Use caution on the Umpqua!

[Raincatcher]

Fishing guides on the Umpqua River recently caught several adult wild winter steelhead with their adipose fins apparently intentionally cut off.
Fishing forums and Facebook angling groups have spread the photo around, and anglers are understandably upset. ODFW biologists believe the theory behind this is that the fish will spawn, return to the ocean and come back with a healed adipose clip to be legally caught by the angler.
Biologists say this is highly unlikely. It's more likely that infection will set in, and these fish will die.
If you see anyone doing this, please call the OSP Tip Line at 1-800-452-7888.

 

[hobster]

This makes me sick. What a bunch of idiots, some people have a very low level of intelligence.

 

[kimeun]

Oh my word. That makes me sick to my stomach. What a cruel thing to do to our wild fish. And a shoddy attempt at that. As much as I love to catch these steelhead, and take the ones that are legal to keep, this behavior is inexcusable. I will be sure to report anyone I see doing this.

 

[eugene1]

Seems to happen every year.

Sad.

 

[MrGrumpFish]

This is disgusting to me. These guys are no better than poachers that take big game illegally. Morons and I hope I witness it someday so I can have a hand in handing them their A$$ for it!!!!

 

[pinstriper]

I guess 'm missing the point of...why ????

 

[Big3d]

Jerks...

 

[Gulfstream]

Really....... Must be pretty fu@^%n hard up.Probably shoot doe's at night with lights as well.Disgusting:grumpy: If you don't have it already,save the OSP tip line number in your phone!

 

[bass]

If you cut the fin and release it and then catch it a while later perhaps the scar is healed enough for it to look like a hatchery fish. I believe that is the motivation.

 

[bass]

I have it on my phone. Here is a story where I had a chance to call it once but I didn't.

A few years ago I decided to take a walk one day down to Rivervilla park on the Willamette (Oak Grove area) to see if it looked like a decent kayak launch spot. When I got to the parking lot there was a guy carrying a sturgeon to his truck (sturgeon was closed to retention at the time). He looked very down on his luck. Beat up truck, ragged clothes, old rod and reel and he just had a beaten down look about him. I thought about calling the hotline, but it looked to me like that guy really needed that fish. I thought maybe it would improve his life. Maybe I was wrong not to call, but my compassion (perhaps misplaced) won out.

 

[JonT]

That knotted net isn't doing that fish any favors, either.

 

[pinstriper]

Well yeah, but how does the logic work ? "I'm gonna illegally cut me the fin offa this here feesh, so's I can legally keep it when I catch it again later..."

If you're willing to do the damned illegal thing in the first place, why not just keep the fish then and be done with it ? Do they think this is some sort of clever fin-laundering scheme ? Break the law in order to get around the law....? <TILT>

Not to mention, the odds of catching a steelhead in the first place are so long, what are the odds of catching the same fish again, over different seasons ?

Not only is it heinous, it is just...below, actually, the level of moron.

 

[pinstriper]

Really, the more I think about this, the less I believe in the ODFW's guess at the motivation. I don't think anyone is that stupid.

I DO think, however, that there are some who are just miserable SOB's who catch a native, resent the fact that they can't keep it, and they look around and no one is watching and they mutilate the fish out of spite. They choose the fin because in their mind it makes a statement that they don't like being forced to release a native fish.

They may not want to risk their fish being checked in the parking lot, but a two second mutilation that they can get away with, sure.

 

[bass]

No disagreement on the stupidity. However, if a group of anglers who fished the same river a lot all did this then the odds would go up for catching a "keeper". I think the "logic" is a quick slice with a knife and a release is almost impossible to catch/prove. The evidence swims away. However, if you catch the healed fish you are free and clear. The protest aspect is an interesting thought. Maybe the people finning the fish also like to take over wildlife refuges

 

[eugene1]

I see what you did there, I would tend to agree!