The fact that only 15,000 steelhead smolts blows me away, because alot of them will not be coming back, and alot of anglers will keep them even if its catch and release. And the fact that 600,000 chinook and coho smolts are relased, just makes the salmon fishery go up in number of anglers, and then steelhead angler numbers go up which brings the flossers and snaggers out in winter for steelhead, because they think that steelhead are like a salmon thousands of thousands of them in the river, and as they think willing to bite a bare hook. I understand steelhead are considered challinging and you shouldnt go with an attitude of catching one etc. but if say every 2nd year they relased 30,000 steelies smolts, and continue catch and relase only, but keep something like this on the down low, then guys would get rewarded with a fish more often, and learn you can catch a fish without the need of 5 foot leaders and huge weights.
We will never go back to the good old days in fishing, because there are just so much more people fishing and they will NOT go away.
This trend towards greater public participation is not limited to sports fishing, but also golf and many other sports just to name of few.
I grew up both fishing and golfing and I learned both from my father more than 30 years ago, including etiquette.
But when I look at both today, it is a totally different world than when I first started.
Times have changed and people who come in today, come from sometimes different backgrounds and attitudes.
Many have not been taught by their dad or uncle how to fish properly.
Often they go to Walmart or Canadian Tire and buy a rod and reel combo and just hit the river so to speak.
Yes, I agree that better enforcement and education is needed, but at the same time more supply is needed.
If Vedder didn't have it's 130,000 or so smolts released every year, would we have the level of steelhead fishing there? I think not.
Whether we like it or not, all urban habitats are managed ones and urban rivers are no different.
Better management is needed.
I think things can be improved for an average steelhead fisherman in GVRD.