The Rumored News is that...

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Permalink Reply by Rodney Heupel on March 1, 2013 at 6:21pm

That "Chrome Bass" sure do look pretty! ;-)

Permalink Reply by Marc Marcantonio on March 1, 2013 at 7:48pm

Well, Dana, over the past 40 years of being politically active, and involved with legislators, I am proud of the many successes I have contributed to, from getting states in the Northeast of the USA to open catch and release bass fishing during the spawning months, to preventing total lead bans. 

 

I would hardly call my approach to be "passive," especially with all of the time I have spent walking the halls in Olympia, Sacramento, and several other states across the USA.  I have volunteered on the WDFW Inland Fish Policy Advisory Group for 10 years, and on multiple other study groups with the state.  In many cases I have increased our recreational opportunities, and fought against regulations that reduced our opportunities.

 

I have worked in this state as a Fisheries Biologist, and I have personally removed dams from salmon streams, built fish ladders, worked in hatcheries, restored spawning habitat, removed barrier culverts, relocated stream beds to the original location, returned in-stream flows to watersheds, wrote scientific studies such as the "Limiting Factors Analysis for WRIA 12", served on Technical Committees, served as the President of the Tacoma Chapter of Trout Unlimited and the Northwest Salmon and Steelhead Council, organized kid's fishing events for years to get our youth introduced to fishing, taught seminars to clubs and shows to keep people interested in fishing, worked with ASA, IGFA, BASS, and many other organizations to fight for fishing rights and keeping waters open to fishing.  I have supported just about every tournament organization and charity effort available, including for Disabled Veterans and various hospitals.

 

I spend countless hours writing in magazines, and speaking on radio shows about how our freedoms are denied, our rights trampled, our way of life being attacked.  Again, hardly a passive approach.

 

And I vote every year for those who support sport fishing and outdoor recreational opportunity. 

 

Some may think all of my efforts, and many other people's efforts have failed, but I prefer to think that what we are now experiencing would have happened many years ago had people like myself not dedicated much of their life to preventing it from happening.

 

I understand what you are saying, and I don't disagree that times have changed and tactics must be adjusted.  I do think the best approach would be to form a recreational fishing PAC that collects enough money to fund our own attorneys, and lobbyists, like I do in my day job to protect the drinking water industry.  Unfortunately people who fish seem to want to spend their time and money fishing, rather than fighting in court and at the legislature, and at the ballot box. 

 

I have tried to lead in the ways that I feel I an contribute best; but there is lots of room for other leaders to step into the ring and bring their talents and energy into the battle. 

 

Permalink Reply by Big Steve on March 1, 2013 at 8:24pm

Marc, thank you for your efforts.

 

This state we live in doesn't understand or care about the people that enjoy and spend way to much money on warmwater fishing. Even though smallmouth have been in the columbia for some 100 years its all about the salmon. I've fished for salmon and steelhead for many years, and enjoy it, but to try and eliminate bass on the idea it will help salmon and steelhead is crazy, the studies have proven this. Some how, some way we need to have are voice heard.

Permalink Reply by Marc Marcantonio on March 1, 2013 at 8:27pm

So you don't think my idea of having a salmon tournament on the Columbia with 200 bass boats will work during the peak of the season?  One day of us clogging the ramps, weaving between their hog lines (safely, of course), weighing in salmon for pictures and publicity, and having a fish fry during the awards ceremony at the ramp...I think they will want us fishing for bass ASAP.

 

I could be wrong, though.

Permalink Reply by Big Steve on March 1, 2013 at 8:42pm

Only one way to find out! Sign me up, Iam sure I can get some of the river runners to get on the water to enjoy a day on the reach and ringold areas. Whatever it takes to get are voice heard I am in. Or maybe letting the state know that i've decided not to spend $60 plus thousand on a new boat and instead i'am going to invest that into a duck club in california. Sure they would love that. 

Permalink Reply by Marc Marcantonio on March 1, 2013 at 10:03pm

More recent passive work (couple of hours ago):

 

http://nwsportsmanmag.com/2013/03/01/commission-scraps-limits-on-co...

Permalink Reply by Jerry on March 1, 2013 at 10:47pm

It's a mind set of a lot of anglers in this state...bass, walleye, etc., do not belong here and are killing off smolts and damaging their precious salmon and steelhead. Instead of looking at other factors, they focus on a predator by nature, not all of the facts and issues at hand. By lifting any restrictions on size or limits, it's open season and fish will be tossed on the banks. Might be time to move.

Permalink Reply by Tag Watson on March 2, 2013 at 6:37am

Marc, many thanks for all you have done in the past and continue to do to fight for our rights as sportsmen, and the use of our precious resources.

Dana, get on the ballot!

Permalink Reply by P.J. Koshi on March 2, 2013 at 9:15am

Marc I've got the right boat for Salmon Tournaments! Count me in! I think we should also hold the tournament without a permit thus killing 2 birds with one stone!

Permalink Reply by William McMurry on March 2, 2013 at 1:14pm

maybe we can get the indians in on it too. tourneys with nets everywhere! who needs a pole?

Permalink Reply by Austin Heyer on March 2, 2013 at 3:22pm

Lets take marcantonio's idea and clog all the boat launches with bass boats so the salmon guys cant fish. I love salmon fishing to but to the salmon anglers that think they own the waters or are elitest's or that bass are killing there salmon show me a study. The columbia is a problem because of the dams, sea lions, pike minnows and commercial and native american netting.

 

Permalink Reply by Jordan Doucet on March 3, 2013 at 9:26am

It would be worth the price of entry to just weave in and out of the salmon boats at 70+ of course we could just do that for free too.

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