Targeting closed species??

[The Quadfather]

So I've got a question... I realize that I could probably email the state peoples but was curious what you all think about this.
I have heard somewhere that it is illegal to "Target" a species that is closed at the time. I am thinking of LingCod specificly. I am sprung to want to catch one these guys. They only have like a 6 week season in early summer.

So is it in fact illegal to fish for these guys if their season is closed? Of course I am talking about catch and release. Most people on this site understand that most of us just dig catching/releasing fish.

The point that I am getting at is that I know for a fact that many people fish for Searun Cutthroat trout in the sound while this is a closed fish. (At least area 10, and frankly I think in most areas) Of course it's assumed they are practicing catch/release. So, if this is ok?? Then do you people think that anything is fishable if you are releasing it?

I wanna see a LingCod on the end of the rod!!

Kafelafish..... I know that you fish for these guys, what is your take?

[A9]

Good question Quad
My advice:
Go bottomfishing.

Where you find lings you can often find cabezon and rockcod, both of which have much more liberal harvest regulations...So, go "bottomfishing" when the season is open for one of those species to be open and if a ling takes your bait, then what can you do? Just release it. This happened to me a bunch this year. Lingcod season opened and I was red hot for catching rockcod, but couldn't get much in the way of lings to bite....I kept the rockcod cause their season is pretty long, but when the short ling season shut down, I would be out there bottomfishing for rockcod, and managed to do much better for lings then rockcod, which was a pain cause I couldn't keep any lings and couldn't get too many rockcod...

Good luck...

PS: if I were you, use a Pt. wilson dart or a curly tail jig on a 3oz jighead. If the fishcops came up to you and you were rigging live sanddab/flounder or bullhead or some huge artificial squid, it would be hard to get off the hook for it, cause thats ling gear....

[Mike Carey]

welllllll. Intent I think is something that enforcement looks at. For example, if it is mid July and you are fishing lake Washington with a dodger and bare red hook I doubt you can say you were just trolling for trout.

I would definately not use a spreader bar with live bait when you go bottom fishing.

[A9]

welllllll. Intent I think is something that enforcement looks at. For example, if it is mid July and you are fishing lake Washington with a dodger and bare red hook I doubt you can say you were just trolling for trout.

I talked with a guy in August and said he did that and CnR'd 20 fish a morning this summer doing just that...Not sure how he didn't get caught, but then again I've never seen a fishcop on Lake Washington when it wasn't Sockeye season...Would be fun to CnR 20 sockeye a morning, but I've never seen a worse fighting salmon...

[hewesfisher]

Wow, an interesting topic. To me, the key element here Quad, is you willfully intend to fish for a species when the season is closed, even though you will release it. In my mind, that does not make it ok, and I doubt any "fish cop" would think so either.

Let me ask you this, would you willfully launch your boat and fish a lake that closed at the end of the general season, even though you don't intend to keep any fish, just because you want to catch some? It's really no different than what you are asking if it is ok to do in closed season marine waters.

If you truly were only targeting bottom fish, with absolutely no intent to catch closed species, and hooked one, but released it unharmed, then I would say all is good. But that's not what you want to do, you specifically want to target a closed species simply because you want to catch a ling cod. Whether you intend to release it or not is probably irrelevant, your intent defines your actions and, IMO, makes it illegal.

So is it in fact illegal to fish for these guys if their season is closed?

How would you expect a WDFW officer to answer this question? I'm comfortable with how I think he/she would answer.

The point that I am getting at is that I know for a fact that many people fish for Searun Cutthroat trout in the sound while this is a closed fish. (At least area 10, and frankly I think in most areas) Of course it's assumed they are practicing catch/release. So, if this is ok?? Then do you people think that anything is fishable if you are releasing it?

The fact that other people are fishing closed waters and/or species makes it ok for you or me to do the same? Ask yourself what the same WDFW officer would say to that, then decide on your course of action.

While it may not specifically state "targeting" the Statewide General Rules, pg 27 of the pamphlet, Under the heading You May Not do say:

Fish in closed waters

While that may be broad based, and not specifically state "fish for closed species in waters that are open for other species" it's enough, IMO, to answer your question.

Just my opinion, and it's worth the price paid.