04-30-2010, 11:11 AM
Opening day of the lowland lakes season has come and gone, but there are still plenty of trout - not to mention shrimp, halibut and spring chinook salmon - to be caught in the weeks ahead.
Cold, rainy weather may have kept some anglers off the water during the first day of the trout opener, but that just leaves more fish available to catch, said Jim Uehara, inland fish manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).<br />
"Actually, we stock lakes with trout for the whole season, not just opening day," Uehara said. "Hatchery crews are already re-stocking lakes, and will continue planting trout into September."<br />
Those fish range from 8-10 inch rainbows to 1.5-pound triploids. For more information about stocking schedules, Uehara suggests anglers check the WDFW website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/plants/index.htm .<br />
Also, whether fishing for trout or some other species, anglers should make sure to pick up a copy of the 2010-11 Fishing in Washington rule pamphlet, available free from stores around the state that sell fishing licenses. The pamphlet, also available online at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations , includes dozens of new regulations that take effect May 1.<br />
"We strongly advise anglers who have been using last season's fishing pamphlet to pick up a new one," said Craig Burley, WDFW fish division manager. "While many regulations remain the same from year to year, the new pamphlet includes significant changes affecting fisheries statewide."<br />
The new fishing pamphlet will come in handy for a number of fisheries that are about to start or are already under way:<br />
"¢ Razor clams: A six-day dig opened April 27 at various ocean beaches on morning tides and will run through Sunday, May 2. See the South Sound/Olympic Peninsula regional report below for details.<br />
"¢ Spring chinook: Fishing opens May 1 on the Yakima River. The mainstem Columbia River is currently closed to spring chinook fishing below Bonneville Dam, but anglers are catching fish farther upriver and in a number of tributaries above and below the dam. See the Southcental and Southwest regional reports for details.<br />
"¢ Shrimp: The popular fishery begins May 1 in most areas of Puget Sound. See the regional reports below for details.<br />
"¢ Halibut: Fishing starts May 1 off Ilwaco (Marine Area 1) and expands to other waters in the days that follow. See the reports from the South Sound/Olympic Peninsula and North Puget Sound regions for more information.<br />
Meanwhile, hunters still have an opportunity to harvest a turkey during the next few weeks. The spring turkey hunt runs through May 31, with a three-gobbler limit - two in eastern Washington and one bird in western Washington.<br />
In Hoquiam, birders will celebrate one of the biggest bird-watching events of the year May 2-4, when the 15th annual Grays Harbor Shorebird Festival takes flight. Then, on May 8, communities throughout the state will mark International Migratory Bird Day, heralding the migration of nearly 350 species of birds between from Latin America to points north, including Washington state.<br />
For more information about fishing, hunting, and wildlife-related events coming up in the next few weeks, see the regional reports below:<br />
North Puget Sound<br />
Fishing: With the blackmouth season coming to a close, anglers are gearing up for other upcoming fishing opportunities in Puget Sound, where the halibut fishery and the popular shrimp season get started May 1. Meanwhile, freshwater anglers can cast for trout at numerous lowland lakes, which were recently stocked with fish.<br />
Blustery weather kept some people away, but stalwart anglers who did make it out for the April 24 lowland lakes opener were rewarded with some nice trout . According to creel checks, the lake that produced the largest catch in the region was Whatcom County's Silver Lake, where 192 anglers took home 316 trout and released 113. In terms of the highest catch rates, King County's Geneva Lake tops the list. Fifteen anglers at Geneva caught and kept their limit of five trout on opening day.<br />
Elsewhere, anglers in Skagit County averaged 4.7 trout per rod at Heart Lake and four trout per rod at Erie Lake. Anglers fishing Storm Lake in Snohomish County averaged 4.3 trout per rod, while those fishing King County's Steel Lake averaged nearly 3.9 trout per rod. At Deer Lake in Island County, anglers averaged 2.5 trout per rod.<br />
Under statewide rules, anglers have a daily limit of five trout on most lakes. Released legal-sized trout, caught with bait, count toward the daily bag limit. Complete information on stocking schedules for rainbow, cutthroat and triploid trout is available on WDFW's website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/plants/index.htm ).<br />
Anglers should be aware that Rattlesnake Lake in King County, which opened to trout fishing April 24 with a five-fish limit, will switch to a year-round, catch-and-release fishery when new sportfishing rules take effect May 1. Selective gear rules will still apply.<br />
On Puget Sound, the blackmouth salmon fishery closes at the end of the day April 30 in marine areas 7 (San Juan Islands), 8-1 (Deception Pass, Hope Island and Skagit Bay) and 8-2 (Port Susan and Port Gardner). Until then, anglers fishing in any of those areas have a two-salmon daily limit, but must release wild chinook.<br />
The halibut season, however, gets under way May 1 in the region. The season is scheduled to run through May 30 in marine areas 6-10, where fishing will be open three days a week - Thursday, Friday and Saturday - and closed Sunday through Wednesday except for Memorial Day weekend when those marine areas will be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The usual hot spots - Mutiny and Admiralty bays, as well as Eastern and Partridge banks - are the best bets for flatfish early in the season.<br />
Beginning May 1, anglers in the region also will have an opportunity to fish for lingcod . During the hook-and-line season (May 1-June 15), there's a one-fish daily limit for lings, with a minimum size of 26 inches and a maximum size of 36 inches. Under a new rule designed to protect weak rockfish populations in Puget Sound, anglers in the region are prohibited from fishing for lingcod and other bottomfish in waters deeper than 120 feet.
Don't forget those shrimp pots. The shrimp season opens May 1 in Puget Sound. Here are the fishing schedules for the northern Puget Sound region:<br />
"¢ Marine Area 7 opens May 1 at 7 a.m., and also will be open on May 5, 6, 7, 8, 21 and 22. Additional dates will be announced if sufficient quota remains.<br />
"¢ Marine areas 8-1, 8-2, 9 and 10 will be open May 1 and 5 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Additional dates will be announced if sufficient quota remains.<br />
More details on the shrimp fishery are available on WDFW's website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/shrimpr...ndex.shtml . Before heading out, anglers should check the rules and regulations for all fisheries on WDFW's website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm .<br />
Hunting: The spring wild turkey season runs through May 31 around the state. Hunters have a three-gobbler limit - two birds in eastern Washington and one bird in western Washington. For more information, a Wild Turkey Spring Season brochure is available at WDFW regional offices and on the department's website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/turkey/index.htm ).<br />
Wildlife viewing: Whalewatchers in the region recently had a unique sighting. Four Pacific white-sided dolphins were spotted riding the bow-wake of a tour boat in the Everett area. "This was the first ever sighting of white sides in the Everett area on one of our tours," according to a report on the Orca Network (http://www.orcanetwork.org/sightings/map.html ).<br />
Farther north, a birder in the Blaine area spotted more than 50 whimbrels in Drayton Harbor. The large shorebirds migrate through the Puget Sound region each year beginning in April, and are common from the middle of the month through mid-May. The birds feed in small groups on the mudflats at low tide. When the tide comes in, whimbrels gather and roost in dense flocks, often traveling long distances to find a roosting area. The birder also spotted several other birds in the area, including a couple hundred western sandpipers , two killdeers and 15 Caspian terns .<br />
South Sound/Olympic Peninsula<br />
Fishing: Late April and early May bring us another razor clam dig on up to five ocean beaches, the opening of Puget Sound's shrimp and halibut seasons and, hopefully, better weather for the rest of the spring and summer long low-land lakes fishing season.<br />
Several million trout still await anglers after wind, rain and the occasional snow flurry kept many anglers away from the April 24 opener. Many of those fish reside in freshly stocked Olympic Peninsula and South Sound lakes, which are teeming with trout this time of year; many of them jumbos and larger.<br />
Those larger fish didn't wind up in area lakes by accident. Anglers told WDFW they wanted the opportunity to catch larger trout, and the agency's fishery managers and hatcheries responded by producing more jumbo rainbow trout for release this year. The goal, says WDFW's Hood Canal District fish biologist Thom Johnson, is to provide a quality fishing experience and spread the harvest of large rainbows among more anglers.<br />
As part of that change, the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission in February adopted a new rule that limits anglers to two large trout (over 14 inches) as part of their daily limit. The new rule applies to select Hood Canal and South Sound lakes in Jefferson, Kitsap, Mason, Pierce and Thurston counties, as outlined in WDFW's 2010-11 Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet .<br />
The new pamphlet is available at stores that sell state fishing licenses, WDFW offices and on the web at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regs_seasons.html .<br />
Johnson says the new rule is designed to reduce the number of catchable fish that are caught and released by anglers who hope to catch a bigger fish.<br />
"Under the former regulation, anglers were tempted to fish until they filled their five-fish bag limit with jumbos," said Johnson. "That means they hooked and released quite a few smaller but catchable rainbows, many of which died after they were put back in the water."<br />
WDFW fish biologist Patricia Michael says that hatcheries will continue to stock lakes, and there will be plenty of fish through seasons that run into October.<br />
Kids and their parents are reminded that the deadline for registering for the May 15 Kid's Fish-In event at American Lake Park in Lakewood is fast approaching. For $10, kids 14 and under get a Zebco rod and reel, which they get to keep, and a Kids' Fish-In tee shirt. Registration is open through May 7. To download a registration form and learn more about the event click on this link to the Go Play Outside Washington website at (http://www.gopaw.org/kids_fish-in_program ).<br />
To view which lakes have been stocked by WDFW, or soon will be, click on (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/plants/index.htm ). For tips on fishing options by water and county go to (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/prospects/ )<br />
For those who like nothing more than to go clamming, the April 27 to May 2 opening may be one of the last chances you get to dig razors this season. Typically, the season closes in early May, when quotas are reached and nature takes over and the clams degrade. But Dan Ayres, WDFW's coastal shellfish manager, says poor weather early in the season may have set the stage for one more opening before quotas are reached and the season closes. Stay tuned.<br />
Beach openings and morning low tides for the late April early May dig are:<br />
"¢ Tuesday April 27, 6:21 a.m., -1.0: Long Beach and Twin Harbors only<br />
"¢ Wednesday, April 28, 7:06 a.m., -1.4: Long Beach and Twin Harbors only<br />
"¢ Thursday, April 29, 7:50 a.m., -1.6: Long Beach and Twin Harbors only<br />
"¢ Friday, April 30, 8:32 a.m., -1.5: Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks<br />
"¢ Saturday May 1, 9:15 a.m., -1.0 : Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks and Kalaloch<br />
"¢ Sunday, May 2, 9:58 a.m., -0.7: Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks and Kalaloch<br />
All of the openings begin at morning low tide and end at noon. The National Park Service scheduled the dig at Kalaloch Beach, which is located in Olympic National Park, to coincide with those at other coastal beaches.<br />
Ayres reminds diggers that portions of the beach at Long Beach and Twin Harbors are closed to the public to protect nesting western snowy plovers, which are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
The closed portion at each beach includes the area above the mean high tide line. At Long Beach, the closed areas are located north of the Oysterville Road from the state park boundary north to Leadbetter Point. At Twin Harbors, the closed areas are located from just south of Midway Beach Road to the first beach-access trail at Grayland Beach State Park. Clam diggers are reminded that the entire northern section of Long Beach is closed to all driving starting at noon each day during this razor clam opener.<br />
"Signs clearly mark the area and instruct people to stay on the hard-packed sand," Ayres said.<br />
Prospective clammers should be forewarned that overnight and weekend repairs to Interstate 5 between Lacey and Tacoma will make it considerably more difficult to get to and from Washington's coast. For a schedule of closures go to the Department of Transportation's website at (http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/pavemen...yto48thst/ )<br />
May 1 also brings the opening of the Puget Sound shrimp season in all marine areas not open year round. For the first time since the season closed in 2005, Discovery Bay , located between Sequim and Port Townsend, will be open to shrimping. The two-day opening is scheduled for May 1 and May 5, but additional days could be added depending on availability.<br />
While the May 1 opening is for all shrimp, spot shrimp are the big draw so long as they are available. After the spot shrimp season closes, several marine areas will reopen June 1 for the smaller pink and coonstripe shrimp . Any spot shrimp brought in during that season, which ends Oct. 15, must immediately be returned to the water.<br />
The rules and dates for shrimping are published in the state's annual Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet, which will be out and available in stores that sell fishing licenses by May 1. The pamphlet is free and is also available at WDFW offices and on WDFW's web site at (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regs_seasons.html ). Information specific to shrimping is at (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/shrimpr...ndex.shtml ).<br />
If all that didn't provide enough fun, the sport halibut season is set to open in May. This year's season is being cut a bit short, due largely to a 15 percent reduction in the Pacific coast halibut quota set by the International Pacific Halibut Commission.<br />
"That reduction will really take a bite out of tribal and state fishing opportunities in Washington and other West Coast states," said Michele Culver, a WDFW regional director. "This year's quota reflects a reduction in halibut stocks from Alaska to California."<br />
This year's quota for Washington, Oregon and California is 810,000 pounds, down from 950,000 pounds in 2009. In Washington, sport anglers will be allowed to catch 192,699 pounds of halibut compared to 214,110 pounds last year.<br />
Constraints on fishing opportunities will be most apparent in Puget Sound, due to the combination of this year's reduced quota and an excessive catch last year. WDFW estimates that Puget Sound anglers caught more than 114,000 pounds of halibut in 2009 - well over the 57,393-pound quota.<br />
Opening for Washington's marine areas are:<br />
"¢ Columbia River (Ilwaco): Marine Area 1 will open May 1, three days a week, Thursday through Saturday until 70 percent of the quota is reached, or through July 18. The fishery will then reopen on Aug. 6 and continue three days a week (Friday through Sunday) until the remaining quota is reached, or the end of the day on Sept. 26, whichever occurs first. The 2010 catch quota is 13,436 pounds.<br />
"¢ South Coast (Westport/Ocean Shores): Marine Area 2 will open on May 2, two days a week, Sundays and Tuesdays. During the fourth week in May the fishery will be open Sunday only (May 23). Beginning the following week the fishery will resume the Sunday, Tuesday structure until the quota is reached. The northern nearshore area will open May 2, seven days per week until the quota is reached. The 2010 catch quota is 35,887 pounds.<br />
"¢ North Coast (La Push/Neah Bay): Marine areas 3 and 4 will open on May 13, two days per week, Thursdays and Saturdays, through May 22. If sufficient quota remains, the fishery will reopen June 3 and 5. If sufficient quota remains after that opener, the fishery will reopen starting June 17. The 2010 catch quota is 101,179 pounds.<br />
"¢ Strait of Juan de Fuca/Puget Sound: Marine Area 5 (Sekiu) will be open May 28 through June 19. Marine areas 6 through 10 (Strait, Port Angeles Admiralty Inlet and Everett) will be open May 1 through May 30. These fisheries will be open three days a week, Thursday, Friday and Saturday closed Sunday through Wednesday except for Memorial Day weekend when they will be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The 2010 combined catch quota for these areas is 50,542 pounds.<br />
There are a couple of changes that will be in effect for the first time this year in Marine Area 2 that anglers should be aware of. The retention of lingcod seaward of the 30 fathom line will be allowed on days that the primary halibut season is open. Also, the boundary of the northern nearshore area has changed so that it lines up with the coordinates of the 30-fathom line. The northern nearshore area will go from 47 31.70 N. lat south to 46 58.00 N. lat and east of the 30 fathom line.<br />
As coastal weather has improved, fishing for lingcod is beginning to pick up, says Erica Crust, WDFW's ocean port sampler. Crust observes that while a large number of private boats aren't venturing out, there's been some improvement in the catch rates on charter boats.<br />
"Fishing for lingcod has picked up, but right now everyone is gearing up for the halibut openers this weekend (May 1) in marine areas 1 and 2," she said. "In the upcoming weeks there should be some great fishing."<br />
Crust reminds anglers that recreational fishing for bottomfish (excluding lingcod during halibut season) is not allowed in waters deeper than 30 fathoms in Marine Area 2 (Westport/Ocean Shores) from March 15 through June 15. However, anglers may retain sablefish and Pacific cod in these waters from May 1 through June 15. Retention of canary and yelloweye rockfish is prohibited in all areas.<br />
The minimum size for lingcod in marine areas 1-3 is 22 inches, while the minimum size in Marine Area 4 is 24 inches. All areas are open seven days a week. Additional information about the lingcod fishery and other bottomfish is available on the WDFW Fishing Hotline (360) 902-2500 or online at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm .<br />
Good thing there are plenty of fishing alternatives elsewhere because salmon fishing in Puget Sound has been slow.<br />
That fact does not seem to have discouraged South Sound fishers. On April 25, off the Point Defiance boat ramp, 42 anglers and 21 boats were counted. Surveys indicated they brought in three chinooks and five flatfish . Fishing wasn't any better a little further north. On that same day, off the Everett boat ramp, the 71 anglers surveyed reported catching three chinooks and a few rockfish and flatfish.<br />
Hunters: The amended hunting rules, passed by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission, take effect May 1 and are included in WDFW's new Big-Game Hunting pamphlet , which is available free where hunting licenses are sold, at WDFW offices and online at http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/regs_seasons.html .<br />
The spring wild turkey season continues through May 31 throughout the state. For more information, a Wild Turkey Spring Season brochure is available at WDFW regional offices and on the department's website: http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/turkey/index.htm .<br />
Wildlife viewing: For those interested in spring bird watching, the 15th annual Grays Harbor Shorebird Festival will be held April 30 through May 2. This event takes place during the annual migration of hundreds of thousands of shorebirds as they stop at the Grays Harbor estuary to feed and rest before departing for their nesting grounds in the Arctic. For more information, visit http://www.shorebirdfestival.com/ or call (800) 303-8498.<br />
May 8 is International Migratory Bird Day. The Audubon Society is urging those interested in bird watching to contact their local chapter for a listing of events and where they can report bird sightings.<br />
And there' is still time to see plenty of migrating birds during a visit to the coast. Commonly seen birds include killdeer, black-bellied plover, semi-palmated plover, greater yellowlegs, wandering tattler, whimbrel, marbled godwit, surfbird, red knott, sanderling, western snadpiper, least sandpiper, dunlin, short-billed and long-billed dowitcher.<br />
The wildlife mating season can mean problems for some homeowners. Skunks, raccoons and possums are common "nuisances" as they find crawl spaces, outbuildings, and other nooks and crannies to set up housekeeping for their babies. Squirrels, moles, rabbits, marmots, snakes and bats preparing to raise families are also potential nuisances around houses.<br />
WDFW staff advises removing as many attractants as possible to avoid problems. Close spaces - from basement window wells to attic rafters - and keep pet food and garbage inside. Backyard bird feeding enthusiasts should clean feed spilled on the ground or discontinue feeding altogether now. For more information on dealing with wildlife, see WDFW's "Living With Wildlife" series at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/living/index.htm .<br />
Southwest Washington<br />
Fishing: Anglers are turning their attention to area tributaries and the mainstem Columbia above Bonneville Dam now that the lower Columbia is closed to fishing for spring chinook salmon . While thousands await word about a possible reopening on the lower river, many are making good use of their time fishing the Cowlitz, Kalama, Lewis, Wind, and Klickitat rivers plus Drano Lake and Bonneville, The Dalles, and John Day pools.<br />
"I'm telling people there are areas to fish and fish to catch," said Joe Hymer, a WDFW fish biologist. "Spring chinook are moving past Bonneville Dam in good numbers, but we may not get word about a possible reopening for another week or two. Until then, there are plenty of other good places to catch fish."<br />
As of April 25, a total of 95,512 upriver chinook had crossed Bonneville Dam - the highest count to date since 2003 and the third highest count since 1977.<br />
But anglers looking to hook up with a spring chinook in the days ahead might also want to give some thought to the catch rate at Drano Lake. A recent creel check found that about 40 percent of the bank and boat anglers fishing there had caught a spring chinook. About 120 boats were observed fishing there Saturday, April 24. According to the pre-season forecast, 28,900 springers will return to Drano Lake this year.<br />
Fishing has also been productive at the Wind River, where about one in three boat anglers have been landing hatchery spring chinook. Bank anglers have also been taking some fish at the mouth of the Wind and in the gorge. According to the pre-season forecast, 14,000 springers will return to the Wind River this year.<br />
Conditions can get crowded on the Wind, but the stretch above Shipherd Falls will open for fishing May 1, helping to relieve some of the pressure. Fishing above the falls will be open upstream to within 800 yards of the Carson National Fish Hatchery, but will remain closed 400 feet below the coffer dam and 100 upstream of the coffer dam.<br />
Anglers are also catching some fish on the Cowlitz River, although springers are only part of the story. In a recent creel check, 263 bank anglers had caught 26 spring chinook and 25 steelhead , while 51 boat anglers had taken four springers and 16 steelhead. Most of the springers were taken below the barrier dam at the salmon hatchery, while steelhead were primarily caught from there downstream to the trout hatchery. According to the pre-season forecast, 12,500 springers will return to the Cowlitz River this year.<br />
During the week ending April 25, one in three bank anglers checked in The Dalles Pool had kept or released a spring chinook while about one in six boat anglers had caught a fish. Upriver at the John Day Pool, an estimated 549 adult hatchery chinook were harvested and 138 wild chinook were released. The majority of those fish were taken by bank anglers fishing the Oregon shore. Bonneville Pool bank anglers just outside Drano Lake were also catching some spring chinook.<br />
On all rivers except the upper Wind, anglers are required to release any wild, unmarked spring chinook they intercept. For daily catch limits and other regulations for specific rivers, see the 2010-11 Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet, now available at all WDFW offices, license vendors and online at (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm ).<br />
Sturgeon fishing has generally been slow on the lower Columbia River and anglers should be aware of pending rule changes above and below Bonneville Dam:<br />
"¢ Lower Columbia downriver from Wauna powerlines: The retention fishery closes April 30 at the end of the day, then reopens under a different size limit in May. The maximum fork-length size remains the same at 54 inches, but the current minimum size limit of 38 inches will increase to 41 inches when the fishery reopens for retention May 22. Catch-and-release fishing is allowed during non-retention days.<br />
"¢ Expanded spawning sanctuary below Bonneville Dam: Fishing is closed from May 1-Aug. 31 from Bonneville Dam downstream 9 miles to a line crossing the Columbia River from Navigation Marker 82 on the Oregon shore to the upstream exposed end of Skamania Island continuing in a straight line to the boundary marker on the Washington shore.<br />
"¢ Closed waters in slough near Sand Island at Rooster Rock: Effective Thursday April 29 through Saturday, July 31, 2010, angling for all species is prohibited from a line between the upstream end of Sand Island and a marker on the Oregon shoreline, downstream to a line between the lower end of Sand Island and a marker on the Oregon shoreline.<br />
"¢ Spawning sanctuaries above Bonneville Dam: Sturgeon fishing will be closed from May 1 to July 31 from John Day Dam downstream 5.4 miles to the west end of the grain silo at Rufus, Oregon and from McNary Dam downstream 1.5 miles to Hwy. 82 (Hwy. 395) Bridge.<br />
"¢ The Dalles Pool: Watch for news of a potential closure.<br />
Meanwhile, opening day of the lowland lakes trout fishery has come and gone, but WDFW will continue to stock lakes throughout the summer season. Creel checks at lakes opening April 24 found that Swift Reservoir in Skamania County had the best catch rate in the region, giving up 3.8 fish per rod - including more than 100 naturally produced coho averaging 11 to 11.5 inches each and with nice pink colored flesh. Northwestern Reservoir followed with 3.1 fish per rod and Horsethief Lake with 2.8. Anglers fishing Mineral Lake in Lewis County averaged 1.68 fish per rod.<br />
Trout anglers should be aware that Klineline Pond in Vancouver will be closed two days for a kids "Hooked on Fishing" event. The pond will be closed to the general public April 30 and May 1, reopening May 2.<br />
Ready for some warmwater fishing? Boat anglers fishing The Dalles Pool have been averaging 1.3 walleye per rod, while bank anglers are taking 2.6 bass apiece. The fishing will only improve as the water warms up.<br />
Hunting: The spring wild turkey season runs April 15 through May 31 around the state. For more information, a Wild Turkey Spring Season pamphlet is available on the department's website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/turkey .<br />
Looking ahead, big-game hunters should be aware that special-permit applications for the 2010 season are now available on the WDFW website and from license vendors around the state. Hunters who return their applications by May 26 will be eligible for special permits, which qualify them to hunt at times and locations beyond those authorized by a general hunting license.<br />
Instructions and details on special-permit hunts are included in the 2010-11 Big Game Hunting Seasons & Regulations pamphlet, now available at WDFW offices, license vendors and at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations . Applications are posted at (https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/wdfw/special_permits.html ).<br />
All completed applications must be submitted via a toll-free telephone number (1-877-945-3492) or WDFW's website (https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/wa/specialhunt ). Permit winners will be selected by random drawing in late June.<br />
This year's application process includes a broader range of hunting options for deer, elk, moose and big-horn sheep, said Dave Ware, WDFW game division manager. "Hunters have told us they want to be able to apply for a specific type of hunt - say, buck deer - rather than have all deer permits drawn from the same pool," he said. "This new application process gives them that option."<br />
Ware noted that hunters can also submit applications for multiple categories of special hunts under the new system recently approved by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission. Points accrued by hunters toward special permits in previous years will be applied to each of the new permit categories created under the new system.<br />
Before applying for a special-hunt permit, hunters must purchase an application and any necessary hunting licenses and transport tags online, by phone, or from a licensed dealer for each species they wish to hunt. The cost for each application is $6.50 for residents, $60.50 for non-residents, and $4.10 for youth under 16 years of age.<br />
Wildlife viewing: With thousands of spring chinook salmon a day now moving past Bonneville Dam, there's no time like the present to stop by the Washington Shore Visitor Complex for a look. Underwater windows give visitors a prime view of salmon - and the occasional steelhead - parading up the fish ladder. To get there, take Washington State Highway 14 east to Milepost 40 (about 5 miles from Stevenson) and turn into the Bonneville Dam visitor center. The visitor center is the glass building at the end of the powerhouse.<br />
Band-tailed pigeons have made an appearance in Lewis County, while large roosting flocks of Caspian terns have been spotted on Puget Island and at the Julia Butler Hansen National Wildlife Refuge. Look for bitterns and warblers at the Steigerwald National Wildlife Refuge near Washougal and yellowlegs, dowitchers and sandpipers in ponds along the Big Hanaford Road in Lewis County.
Eastern Washington<br />
Fishing: Five to six more months of good lake fishing are ahead for the many anglers who didn't fight windy conditions across the region on the April 24 low-land lakes season opener.<br />
"We estimated that in the Spokane area alone, where we had gust up to 30 miles an hour, the angler crowds were down by half," said WDFW regional fish program manager John Whalen. "But now, with calmer and warmer spring weather in the forecast, there are just that many more fish to be caught."<br />
While overall average fish per angler harvest numbers were down on the opener, Whalen reported most anglers interviewed were satisfied with their catches. Rainbow trout in the 14 to 16 inch range were caught in several lakes, with some fish measuring 20 inches or more. Some of the best fishing in the region on the opener was measured at Cedar Lake in Stevens County where anglers averaged five fish, or a daily catch limit, each. Anglers at Stevens County's Rocky Lake averaged 4.4 fish each. Deep Lake saw 3.6 fish per angler, and Starvation Lake had 3.4 fish per angler.<br />
The largest rainbow trout checked on the opener was a 23-incher from southwest Spokane County's Badger Lake, where anglers averaged just 1.7 fish each. Several 22-27-inch tiger trout were caught at Spokane County's Fish Lake, where anglers averaged just one fish each. Other central district waters check on the opener showed the following average catch rates: Clear, 0.6 fish per angler; Fishtrap, 2.2; West Medical, 2.2; and Williams, 2.3.<br />
Opening day checks at Waitts Lake in Stevens County, where anglers averaged 2.4 fish each, included a 20-inch brown trout . Other northeast district lakes showed these average catch rates: Pend Oreille County's Big Meadow Lake, 2.75 fish per angler, and Yokum Lake, 2.5; Stevens County's Mudgett Lake, 2.5 fish per angler; and Ferry County's Trout Lake, 2.5 fish per angler.<br />
Also opening on April 24 were three more sections of the Snake River in the south end of the region for hatchery spring chinook salmon fishing. WDFW district fish biologist Glen Mendel of Dayton says the chinook fisheries there are "ramping up" as more salmon pour into the Snake River.<br />
"Catch has been pretty good below Ice Harbor Dam and Little Goose Dam," Mendel said. "We're checking over a dozen salmon per day at those sites and other salmon are being caught without being checked. On Sunday (April 25), over 50 boats were counted below Ice Harbor Dam. The numbers of salmon at Lower Granite have just begun to pick up to near 1,000 per day so catch should increase below Lower Granite Dam and in the Clarkston area this week."<br />
The Ice Harbor section opened April 20, and all four sections are scheduled to remain open through June 30, unless catch rates warrant an earlier closure to conserve salmon. Only hatchery-marked (adipose-fin-clipped) spring chinook adults or jacks can be retained, minimum size 12 inches, with jacks being less than 24 inches. The daily catch limit is two adults and four jacks per day, and fishing must cease as soon as the adult chinook daily limit is retained.<br />
One exception is the area between the juvenile bypass return pipe and Little Goose Dam along the south shoreline, which includes the walkway area locally known as "the Wall." Only one jack and one adult can be retained there, and fishing must cease when one adult is retained. All chinook with the adipose fin intact, and all steelhead, must be immediately released unharmed.<br />
See the all the rules for this special hatchery spring chinook fishery at https://fortress.wa.gov/dfw/erules/efish...jsp?id=877 .<br />
Those fishing the year-round waters of the Pend Oreille River the week of May 3-7 will likely see several research gill nets with buoys marked "WDFW" or "Kalispel Tribe Natural Resource Department." WDFW fish biologist Marc Divens explains a survey for northern pike is underway in the section from Pioneer Park just north of Newport to the river bend just south of the LeClerc Creek Wildlife Area.<br />
Hunting: The Spring wild turkey hunting season continues through the end of May and WDFW enforcement officers report good numbers of hunters afield and lots of birds harvested.<br />
The northeast GMUs 101-136 in Ferry, Stevens, Pend Oreille, Spokane and Lincoln counties are particularly productive with the greatest overall abundance of turkeys. The southeast GMUs 139-186 in Whitman, Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin counties, traditionally produce the second-highest harvest.<br />
Remember that turkey hunting tag-holders must report hunting activity after the seasons, and harvest should be reported within 10 days of taking a turkey. For all the rules, see http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/game_species/...index.html .<br />
The spring black bear permit hunting season also continues through the end of May. For all the rules, see http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/game_species/...index.html .<br />
Wildlife viewing: May 8 is International Migratory Bird Day , an annual celebration of the migration of nearly 350 species of birds between non-breeding grounds in Latin America, Mexico and the Caribbean, and their nesting habitats in North America, including Washington state. For more details go to http://www.birdday.org/ .<br />
The Spokane chapter of the Audubon Society is celebrating a week after the date with a community work party on Saturday, May 15, at Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge in southwest Spokane County. The work party is part of an ongoing effort to restore native riparian habitat to benefit birds and other wildlife species. The group has more than 40 native saplings to plant, and protective fencing to erect at the project site to protect the trees from deer, elk, and moose browsing. All interested parties are welcome. The effort begins at 9 a.m., with a refuge-hosted (but also potluck encouraged) lunch at 12-noon. Groups should contact the refuge at (509) 235-4723 in advance so they can be accommodated at lunch time. Long-sleeved shirts, work pants, sturdy boots or shoes, and gloves are recommended. Turnbull is five miles south of Cheney on Cheney-Plaza Road, left on Smith Road two miles to headquarters.<br />
Northcentral Washington<br />
Fishing: Although the lake fishing season opener April 24 saw fewer anglers due to windy conditions, WDFW regional fish program manager Jeff Korth reports those that did brave the weather managed good catches of nice-sized rainbow trout.<br />
The best catch rate recorded on the opener in the region was at Okanogan County's Pearrygin Lake where anglers averaged near the five-fish-daily-limit, with 4.4 fish each. Yearling rainbows at Pearrygin ran 10 inches, carryovers are 14 inches and triploid rainbows are running 15 to 17 inches.<br />
Other Okanogan County waters that opened and were checked April 24 were Fish Lake with a 2.9 fish per angler average, Alta Lake with 2.6 fish per angler, and Conconully Lake and Reservoir, each with two fish per angler averages. Among the catch at the Conconullys were some 20 - 24-inch rainbows.<br />
In Chelan County, Wapato Lake anglers averaged almost 3.7 fish each on the opener, including some large carryover rainbows. Clear Lake, also in Chelan County, saw a three-fish per angler average and a few 18-20-inch fish.<br />
Anglers at Jameson Lake in Douglas County on the opener averaged about 2.5 fish each, mostly 10-inch yearlings and 14-inch carryovers.<br />
The best Grant County fishing could be found on Warden Lake, where on opening day anglers averaged 3.6 rainbow and tiger trout each, including a half-dozen released fish. Park Lake saw a 3.4 rainbow, tiger and brown trout per angler average, including 10 released fish. Anglers at Blue Lake averaged 1.9 fish each, including four releases. Anglers at both Perch Lake and Vic Meyers Lake averaged 1.2 fish each. Deep Lake shoreline anglers near the boat ramp fared well, but boat anglers were severely hampered by high winds; Including releases, overall average there on the opener was just over one fish each.<br />
Starting May 1, the Columbia River from Priest Rapids Dam downstream 2.5 miles to the boundary marker on the river bank 400 feet downstream of the Priest Rapids Hatchery outlet channel (Jackson Creek) is closed to sturgeon fishing to protect spawning. The U.S. Geological Survey river flow gage towers and cableway that currently comprise the downstream sturgeon spawning sanctuary boundary line are being dismantled and removed, so the new boundary line is required for the sturgeon spawning sanctuary this year. The closure remains in effect through July 31.<br />
Hunting: The Spring wild turkey hunting season continues through the end of May. Hunters are reminded they must report hunting activity after the seasons and harvest should be reported within 10 days of taking a turkey. For all the rules, see http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/game_species/...index.html .<br />
Wildlife viewing: May 8 is International Migratory Bird Day , an annual celebration of the migration of nearly 350 species of birds between non-breeding grounds in Latin America, Mexico, and the Caribbean and their nesting habitats in North America, including Washington state. For more details go to http://www.birdday.org/ .<br />
In celebration of these migrants, the Leavenworth Spring Bird Fest is May 13-16. The event is co-sponsored by the North Central Washington Audubon Society, the town of Leavenworth, Barn Beach Reserve, Icicle Arts and others. This annual event includes birding classes for beginners and experts, "fledgling frolics for families", an "owl prowl", live raptors, mountains to shrub steppe wild flower walks, concerts and art shows, and birding by boot, boat and bike. Pre-registration is required for some activities. Contact 509-548-5807, www.leavenworthspringbirdfest.com .<br />
Southcentral Washington<br />
Fishing: WDFW fish biologist Jim Cummins says that although river flows may still be too high for good fishing, the Yakima River hatchery spring chinook salmon fishery opens May 1.<br />
The two sections of the Yakima that open are 1) from the Interstate 182 bridge in Richland (river mile 4.5) to 400 feet downstream of Horn Rapids (Wanawish) Dam (river mile 18.0), open through May 31; and 2) from the Interstate 82 bridge at Union Gap (river mile 107.1) to the BNRR bridge 500 feet downstream of Roza Dam (river mile 127.8), open through June 30.<br />
The daily catch limit is two hatchery-marked (adipose-fin-clipped) chinook, minimum size 12 inches. Wild salmon (adipose fin intact) and all steelhead must be immediately released unharmed and cannot be removed from the water prior to release. The new Columbia River Salmon/Steelhead Endorsement is required to participate in this fishery. See https://fortress.wa.gov/dfw/erules/efish...jsp?id=884 for details on this fishery.<br />
WDFW district fish biologist Paul Hoffarth of Pasco reports Columbia River hatchery spring chinook salmon fishing in the John Day Dam pool has recently been best for bank anglers.<br />
"Our latest creel checks indicated an estimated 549 adult hatchery chinook harvested and 138 wild chinook were released," Hoffarth said. "The majority of the harvest was retained by bank anglers fishing the Oregon shore. We interviewed 336 salmon anglers this past week with 85 hatchery chinook. For the season, an estimated 748 adult hatchery chinook have been harvested and 154 wild chinook were released."<br />
Hoffarth reminds anglers that starting May 1 the anti-snagging rule is rescinded and the season extended through June 30 for the Ringold area bank spring chinook fishery. The fishery is in the Columbia River adjacent to Ringold Springs Rearing Facility in Franklin County, from the WDFW markers one-fourth mile downstream of the Ringold irrigation wasteway outlet to the markers one-half mile upstream of Ringold Springs Creek (hatchery outlet). Only the hatchery side of the river is open for bank fishing.<br />
The anti-snagging rule is being removed for this bank fishery to allow anglers to use up to two, single-point hooks (barbed or barbless). Treble hooks are not permitted. The daily catch limit is two hatchery-marked (clipped adipose fin) Chinook salmon, 12-inch minimum size. All wild chinook (with an intact adipose fin) must be released immediately and may not be removed from the water. The new Columbia River Salmon/Steelhead Endorsement is required to participate in this fishery. See https://fortress.wa.gov/dfw/erules/efish...jsp?id=883 for more details.<br />
Hunting: The spring wild turkey hunting season continues through the end of May. Hunters are reminded they must report hunting activity after the seasons and harvest should be reported within 10 days of taking a turkey. For all the rules, see http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/game_species/...index.html .<br />
Wildlife viewing: May 8 is International Migratory Bird Day , an annual celebration of the migration of nearly 350 species of birds between non-breeding grounds in Latin America, Mexico, and the Caribbean and their nesting habitats in North America, including Washington state. For more details, see http://www.birdday.org/ .<br />
The Yakima Valley Audubon Society chapter plans to celebrate the day in a couple of ways - a bird-watching trip to Brooks Memorial State Park starting at 7 a.m., and a work party at the Toppenish National Wildlife Refuge headquarters starting at 9 a.m.<br />
Brooks Memorial State Park is a 700-acre, year-round camping park with a variety of natural environments, located between the barren hills of the south Yakima Valley and the lodgepole pine forests of the Simcoe Mountains. Trip leader Denny Granstrand says bird migration should be well underway by May 8 at "this jewel of a park" whose varied habitats "should give us a good bird list."<br />
Granstrand says birding will begin at the campground, then follow Rock Creek via Goldendale and the Goldendale-Bickleton Highway. Interested participants should call Granstrand (509-453-2500) ahead of time because the trip might be cancelled if more people are interested in the wildlife refuge work party.<br />
Toppenish NWR is off Highway 97 about 10 miles south of the town of Toppenish in southeast Yakima County. The refuge is a mosaic of wetlands interspersed with lush riparian and native upland habitats that provide breeding grounds for an array of birds. For details about the Audubon work party there on May 8, contact Kerry Turley (509- 837-6930).
Cold, rainy weather may have kept some anglers off the water during the first day of the trout opener, but that just leaves more fish available to catch, said Jim Uehara, inland fish manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).<br />
"Actually, we stock lakes with trout for the whole season, not just opening day," Uehara said. "Hatchery crews are already re-stocking lakes, and will continue planting trout into September."<br />
Those fish range from 8-10 inch rainbows to 1.5-pound triploids. For more information about stocking schedules, Uehara suggests anglers check the WDFW website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/plants/index.htm .<br />
Also, whether fishing for trout or some other species, anglers should make sure to pick up a copy of the 2010-11 Fishing in Washington rule pamphlet, available free from stores around the state that sell fishing licenses. The pamphlet, also available online at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations , includes dozens of new regulations that take effect May 1.<br />
"We strongly advise anglers who have been using last season's fishing pamphlet to pick up a new one," said Craig Burley, WDFW fish division manager. "While many regulations remain the same from year to year, the new pamphlet includes significant changes affecting fisheries statewide."<br />
The new fishing pamphlet will come in handy for a number of fisheries that are about to start or are already under way:<br />
"¢ Razor clams: A six-day dig opened April 27 at various ocean beaches on morning tides and will run through Sunday, May 2. See the South Sound/Olympic Peninsula regional report below for details.<br />
"¢ Spring chinook: Fishing opens May 1 on the Yakima River. The mainstem Columbia River is currently closed to spring chinook fishing below Bonneville Dam, but anglers are catching fish farther upriver and in a number of tributaries above and below the dam. See the Southcental and Southwest regional reports for details.<br />
"¢ Shrimp: The popular fishery begins May 1 in most areas of Puget Sound. See the regional reports below for details.<br />
"¢ Halibut: Fishing starts May 1 off Ilwaco (Marine Area 1) and expands to other waters in the days that follow. See the reports from the South Sound/Olympic Peninsula and North Puget Sound regions for more information.<br />
Meanwhile, hunters still have an opportunity to harvest a turkey during the next few weeks. The spring turkey hunt runs through May 31, with a three-gobbler limit - two in eastern Washington and one bird in western Washington.<br />
In Hoquiam, birders will celebrate one of the biggest bird-watching events of the year May 2-4, when the 15th annual Grays Harbor Shorebird Festival takes flight. Then, on May 8, communities throughout the state will mark International Migratory Bird Day, heralding the migration of nearly 350 species of birds between from Latin America to points north, including Washington state.<br />
For more information about fishing, hunting, and wildlife-related events coming up in the next few weeks, see the regional reports below:<br />
North Puget Sound<br />
Fishing: With the blackmouth season coming to a close, anglers are gearing up for other upcoming fishing opportunities in Puget Sound, where the halibut fishery and the popular shrimp season get started May 1. Meanwhile, freshwater anglers can cast for trout at numerous lowland lakes, which were recently stocked with fish.<br />
Blustery weather kept some people away, but stalwart anglers who did make it out for the April 24 lowland lakes opener were rewarded with some nice trout . According to creel checks, the lake that produced the largest catch in the region was Whatcom County's Silver Lake, where 192 anglers took home 316 trout and released 113. In terms of the highest catch rates, King County's Geneva Lake tops the list. Fifteen anglers at Geneva caught and kept their limit of five trout on opening day.<br />
Elsewhere, anglers in Skagit County averaged 4.7 trout per rod at Heart Lake and four trout per rod at Erie Lake. Anglers fishing Storm Lake in Snohomish County averaged 4.3 trout per rod, while those fishing King County's Steel Lake averaged nearly 3.9 trout per rod. At Deer Lake in Island County, anglers averaged 2.5 trout per rod.<br />
Under statewide rules, anglers have a daily limit of five trout on most lakes. Released legal-sized trout, caught with bait, count toward the daily bag limit. Complete information on stocking schedules for rainbow, cutthroat and triploid trout is available on WDFW's website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/plants/index.htm ).<br />
Anglers should be aware that Rattlesnake Lake in King County, which opened to trout fishing April 24 with a five-fish limit, will switch to a year-round, catch-and-release fishery when new sportfishing rules take effect May 1. Selective gear rules will still apply.<br />
On Puget Sound, the blackmouth salmon fishery closes at the end of the day April 30 in marine areas 7 (San Juan Islands), 8-1 (Deception Pass, Hope Island and Skagit Bay) and 8-2 (Port Susan and Port Gardner). Until then, anglers fishing in any of those areas have a two-salmon daily limit, but must release wild chinook.<br />
The halibut season, however, gets under way May 1 in the region. The season is scheduled to run through May 30 in marine areas 6-10, where fishing will be open three days a week - Thursday, Friday and Saturday - and closed Sunday through Wednesday except for Memorial Day weekend when those marine areas will be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The usual hot spots - Mutiny and Admiralty bays, as well as Eastern and Partridge banks - are the best bets for flatfish early in the season.<br />
Beginning May 1, anglers in the region also will have an opportunity to fish for lingcod . During the hook-and-line season (May 1-June 15), there's a one-fish daily limit for lings, with a minimum size of 26 inches and a maximum size of 36 inches. Under a new rule designed to protect weak rockfish populations in Puget Sound, anglers in the region are prohibited from fishing for lingcod and other bottomfish in waters deeper than 120 feet.
Don't forget those shrimp pots. The shrimp season opens May 1 in Puget Sound. Here are the fishing schedules for the northern Puget Sound region:<br />
"¢ Marine Area 7 opens May 1 at 7 a.m., and also will be open on May 5, 6, 7, 8, 21 and 22. Additional dates will be announced if sufficient quota remains.<br />
"¢ Marine areas 8-1, 8-2, 9 and 10 will be open May 1 and 5 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Additional dates will be announced if sufficient quota remains.<br />
More details on the shrimp fishery are available on WDFW's website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/shrimpr...ndex.shtml . Before heading out, anglers should check the rules and regulations for all fisheries on WDFW's website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm .<br />
Hunting: The spring wild turkey season runs through May 31 around the state. Hunters have a three-gobbler limit - two birds in eastern Washington and one bird in western Washington. For more information, a Wild Turkey Spring Season brochure is available at WDFW regional offices and on the department's website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/turkey/index.htm ).<br />
Wildlife viewing: Whalewatchers in the region recently had a unique sighting. Four Pacific white-sided dolphins were spotted riding the bow-wake of a tour boat in the Everett area. "This was the first ever sighting of white sides in the Everett area on one of our tours," according to a report on the Orca Network (http://www.orcanetwork.org/sightings/map.html ).<br />
Farther north, a birder in the Blaine area spotted more than 50 whimbrels in Drayton Harbor. The large shorebirds migrate through the Puget Sound region each year beginning in April, and are common from the middle of the month through mid-May. The birds feed in small groups on the mudflats at low tide. When the tide comes in, whimbrels gather and roost in dense flocks, often traveling long distances to find a roosting area. The birder also spotted several other birds in the area, including a couple hundred western sandpipers , two killdeers and 15 Caspian terns .<br />
South Sound/Olympic Peninsula<br />
Fishing: Late April and early May bring us another razor clam dig on up to five ocean beaches, the opening of Puget Sound's shrimp and halibut seasons and, hopefully, better weather for the rest of the spring and summer long low-land lakes fishing season.<br />
Several million trout still await anglers after wind, rain and the occasional snow flurry kept many anglers away from the April 24 opener. Many of those fish reside in freshly stocked Olympic Peninsula and South Sound lakes, which are teeming with trout this time of year; many of them jumbos and larger.<br />
Those larger fish didn't wind up in area lakes by accident. Anglers told WDFW they wanted the opportunity to catch larger trout, and the agency's fishery managers and hatcheries responded by producing more jumbo rainbow trout for release this year. The goal, says WDFW's Hood Canal District fish biologist Thom Johnson, is to provide a quality fishing experience and spread the harvest of large rainbows among more anglers.<br />
As part of that change, the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission in February adopted a new rule that limits anglers to two large trout (over 14 inches) as part of their daily limit. The new rule applies to select Hood Canal and South Sound lakes in Jefferson, Kitsap, Mason, Pierce and Thurston counties, as outlined in WDFW's 2010-11 Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet .<br />
The new pamphlet is available at stores that sell state fishing licenses, WDFW offices and on the web at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regs_seasons.html .<br />
Johnson says the new rule is designed to reduce the number of catchable fish that are caught and released by anglers who hope to catch a bigger fish.<br />
"Under the former regulation, anglers were tempted to fish until they filled their five-fish bag limit with jumbos," said Johnson. "That means they hooked and released quite a few smaller but catchable rainbows, many of which died after they were put back in the water."<br />
WDFW fish biologist Patricia Michael says that hatcheries will continue to stock lakes, and there will be plenty of fish through seasons that run into October.<br />
Kids and their parents are reminded that the deadline for registering for the May 15 Kid's Fish-In event at American Lake Park in Lakewood is fast approaching. For $10, kids 14 and under get a Zebco rod and reel, which they get to keep, and a Kids' Fish-In tee shirt. Registration is open through May 7. To download a registration form and learn more about the event click on this link to the Go Play Outside Washington website at (http://www.gopaw.org/kids_fish-in_program ).<br />
To view which lakes have been stocked by WDFW, or soon will be, click on (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/plants/index.htm ). For tips on fishing options by water and county go to (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/prospects/ )<br />
For those who like nothing more than to go clamming, the April 27 to May 2 opening may be one of the last chances you get to dig razors this season. Typically, the season closes in early May, when quotas are reached and nature takes over and the clams degrade. But Dan Ayres, WDFW's coastal shellfish manager, says poor weather early in the season may have set the stage for one more opening before quotas are reached and the season closes. Stay tuned.<br />
Beach openings and morning low tides for the late April early May dig are:<br />
"¢ Tuesday April 27, 6:21 a.m., -1.0: Long Beach and Twin Harbors only<br />
"¢ Wednesday, April 28, 7:06 a.m., -1.4: Long Beach and Twin Harbors only<br />
"¢ Thursday, April 29, 7:50 a.m., -1.6: Long Beach and Twin Harbors only<br />
"¢ Friday, April 30, 8:32 a.m., -1.5: Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks<br />
"¢ Saturday May 1, 9:15 a.m., -1.0 : Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks and Kalaloch<br />
"¢ Sunday, May 2, 9:58 a.m., -0.7: Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks and Kalaloch<br />
All of the openings begin at morning low tide and end at noon. The National Park Service scheduled the dig at Kalaloch Beach, which is located in Olympic National Park, to coincide with those at other coastal beaches.<br />
Ayres reminds diggers that portions of the beach at Long Beach and Twin Harbors are closed to the public to protect nesting western snowy plovers, which are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
The closed portion at each beach includes the area above the mean high tide line. At Long Beach, the closed areas are located north of the Oysterville Road from the state park boundary north to Leadbetter Point. At Twin Harbors, the closed areas are located from just south of Midway Beach Road to the first beach-access trail at Grayland Beach State Park. Clam diggers are reminded that the entire northern section of Long Beach is closed to all driving starting at noon each day during this razor clam opener.<br />
"Signs clearly mark the area and instruct people to stay on the hard-packed sand," Ayres said.<br />
Prospective clammers should be forewarned that overnight and weekend repairs to Interstate 5 between Lacey and Tacoma will make it considerably more difficult to get to and from Washington's coast. For a schedule of closures go to the Department of Transportation's website at (http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/pavemen...yto48thst/ )<br />
May 1 also brings the opening of the Puget Sound shrimp season in all marine areas not open year round. For the first time since the season closed in 2005, Discovery Bay , located between Sequim and Port Townsend, will be open to shrimping. The two-day opening is scheduled for May 1 and May 5, but additional days could be added depending on availability.<br />
While the May 1 opening is for all shrimp, spot shrimp are the big draw so long as they are available. After the spot shrimp season closes, several marine areas will reopen June 1 for the smaller pink and coonstripe shrimp . Any spot shrimp brought in during that season, which ends Oct. 15, must immediately be returned to the water.<br />
The rules and dates for shrimping are published in the state's annual Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet, which will be out and available in stores that sell fishing licenses by May 1. The pamphlet is free and is also available at WDFW offices and on WDFW's web site at (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regs_seasons.html ). Information specific to shrimping is at (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/shrimpr...ndex.shtml ).<br />
If all that didn't provide enough fun, the sport halibut season is set to open in May. This year's season is being cut a bit short, due largely to a 15 percent reduction in the Pacific coast halibut quota set by the International Pacific Halibut Commission.<br />
"That reduction will really take a bite out of tribal and state fishing opportunities in Washington and other West Coast states," said Michele Culver, a WDFW regional director. "This year's quota reflects a reduction in halibut stocks from Alaska to California."<br />
This year's quota for Washington, Oregon and California is 810,000 pounds, down from 950,000 pounds in 2009. In Washington, sport anglers will be allowed to catch 192,699 pounds of halibut compared to 214,110 pounds last year.<br />
Constraints on fishing opportunities will be most apparent in Puget Sound, due to the combination of this year's reduced quota and an excessive catch last year. WDFW estimates that Puget Sound anglers caught more than 114,000 pounds of halibut in 2009 - well over the 57,393-pound quota.<br />
Opening for Washington's marine areas are:<br />
"¢ Columbia River (Ilwaco): Marine Area 1 will open May 1, three days a week, Thursday through Saturday until 70 percent of the quota is reached, or through July 18. The fishery will then reopen on Aug. 6 and continue three days a week (Friday through Sunday) until the remaining quota is reached, or the end of the day on Sept. 26, whichever occurs first. The 2010 catch quota is 13,436 pounds.<br />
"¢ South Coast (Westport/Ocean Shores): Marine Area 2 will open on May 2, two days a week, Sundays and Tuesdays. During the fourth week in May the fishery will be open Sunday only (May 23). Beginning the following week the fishery will resume the Sunday, Tuesday structure until the quota is reached. The northern nearshore area will open May 2, seven days per week until the quota is reached. The 2010 catch quota is 35,887 pounds.<br />
"¢ North Coast (La Push/Neah Bay): Marine areas 3 and 4 will open on May 13, two days per week, Thursdays and Saturdays, through May 22. If sufficient quota remains, the fishery will reopen June 3 and 5. If sufficient quota remains after that opener, the fishery will reopen starting June 17. The 2010 catch quota is 101,179 pounds.<br />
"¢ Strait of Juan de Fuca/Puget Sound: Marine Area 5 (Sekiu) will be open May 28 through June 19. Marine areas 6 through 10 (Strait, Port Angeles Admiralty Inlet and Everett) will be open May 1 through May 30. These fisheries will be open three days a week, Thursday, Friday and Saturday closed Sunday through Wednesday except for Memorial Day weekend when they will be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The 2010 combined catch quota for these areas is 50,542 pounds.<br />
There are a couple of changes that will be in effect for the first time this year in Marine Area 2 that anglers should be aware of. The retention of lingcod seaward of the 30 fathom line will be allowed on days that the primary halibut season is open. Also, the boundary of the northern nearshore area has changed so that it lines up with the coordinates of the 30-fathom line. The northern nearshore area will go from 47 31.70 N. lat south to 46 58.00 N. lat and east of the 30 fathom line.<br />
As coastal weather has improved, fishing for lingcod is beginning to pick up, says Erica Crust, WDFW's ocean port sampler. Crust observes that while a large number of private boats aren't venturing out, there's been some improvement in the catch rates on charter boats.<br />
"Fishing for lingcod has picked up, but right now everyone is gearing up for the halibut openers this weekend (May 1) in marine areas 1 and 2," she said. "In the upcoming weeks there should be some great fishing."<br />
Crust reminds anglers that recreational fishing for bottomfish (excluding lingcod during halibut season) is not allowed in waters deeper than 30 fathoms in Marine Area 2 (Westport/Ocean Shores) from March 15 through June 15. However, anglers may retain sablefish and Pacific cod in these waters from May 1 through June 15. Retention of canary and yelloweye rockfish is prohibited in all areas.<br />
The minimum size for lingcod in marine areas 1-3 is 22 inches, while the minimum size in Marine Area 4 is 24 inches. All areas are open seven days a week. Additional information about the lingcod fishery and other bottomfish is available on the WDFW Fishing Hotline (360) 902-2500 or online at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm .<br />
Good thing there are plenty of fishing alternatives elsewhere because salmon fishing in Puget Sound has been slow.<br />
That fact does not seem to have discouraged South Sound fishers. On April 25, off the Point Defiance boat ramp, 42 anglers and 21 boats were counted. Surveys indicated they brought in three chinooks and five flatfish . Fishing wasn't any better a little further north. On that same day, off the Everett boat ramp, the 71 anglers surveyed reported catching three chinooks and a few rockfish and flatfish.<br />
Hunters: The amended hunting rules, passed by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission, take effect May 1 and are included in WDFW's new Big-Game Hunting pamphlet , which is available free where hunting licenses are sold, at WDFW offices and online at http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/regs_seasons.html .<br />
The spring wild turkey season continues through May 31 throughout the state. For more information, a Wild Turkey Spring Season brochure is available at WDFW regional offices and on the department's website: http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/turkey/index.htm .<br />
Wildlife viewing: For those interested in spring bird watching, the 15th annual Grays Harbor Shorebird Festival will be held April 30 through May 2. This event takes place during the annual migration of hundreds of thousands of shorebirds as they stop at the Grays Harbor estuary to feed and rest before departing for their nesting grounds in the Arctic. For more information, visit http://www.shorebirdfestival.com/ or call (800) 303-8498.<br />
May 8 is International Migratory Bird Day. The Audubon Society is urging those interested in bird watching to contact their local chapter for a listing of events and where they can report bird sightings.<br />
And there' is still time to see plenty of migrating birds during a visit to the coast. Commonly seen birds include killdeer, black-bellied plover, semi-palmated plover, greater yellowlegs, wandering tattler, whimbrel, marbled godwit, surfbird, red knott, sanderling, western snadpiper, least sandpiper, dunlin, short-billed and long-billed dowitcher.<br />
The wildlife mating season can mean problems for some homeowners. Skunks, raccoons and possums are common "nuisances" as they find crawl spaces, outbuildings, and other nooks and crannies to set up housekeeping for their babies. Squirrels, moles, rabbits, marmots, snakes and bats preparing to raise families are also potential nuisances around houses.<br />
WDFW staff advises removing as many attractants as possible to avoid problems. Close spaces - from basement window wells to attic rafters - and keep pet food and garbage inside. Backyard bird feeding enthusiasts should clean feed spilled on the ground or discontinue feeding altogether now. For more information on dealing with wildlife, see WDFW's "Living With Wildlife" series at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/living/index.htm .<br />
Southwest Washington<br />
Fishing: Anglers are turning their attention to area tributaries and the mainstem Columbia above Bonneville Dam now that the lower Columbia is closed to fishing for spring chinook salmon . While thousands await word about a possible reopening on the lower river, many are making good use of their time fishing the Cowlitz, Kalama, Lewis, Wind, and Klickitat rivers plus Drano Lake and Bonneville, The Dalles, and John Day pools.<br />
"I'm telling people there are areas to fish and fish to catch," said Joe Hymer, a WDFW fish biologist. "Spring chinook are moving past Bonneville Dam in good numbers, but we may not get word about a possible reopening for another week or two. Until then, there are plenty of other good places to catch fish."<br />
As of April 25, a total of 95,512 upriver chinook had crossed Bonneville Dam - the highest count to date since 2003 and the third highest count since 1977.<br />
But anglers looking to hook up with a spring chinook in the days ahead might also want to give some thought to the catch rate at Drano Lake. A recent creel check found that about 40 percent of the bank and boat anglers fishing there had caught a spring chinook. About 120 boats were observed fishing there Saturday, April 24. According to the pre-season forecast, 28,900 springers will return to Drano Lake this year.<br />
Fishing has also been productive at the Wind River, where about one in three boat anglers have been landing hatchery spring chinook. Bank anglers have also been taking some fish at the mouth of the Wind and in the gorge. According to the pre-season forecast, 14,000 springers will return to the Wind River this year.<br />
Conditions can get crowded on the Wind, but the stretch above Shipherd Falls will open for fishing May 1, helping to relieve some of the pressure. Fishing above the falls will be open upstream to within 800 yards of the Carson National Fish Hatchery, but will remain closed 400 feet below the coffer dam and 100 upstream of the coffer dam.<br />
Anglers are also catching some fish on the Cowlitz River, although springers are only part of the story. In a recent creel check, 263 bank anglers had caught 26 spring chinook and 25 steelhead , while 51 boat anglers had taken four springers and 16 steelhead. Most of the springers were taken below the barrier dam at the salmon hatchery, while steelhead were primarily caught from there downstream to the trout hatchery. According to the pre-season forecast, 12,500 springers will return to the Cowlitz River this year.<br />
During the week ending April 25, one in three bank anglers checked in The Dalles Pool had kept or released a spring chinook while about one in six boat anglers had caught a fish. Upriver at the John Day Pool, an estimated 549 adult hatchery chinook were harvested and 138 wild chinook were released. The majority of those fish were taken by bank anglers fishing the Oregon shore. Bonneville Pool bank anglers just outside Drano Lake were also catching some spring chinook.<br />
On all rivers except the upper Wind, anglers are required to release any wild, unmarked spring chinook they intercept. For daily catch limits and other regulations for specific rivers, see the 2010-11 Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet, now available at all WDFW offices, license vendors and online at (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm ).<br />
Sturgeon fishing has generally been slow on the lower Columbia River and anglers should be aware of pending rule changes above and below Bonneville Dam:<br />
"¢ Lower Columbia downriver from Wauna powerlines: The retention fishery closes April 30 at the end of the day, then reopens under a different size limit in May. The maximum fork-length size remains the same at 54 inches, but the current minimum size limit of 38 inches will increase to 41 inches when the fishery reopens for retention May 22. Catch-and-release fishing is allowed during non-retention days.<br />
"¢ Expanded spawning sanctuary below Bonneville Dam: Fishing is closed from May 1-Aug. 31 from Bonneville Dam downstream 9 miles to a line crossing the Columbia River from Navigation Marker 82 on the Oregon shore to the upstream exposed end of Skamania Island continuing in a straight line to the boundary marker on the Washington shore.<br />
"¢ Closed waters in slough near Sand Island at Rooster Rock: Effective Thursday April 29 through Saturday, July 31, 2010, angling for all species is prohibited from a line between the upstream end of Sand Island and a marker on the Oregon shoreline, downstream to a line between the lower end of Sand Island and a marker on the Oregon shoreline.<br />
"¢ Spawning sanctuaries above Bonneville Dam: Sturgeon fishing will be closed from May 1 to July 31 from John Day Dam downstream 5.4 miles to the west end of the grain silo at Rufus, Oregon and from McNary Dam downstream 1.5 miles to Hwy. 82 (Hwy. 395) Bridge.<br />
"¢ The Dalles Pool: Watch for news of a potential closure.<br />
Meanwhile, opening day of the lowland lakes trout fishery has come and gone, but WDFW will continue to stock lakes throughout the summer season. Creel checks at lakes opening April 24 found that Swift Reservoir in Skamania County had the best catch rate in the region, giving up 3.8 fish per rod - including more than 100 naturally produced coho averaging 11 to 11.5 inches each and with nice pink colored flesh. Northwestern Reservoir followed with 3.1 fish per rod and Horsethief Lake with 2.8. Anglers fishing Mineral Lake in Lewis County averaged 1.68 fish per rod.<br />
Trout anglers should be aware that Klineline Pond in Vancouver will be closed two days for a kids "Hooked on Fishing" event. The pond will be closed to the general public April 30 and May 1, reopening May 2.<br />
Ready for some warmwater fishing? Boat anglers fishing The Dalles Pool have been averaging 1.3 walleye per rod, while bank anglers are taking 2.6 bass apiece. The fishing will only improve as the water warms up.<br />
Hunting: The spring wild turkey season runs April 15 through May 31 around the state. For more information, a Wild Turkey Spring Season pamphlet is available on the department's website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/turkey .<br />
Looking ahead, big-game hunters should be aware that special-permit applications for the 2010 season are now available on the WDFW website and from license vendors around the state. Hunters who return their applications by May 26 will be eligible for special permits, which qualify them to hunt at times and locations beyond those authorized by a general hunting license.<br />
Instructions and details on special-permit hunts are included in the 2010-11 Big Game Hunting Seasons & Regulations pamphlet, now available at WDFW offices, license vendors and at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations . Applications are posted at (https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/wdfw/special_permits.html ).<br />
All completed applications must be submitted via a toll-free telephone number (1-877-945-3492) or WDFW's website (https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/wa/specialhunt ). Permit winners will be selected by random drawing in late June.<br />
This year's application process includes a broader range of hunting options for deer, elk, moose and big-horn sheep, said Dave Ware, WDFW game division manager. "Hunters have told us they want to be able to apply for a specific type of hunt - say, buck deer - rather than have all deer permits drawn from the same pool," he said. "This new application process gives them that option."<br />
Ware noted that hunters can also submit applications for multiple categories of special hunts under the new system recently approved by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission. Points accrued by hunters toward special permits in previous years will be applied to each of the new permit categories created under the new system.<br />
Before applying for a special-hunt permit, hunters must purchase an application and any necessary hunting licenses and transport tags online, by phone, or from a licensed dealer for each species they wish to hunt. The cost for each application is $6.50 for residents, $60.50 for non-residents, and $4.10 for youth under 16 years of age.<br />
Wildlife viewing: With thousands of spring chinook salmon a day now moving past Bonneville Dam, there's no time like the present to stop by the Washington Shore Visitor Complex for a look. Underwater windows give visitors a prime view of salmon - and the occasional steelhead - parading up the fish ladder. To get there, take Washington State Highway 14 east to Milepost 40 (about 5 miles from Stevenson) and turn into the Bonneville Dam visitor center. The visitor center is the glass building at the end of the powerhouse.<br />
Band-tailed pigeons have made an appearance in Lewis County, while large roosting flocks of Caspian terns have been spotted on Puget Island and at the Julia Butler Hansen National Wildlife Refuge. Look for bitterns and warblers at the Steigerwald National Wildlife Refuge near Washougal and yellowlegs, dowitchers and sandpipers in ponds along the Big Hanaford Road in Lewis County.
Eastern Washington<br />
Fishing: Five to six more months of good lake fishing are ahead for the many anglers who didn't fight windy conditions across the region on the April 24 low-land lakes season opener.<br />
"We estimated that in the Spokane area alone, where we had gust up to 30 miles an hour, the angler crowds were down by half," said WDFW regional fish program manager John Whalen. "But now, with calmer and warmer spring weather in the forecast, there are just that many more fish to be caught."<br />
While overall average fish per angler harvest numbers were down on the opener, Whalen reported most anglers interviewed were satisfied with their catches. Rainbow trout in the 14 to 16 inch range were caught in several lakes, with some fish measuring 20 inches or more. Some of the best fishing in the region on the opener was measured at Cedar Lake in Stevens County where anglers averaged five fish, or a daily catch limit, each. Anglers at Stevens County's Rocky Lake averaged 4.4 fish each. Deep Lake saw 3.6 fish per angler, and Starvation Lake had 3.4 fish per angler.<br />
The largest rainbow trout checked on the opener was a 23-incher from southwest Spokane County's Badger Lake, where anglers averaged just 1.7 fish each. Several 22-27-inch tiger trout were caught at Spokane County's Fish Lake, where anglers averaged just one fish each. Other central district waters check on the opener showed the following average catch rates: Clear, 0.6 fish per angler; Fishtrap, 2.2; West Medical, 2.2; and Williams, 2.3.<br />
Opening day checks at Waitts Lake in Stevens County, where anglers averaged 2.4 fish each, included a 20-inch brown trout . Other northeast district lakes showed these average catch rates: Pend Oreille County's Big Meadow Lake, 2.75 fish per angler, and Yokum Lake, 2.5; Stevens County's Mudgett Lake, 2.5 fish per angler; and Ferry County's Trout Lake, 2.5 fish per angler.<br />
Also opening on April 24 were three more sections of the Snake River in the south end of the region for hatchery spring chinook salmon fishing. WDFW district fish biologist Glen Mendel of Dayton says the chinook fisheries there are "ramping up" as more salmon pour into the Snake River.<br />
"Catch has been pretty good below Ice Harbor Dam and Little Goose Dam," Mendel said. "We're checking over a dozen salmon per day at those sites and other salmon are being caught without being checked. On Sunday (April 25), over 50 boats were counted below Ice Harbor Dam. The numbers of salmon at Lower Granite have just begun to pick up to near 1,000 per day so catch should increase below Lower Granite Dam and in the Clarkston area this week."<br />
The Ice Harbor section opened April 20, and all four sections are scheduled to remain open through June 30, unless catch rates warrant an earlier closure to conserve salmon. Only hatchery-marked (adipose-fin-clipped) spring chinook adults or jacks can be retained, minimum size 12 inches, with jacks being less than 24 inches. The daily catch limit is two adults and four jacks per day, and fishing must cease as soon as the adult chinook daily limit is retained.<br />
One exception is the area between the juvenile bypass return pipe and Little Goose Dam along the south shoreline, which includes the walkway area locally known as "the Wall." Only one jack and one adult can be retained there, and fishing must cease when one adult is retained. All chinook with the adipose fin intact, and all steelhead, must be immediately released unharmed.<br />
See the all the rules for this special hatchery spring chinook fishery at https://fortress.wa.gov/dfw/erules/efish...jsp?id=877 .<br />
Those fishing the year-round waters of the Pend Oreille River the week of May 3-7 will likely see several research gill nets with buoys marked "WDFW" or "Kalispel Tribe Natural Resource Department." WDFW fish biologist Marc Divens explains a survey for northern pike is underway in the section from Pioneer Park just north of Newport to the river bend just south of the LeClerc Creek Wildlife Area.<br />
Hunting: The Spring wild turkey hunting season continues through the end of May and WDFW enforcement officers report good numbers of hunters afield and lots of birds harvested.<br />
The northeast GMUs 101-136 in Ferry, Stevens, Pend Oreille, Spokane and Lincoln counties are particularly productive with the greatest overall abundance of turkeys. The southeast GMUs 139-186 in Whitman, Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin counties, traditionally produce the second-highest harvest.<br />
Remember that turkey hunting tag-holders must report hunting activity after the seasons, and harvest should be reported within 10 days of taking a turkey. For all the rules, see http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/game_species/...index.html .<br />
The spring black bear permit hunting season also continues through the end of May. For all the rules, see http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/game_species/...index.html .<br />
Wildlife viewing: May 8 is International Migratory Bird Day , an annual celebration of the migration of nearly 350 species of birds between non-breeding grounds in Latin America, Mexico and the Caribbean, and their nesting habitats in North America, including Washington state. For more details go to http://www.birdday.org/ .<br />
The Spokane chapter of the Audubon Society is celebrating a week after the date with a community work party on Saturday, May 15, at Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge in southwest Spokane County. The work party is part of an ongoing effort to restore native riparian habitat to benefit birds and other wildlife species. The group has more than 40 native saplings to plant, and protective fencing to erect at the project site to protect the trees from deer, elk, and moose browsing. All interested parties are welcome. The effort begins at 9 a.m., with a refuge-hosted (but also potluck encouraged) lunch at 12-noon. Groups should contact the refuge at (509) 235-4723 in advance so they can be accommodated at lunch time. Long-sleeved shirts, work pants, sturdy boots or shoes, and gloves are recommended. Turnbull is five miles south of Cheney on Cheney-Plaza Road, left on Smith Road two miles to headquarters.<br />
Northcentral Washington<br />
Fishing: Although the lake fishing season opener April 24 saw fewer anglers due to windy conditions, WDFW regional fish program manager Jeff Korth reports those that did brave the weather managed good catches of nice-sized rainbow trout.<br />
The best catch rate recorded on the opener in the region was at Okanogan County's Pearrygin Lake where anglers averaged near the five-fish-daily-limit, with 4.4 fish each. Yearling rainbows at Pearrygin ran 10 inches, carryovers are 14 inches and triploid rainbows are running 15 to 17 inches.<br />
Other Okanogan County waters that opened and were checked April 24 were Fish Lake with a 2.9 fish per angler average, Alta Lake with 2.6 fish per angler, and Conconully Lake and Reservoir, each with two fish per angler averages. Among the catch at the Conconullys were some 20 - 24-inch rainbows.<br />
In Chelan County, Wapato Lake anglers averaged almost 3.7 fish each on the opener, including some large carryover rainbows. Clear Lake, also in Chelan County, saw a three-fish per angler average and a few 18-20-inch fish.<br />
Anglers at Jameson Lake in Douglas County on the opener averaged about 2.5 fish each, mostly 10-inch yearlings and 14-inch carryovers.<br />
The best Grant County fishing could be found on Warden Lake, where on opening day anglers averaged 3.6 rainbow and tiger trout each, including a half-dozen released fish. Park Lake saw a 3.4 rainbow, tiger and brown trout per angler average, including 10 released fish. Anglers at Blue Lake averaged 1.9 fish each, including four releases. Anglers at both Perch Lake and Vic Meyers Lake averaged 1.2 fish each. Deep Lake shoreline anglers near the boat ramp fared well, but boat anglers were severely hampered by high winds; Including releases, overall average there on the opener was just over one fish each.<br />
Starting May 1, the Columbia River from Priest Rapids Dam downstream 2.5 miles to the boundary marker on the river bank 400 feet downstream of the Priest Rapids Hatchery outlet channel (Jackson Creek) is closed to sturgeon fishing to protect spawning. The U.S. Geological Survey river flow gage towers and cableway that currently comprise the downstream sturgeon spawning sanctuary boundary line are being dismantled and removed, so the new boundary line is required for the sturgeon spawning sanctuary this year. The closure remains in effect through July 31.<br />
Hunting: The Spring wild turkey hunting season continues through the end of May. Hunters are reminded they must report hunting activity after the seasons and harvest should be reported within 10 days of taking a turkey. For all the rules, see http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/game_species/...index.html .<br />
Wildlife viewing: May 8 is International Migratory Bird Day , an annual celebration of the migration of nearly 350 species of birds between non-breeding grounds in Latin America, Mexico, and the Caribbean and their nesting habitats in North America, including Washington state. For more details go to http://www.birdday.org/ .<br />
In celebration of these migrants, the Leavenworth Spring Bird Fest is May 13-16. The event is co-sponsored by the North Central Washington Audubon Society, the town of Leavenworth, Barn Beach Reserve, Icicle Arts and others. This annual event includes birding classes for beginners and experts, "fledgling frolics for families", an "owl prowl", live raptors, mountains to shrub steppe wild flower walks, concerts and art shows, and birding by boot, boat and bike. Pre-registration is required for some activities. Contact 509-548-5807, www.leavenworthspringbirdfest.com .<br />
Southcentral Washington<br />
Fishing: WDFW fish biologist Jim Cummins says that although river flows may still be too high for good fishing, the Yakima River hatchery spring chinook salmon fishery opens May 1.<br />
The two sections of the Yakima that open are 1) from the Interstate 182 bridge in Richland (river mile 4.5) to 400 feet downstream of Horn Rapids (Wanawish) Dam (river mile 18.0), open through May 31; and 2) from the Interstate 82 bridge at Union Gap (river mile 107.1) to the BNRR bridge 500 feet downstream of Roza Dam (river mile 127.8), open through June 30.<br />
The daily catch limit is two hatchery-marked (adipose-fin-clipped) chinook, minimum size 12 inches. Wild salmon (adipose fin intact) and all steelhead must be immediately released unharmed and cannot be removed from the water prior to release. The new Columbia River Salmon/Steelhead Endorsement is required to participate in this fishery. See https://fortress.wa.gov/dfw/erules/efish...jsp?id=884 for details on this fishery.<br />
WDFW district fish biologist Paul Hoffarth of Pasco reports Columbia River hatchery spring chinook salmon fishing in the John Day Dam pool has recently been best for bank anglers.<br />
"Our latest creel checks indicated an estimated 549 adult hatchery chinook harvested and 138 wild chinook were released," Hoffarth said. "The majority of the harvest was retained by bank anglers fishing the Oregon shore. We interviewed 336 salmon anglers this past week with 85 hatchery chinook. For the season, an estimated 748 adult hatchery chinook have been harvested and 154 wild chinook were released."<br />
Hoffarth reminds anglers that starting May 1 the anti-snagging rule is rescinded and the season extended through June 30 for the Ringold area bank spring chinook fishery. The fishery is in the Columbia River adjacent to Ringold Springs Rearing Facility in Franklin County, from the WDFW markers one-fourth mile downstream of the Ringold irrigation wasteway outlet to the markers one-half mile upstream of Ringold Springs Creek (hatchery outlet). Only the hatchery side of the river is open for bank fishing.<br />
The anti-snagging rule is being removed for this bank fishery to allow anglers to use up to two, single-point hooks (barbed or barbless). Treble hooks are not permitted. The daily catch limit is two hatchery-marked (clipped adipose fin) Chinook salmon, 12-inch minimum size. All wild chinook (with an intact adipose fin) must be released immediately and may not be removed from the water. The new Columbia River Salmon/Steelhead Endorsement is required to participate in this fishery. See https://fortress.wa.gov/dfw/erules/efish...jsp?id=883 for more details.<br />
Hunting: The spring wild turkey hunting season continues through the end of May. Hunters are reminded they must report hunting activity after the seasons and harvest should be reported within 10 days of taking a turkey. For all the rules, see http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/game_species/...index.html .<br />
Wildlife viewing: May 8 is International Migratory Bird Day , an annual celebration of the migration of nearly 350 species of birds between non-breeding grounds in Latin America, Mexico, and the Caribbean and their nesting habitats in North America, including Washington state. For more details, see http://www.birdday.org/ .<br />
The Yakima Valley Audubon Society chapter plans to celebrate the day in a couple of ways - a bird-watching trip to Brooks Memorial State Park starting at 7 a.m., and a work party at the Toppenish National Wildlife Refuge headquarters starting at 9 a.m.<br />
Brooks Memorial State Park is a 700-acre, year-round camping park with a variety of natural environments, located between the barren hills of the south Yakima Valley and the lodgepole pine forests of the Simcoe Mountains. Trip leader Denny Granstrand says bird migration should be well underway by May 8 at "this jewel of a park" whose varied habitats "should give us a good bird list."<br />
Granstrand says birding will begin at the campground, then follow Rock Creek via Goldendale and the Goldendale-Bickleton Highway. Interested participants should call Granstrand (509-453-2500) ahead of time because the trip might be cancelled if more people are interested in the wildlife refuge work party.<br />
Toppenish NWR is off Highway 97 about 10 miles south of the town of Toppenish in southeast Yakima County. The refuge is a mosaic of wetlands interspersed with lush riparian and native upland habitats that provide breeding grounds for an array of birds. For details about the Audubon work party there on May 8, contact Kerry Turley (509- 837-6930).