I just wanted to add that I do guide on Winni and some other places around the state. I am part time as I also work some other jobs and am a full time student. I really just guide to be able to afford my habit! Maybe I'll make something off it someday, but probably not...
For the 2010 season I made a pact to promote catch and release to my clients. If the salmon was hook wounded it was harvested. I pulled 4 salmon from the lake last year that were not wounded and 21 that were. Fish and Game wants us to harvest those fish that are hook wounded. Like I said in a recent post. This past weekend my boat harvested 3 fish which is a lot more than usual. We boated 2 five year old hook wounded salmon and one 4 year old that couldn't release her eggs...
I explain to every trip about the issues that we have had recently and the proper fish handling techniques as well as how to identify hook wounds and that harvesting a hook wounded fish is better, whether you did it or not.
I think it has helped. A lot of fisherman book trips with me and have no idea how to identify hook wounds, properly handle fish, or thought that we needed to strictly perform catch and release to allow the lake to get back up to par. I do my best to inform them with the information they kneed to help sustain our wonderful fishery.
