Artificial Lures Only Rule -- Public Comment and Public Hearing Information

[Don Wittenberger]

This is the official wording of the artificial lures only rule proposal as it appears in WDFW’s 2010 - 2012 Sportfishing Rule Change Proposals:

#26. Tiger Muskie Rules

"Proposal: This proposal would make it unlawful to use bait while fishing for tiger muskies.

Explanation: Because of the 50” minimum size limit, the tiger muskie fishery is primarily a catch-and release fishery. Some anglers are concerned about the potential loss of released fish from hooking mortality if bait becomes a common method of fishing for tiger muskie. The use of bait while fishing for northern pike and muskellunge is popular in the Midwest states. The definition of bait includes the use of scent and/or flavor on any terminal lure."

Public comments may be submitted by e-mail to Lori.Preuss@dfw.wa.gov, or faxed to (360) 902-2155 (mark your fax “Attention: WDFW Rules Coordinator”), or mailed to WDFW Rules Coordinator, 600 Capitol Way N., Olympia WA 98504. The deadline for public comments is Nov. 6, 2009.

In addition, WDFW will hold a series of public meetings, in which citizens may give testimony, at its regional offices as follows (all meetings will be from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM):

Sept. 28 – Region 2 Office, 1550 Alder St. N.W., Ephrata
Sept. 29 – Region 1 Office, 2315 North Discovery Place, Spokane
Sept. 30 – Carpenter’s Hall, 507 3rd St., Yakima
Oct. 6 – Region 4 Office, 16018 Mill Creek Blvd. Mill Creek
Oct. 7 – Peninsula College, Room J47, 1502 E Lauridsen Blvd., Port Angeles
Oct. 8 – Region 5 Office, 2108 Grand Blvd., Vancouver
Oct. 13 – Natural Resources Building, Room 172, 1111 Washington Street S.E., Olympia

The Fish and Wildlife Commission will hold a public hearing on the proposed rules in Olympia on Nov. 6 and 7.

Links: http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/rule_propo ... 010-12.pdf.
http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/rule_proposals/index.htm.

Sport anglers should support this rule because swallowing bait is deadly to muskies. A study published in Musky Hunter Magazine found that over 80% of muskies that were hooked in the throat or stomach died. WDFW had several objections to this proposal, but agreed to support it on the condition that scents be included in the ban. I realize some tiger muskie anglers may disagree with the scent ban. If you want to comment on that, I suggest wording your comment more or less as follows: Tell WDFW you would like them to reconsider banning the use of scents, but you also feel keeping bait fishing out of the tiger muskie fishery is important to maintaining the quality of the fishery, and you would like to see the bait ban adopted but without the ban on scents.

[RatherBeFishin]

Nice job Don! Looks good.