circus time

Gonna be up for several mid week days this week- cant wait.
Reports are great and fish have clearly rebounded from a few tough seasons.
 
 With that comes the usual justified complaints of rudeness and over crowding of snagging hotspots.
Have an unusual -likely controversial- suggestion.
 
I was there over 30 years ago when some upper sections were legal for snagging and Michigan crickets were in vogue.
Bring it back .
Perhaps not the cricket part but snagging nonetheless.
This with increased fines and enforcement elsewhere could help without changing whats happening now.. IMHO.
 
May well keep many of those we don't want near us in their designated areas doing what they do anyhoo.
Start it late enough that  Kings and Hos are already up in the Hatchery and make it a short season of a couple of weeks.
 
Many will likely make their annual trip during that designated season and to those designated areas.
 
OK - fire off    lol

Sure I would go for couple week snag fest from 81 bridge to compactor bridge. Even with that there would not be many more fish taken, because everyone is doing it anyway. Hell make the upper zone one until november

My last couple of trips to the Zones were not fun- its a snagfest already.
The Zones - imho- are where they are supposed to have room for natural spawn-of course with the NO areas there may already be plenty of room for enough of that.
That lower middle would be my pick for a regulated area though. Kinda like way back.
Back then even with tonsa guys snagging middle river the Zone was loaded with fish.

I'm up here now and I agree with tuna,most of the people I rubbed elbows with were nice guys and most are trying to get a bite,there are those that are 'stealth" lifting but they are not the majority.O by the way the river is loaded with Salmon,top to bottom.

It was a blatant snag fest were I was. There was no stealth lifting going on. Cast , rip, rip , rip repeat or locate fish,  chuck , lift , duck,  repeat. I will say everyone was for the most part pleasant and helpful.  

Always found more 'fishing' in the upper.
Glad all you guys had a good day.

There will certainly be plenty of fish, salmon at least what I seen. Most were in very good condition and not all pincushion up. If I could fish again for them this season I would. I don't need eggs, they are cheap enough to buy for my limited fishing @$4:00 and I generally use a fly anyway.
Now my kid is hooked and wants to buy a vise. He is looking forward to steelhead after we put some meat off the hoof in the freezer.
Strange how things that go around , come back around.

Sadly :
RIP Mr. Tom Petty

hot tuna
I thought the river was pretty good, people wise.
Where I fished, you had anywhere you wanted and fish were plentiful.
The people I met were very kind and fished like fishing is supposed to be.
All my fishing was done above the hatchery

Everybody must have come 1 to a car.
When I drove up to take a look the twat lot was overflowing and the upper lot had a dozen cars.
Admittedly compared to below the hatchery I'm sure it felt empty.



 
 
 
 
 

Yeah I drove up checking it out late morning Tues and it was pretty crowded.
Today every lot was full to overflowing except Sportsmen.
Going to be a real mess this next week!