Northwest Fishing Reports

Let me start by saying that I am a new fisher. I just started this summer.

Here is what I understand about catch & release: 1) It is not allowed if using bait. 2) It is not allowed if the fish swallows the hook or if the hook goes through the eyes or gills. 3) The reasons for these are: A) The fish cannot digest artificial bait and it will kill the fish. B) If the fish swallows the hook the damage caused has more than likely already given the fish its death sentence whether or not it looks like it when you pull the hook (my general rule is that if I see any blood I keep the fish no matter what). C) This is more of a side-note, excessive/incorrect handling damages the fishes ability to survive.

When coming off one of my local I engaged another angler about his luck on the day. He freely boasted about catching up to 15 trout from the bottom using Power Bait and releasing most of them. As I understand the regulations he broke the law in two different fashions: 1) He released trout caught with bait. 2) He caught more that the limit of five using bait. He was a young man (probably under 25) and seemed fairly new to fishing also (just a hunch based on mannerisms & ignorance of bragging about breaking the rules, whether deliberate or due to ignorance). Being a new angler I was unsure of what I should do. Should I have informed him of his infraction? Should I have educated him about the damage done to the fish he caught? Should I have called WDFW? Should I have ignored it altogether?

I love my new hobby and like to educate when I can about anything I love. I don't want to give the guy bad information or cause bad confrontation. I also don't want dead fish in the bottom of my lakes.

Thank you.

You should have told him. Also everyone should carry a regulation pamphlet with them at all times so when discussions of the rules can be looked up in the regs. or if anyone has a question it can be looked up.

Yea, I would have brought it up. A lot of people just play it by ear and never pick up the completely FREE regulations pamphlet. Either that or they don't read the rules at the beginning. Either way, a polite and friendly reminder will generally keep folks on the up and up. If he's a jerk to you after you remind him, call WDFW enforcement hotline. If you see him doing it again, call enforcement. A lot of the time they'll be strapped and not able to come out, but once they show up on a busy day, word gets around and people start behaving for a while.

The reg in question is that whether kept or released, when a fish is caught using bait it counts toward your daily limit. You can release fish you catch using bait (including power bait), however, that fish counts toward your daily limit even though you released it.
Pretty sure no where in the regs does it say you have to keep fish you catch with power bait.

Bill it's nice to see someone conscientious enough to take the time to read the regs, kudos to you!

Here's some clarification for you regarding catch and release for TROUT (caps as used in regs pamphlet)

1) It is not allowed if using bait.

The truth is you most certainly CAN catch and release TROUT when using bait. Nothing anywhere in the regs states you cannot. As a matter of fact, the bait rule for TROUT, found on pg17 of the current regs pamphlet, under Statewide Freshwater Species Rules states (emphasis mine):

When fishing with bait, all TROUT (except STEELHEAD) equal to or greater than the minimum size are counted as part of the daily limit whether kept or released.

If it were illegal to release TROUT caught with bait, why would the state define the specific action of releasing in reference to counting toward a daily limit? If it were illegal to release TROUT caught with bait, the rule would say all trout caught with bait must be kept, but it does not, it says all TROUT caught with bait count toward your limit whether or not an angler keeps them.

2) It is not allowed if the fish swallows the hook or if the hook goes through the eyes or gills.

Well, not exactly. The only place this is mentioned is under the Selective Gear Rules definition on pg 11,

Selective Gear Rules: Only unscented artificial flies or lures with one single-point, barbless hook are allowed. Up to a total of three artificial flies or lures, each containing one single-point, barbless hook may be used. Bait is prohibited; fish may be released until the daily limit is retained. Only knotless nets may be used to land fish except where specifically allowed under Special Rules for individual waters. If any fish has swallowed the hook or is hooked in the gill, eye, or tongue, it should be kept if legal to do so.

Note that bait is prohibited when fishing Selective Gear waters. Where fishing with bait AND retention is allowed, any TROUT caught that has been hooked through the gills or eyes should be kept when legal to do so. If the angler chooses to release a TROUT caught in waters where bait is allowed and it has swallowed the hook (with or without bait actually), the line should be cut as close as possible to the mouth before releasing. If released, it still counts toward the daily limit.

3) The reasons for these are: A) The fish cannot digest artificial bait and it will kill the fish. B) If the fish swallows the hook the damage caused has more than likely already given the fish its death sentence whether or not it looks like it when you pull the hook (my general rule is that if I see any blood I keep the fish no matter what). C) This is more of a side-note, excessive/incorrect handling damages the fishes ability to survive.

Well, if "A" were true why would we be allowed to fish with artificial bait at all (assuming you are referring to artificial dough baits such as Power Bait)? As to releasing a fish that swallows the hook, it's an ethical question. Concern and respect for the resource should drive the decision, but it is not illegal to release a fish that swallows the hook.

The only law the angler you encountered broke was catching more than his legal limit of TROUT when fishing with bait. It's a simple rule really, when fishing for TROUT with bait, catch a daily limit you're done - period. Doesn't matter a bit whether you put all 5 in your cooler/stringer/whatever, or release all 5, keep 2 and release 3, or any combination totaling 5 TROUT (unless the daily limit on a particular body of water is defined differently in the Special Rules section). Catch a daily limit and you're through for the day.

Great that you took the time to ask and good fishing to you!

Mike Carey wrote:The reg in question is that whether kept or released, when a fish is caught using bait it counts toward your daily limit. You can release fish you catch using bait (including power bait), however, that fish counts toward your daily limit even though you released it.
Pretty sure no where in the regs does it say you have to keep fish you catch with power bait.

May sound strange. But whether a limit of bait caught trout is kept (killed) or released and dies. The mentality of WDFW appears to be, that either can legally be done with that limit. The key here is "limit". If allowed to legally retain or release up to 5 trout, any more would not be legal. Furthermore, would be considered "catching over the legal limit". And, is penalized per fish.

I suppose, technically the trout would not sit on the bottom of the lake for long. The fish would feed other living creatures(fish, birds, crawdads....ect).

Thanks guys. The "dead fish in the bottom of my lakes" was a metaphor for a wasted resource that law abiding anglers won't be able to catch.

Ball_Gawd wrote:Thanks guys. The "dead fish in the bottom of my lakes" was a metaphor for a wasted resource that law abiding anglers won't be able to catch.

Metaphor was completely understood when first mentioned. If the angler is not intentionally killing the fish before release. What merit does the metaphor have, if in the process of legally releasing the resource, with no intent of wasting it, was the end goal? Is that not a better outcome than, retaining a limit that becomes a wasted resource if not eaten before the freezer renders the catch uneatable? Which option, with 100 percent certainty, removes the resource from a law abiding angler's ability to catch them?

What the real point is. What can legally be done with a limit of legally caught trout, so as to not assume it is being wasted. So, an informed decision could be made as to our options when witness to another catching over the legal limit.

Very good point.

Great discussion, it seems to me this is one of the most commonly misunderstood regs we have here in WA. I read the regs every year when they send out the new pamphlet, and always I check the special rules for a particular body of water I plan to fish. Like has been said before, you almost need to be a lawyer to fish in WA state.

Releasing fish that have swallowed hooks doesn't mean a death sentence for the fish if it was carefully released by cutting your line. I've caught lots of trout and other fish that had line coming out of there mouths as well as the other end indicating everything passed except the hook. Was talking the other day to a guy who brought his grandson for his first ice fishing experience on N. Elton pond. We talked about the CNR rules when using bait/no bait. As I had caught and released 5-6 trout while he was setting up his (baited rigs). They both caught their two trout limit Quickly (about 15 minutes worth of time fishing) of which he put them back (He used a towel to hold the trout to take out the hook).They caught several more before I Quickly retained my two and left. I would have let him know what I thought, But this time I did not want to get ugly with the kid being there.