Washington State: Lifting Wild Fish for the Pic (thou shall not lift the wild one’s)

Don't Hoist Wild Fish for Pic

Skagit River~Washington St. Lifting a Wild Steelhead out of the water

“I would like to apologize to the people of Washington state for being so careless. In no way was this intentional, and yes, I should have known better.”

“Let’s turn this unfortunate situation into a positive learning experience for all by re-enforcing the rule – “IT IS UNLAWFUL TO TOTALLY REMOVE SALMON, STEELHEAD OR DOLLY VARDEN/BULL TROUT FROM THE WATER IF IT IS UNLAWFUL TO RETAIN THOSE FISH, OR IF THE ANGLER SUBSEQUENTLY RELEASES THE SALMON, STEELHEAD, DOLLY VARDEN OR BULL TROUT”.

“Washington state sportfishing rules can be found online at https://fortress.wa.gov/dfw/erules/efishrules/, and the 08/09 regs can be downloaded at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/2008/2008sportregs.pdf.

Page 32 is where you will find the Salmon and Trout handling rules.

http://www.flyfishergirl.com/

I am not sure if Flyfisher Girl received a cite or realized upon review of the regs that she had been violating regs or more likely she caught a fish and took pic and someone saw a fish hoisted from the Skagit R. and commented. Worth a review of the attached regs to avoid the fastidious enforcers. I love a pic with a worthy fish and have done it numerous times, however, valuable time is wasted in staging and taking 2-4 pics of that memory, which really should be used to carefully revive the fish. Create innovative-artistic angles of shots to highlight a tail, gill plate, side profile, etc. If you are beyond Washington St. for god sake do not hold a fish vertical by the tail or by the gill plate. Gentle…always gentle, respectful and quick…. 

Berdie Judd (Women’s Fly Fishing Icon bounced as Alliance Chair) UPDATE

Bertie 'Bud' Judd and Friends

“Mildred Sussman of the Women’s Alliance for Nature’s Renewal answered enquiries today about the departure of Bertie Judd from the group’s helm. Sussman said it was a mutual decision for Judd to relinquish her role as Chair of the group. This stemed from a recent debacle in St. Charles while Judd was on holiday with friends. Several escapades were documented when authorities were summoned to the Tradewinds Lounge, where Judd was holding forth on the worthiness, or lack there of, of men. Authorities were advised that several women were partially clothed. The incident later resulted in knowledge that Judd had used Alliance monies to finance travel and accommodations in St. Charles. The trip was planned under the auspices of a fly fishing piece to highlight the Alliance. It appears Judd was more inclined to celebrate the night life than explore the local waters. Upon her return to Newbury, Judd met with members of the Alliance and an agreement was reached for Judd to step aside as Chair.” 

“It may be recalled that Judd was the first woman to compete in what had been a male dominated event, the prestigious Siness Quarry Fly Fishing Championships. Judd came from obscurity to garner runner up status and to emerge into the public’s view. Since then, Bertie Judd has been instrumental in promoting women’s fly fishing and tying as well as the procurement of habitat through the Alliance’s funding.”

“When reached for comment by the Newbury Messenger, Bertie Judd said she would continue to lead women into the outdoors, and in particular, show women the ‘affirming power of tossing the fly and coaxing the meet’.”      http://www.newburynh.org/public_documents/index

Photo Courtesy of: http://www.texasflats.net/index.php/topic,4982.0.html 

——————————–

It is apparent that the women emerging as future role models for fly fishing promotion are tame in comparison to Bertie “Bud” Judd and her gal pals in St. Charles. Bertie, Bertie I need to find out more about you.  

Update 3/7/09:

“Mr. Switters, I feel compelled to write, not to explain away a momentary event of no consequence, but rather to remark upon how important to not take one’s eyes off the goal…promoting women to take risks in a male dominated endeavor. My life’s ambition has been to succeed in creating an inviting space in the wild for women to feel comfortable while learning the skills of fly fishing. I have not, as you may suggest, been asked to leave the ‘Alliance’ but rather to move in a new direction to enhance our projects…..”  

With kind regards….Berdie Judd

Birdie Judd & WANR Members

Birdie Judd (second from left)

Singapore’s Yellow Emperor, the Peacock Bass (Brutes amongst the planned enviro)

Young Peacock Bass~Bertie Judd

He asked me what kind of fly I was using and suggested something silver-colored. Holding local knowledge in high regard, I immediately snipped off the black woolly bugger I was using and tied on a chartreuse streamer with silver tinsel.

“The first time you catch a peacock bass, you will never forget it,” he said. “The smell is like a person with bad body odor. When I first smelled it, I almost wanted to puke, and you can’t get it off you.”

However, over the years, Tay has met anglers from Japan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and North America who were in Singapore to fish for peacock bass. Native to the Amazon watershed, there are only a handful of places in the world where one can pursue them outside of equatorial South America.

Those are the reasons Tay laments that Singapore is the worst place in the world for fishing even though his camera is loaded with photographs of trophy peacock bass, huge snakeheads and even tarpon (of the Indo-Pacific species, not the fabled Atlantic tarpon). He says he feels hemmed in by the catch-and-kill baiters, the absurd regulations and the lack of proper ones. He is always hunting for the next best spot.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/04/sports/othersports/04outdoors.html?ref=sports