The Outdoor Line Forum

Sorry for this topic, and I know it will be unpopular with many followers, however a "forum" is a means of open discussion and dialog.
My beef, is the closure of MA 8.1, 8.2 & 9 starting Monday Nov. 13. How coincidental after a derby last weekend. Unfortunately, I was unable to particapate and now my blackmouth season is shut down. I paid the same amout for my license as the participants of the derby. I feel this was a poor choice to have this derby in areas that were already susceptible to early closures. We need to be more responsible for our limited resources and that they be shared equally amoung all of us.
I understand that derbies promote business for our local retailers and that even some of the funding goes back into the resource. However, I feel this derby at this time was a poor choice.
So blast away, but be respestible of my frustration. Thanks! D.

You've got nothing to apologize for!
I think it's a great topic and one that we're going to cover on the show tomorrow.
I'm looking forward to hearing others input and their feelings on derbies as well.

Living here on the Olympic Peninsula I hear the news straight from my fishing colleagues. The anger here right now among the recreational fisherman is quiet evident and getting nasty towards the local tribes again.

From what I head last night is that the tribes in the area have kicked up a fuss stating that the Blackmouth being caught are way under limit. They are the reason why the season has been shut down as they complained to the WDFW.

However, having spoken last night to a few, they clearly disputed their claims as the average weight right now of the all the Blackmouth being caught in the area here are in the 8-10 lb category.

Of course a few weeks back you could walk across the water between Diamond Point and Protection island with all the nets and pots floating around. The hypocrisy here is just amazing.
Now that they have gotten rid of the recreational fisherman it's open now for them to rape the area "again".

Having spent several hours on WDFW Conference calls last week, I can honestly tell you that the closure was entirely based on managing the "Encounter" inpacts and getting this fishery to the more productive and better weather spring time season.

Take a look at the forecast for tomorrow:

PZZ134-130715-
Admiralty Inlet-
204 PM PST Sun Nov 12 2017

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THIS EVENING...
...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT MONDAY...

TONIGHT...SE wind 15 to 25 kt. Wind seas 2 to 4 ft. Rain.

MON...SE wind 30 to 40 kt. Wind seas 6 to 8 ft. Rain likely in the morning then rain in the afternoon.

The Puget Sound Rec. Fish Advisor Group made the decision to close this fishery while the weather is bad and the number of sub-legal fish is high.

Remember that as far as "Encounters" are concerned, catching and releasing a 20-inch fish in a November gale counts the same as catching and keeping a 20 pounder on a sunny spring day.

We all would like to be on the water more but burning up our season on shakers is not going to put one more fish in anyone's box. Let's let these grow up and catch them a bit later this year!