of the water is pay-to-play with price ranging $2-$10. So figure $4 average. A normal season for me is 150 trips/year. That is $600 to government which has historically proven itself a poor steward of resources, as well as money. So let's do a little math for an Oregon resident.

Now my non-resident Washington license costs me $43.50. For that same $43.50, I get a real cool parking permit good at hundreds of WDFW boat ramps and accesses. They even throw in a salmon/steelhead/sturgeon tag. And honestly, the quality of fishing in Washington exceeds that of the People's Republic of Oregon.

BTW, don't throw in the gas savings because from my home to good bass waters its about the same as driving to Silver Lake.

[kevinb]

Reguarding helmets. I see where individuals would be upset that federal and local governments are telling you how to use personal protective equipment. On the flip side,It will be taxpayers of Medicaid that will pay for your feeding tube.

[A9]

I am friends with a WDFW Sergeant who I have known for about 15 years. I know the WDFW are very short handed and one or two officers often cover a very large area.

As for helmets] that should not be decided upon by the government. Same goes for seatbelts.

Couldn't agree more Dave. Great post. I seem to run into WDFW officers all the time, but at the usual "hot spots" like Beaver Lake, Cottage Lake, Pine Lake, Alice Lake, etc...and early in the year...I have also witnessed their presence up along the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie River where poaching native cutties with bait can be a problem...it's sad...

The government should not dictate to us everything we need to do like wearing helmets and wearing seatbelts...it's ill-founded...what's next...the government will tell us what to wear? Geez...I'm all about government in protecting society and its associated mores, but that's about it...

Regarding the WDFW enforcement on rivers: I hear more are going "plain-clothes" and fish next to people, then just start writing em up/taking them off sometimes. Dangerous job to be out the middle of no where with some dudes you are about to bust when they think your one of them....Cool stuff though...

On a side note:
I don't think it's too much to ask for us to wear helmets and seatbelts. It's crazy to not where them anyways, and I think most of us would use them anyways....kevinb brought up a good point there...
The way I see it, if we say personal choice should let us do what we want, then why not do 120mph down i-5? Law has to be drawn somewhere, and in regards to motor and transportation laws, it's there to protect others...