TOPIC:

Reducing the number of kings that could be taken did not come up if memory serves me correctly. My feelings are that they will not reduce the count or daily limit. But it does sound as if they are open to suggestions on how best to go from here.
Keys to watch are: any burps at the hatchery and the loss of salmon get replaced with a trout species, not another salmon It is in writing!

Kings being full ale eaters and ales being down in numbers = less protection for kings and more for the alewive. If the down hill trend continues for bait, we will see some hard decisions coming down the road.

I believe the fish management fellas are trying there best to stay a head of a possible bait crash which affects the whole fishery and not just the kings.

I wonder what the impact will be the potential decrease in fishing pressure as well. The allure of catching a big fish for many charter boat customers drives some of that business and when word spreads either officially or by word of the mouth that few salmon in general are available and even less Kings if that will impact the amount of fishing on the lake by the recreational fishermen. If it gets to the point where you are going to catch steelhead and lake trout does that have the same appeal? I think for many Kings and Coho where what drove people to fish the lake and it wasn't really until the buzz about Skamania really put Steelhead in as really sought after fish. Browns are to few and far between even though up in Door County they get over 30lbs. Steelhead are great fish to catch but I don't know if that species alone can carry the fishing interest for the Lake. In terms of table fare, the last time I looked at the DNR restrictions they basically said avoid Lake Trout at all cost. I'm not saying that is in fact the case but its what they publish on their website.

Like many of us, I have a pretty substantial investment in the ability to fish on LM, I hope there continues to be a return on that investment in terms of a fishery to enjoy.

Stroke sent you a pm check it out intersting read. Should give you an idea were things are at.