Salmon Season Closed
Conk, connnk, connnk...
that is the PFMC's hammer,
nailing in the last spike to
the coffin of our California
salmon fisheries. We just
received word on Thursday
4-10 evening that the
entire coast of
California has been
closed to salmon
fishing. Our source who
called in at 6:PM from
the PFMC meeting left
just a brief message
saying that while they
tried to get a short
(ocean) Klamath
Management Zone and
Eureka fishery as well
as a few holiday
weekends the models
could not justify any
fishery at all in
California. Oregon fared
only slightly better
with no commercial
season and a few very
limited sport areas open
to coho this year. We
still don't know the
allowed quota for the
Klamath in-river fishery
at this time.
It is NOT the PFMC's fault
for closing the fishery. The
collapse of our salmon
fisheries is due to the
governor of California
allowing unchecked water
diversion by the state
Department of Water
Resources and the BOR which
resulted in the collapse of
the Delta food chain. This
coupled with (but certainly
not the largest impact) with
poor ocean feed conditions
in 2005 and 2006 and the 50%
reduction in hatchery
production over the past few
years are the reasons
for the collapse of our
salmon stocks. It's not
over fishing, it's just
a complete incompetence
by our state and federal
agencies who are suppose
to manage and protect
our water and fishery
resources who are to
blame. One day, maybe
the public will wake but
for now it's too late
and a $100 million plus
California fishery has
been lost.
Only though the support
of the many
organizations that are
fighting for the
recovery of our
fisheries will we every
have a salmon fishery
again. I hope that our
readers will support us
and the many others out
there in that effort.
The salmon have no voice
other than anglers and
if we don't continue
this battle we will have
failed our children and
a fishery we love so
much. What a terrible
legacy we have left the
generations behind us. I
hope that the
politicians, fishery
managers and the
governor
are proud of their
"accomplishments".
Mike Aughney
With the ocean salmon season
closed for the year Eureka
based six pack captains will
be focusing more on both the
offshore pacific and
Humboldt bay California
halibut fisheries, rockfish,
lings and tuna if and when
they come in range. Gary
Blassi will be running
Pacific halibut trips
starting on May 1st. There
is no minimum size limit on
Pacific halibut and last
season Gary caught limits
more often then not. He will
also be running combo trips
when time and weather
cooperates to target
rockfish and California
halibut inside the bay.
If you are looking for
salmon the Klamath, Smith
and Chetco rivers should be
giving up some big numbers
this fall. With the zero
pressure from the ocean side
of the fishery we should see
above average counts on many
rivers.
Captain Gary Blassi is
taking reservations for
Pacific Halibut trips
beginning on May 1st. He
will also be running
rockfish / ling cod trips to
the Cape and albacore trips
will start as soon as the
long fins arrive.
Small jet boat for sale
Early 90s 14 foot
Klamath with a 2002, 20
horse two stroke factory
Mercury jet (30 power
head) with low hours.
The boat is in great
shape and set up for
fishing the Klamath and
Sac. Trailer, floor
boards, river anchor and
ores for side drifting
included. Can
plane with up to 500 +
pounds and run in as
little as 4 inches of
water. Very economical
to run, you can fish
from Klamath to Blue
Creek and back on a
single 6 gallon tank of
gas. $3200.00
Mike 707 479-0992
Caught
Fish?
Looking for timely informative updates? Check out a
FREE trial to the
Northern California Hotsheet,
California's fastest growing fishing newsletter. The
Hotsheet
is emailed three to four evenings per week direct to
your desktop. No hunting the web for information or
waiting on an outdated magazine to arrive in the
mail. These in-depth reports keep you on top of what
is happening TODAY so you can catch more fish
tomorrow! Just $3.50 per month when you subscribe
for one year. You can receive a free week's trial
copy by e-mailing a request to
fishsite@aol.com
