Thank You for Participating in the Sportfishing Rule Development Process for 2006-2007
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
State of Washington DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE Mailing Address: 600 Capitol Way N • Olympia, WA 98501-1091 • (360) 902-2200, TDD (360) 902-2207 Main Office Location: Natural Resources Building • 1111 Washington Street SE • Olympia, WA Dear Interested Party: Thank you for participating in the sportfishing rule development process for 2006-2007. The enclosed document, the Concise Explanatory Statement, is the final step in the adoption of the sportfishing rules. This document contains an explanation of all the rule proposals that were sent out for comment last fall, a summary of the testimony received on each proposal, and any modifications or additions made to the original proposals, as well as the staff recommendation and Commission action on each proposal. You were sent this document because you have participated in the sportfishing rule process in some way either this year or in the past; perhaps by requesting to be on the mailing list, sending in a proposal, attending a meeting, or submitting testimony. If you do not want to continue to receive mailings about this process, please either mail, call, or e-mail us at the numbers below. Because these documents are costly to mail, we would appreciate your letting us know if you are no longer interested. Another way you can help cut the cost of this process is to allow us to contact you be e-mail rather than US mail. If you were mailed this document but would be willing to receive future notifications by e-mail instead, please send us an e-mail to let us know. Be sure to include the exact name and address we have been mailing to so we can delete it from our US mail list. Contact address, phone number, e-mail: Sportfishing Rules Committee WDFW - Fish Program 600 Capitol Way N Olympia WA 98501-1091 (360) 902-2700 – Fish Program customer service [email protected] (this address is only for address changes or deletions from the address list) Thank you again. Sincerely Patricia Michael Sportfishing Rules Coordinator CONCISE EXPLANATORY STATEMENT REGARDING 2006-2007 SPORTFISHING RULE PROPOSALS TABLE OF CONTENTS Statewide Rules ........................................................................................................................1 #1. Selective Gear Rules – 2 Changes Proposed................................................................1 #2. Barbless Hook Rule – Housekeeping.............................................................................3 #3. Drop Setlines as a Legal Gear for Burbot ......................................................................4 #4. Definition of a Hatchery Steelhead or Cutthroat Trout....................................................4 #5. Make Grass Pickerel a Game Fish.................................................................................5 #6. Fishing Tournaments – 3 Proposed Changes................................................................6 #7. Fork Length Measurement for Sturgeon ........................................................................8 Freshwater General Rules .......................................................................................................9 #8. Removing Salmon, Steelhead, and Dolly Varden from the Water..................................9 #9. Drop the Annual Limit for Hatchery Steelhead .............................................................11 Region 1 ...................................................................................................................................16 #10. Upper Spokane River Catch-and-Release Fishery ......................................................16 #11. Spokane River Fishing Boundary Modification.............................................................16 #12. Apply Snake River Rules for Game Fish to Palouse River...........................................17 #13. Daily Limit for Eastern Brook Trout in Pend Oreille Watershed Streams .....................17 #14. Bass Rules on Touchet River Forks.............................................................................18 #15. Coffeepot Lake Rules – Three Proposals ....................................................................18 #16. Horseshoe Lake Kokanee Bonus Limit ........................................................................19 #17. Sullivan Lake Kokanee Bonus Limit.............................................................................19 #18. Roosevelt Lake Rules – 4 Proposals ...........................................................................20 #19. Trout Rules for Selected Southeastern WA Lakes.......................................................21 Region 2 ...................................................................................................................................22 #20. Chewuch River Catch-and-Release Fishery ................................................................22 #21. Methow River Catch-and-Release Fishery...................................................................22 #22. Twisp River Catch-and-Release Fishery......................................................................23 #23. Crab Creek Daily and Possession Limits .....................................................................23 #24. Entiat River Eastern Brook Trout Bonus Limit..............................................................24 #25. Old Mill Stream – Closed Waters .................................................................................25 #26. Lake Chelan Kokanee Rules........................................................................................25 #27. Rufus Woods Lake Kokanee Rules..............................................................................25 #28. Banks Lake Bass Rules ...............................................................................................26 #29. Moses Lake Rules for Bass, Crappie, Walleye, and Yellow Perch...............................26 #30. Potholes Reservoir Rules for Bass and Walleye..........................................................27 #31. Spectacle Lake Season ...............................................................................................28 #32. Sprague Lake Walleye Rules.......................................................................................28 Housekeeping Change – Ping Pond ...................................................................................29 Region 3 ...................................................................................................................................30 #33. Yakima River Bass Rule ..............................................................................................30 #34. Yakima River Closed Waters Rule - Housekeeping.....................................................30 2006-2007 Sportfishing Rule Proposals ii Region 4 ...................................................................................................................................31 #35. Canyon Creek Closed Waters......................................................................................31 #36. Cedar River Fishery .....................................................................................................31 #37. Harrison Slough Open Season ....................................................................................43 #38. Lucas Slough Open Season ........................................................................................44 #39. Lake Washington Tributaries (Except Cedar River) Juvenile Fishery ..........................44 #40. Skagit River Fishery Boundaries..................................................................................45 #41. Skykomish River Catch-and-Release Fishery..............................................................47 #42. NF Stillaguamish Catch-and-Release Season .............................................................48 #43. Tokul Creek Fishing Area Boundaries and Seasons....................................................49 #44. Blackman Lake Trout Limit...........................................................................................51 #45. Hancock Lake Season .................................................................................................51 #46. Mountain Lake Trout Daily Limit...................................................................................51 Region 5 ...................................................................................................................................53 #47. NF Cispus River Selective Gear Rules ........................................................................53 #48. Cowlitz River Clear Fork and Muddy Fork Selective Gear Rules .................................53 #49. Coweeman River Steelhead Season ...........................................................................53 #50. Elochoman River Salmon Fishery................................................................................55 #51. Elochoman River Steelhead Fishery............................................................................55 #52. Gobar Creek Catch-and-Release Fishery ....................................................................57 #53. Grays River Hatchery Spring Chinook Salmon Fishery................................................57 #54. Grays River Steelhead Fishery ....................................................................................58 #55. Green River – Three Proposals....................................................................................59 #56. Kalama River Catch-and-Release Fisheries ................................................................62