2019 regs...

Anything that small I release anyway. I just can't see keeping salmon that small.

A lot of those salmon you release will die. Salmon are fragile. I keep the first two legals I catch.

Do you have any sources to back that up?  Not telling you you're wrong, genuinely curious.

My opinion is scale loss and stress...unless you release them with super care...they are perfect bait for the next predator...

They don't leave the water or see my net when I know they are small.

They don't leave the water or see my net when I know they are small.

kinda like  halibut when they're big

They don't leave the water or see my net when I know they are small.

kinda like  halibut when they're big

 

burn unit stat!

... Is there really an inventory problem?

I don't know about other places, but it seemed to me that the lingcod population was way down in Santa Cruz this year. I didn't catch nearly as many as in previous years, and the ones I did catch were generally smaller too.

I don't have sources to back it up, but I tend to think it's better to err on the side of caution. I know salmon are fragile. For example, if you net or handle them they're likely doomed. Therefore I assume there is probably a considerable mortality rate even with fish that are carefully handled. I'd say at least 25% of my shakers are bleeding just from being hooked.

Did you ever see this Salmon catch and release video?  One tough/lucky salmon!