April 17-30, 2002

Contact: Madonna Luers, (509) 456-4073

No matter the vagaries of spring weather, it's fishing season. Hundreds of lakes in Washington open to fishing on April 27, and hundreds more are already open and being re-stocked with fish.

Washington's 4,500 lowland lakes and reservoirs, 256 opening on the 27^th, could draw as many as 300,000 people. They'll be hoping to land some of the fish stocked by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) hatchery crews. Those fish include:

• 8.2 million trout fry (2 to 3 inch), now catchable size (7 to 9 inch)
• 9.7 million kokanee fry (2 inch when stocked), now catchable size (8 to 10 inch)
• 3.1 million yearling or catchable size (7 to 9 inch) trout
• 788,300 warmwater fish species such as walleye and bass
• 51,500 triploid rainbow trout (1.5-pound average)
• 39,670 surplus hatchery broodstock trout (2 to 5 pound)

Some of the fish are stocked in fishing waters that are open year-round or that opened March 1 in eastern Washington. But most of the catchable-size and triploid trout stocking is scheduled just before the April opener, which marks the traditional start of Washington's most intense fishing activity.

More than 500 public water access sites across the state, 275 of them on lowland lakes that open April 27, are maintained by WDFW. These sites include boat launches, dock and shoreline fishing, and areas accessible for persons with disabilities. Other state and federal agencies operate hundreds more. Opening day can be very crowded at many of these sites, especially at boat launches, so fishers are reminded to be careful and courteous.

Fishers are also reminded to pick up a copy of the fishing regulations pamphlet, or check http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm on the Internet. The current pamphlet is valid through April; new rules go into effect May 1, and the new pamphlet will be available later this month.

Resident anglers 16 years of age and older must have a valid freshwater fishing license, available for $21.90 at hundreds of license dealers across the state, all WDFW offices, over the telephone (1-866-246-9453), or at http://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/ on the Internet. All resident and non-resident children 14 years of age and younger fish free; 15-year-olds fish on a $5.48 license. Licenses are valid from April 1, 2002 through March 31, 2003.

Every fishing license buyer receives a free Vehicle Use Permit, which must be on any motor vehicle parked in a WDFW fishing access parking lot. The permits are transferable between up to two vehicles. Additional permits are available to license buyers for $5 each; non-fishing or hunting users of the areas can purchase the permits for $10.

Other special fisheries open soon, too, including Puget Sound shrimp and Yakima River hatchery spring chinook salmon, on April 20. And there are many other non-fishing outdoor recreation opportunities, including Earth Day (April 22) celebrations in many communities. The following regional reports provide details, for both fishers and non-fishers:

North Puget Sound:

• Fishing: Rainbow trout plants are wrapping up throughout northern Puget Sound in anticipation of the April 27 lowland lakes fishing opener. Dozens of lakes have been stocked with catchable-sized rainbow trout, and 21 northern Puget Sound lakes have been planted with trophy triploid trout, the fast-growing rainbows that, if they're not caught this year, will be certified lunkers come next spring. Lakes with some of the biggest plants of triploids this year include Green Lake in Seattle, Pine Lake near Issaquah, Skagit County's Clear Lake and Lake Terrell in Whatcom County. Green Lake and Clear Lake are both open year 'round, but should still provide some good catches on opening day. For those with boats the easiest way for new anglers to catch trout is trolling. "The most common mistakes we see are anglers trolling too deep, or trolling with tackle that is too heavy," said WDFW Fish Biologist Curt Kraemer. For spring trout trolling, Kraemer recommends using light spinning tackle with lines in the 4 to 6 pound test range. Anglers should focus their efforts on trolling their gear fairly shallow, no deeper than three or four feet below the surface. Tie a small swivel to the end of the line with one split shot or small sliding sinker above the swivel. To the swivel attach a 3- to 4- foot length of four-pound-test leader, and tie on a thin bladed metal spoon that's about 1 to 1½ inches long. "An alternate to the spoon would be a small wiggling plug, like a frog or perch pattern, or that's silver in finish," Kraemer said. For all trolling, Kraemer said a brisk pace is better than slow. For shore anglers, the best luck is generally achieved with "Powerbait" in almost any color. Again the best tackle is a light spinning outfit, using about 18 inches of leader and a single hook. Use a small slip sinker to allow the Powerbait to float a little up from the bottom, and try to fish in three to eight feet of water. Fans of warmwater fishing will have to wait a little longer for their favorite species to start feeding more regularly. Bass and crappie are slow to bite until water temperatures increase later in spring. The general Puget Sound shrimp fishing season opens Saturday (April 20) with a few new wrinkles in the rules compared to 2001: There is a daily limit of 80 spot shrimp per person, and no more than four shrimp pots can be carried on a boat. WDFW Shellfish Biologist Mark O'Toole said shrimpers should concentrate their fishing effort in waters between about 240 and 300 feet deep. "Read the tide charts, and go on the slighter tides," O'Toole said. Shrimpers must have a valid shellfish/seaweed license, which can be purchased on-line at http://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/ on the Internet.

• Wildlife viewing: There are plenty of migrating birds showing up in neighborhoods throughout northern Puget Sound, including fast-fliers, such as hummingbirds and barn swallows, and the more leisurely-paced birds, such as turkey vultures, which corkscrew through the air on thermal air currents in search of their next meal. Washington state also plays host to the largest population of wintering brant in the U.S., and Padilla Bay near Anacortes is a prime spot to see both native and migrant brant, which often flood into the bay by the thousands during April. The Padilla Bay National Estuarine Reserve is a great place to see brant and many of bird species. The 11,000-acre reserve has a few well-maintained walking trails, and is also a great destination for kayakers looking to get close to the birds. To get there from Interstate 5, head west toward Anacortes on State Route 20, turn north on the Bay View-Edison Road and continue north for five miles until you see the reserve signs. Don't forget foul-weather gear, binoculars or a spotting scope, and a bird field guide to help you identify all of the species you'll encounter.

Olympic Peninsula/South Sound:

• Fishing: Anglers looking for the right spot to observe opening day can choose from among more than 100 lowland lakes in the region, stocked with thousands of 7- to 9-inch catchable rainbow trout, hefty triploids and hatchery broodstock trout weighing up to 5 pounds a piece. A number of area lakes will also be planted with feisty cutthroat trout in time for the trout opener on April 27. "We try to move the larger fish into as many lakes as possible to keep things interesting for the anglers," said Jay Hunter, area biologist with WDFW's Freshwater Fish Program. In Thurston County, for example, Hicks Lake has received 420 triploids along with 15,000 catchable rainbows. Lawrence Lake has received 200 large broodstock trout and 125 large cutthroat along with and 20,000 catchable rainbows. In Pierce County, top prospects include Tanwax Lake (475 triploids and 15,000 catchable rainbows) and Clear Lake (300 triploids and 16,000 catchable rainbows). In Mason County, with more fishable lakes and ponds than any county in the region, Hunter suggests Benson Lake and Phillips Lake, each planted with 500 or more triploids and thousands of catchable rainbows. Ten lakes­ including popular Lake Aberdeen and Failor Lake­ are stocked and ready in Grays Harbor County, and 12 lakes will be planted for opening day in Kitsap County, Hunter said. The forces of nature left Pacific, Clallum and Grays Harbor counties with fewer fishable lakes than the other counties, but that doesn't mean the action will be any slower there. "When it comes to catching fish, a big issue is the number of fish per acre of water," he said. "Some of those small lakes on the south coast, for example, have the highest density of fish per acre in the whole region." Speaking of high density, up to 600 young people are expected to participate in the Fishing Kids event April 20 at Long's Pond in Lacey. Sponsored by WDFW, Lacey Parks and Recreation and a variety of fishing organizations, the event will provide an opportunity for young people ages 5-14 to catch some fish and receive instruction in knot tying, fish cleaning and outdoor ethics. Registration is closed for that event, but Pierce County Parks is accepting reservations (253-798-4176) for the next Fishing Kids event, scheduled June 8 at Waughop Lake. Steelhead fishers take note: All rivers on the northern Washington coast are now closed to the retention of steelhead except those on the Quillayute system, which closes April 30. (The Quillayute system includes the Quillayute, Bogachiel, Dickey, Calawah and Sol Duc rivers.) The Quillayute and Sol Duc rivers are also open through April for spring chinook. Check the 2002-03 regulations for steelhead retention rules during the spring chinook season in May.

• Wildlife viewing: With Earth Day just around the corner, some of the wildest wildlife viewing in the region is expected on the streets of downtown Olympia, where the Procession of the Species gets under way at 5:30 p.m. on April 20. Wearing costumes and pushing "floats" depicting their favorite critters, participants in this annual celebration of nature will bring wildlife species into view that you'll probably never spot through your field glasses. Those who prefer their wildlife without zippers or eyeglasses might consider a trip to the coast, where massive grey whales have been spotted from ocean outlooks over the past few weeks. In fact, one behemoth apparently got off course and has been sighted recently in the Bremerton area. "I couldn't believe my eyes," said a member of Kitsap Audubon who spotted the whale near the Warren Avenue Bridge. "It was a big beast, mottled with white patches, really impressive." Just as impressive, in their own way, are the growing flocks of shorebirds flocking to coastal areas. Sandhill cranes are now arriving in large numbers, as reported by several contributors to Tweeters, the on-line birdwatchers' journal. One spotted 38 cranes in a cow pasture at the intersection of Hwy. 101 and the Bay Center Dike Road in Pacific County. Another reported seeing 50 or more sandhill cranes in the Chehalis Valley near Porter. For up-to-date sightings, check out the Tweeters website at www.scn.org/earth/tweeters.

Southwest Washington:

• Fishing: Catches of spring chinook have been fair to good in the lower Columbia River. Last week, boat anglers averaged one chinook kept or released per 4.9 fishers based on complete trips. Bank anglers' reports from incomplete trips indicate one fish kept or released for every 8.7 rods. Recent water conditions are not favoring anglers, however, with flows increasing and visibility decreasing, reports Joe Hymer,WDFW fish biologist. Spring chinook catches are increasing in the Cowlitz River and are expected to pick up in the Kalama and Lewis rivers. With spring chinook counts at Bonneville Dam up to 5,900 adults by last Sunday, catches and effort are both expected to increase in the Bonneville Pool tributaries such as the Wind, White Salmon and Klickitat rivers plus Drano Lake. Spring chinook catches are also increasing in The Dalles and John Day pools and the upper portion of Bonneville Pool, Hymer said. Anglers are reminded that beginning today (April 17) Drano Lake is closed to fishing Wednesdays through the end of May. Meanwhile with opening day looming, plenty of trout will be waiting in the water for lake anglers, says John Weinheimer, district fish biologist. Stand-outs include Mineral Lake in Lewis County, where 29,000 rainbow trout and 5,000 brown trout, all catchable size, have been planted along with 200 rainbow broodstock and 600 trophy-size triploid trout. Kidney Lake in Skamania County will open April 27 with stocks of 3,700 rainbows, 850 triploids and 50 broodstock rainbows. The Swift Power Canal will be stocked with 1,000 trophy trout in time for the opener. In Klickitat County, Rowland Lake will receive 9,700 catchable-size rainbows, 2,450 trophy trout and 160 broodstock rainbows. For anglers who don't want to wait until opening day, year-round waters being stocked throughout the spring should yield good results. They include Battle Ground Lake and Klineline Pond in Clark County, as well as Kress Lake in Cowlitz County, which is scheduled to receive 4,000 brown trout and 8,000 rainbows this spring. In addition, South Lewis County Pond near Toldeo received 1,000 catchable size browns this week. Hatchery winter steelhead fishers are finding some action on the Cowlitz River with boat anglers last week averaging nearly a half fish per rod. The East Fork Lewis River from the top boat ramp at Lewisville Park downstream and the Washougal River from the Mt. Norway Bridge downstream both opened April 16 for hatchery steelhead. Walleye fishers were averaging one fish per rod last week in The Dalles Pool. At John Day Pool, boat anglers were bringing in a average of six bass per rod along with a few walleye.

• Wildlife viewing: At the Cowlitz Wildlife Area great blue herons were recently seen perching on poles submerged in the water and the season's first yellow-rumped warblers were spotted feeding along riparian areas. The area is a great place for viewing waterfowl, songbirds and amphibians. WDFW staff recently saw a number of buffleheads and ring-necked ducks using the small ponds at Mossyrock Unit. A small herd of seven elk were also spotted in the southwest corner pasture at the Kiona Creek Unit. Osprey are back on the nest at the Castle Rock motocross track­ their nest is a platform on a light pole that was erected to allow the birds to continue to use the site while the owners to continue to use the lights. A contributor to the Tweeters website reports spotting new migrants at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge-- among the 69 species seen were American bittern, long-billed and short-billed dowitchers, dunlin, western sandpipers, greater yellowlegs, common snipe, sandhill cranes, and newly arrived common yellowthroats. Area birders can mark their calendars for the North American Migration Count May 11, the sixth annual spring count in Klickitat County. Count areas will be divided into 10 sectors based roughly on drainage basins. For more information, contact Bob Hansen by email at bhansen@wvi.com. Another Tweeters correspondent reports recent sightings in and around the Julia Butler Hansen National Wildlife Refuge that included sandhill cranes, purple martins, white-tailed kite, black-bellied plover, greater yellowlegs, dunlin, long-billed dowitchers, Thayer's gull, caspian terns, northern rough-winged swallows, common yellowthroat and American pipit. Along Dike Road west of Woodland, the same birder reports sighting merlin, cackling Canada geese, western grebe, wood ducks, cinnamon teal, ruddy ducks and common snipe. Osprey were seen at Kress Lake, along the Columbia River at Kalama, along Dike Road and along Highway 4 at Stella.

Eastern Washington:

• Fishing: Some of the best lowland lake trout fishing in the state is enjoyed at waters throughout the central district of this region (Spokane, Lincoln, and Whitman counties). WDFW District Fish Biologist Chris Donley is sampling lakes and said West Medical Lake (southwest Spokane County) will be the best fishery for rainbow trout in the region because it's coming off rehabilitation in 2000 and is primed for great fishing. Rainbows will average 10 to 12 inches with occasional large carryovers, plus some carryover brown trout to 25 inches. It was stocked with 110,000 rainbow fry last spring and 26,000 rainbow fry last fall, plus 11,000 rainbow catchables this spring. "There are also 2,500 triploid (1-1/2-pounds) and 1,500 broodstock rainbows stocked. Fishtrap Lake (Lincoln County), where fry survival was great, (100,000 spring fry, 18,000 fall fry) will have excellent fishing with rainbows averaging 9 to 11 inches and some up to 18 inches, plus 250 stocked triploids," Donley said. Fish Lake (southwest Spokane County) will be excellent for eastern brook, brown, he predicted, and there is also an opportunity to catch newly introduced brook-brown hybrid tiger trout. Brook trout average 8 to 16 inches, plus 1,000 brook broodstock. The browns, which are fewer in number, are 15 to 20 inches, and the tiger trout are 7 to 10 inches. "Badger Lake (southwest Spokane County) should be a pretty good fishery for 8 to 14-inch cutthroat trout and rainbows averaging 9 to 10 inches," Donley said. "Last springs fry plants (60,000 rainbows, 30,000 cutthroat) have done fairly well. There are also some exceptionally large carryover fish in Badger, at least up to 28 inches, and we stocked it with 1,000 triploids. Williams Lake (southwest Spokane County) had fair to good fry plant survival (42,000 rainbows, 20,000 cutthroat) but we added 40,000 catchables, 475 rainbow broodstock, and 2,500 triploids this spring for the opener. Fishing should be good with rainbows 8 to 10 inches and cutthroat 8 to 12 inches. Medical Lake (southwest Spokane County) has low fish density so the brown trout stocked there grow large, 20-plus inches, but remember it's a selective gear rule lake. Some of our mixed species waters will also be good on the opener, like Clear Lake (southwest Spokane County) and Liberty Lake (eastern Spokane County) which have 10- to 25-inch browns, lots of rainbow catchables and some broodstock. Clear also got some triploids. Downs and Chapman lakes (southwest Spokane County) are also good bets for the opener with lots of rainbow catchables. Downs also has some large black crappie, and Chapman has some nice largemouth bass and kokanee." Donley noted a couple of selective gear rule lakes on the March 1-opening season schedule that are providing excellent trout fishing: Coffeepot Lake (Lincoln County) where rainbows up to 26 inches are being caught, and Amber Lake (southwest Spokane County) where rainbows are averaging 12 to 17 inches. Donley also noted several year-round lakes worth fishing: Sprague (Lincoln-Adams counties), Horseshoe (northwest Spokane County), Pacific and Deer Springs (Lincoln), Silver (southwest Spokane County), Newman (eastern Spokane County), and Rock (Whitman County). Many waters open on the 27^th in the north end of the region, and among the most notable are Ellen Lake in Ferry County, Waitts Lake in Stevens County, and Davis and Sacheen lakes in Pend Oreille County.

• Hunting: Spring turkey hunters are filling the woods to call in those toms, both in the southeast and northeast parts of the region where birds are plentiful. On the April 15 season opener, WDFW's Chief Joseph Wildlife Area Manager Roger Holland reported more turkey hunters than ever before. All the more reason, he says, to keep turkey hunting safety in mind: Do not attempt to stalk a turkey, since it may be another hunter calling in camouflage; use hen calls, not gobbler calls, for the same reason; don't wear red, white or blue clothes that will make you look like a gobbler's head and thus a target; use a calling site that gives at least 40 yards of vision in all directions and sit with your back to a large tree; if you see another hunter close to your line of sight, call out to be identified; be absolutely sure of your target before pulling the trigger or drawing the bow.

• Wildlife viewing: Advancing spring brings a procession of returning migrant species of birds and heightened activity of other animals. In celebration of Earth Day, a human rendition of this "Procession of the Species" is scheduled in Spokane's Riverfront Park on Saturday, April 20, at 1 p.m. It's a chance for all ages to don masks, costumes, banners, and other colorful creations of plant and animal species to celebrate the natural world; join in or just watch and learn about fish and wildlife at WDFW's booth at the day-long Earth Day festival in the park. Hummingbirds are returning to the region, particularly male Rufous hummers which usually precede females. Until nectar-producing flowers bloom, you can help feed them by hanging up sugar-water feeders (boil one-part sugar in four-parts water, avoid the red dye and use a red-colored feeder to attract them.)

North Central Washington:

• Fishing: This is "prime time for trout fishing in the Columbia Basin," says WDFW Fish Biologist Jeff Korth, even though more lakes than not are open year 'round or opened in March. Among the region's year 'round lakes, Korth recommends the Teal, Windmill, Canal and many other "seep lakes" south of Potholes Reservoir for rainbow trout. Rainbows are also coming on in Moses Lake and Potholes Reservoir, many 16 to 18 inches and plenty over 20 inches. Beda Lake, south of Potholes, is a selective-gear, year 'round water that's producing 20-inch-plus trout. Year 'round Rocky Ford Creek, has some of the best catch-and-release and fly-fishing around. Among the trout lakes that have been open since the first of March, Korth says Quincy and Burke lakes have been the best. Some of the Pillar-Wigeon chain of lakes and the Quincy area walk-in lakes are also fair. The selective-gear waters Lenice, Merry and Nunnally lakes are producing large rainbows (including stocked triploids) on chironomids and other flies. Lake Lenore's catch-and-release fishing has been fairly good. Among the lakes that open on the 27^th, Korth notes that Blue and Park lakes, north of the town of Soap Lake, will be top producers of 10- to 11-inch and 14- to 16-inch rainbows, with some carryover brown trout. Nearby Deep Lake is slated to receive some triploids before the opener. The Warden lakes (south of Potholes) should be productive for both 10-inch rainbows and brown trout. Jameson Lake in Douglas County should produce rainbows up to 12 inches. Grant County's Dry Falls Lake, which is under selective gear rules and a one-trout daily catch limit, offers some of the best fly-fishing around, yielding 12 to 22-inch rainbows and browns. Up in the north end of the region, WDFW fish biologist Heather Bartlett reports that trout fishing remains good at Okanogan County's Spectacle Lake, which opened March 1, and at Davis Lake, which opened April 1 for catch-and-release, selective-gear fishing.

• Wildlife viewing: Check out the bird life at Grant County's Sun Lakes Wildlife Area, one of several in the Columbia Basin used by millions of waterfowl, raptors, songbirds, and others for resting and feeding on their annual migrations along the Pacific Flyway. You'll see Canada geese, mallards, redheads, canvasbacks, ringnecks, ruddy ducks, gadwalls, blue and greenwing teal, shovelers, pintails, goldeneyes, and wood ducks. Shorebirds, terns, pelicans, sandhill cranes, swans, gulls, Brewer's, red-winged, and yellow-headed blackbirds, killdeer, meadowlarks, prairie falcons, red-tailed and Swainson's hawks, golden eagles, and colonies of burrowing owls may also be found.

South Central Washington:

• Fishing: The middle reach of the Yakima River opens April 20 for hatchery spring chinook salmon. This special season, which runs through June 16, is due to the second largest return of fish to date from the Yakima/Klickitat fisheries project research hatchery at Cle Elum. About 12,300 hatchery chinook are expected, along with 9,500 wild ones­ none of which can be harvested. It's hatchery fish only (identified by a missing adipose fin and a healed scar), and just two a day, 10 per season, with a minimum length of 12 inches. Fishers must use one single-pointed, barbless hook, with a hook gap from point to shank of 3/4 inch or less, regardless of fishing method. The restrictive hook requirement is intended to promote successful release and improve survival of wild salmon. Fishing for steelhead on the Yakima remains closed and any steelhead hooked must be immediately released unharmed. For more details on this season, see http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/regchng/apr0802a.htm. Speaking of the Yakima, news on the lower river is that the bite is on for smallmouth bass moving in from the Columbia River. Two- to six-pounders are being caught at the mouth of the Yakima with one-quarter-ounce leadhead tube jigs. WDFW Fish Bologist Jim Cummins says the bass are in the lower end of the river now, but will move as far upstream as Prosser as the season progresses. "The large, mature fish will move back into the Columbia in June and pretty much be out of the Yakima by July 1," Cummins said, "so the next two months are best for larger fish, up to 6 pounds or more." Currently the catch limit for bass on the Yakima is five per day, no more than three over 15 inches. But on May 1, when the new fishing rules go into effect, there will be no catch limit for Yakima bass under 12 inches, and only one allowed over 17 inches. The new Yakima rule is different from the new statewide slot limit, explained WDFW regional fish program manager John Easterbrooks, because research has shown that the smaller bass (under 12 inches) eat most of the juvenile salmon. "We want folks to catch and take these smaller bass," he said. WDFW Fish Biologist Rick Watson reports that the Ringold area salmon fishery on the Columbia River was recently slowed by high winds, but the steelhead harvest continues there. WDFW Fish Biologist Eric Anderson reports that hundreds of triploid rainbow trout (1.5-pounders) have been stocked in the following year 'round waters: Columbia Park Pond (Benton County), Railroad Pond (Franklin County), Mud and Myron lakes (Yakima County), Mattoon and North Fio Rito lakes (Kittitas County). Anderson also notes that catchable-size trout were recently stocked in Wenas, Rotary, and Lavander lakes and I-82 Ponds 4 and 6. "We don't have late-April opening lakes in this region," Anderson said, "but we've got lots of trout available for anglers in our year-round lowland lakes and great weather now. As things continue to warm up and snow packs recede we will be planting lakes in the upper forested zones in the next few weeks. Until then, keep your line wet and your feet dry and check your fishing regulations for catch limits and other restrictions."

• Hunting: Spring turkey hunters can now use the Robinson Canyon and Joe Watt Canyon gates into the L.T. Murray Wildlife Area in Kittitas County, and the Mellotte gate into the North Cleman Mountain unit of the Wenas Wildlife Area in Yakima County. These areas had been closed since last November to protect wintering elk, but opened on April 15. Such public access areas can get crowded in a popular season like spring turkey hunting, so WDFW officials remind hunters of the need for safety: Do not attempt to stalk a turkey, since it may be another hunter calling in camouflage; use hen calls, not gobbler calls, for the same reason; don't wear red, white or blue clothes that will make you look like a gobbler's head and thus a target; use a calling site that gives at least 40 yards of vision in all directions and sit with your back to a large tree; if you see another hunter close to your line of sight, call out to be identified; be absolutely sure of your target before pulling the trigger or drawing the bow.

• Wildlife viewing: Shed deer and elk antlers are treasures waiting to be found during a walk in the woods now and more areas are open for such use. The Robinson Canyon and Joe Watt Canyon gates into the L.T. Murray Wildlife Area in Kittitas County, and the Mellotte gate into the North Cleman Mountain unit of the Wenas Wildlife Area in Yakima County, opened to the public April 15 after being closed since last November to protect wintering elk. The Oak Creek Wildlife Area remains closed to antler collecting, and all other activity that can disturb elk there, until the first of May. The Yakima River Canyon area is exploding in color now, mostly with the big, bright yellow flowers of arrowleaf balsamroot along the hillsides. A drive or hike through the area now is sure to include glimpses of a variety of birds and other wildlife.