Jeff Ziller, ODFW District Biologist for the Willamette Zone, is sponsoring a regulation change eliminating the use of bait from the section of the McKenzie River from Hendricks to Bellinger. As most of you know, this section of river is no longer stocked. Bait would still be allowed for salmon and steelhead fishing, but the rule change will help to reduce hooking mortality on native trout.
Please take five minutes of your day to email Jeff Ziller (jeffrey.s.ziller@state.or.us) or Kelly Reis (kelly.e.reis@state.or.us) with your support for the regulation change.
Proposed Rule:
Hayden Bridge upstream to Hendricks Bridge: Angling restricted to artificial flies and lures entire year except bait is allowed May 1 – June 15 when angling for salmon and steelhead with hooks 5/8-inch gap or larger.
Rationale: The objective of this regulation change is to create a production area for native rainbow trout in the lower McKenzie River that will add to the sustainability of the McKenzie River trout populations. This section of the river has excellent potential for production of large rainbow trout for non-consumptive angler use. The addition of a new Section 2 reduces hooking mortality on wild trout in the non-stocked area between Hendricks Bridge and Hayden Bridge while allowing the retention of hatchery trout that drift downriver from above Hendricks Bridge and allowing salmon and steelhead anglers to use bait during the peak of these runs.
Your friendly neighborhood biologists and wild fish advocates can send you a whole slew of studies on fishing methods and hooking mortality. Generally speaking, for trout, single barbless hooks on artificial flies or lures, mortality is about 3-5%. With bait or scented artificial (i.e. powerbait), mortality is around 32% when fished under a bobber. Bait/scent mortality drops down to just over 20% if you’re fishing it “actively”.
There are a handful of studies that have about the same kind of numbers, but check out Schisler and Bergeson 1996, North American Journal of Fisheries Management, “Post Release Hooking Mortality of Rainbow Trout Caught on Scented Artificial Baits“.
The bottom line is that section of river is no longer stocked and bait anglers kill 1/3 of the wild fish they touch. You can’t support a catch and release wild fishery with that kind of mortality.
FYI: ODFW biologists have made this recommendation before at ODFW Commission meetings and the conservation community didn’t show up. The bait supporters did — and the regulation change was spiked. Let’s not let our fisheries down this time.
-MS
“FYI: ODFW biologists have made this recommendation before at ODFW Commission meetings and the conservation community didn’t show up. The bait supporters did — and the regulation change was spiked. Let’s not let our fisheries down this time.”
Im guilty of not being much help even though I am all for C&R and wild fish… that stops today from now on I will devote time to learning, helping and being a better wild fish advocate!
P.S. the lower mac’ is where I live and fish 90% of the time and am all for this!
I sent emails to both the above people.
Thanks for posting this Matt
Done!
Thanks Matt, Stevie
Right on Levi! If you want to do more to support our local fisheries, consider coming to one of our meetings for TU 678. We meet every second Wednesday of the month at the Vets Club on Willamette. 7:00-9:00. Hope to see you there!
I did it. In fact, I argued that there should be no bait allowed for salmon and steelhead in that section until we get a reestablished native redside fishery. I know that won’t sell, but I want to establish something that ODFW can advocate as as a moderate proposal.