Yesterday, in an effort to protect dwindling steelhead populations, fishery managers with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced that fishing from a floating device is now prohibited in rivers throughout the Washington coast. This restriction will begin Dec. 14, is expected to last through April 30, and will affect all sportfishing in coastal tributaries from Forks to Willapa Bay. A “floating device” is loosely defined as any contraption that keeps an angler’s feet from making contact with the substrate. This, of course, includes drift/jet/prop boats, and rafts/pontoons/float tubes…and water wings. It means that if you want to go steelhead fishing in Washington, you’ll be doing so afoot, either on the bank or wading. This stringent regulation effectively…