Recent Salmon article in NH paper, the author will make write future articles on what's being discussed to fix the problem. Looks like this artlicle was timed for the Ice derby.

http://www.newhampshire.com/article.aspx?headline=How+catch+and+release+stresses+NH+salmon&articleid=3425

I hope the link works ??

Big John

That article is total hoarse bunk !! 100 yard swath ????

I think it says "as much as 100 yds", perhaps a little exageration, ha,ha,ha,ha. But I hardly think the whole article is "total Horse Bunk"

It says: The planer board system allows these boats to run our their lines horizontally from their boat, so their trolling pattern can cover as much as a 100-yard swath of lake.

I wouldn't take the Salmon situation too lighty, I'm pretty sure some changes are in the future.

Big John

100 yard swath?? I can get 100 feet maybe on a good day. Running Otter Boats off of a mast.

HELLO ! Its called fishing ! I look at it this way. There are those who Doo and those who..... well lets just say they wish they could Doo ! This article and related subjects on the fishermen and there tactics fall nothing short of a jealous antic ! If they want to paddle their carved out log of a canoe in a lake where the speed limit is 45mph while fishing one vintage banboo fly rod with a single barbless circle hook and make a memory with a five pound "naturaly grown" salmon, sha say their butt down to the travel agent get on a float plane and get out to a remote area and DO IT! The only change I see needed in the wind is to bring the fish count up to the preasure !! Size, weight and numbers.

Hope to see you at a meeting, just tell them that's all they gotta do, sounds simple. I'm sorry I don't want to argue with anyone, least not over some elses comments, but I'm pleased to see least you admit there is a problem. And people who may decide our destiny, do read those same articles.

Big John

I tend to agree with the article on the catch and release problem.Talking to a game warden this week end on the ice he also feels if we did away with catch and release the salmon would thrive.Catch your 2 legal size fish and go home.

Not that simple maybe, seems the crux of the hook wounding problem is young, under legal size fish "repeatedly" being caught and released. So if you if you catch and release bunch of them trying to get your two keepers and then go home, the damage was still done.

But that could also be tough on the guys that commute a few hours each way, they could be done and ready to go home before the sun comes up, ugh..

This is a direct effect of fishing pressure no matter how you cut it, more fisherman, more hook wounding, more growth issues. But with increased pressure comes a boost to the areas economy, etc. Seems like no easy solution.

I'm thinking there is no solid fix to "hook wounding" unless the barbless hooks, etc. help considerably ??

I'm sure they are discussing of all sorts of alterntives. Time will tell what they might propose, it's up to us to hear them out and make alternative suggestions if we don't agree with thiers.

I'm starting to believe the best fix, may be "do nothing at all", it is what it is, which has been one of the ideas being discussed. At first I thought that's crazy, but if if came to canning the Salmon program or leave everything as is, doing nothing don't look so bad. However, without good supply of Salmon eggs, can the program survive ?????

I hope they can come up with a plan that will work for everyone, but it does seem an unlikely possiblility.

Maybe it's just an inevitable cycle we are experiencing and it will work out in time ???? Some people don't mind catching smaller Salmon, lots of them and prefer that kind of fishery..

I do have faith in Fish and Game Biologists, they will make the right recomendations, they know how to fix it, they are scientist, but will it be accepted by the Director (who makes the ultimate decision) and the rest of us ???

Big John
Yep, who has way too much time on his hands and is bored stiff.

any rule changes that may happen have to be ones that "can be enforced".

For example... if they ban using treble hooks while trolling for salmon... thats easier to enforce, as when they board your boat and inpspect your salmon lures, it becomes clear to the naked eye if your in compliance.

A quit once you have netted 2 keepers... impossable to enforce! Most will never comply with that, it is too easy to lie. just human nature!