Dear Anglertimes, 

  Well here we go!  We are on the brink of losing our chance to fish for salmon on the mighty Sacramento river and on May 9th in Monterey California, the public and press can express their ideas or proposals for a salmon season in 08' on the Sacramento river.  It is true that fishing for salmon three miles off the Oregon and California coast has been closed, however fishing in the river's will finally be discussed and possibly decided by the Fish and Game commission at this upcoming meeting.  This may be our only chance to offer idea's on how to have a salmon season on the river in 2008.  Did you know that the first salmon cannery was established in Yolo county in 1864 and the industry grew to 20 plus canneries strong until depleting the adult run to a dismal 21,000 adult salmon returning to the Sacramento river in 1934.  We have been here before and this year's fore casted number's of Fall run salmon to return to the Central valley is far higher than that of 1934's number's.  And do not forget that the same groups forecasted a record return in 2005 that never happened.

  What if many salmon do return, will the commission be prepared to reopen the river if a big run does return?   How about idea's like a salmon punch card with a four or six limit per year per angler for 2008? Here is another good question that needs to be asked.  If  salmon fishing is closed for Fall run salmon in 2008, what is the date it will reopen so we can fish for the Late Fall run salmon who's run returns have been strong in 2005, 2006 and near record levels in 2007?  These fish are a separate run of salmon unrelated to the Fall run salmon that has been suffering in the past three years.  We need to ask how successful the trucking of juvenile salmon from Coleman National fish hatchery to the bay has been.  Has it worked in the past or has it failed miserably.   Sounds reasonable I think but idea's like these will go UNHEARD if we do not attend and express our ideas to the commission.  And the media can help by spreading the message to the masses.  If you want to have any chance at a salmon season in our river's in 2008, take a hammer to that piggy bank and forget for one day that gas is four dollars a gallon and come join me at this upcoming meeting on May 9th.  Even if you do not think you can stand up and say a thing just having you in the stands behind others as they stand up and fight for us is more powerful than you think. 

Go to www.dfg.ca.gov and click on the top left hand corner on Fish and Game commission for the upcoming meeting date time and agenda.  The address is also clearly listed.   Thanks for listening and spreading the word.

Dave Jacobs
Professional Guide Service
DaveJacobsFishing.com

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