2009 Angler of the Year Feedback

I've been watching you guys go at it for the 2008 AOTY this year and have been thinking this looks like a lot of fun.

I'm probably going for it in 09 no matter what the species are.

Here are a few suggestions from my point of view. 

I think more species would be a good thing.  It gives everyone an opportunity to be competitive.  If you limit the catageories, it gives an advantage to people having easy access to all species so they can "high grade".   If there are more species involved, so everyone has to travel, it's a level playing field.  As it sits now I think there is an advantage to living in or West of the I-5 corridor.

I'd like to see the "trout"  split into 3 categories by Genus. 
1) Salmo: Browns, Atlantics
2) Salvelinus: Brookies, Lakers, Bulltrout
3) Oncorhynchus: Rainbows, Cutts  (note: keep seperate from the "salmon" )
 
Keep the bass species separate.
Keep walleye.
Add Carp and Pikeminnow.  I know, trash fish, but carp fight well and encouraging pikeminnow fishing could save a few more smolt.

A few more thoughts about the rules.

I would recommend fork length as a measuring standard.  I saw a few photos of fish with their tails stretched out to add an extra inch or two.  Using fork length would also mirror the fishing regulations used for sturgeon.

About rule #6. "No out off season, oversize or under size (fish larger than the legal limit or smaller then the legal limit per species) may be entered. All local water rules must be followed." 

I need some clarification on this rule.  Does out of season mean closed for retention or would fish caught during a catch and release season count? 

The rule seems to be geared towards sturgeon.  Most sturgeon caught are under or over sized but it's still legal to fish for them.  I think any length sturgeon should count toward AOTY if caught during an open season.

I would recommend fork length as a measuring standard.  I saw a few photos of fish with their tails stretched out to add an extra inch or two.  Using fork length would also mirror the fishing regulations used for sturgeon.

Probably will NOT do fork length.  While it would mirror sturgeon regulations, it wouldn't mirror other fish.  Tails stretched are fine by me ... you're not going to get much out of that and the error is within the acceptable (to me) bounds of photo ID.   

About rule #6. "No out off season, oversize or under size (fish larger than the legal limit or smaller then the legal limit per species) may be entered. All local water rules must be followed." 

I need some clarification on this rule.  Does out of season mean closed for retention or would fish caught during a catch and release season count? 

The rule seems to be geared towards sturgeon.  Most sturgeon caught are under or over sized but it's still legal to fish for them.  I think any length sturgeon should count toward AOTY if caught during an open season.

This was/is a source of confusion.  The thought this year was "if you can legally take it home and eat it, then you can enter it in AOTY".  I think we'll follow something similar in 2009 and be more explicit about it in the rules.  But I'm open for debate on this point.

-Allen

This was/is a source of confusion.  The thought this year was "if you can legally take it home and eat it, then you can enter it in AOTY".  I think we'll follow something similar in 2009 and be more explicit about it in the rules.  But I'm open for debate on this point.

-Allen

This would knock out 12-17" LMBass...  which would be in the realm of most people trying to improve their bass score.  I'm a certifiable fish molester  and agree that if it is legal to molest (but not harvest) it should count.

This would knock out 12-17" LMBass...  which would be in the realm of most people trying to improve their bass score.

Yes it does depending on the lake.  And it did.

My own personal feeling.  If you're going to release a fish, you shouldn't be taking it out of the water to measure it anyway.

-Allen

I think it's possible to measure in the water.  I'm working on a net measuring system specifically for the purpose.  Isn't it a reg in WA or OR that this needs to be done with salmon and steelhead to be released?

The only fish I keep are the saltwater species and salmon/steelhead.  Anything spending most of it's life in the Columbia or Willamette (Sturgeon, Walleye, Bass) I wouldn't retain.  I would measure and snap a photo of them for a fishing contest though.

For myself I feel taking a fish out of the water to measure and release it, does less damage to the fish than measuring it and keeping it. 

For myself I feel taking a fish out of the water to measure and release it, does less damage to the fish than measuring it and keeping it.Wink

+1

A bunch of the fisheries near me are CnR only (sturgeon on the Columbia, trout in the Methow and Columbia below Chief Joe Dam). I'm working on a measuring trough that will keep the fish in the water.

More later- I'm playing hookie, atm.

For myself I feel taking a fish out of the water to measure and release it, does less damage to the fish than measuring it and keeping it.Wink

+1

A bunch of the fisheries near me are CnR only (sturgeon on the Columbia, trout in the Methow and Columbia below Chief Joe Dam). I'm working on a measuring trough that will keep the fish in the water.

More later- I'm playing hookie, atm.

And NOT targeting them at all in the first place is better than taking it out of the water to measure it.  Also, keeping a slot bass wouldn't have ever been an alternative in the first place.

I just keep thinking about the perception here.  A couple years ago there was a big whiplash on a wild steelhead derby, even though it was entirely legal to have that derby (catch and keep fishery on OlyPen streams).  We have enough catch and keep fisheries open to us that I'd like to avoid CNR fisheries for a derby.

-Allen

This would knock out 12-17" LMBass...  which would be in the realm of most people trying to improve their bass score.

Yes it does depending on the lake.  And it did.

Ah yes, I had a nice bass upgrade on Silver Lake that I couldn't count.  Not to mention all the almost keeper sturgeon that would have been worth some nice points for me this year.

I think the "can you take it home and eat it rule" keeps things fairly simple, doesn't overly torment CnR fisheries (particularly native runs) and prevents us from doing silly things like going after 12' sturgeon just for points.


As for the species, I still think walleye and panfish should be in there somewhere.

Brian

I just keep thinking about the perception here.  A couple years ago there was a big whiplash on a wild steelhead derby, even though it was entirely legal to have that derby (catch and keep fishery on OlyPen streams).  We have enough catch and keep fisheries open to us that I'd like to avoid CNR fisheries for a derby.
-Allen

Was that the one when you had to fish with a snoopy or barbie rod?

It's a valid concern.  Having the public at large and other fishers view yakers in a positive light is important.

and prevents us from doing silly things like going after 12' sturgeon just for points.

Great point.  I totally agree. 

so if I were to catch a nice native steelhead on the clackamas I couldn't count it? Legal to fish for, but not to retain, so no points... Same would go for spingers on the wille etc?  I catch and others who fish with me catch dozens of native steelhead every year, 90% are netted, posed for a quick pic (%30 or less) and returned unharmed quickly to the river.  I don't think its any harder on them then the actual act of hooking and reeling them in. But I can understand the need to bow to the "native worshipers"  out there.

 Its like those cabs you guys caught at the coast tourny..  I think you should have been able to count them for your aoty points, You fought them to the surface, took pics and carefully released them, what's another 30sec at most to measure?  I think it was correct they did not count  for the tourny as you could not retain them and thus bring them in to shore to weigh officially.

As far as sturgeon perhaps make the most points awardable equal to the largest retention size for their slot limit? this would limit any benefit to targeting oversized fish.

I think the "can you take it home and eat it rule" keeps things fairly simple, doesn't overly torment CnR fisheries (particularly native runs) and prevents us from doing silly things like going after 12' sturgeon just for points.


As for the species, I still think walleye and panfish should be in there somewhere.

I could have added another 250 points to my score this year with native Coho and out of season Cabezon but my vote is: Allow only fish that are legal for retention.  This forces a higher level of strategy and I believe that's good for competition.

I could have added another 250 points to my score this year with native Coho and out of season Cabezon but my vote is: Allow only fish that are legal for retention.  This forces a higher level of strategy and I believe that's good for competition.

Great point. I'm right there with ya.

Z

Rules are rules, I'll go with whatever the group decides...