After a bout of nasty weather, anglers are back on the water throughout western Washington, making the most of mid-summer fisheries for salmon, hatchery steelhead, trout and crab. Pink salmon are moving into the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and anglers fishing off the coast are averaging nearly 1.5 salmon - mostly chinook and hatchery coho - per rod.

On the east side of the Cascades, bass and walleye fishing at the Potholes Reservoir has been nearly as hot as the midday sun. But anglers casting for trout and other fish that prefer cooler waters will likely have better luck fishing in the early mornings and evenings so long as the summer heat continues.

Then again, "summer" is nearly over on the Columbia River, at least as far as fishing seasons are concerned. Starting Aug. 1, several areas of the big river and its tributaries will reopen to salmon fishing, marking the beginning of fall season.

"Our fishing seasons are based on fish returns, rather than on the calendar," said Joe Hymer, a fish biologist for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). "This is the time of year when we start seeing tagged fall chinook salmon enter the lower Columbia River - and the coho won't be far behind."

"Besides," he quipped, "I noticed some maple trees starting to turn color on my way to work."

With the start of the fall season, salmon fishing will open open Aug. 1 from the mouth of the Columbia River upstream to the Highway 395 bridge in Pasco. Tributaries opening to salmon fishing that day include the Deep, Green, Toutle, Washougal, Cowlitz, Kalama, Lewis, Wind, White Salmon and Klickitat rivers plus Drano Lake. More information on those fisheries is available in the Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm) and in the Southwest Washington regional report below.

Hymer suggests anglers pay special attention to this year's chinook-retention rules for the popular Buoy 10 fishery, which extends from the mouth of the Columbia River upstream to the Rocky Point/Tongue Point line.

Unlike past years, anglers will not be allowed to retain chinook salmon intercepted in the Buoy 10 fishery until Aug. 22. That change, along with several others adopted this year, is designed to conserve wild "tule" populations of fall chinook salmon that spawn in tributaries below Bonneville Dam, said Cindy LeFleur, WDFW Columbia River Policy Coordinator.

"During the past year, the National Marine Fisheries Service directed us to reduce exploitation rates on tule stocks, which are listed for protection under the federal Endangered Species Act," LeFleur said. "Delaying chinook retention in the Buoy 10 fishery is a step, along with changes in the ocean fishery, in our efforts to comply with that directive."

When the Buoy 10 fishery opens Aug. 1, anglers will still be allowed to catch two adult hatchery coho - along with two hatchery steelhead - per day. Anglers will be allowed to retain one adult chinook per day from Aug. 22 to Sept. 3 and from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31.

Meanwhile, with several wildfires burning in eastern Washington, anglers and other outdoor enthusiasts planning a trip are advised to check public land closures at the National Fire News website http://www.nifc.gov/fire_info/nfn.htm. Campers and other recreationists are reminded that no open fires are allowed on WDFW and most other public lands. Everyone should be extremely careful with anything that could start a fire, from parking hot motor vehicles on dry grass to campstoves.

For additional information on fishing, hunting and wildlife viewing opportunities now available in Washington state, see the regional reports below.

North Puget Sound

• Fishing: For the first time since the mid-90's, anglers can catch and keep chinook salmon during the summer fishing in central Puget Sound. Mark-selective fisheries for hatchery chinook recently got under way in marine areas 9 (Admiralty Inlet) and 10 (Seattle/Bremerton) and anglers got off to a strong start.

  "The catch rates were outstanding during the first few days of the fishery, especially in Marine Area 9, where we saw an average of one fish for every two anglers," said Steve Thiesfeld, WDFW fish biologist. "Once the weekend rolled around, the catch slowed a bit. But it's still good fishing."

  The chinook mark-selective fisheries run through Aug. 15, or until the quota is reached, said Thiesfeld, who urged anglers to check WDFW's Fishing Hotline (360-902-2500) and the Fishing in Washington rules webpage (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm) for more information.

  "We're monitoring the catch daily, and if we continue at this rate the mark-selective fisheries in marine areas 9 and 10 should last through the end of July," Thiesfeld said. "But I've been encouraging anglers to get out on the water while they still have the opportunity."

  Anglers in marine areas 9 and 10 are allowed to keep hatchery chinook - marked with a clipped adipose fin - as part of a two salmon daily limit, plus two additional pink salmon. Anglers must release wild chinook and are required to use single-point barbless hooks.

  Thiesfeld reminds anglers that regulations vary for inner Elliott Bay, Sinclair Inlet and public fishing piers in marine areas 9 and 10. Check the Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet (< href="http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm" target="_blank">http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm) for more information.

  When releasing salmon, anglers should keep the fish in the water and avoid using a net, Thiesfeld said. If a net is needed, use a rubber net or a soft knotless nylon or cotton net.

  Thiesfeld also suggests that anglers:

  • Look for the adipose fin while playing the fish, and use polarized sunglasses to reduce glare.

  • Avoid the use of light tackle and play the fish quickly to reduce exhausting the fish.

  • Modify tackle to reduce potential injury to the fish. For example, use circle hooks when mooching and only one hook on hoochies and bucktails.

  • Use a dehooker to remove the hook.

  • Cut the leader if the fish has swallowed the hook.

  • Avoid touching or handling the fish, especially around the eyes and gills.

  • Support the entire length of the fish if it must be lifted out of the water. Do not lift the fish by the tail or jaw.

  • Gently place the fish back in the water.

  Anglers can find information on selective fishing and selective fishing techniques, as well as streaming video on how to properly release salmon, on WDFW's website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/selective/techniques/.

  Elsewhere, Marine Area 7 (San Juan Islands) is open, while salmon fisheries in marine areas 8-1 (Deception Pass, Hope Island and Skagit Bay) and 8-2 (Port Susan and Port Gardner) get under way Aug. 1. Once those two fisheries open, anglers in marine areas 8-1 and 8-2 must release all chinook. Those in marine area 8-1 also must release all pink salmon.

  Meanwhile, the crab fishery is going strong in marine areas 8-1, 8-2, 9, 10, and the southern and eastern portion of 7. Fisheries in those areas are open on a Wednesday-through-Saturday schedule, plus the entire Labor Day weekend. See WDFW's sport-crabbing website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/crab/) for more information.

  The coonstripe and pink shrimp fisheries also are open in the region, and shrimpers can drop a pot in marine areas 8-1, 8-2, 9 and the northern and central portion of Marine Area 7. For more information on the shrimp fisheries check WDFW's website at http://www.wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/shrimpreg/shrimpindex.shtml.

  In the rivers, the Reiter Ponds section of the Skykomish opened early this year for steelhead. That section of the river (1,500 feet upstream to 1,000 feet downstream of the Reiter Ponds Hatchery outlet) opened July 21 after the hatchery collected enough steelhead broodstock to meet egg-take goals.

  However, salmon opportunities on the Skykomish, as well as the Skagit and Baker, are winding down. The chinook fishery on the Skykomish and sockeye fisheries on the Skagit and Baker come to a close at the end of the day July 31.

  Farther south, a sockeye fishery this summer on Lake Washington looks "very unlikely," said Kyle Adicks, another WDFW biologist. As of July 17, about 50,500 sockeye salmon had been counted at the Ballard Locks, where the fish make their way into Lake Washington from Puget Sound. That tally is well below the necessary spawning escapement goal of 350,000 salmon, which must be reached before state and tribal co-managers can consider opening a sockeye fishery in the lake.

  "We've already passed the peak of the run," Adicks said. "So with numbers this low it doesn't look like there will be a sockeye fishery in Lake Washington this year."

  Before heading out, anglers should check the rules and regulations for all freshwater and saltwater fisheries in WDFW's Fishing in Washington pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm).

• Hunting: The bear and cougar hunting seasons open Aug. 1 in the region. Hunters are allowed two cougar during the season, which runs through March 15, 2008. Hunters are also allowed two bear during the 2007 general season (Aug. 1-Nov. 15), but only one bear can be taken in eastern Washington. Check the 2007 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Rules pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/hunter/hunter.htm) for details.

• Wildlife viewing: After a few weeks without a reported sighting, gray whales have been seen in the area again. There have only been a couple of reports of the large marine mammals - mostly in the Saratoga Passage area. Most of the gray whales are headed to the Arctic Ocean, where they spend the summer feeding, before heading back south to the coast of Mexico. Some gray whales stop short of migrating all the way to the Arctic and instead linger in the waters of the Pacific Northwest during the summer months.

  Now's a good time to head to the Ballard Locks to check out salmon passing the fish ladder viewing windows. Several hundred sockeye pass through the fish ladder daily, and in the next couple of weeks chinook should start showing up in greater numbers. The Ballard Locks are located in northwest Seattle where the Lake Washington Ship Canal enters Shilshole Bay and Puget Sound. For information call the locks' Visitor Center in Seattle at (206) 783-7059.

South Sound/Olympic Peninsula

• Fishing: Despite recent stormy weather, the salmon season is gaining momentum from Ilwaco to southern Puget Sound where anglers are finding chinook, coho and an abundance of pink salmon. On area rivers, cooler temperatures and an influx of fresh water are proving beneficial for anglers pursuing summer chinook, steelhead and cutthroat trout.

  Salmon fishing at Ilwaco and Westport (marine areas 1 and 2) yielded fair results for anglers over the July 21 weekend said Wendy Beeghley, WDFW fish biologist. "Even though we had one day of bad weather, the catch was about 1.4 fish per rod in both areas," said Beeghley. "In Ilwaco, people were mainly catching coho, while the catch at Westport was about one-third chinook." The coho are in the six-pound range and the chinook are averaging 18 pounds, she said.

  On the north coast (marine areas 3 and 4) anglers were also catching a majority of coho. While the effort was low at La Push, people fishing at Neah Bay were averaging about 1.2 fish per rod.

  "Hopefully, the weather will be better in upcoming days and bring out more fishers," Beeghley said. "If the weather cooperates there could be some fantastic fishing. Saturday looks good so far and we're hoping for some high success rates."

  Ilwaco is open daily for salmon fishing; Westport is open Sundays through Thursdays; and La Push and Neah Bay are open Tuesdays through Saturdays. Coastal salmon fishing rules will remain as specified in the Fishing in Washington pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm), or until quotas are met.

  On the Strait of Juan de Fuca, anglers are taking advantage of the biennial return of pink salmon - an estimated three million of them. Recent creel reports from Sekiu in Marine Area 5 show fishers catching at least one pink apiece.

  "The pink salmon have definitely moved in and are also showing up in Hood Canal," said Steve Thiesfeld, WDFW fish biologist. As for chinook and coho, the catch rate along the strait has been about one fish for every two rods. "Fishing has been fair so far," said Thiesfeld. "Coho are showing up in Marine Area 6 where they were rare last year. Hopefully they'll increase throughout the season."

  Marine Areas 5 and 6 (Sekiu/Pillar Point and eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca) are open daily with a two-fish daily limit, plus two additional pink salmon. Anglers must release wild coho and wild chinook. Handling rules are in effect and single-point barbless hooks are required.

  Meanwhile, fishing near Point Defiance and Narrows Marina in Marine Area 11 has picked up a bit, with anglers catching more chinook so far than coho and averaging about one fish for every two rods. With better weather anticipated, now's the time for people to get out on the water, Thiesfeld said.

  "The peak of the season is coming up soon and anglers shouldn't wait around much longer," he said. "Hardcore fishers will always be out there, but casual anglers looking for salmon should take advantage now."

  The fishery runs seven days a week, with a limit of two salmon a day. As in other areas, selective fishing rules are in effect this year, requiring anglers to use single-point, barbless hooks and release any wild chinook they encounter. Starting Aug. 1, Commencement Bay will be open for salmon fishing.

  Now that recent storms have given way to better weather, north coast anglers should have a good chance of catching spring chinook and summer coho in the Sol Duc River. Prospects have also improved for catching some hefty summer steelhead in the Bogachiel and Calawah rivers.

  "While the recent rains put the rivers out of shape, they should also bring some summer coho to the Sol Duc," said David Low, WDFW fish biologist. "Now that we're having better weather, most rivers are fishable and should be busy. Conditions are near perfect in the Bogachiel and Calawah and people are catching pretty big steelhead - some weighing up to 18 pounds."

  Anglers have also been finding sea-run cutthroat, which are following salmon up the rivers as they return to spawn. Up until last weekend's storm, anglers were doing fairly well on the Hoh, but it likely won't be fishable again until the last weekend in July, said Low. Low reminds anglers to check the Fishing in Washington pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm) for retention rules before heading out.

  The influx of water and cooler temperatures should also draw more summer steelhead into the Wynoochee and upper Chehalis rivers, and may perk up the spring chinook action in the mainstem Chehalis above Porter Creek as well, said Rick Ereth, WDFW fish biologist.

  "The recent rainfall should also improve fishing for sea-run and resident cutthroat trout in Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor streams," he said. Ereth reminds anglers to check the Fishing in Washington pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm) for retention and gear rules. Salmon fishing on the Chehalis closes July 31 and will reopen October 1; the Skokomish River in Mason County opens for salmon fishing on Aug. 1.

  Anglers will get another chance to catch halibut starting Aug. 3 when Marine Area 1 (Ilwaco) opens for Pacific halibut fishing three days per week - Friday, Saturday and Sunday - until the remaining quota is reached, or Sept. 30, 2007, whichever comes first.

  Recreational crab fishing is open Wednesdays through Saturdays in marine areas 9 (Admiralty Inlet), 10 (Seattle/Bremerton), 11 (Tacoma/Vashon) and 12 (Hood Canal) through Sept. 3. Crabbing is open seven days a week in marine areas 4 (Neah Bay east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line), 5 (Sekiu) and 13 (south of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge) through Jan. 2.

  The daily catch limit in Puget Sound is five male Dungeness crab with a shell width measuring at least 6¼ inches, plus six red rock crab of either sex with a shell width of at least 5 inches. All undersized crab, female Dungeness crab and all softshell crab of either sex must be returned to the water.

• Hunting: The bear and cougar hunting seasons open Aug. 1 in the region. Hunters are allowed two cougar during the season, which runs through March 15, 2008. Hunters are also allowed two bear during the 2007 general season (Aug. 1-Nov. 15), but only one bear can be taken in eastern Washington. Check the 2007 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Rules pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/hunter/hunter.htm) for details.

• Wildlife viewing: With a full moon coming up July 30, tides will be at their highest and lowest points, providing shore visitors a chance to investigate the wildlife residing in tide pools such as limpets, crabs, black turban snails, mussels, barnacles, starfish, hermit crabs, sea anemones, sea urchins, chitons and sea slugs.

  The Kalaloch area in Olympic National Park is a favorite site for tidepooling and offers guided ranger tours at Beach 4 in July and August. Times for walks and tides are available at the Kalaloch Information Center at 360-962-2283. Visitors can also explore farther north in the park at Rialto beach near the Mora campground, which is reachable by La Push Road from Forks. The walk to the tide pools is a mile and half from the Rialto beach parking area. While visitors are encouraged to explore the pools, they are asked to not disturb the habitat or sea life.

  While scouting the coast, visitors will also be treated to the sight of thousands of migrating shorebirds. Recent reports include sanderlings (still in breeding plumage), ruddy turnstones, semipalmated plovers, snowy plovers and western sandpipers.

  Boating near Protection Island between the Dungeness Spit and Port Townsend, birders observed 24 puffins rafting together off the southwest corner of the island. In addition, they were treated to viewings of rhinoceros auklets, California gulls, murres, pigeon guillemots, marbled murrelets, harlequin ducks, Pacific loons, western grebes and 30 bald eagles.

Southwest Washington:

• Fishing: Catch rates for summer-run steelhead are picking up on the Columbia River and its tributaries where a number of fall salmon fisheries are scheduled to open Aug. 1. Meanwhile, anglers will be required to release any sturgeon they catch in the Bonneville Pool and from the Wauna power lines to Bonneville Dam after July 29. The latter area is scheduled to re-open for sturgeon retention Oct. 1.

  Boat anglers fishing the Columbia River estuary averaged a steelhead per rod during the week ending July 22, while those fishing Drano Lake and the White Salmon River 150 miles inland were catching about one fish for every two rods. Bank anglers have also been reeling in hatchery steelhead on the White Salmon, Klickitat and a number of rivers below Bonneville Dam, where more than 3,000 steelhead are now moving up the fish ladders each day.

  "Summer steelhead fishing is right on track and should continue to improve well into August," said Joe Hymer, WDFW fish biologist. "The bite tends to improve with large tidal movements, and we're going to see some of those in the days ahead."

  The mouth of the Lewis River should be an especially good bet, said Hymer, noting that a good number of fish appear to be "dipping in" to the cooler waters there to beat the heat. (Recent temperatures in the mainstem Columbia have reached 70 degrees.) Heavy siltation has slowed fishing near the mouth of the Cowlitz River, although anglers fishing upriver at Blue Creek averaged about one steelhead for every three rods.

  Hymer cautioned anglers fishing near the mouth of the Cowlitz to be mindful of shallow sandbars at the downstream end of Cottonwood Island near the entrance of Carroll's Channel and at the boat launch at Gearhart Park in Longview.

  As in past years, only steelhead with a clipped adipose or ventral fin and a healed scar at the location of the clipped fin may be retained. Through July 31, anglers must release any adult salmon intercepted on the Columbia River downriver from Priest Rapids Dam.

  But that's about to change Aug. 1 with the official start of the fall fishery. Among the waters opening to salmon retention that day is the popular Buoy 10 fishery, from the mouth of the Columbia River upstream to the Rocky Point/Tongue Point line.

  However, unlike past years, anglers will not be allowed to retain chinook salmon intercepted in the Buoy 10 fishery until Aug. 22. That change, along with several others adopted this year, is designed to conserve wild "tule" populations of fall chinook salmon that spawn in tributaries below Bonneville Dam, said Cindy LeFleur, WDFW Columbia River Policy Coordinator.

  "During the past year, the National Marine Fisheries Service directed us to reduce exploitation rates on tule stocks, which are listed for protection under the federal Endangered Species Act," LeFleur said. "Delaying chinook retention in the Buoy 10 fishery is a step, along with changes in the ocean fishery, in our efforts to comply with that directive."

  When the Buoy 10 fishery opens Aug. 1, anglers will still be allowed to catch two adult hatchery coho - along with two hatchery steelhead - per day. This year's chinook-retention period (one adult per day) is scheduled from Aug. 22 to Sept. 3 and from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31.

  Other changes in salmon-fishing rules taking effect Aug. 1 include:

  • North Jetty - Salmon fishing open seven days per week when the Marine Area 1 (Ilwaco) or Buoy 10 areas are open for salmon. Barbed hooks are allowed. The daily limit and minimum size restrictions follow the most liberal regulations of either of these areas.

  • Lower Columbia River - Upriver from the Buoy 10 fishery, salmon fishing opens from the Rocky Point/Tongue Point line upstream to Bonneville Dam. The daily limit will be six fish, including no more than 2 adults - only one of which may be an adult chinook. Any chinook, adipose fin clipped or not, may be retained. Anglers must release wild coho, sockeye and chum. To help conserve tules, anglers will also be required to release all chinook Sept. 5-30 downstream from a line from a boundary marker on the lower end of Bachelor Island across to the Warrior Rock Lighthouse.

  • Bonneville Dam to the Highway 395 Bridge at Pasco - Anglers will be able to retain six salmon, of which no more than two can be adults. Any chinook, adipose fin clipped or not, may be retained. Anglers must release any wild coho they encounter from Bonneville Dam to Hood River Bridge and any chum intercepted downstream from The Dalles Dam. Night closure and non-buoyant lure restrictions will be in effect in the Bonneville Pool through Oct. 15.

  • Columbia Tribuaries - Anglers will be able to retain chinook salmon, adipose clipped or unclipped, on the Deep, Green, Toutle (including North Fork), Washougal, Cowlitz, Kalama, Lewis, (including North Fork), Wind, White Salmon and Klickitat rivers plus Drano Lake. Wild coho must be released on all these tributaries except for the Klickitat. Non-buoyant lure restrictions will be in effect on the Wind, White Salmon, Klickitat rivers and Drano Lake.

    Bonus daily limits will be in effect for hatchery adult coho on the Lower Cowlitz, Deep, Green, Kalama, Lewis (including North Fork), and Toutle (including North Fork) rivers. All salmon other than chinook or coho must be released on the lower Cowlitz. Camas Slough will be open when adjacent mainstem Columbia or Washougal rivers are open to fishing for salmon. The daily limit follows the most liberal regulation of either area.

  For more information on all of these fisheries, anglers are advised to consult the Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm). Current fishing rules are also posted on the Fish Hotline at (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regions/reg5/hotline.htm). For information on the ocean fishery, see the South Sound/Olympic Peninsula report above.

• Hunting: The bear and cougar hunting seasons open Aug. 1 in the region. Hunters are allowed two cougar during the season, which runs through March 15, 2008. Hunters are also allowed two bear during the 2007 general season (Aug. 1-Nov. 15), but only one bear can be taken in eastern Washington. Check the 2007 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Rules pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/hunter/hunter.htm) for details.

• Wildlife viewing: While songbirds are still in full voice throughout the region, thousands of shorebirds are now joining the refrain. Back from the Arctic, greater yellowlegs, lesser yellowlegs, sandpipers, dowitchers and other species are touching down in marshes and mudflats at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge and other points in the coastal lowlands.

  But higher up at Coldwater Lake in the Mount St. Helens National Monument, the birds are singing a somewhat different tune. In a recent posting on the Tweeters website (http://www.scn.org/earth/tweeters/), one birder reported hearing the song of thespotted towhee ("queee"), the western wood peewee ("pee-eer") and the northern flicker ("wik-wik-wik"). Other birds spotted along the Coldwater Trail, approximately 2,500 feet above sea level, included a common merganser, bush tit, bald eagles and red-tailed hawk. The same birder reported sighting a gray-headed rosy finch near Coldwater Peak two weeks earlier.

  Down at Bonneville Dam visitor center, steelhead are the prime attraction right now. Between 3,000 to 4,000 summer steelhead per day are currently passing by the viewing windows - the highest volume so far this year. Approximately a quarter of them are wild steelhead, identifiable (for those with a quick eye) by the intact adipose fin just above their tails. The daily mix also includes 400 to 500 adult chinook salmon, about a thousand shad, 200 to 300 lamprey and a couple dozen sockeye headed for Lake Wenatchee.

  To monitor daily fish counts from home, check the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers website at https://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/op/fishdata/home.asp. Or stop by the Washington Shore Visitor Complex and see the annual parade of fish for yourself. 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.

Eastern Washington:

• Fishing: Warm weather usually brings good fishing for warmwater fish species, such as yellow perch. Chris Donley, WDFW central district fish biologist in Spokane, said perch are abundant at many waters throughout the region. Coffeepot Lake in Lincoln County and Downs Lake in southwest Spokane County are good perch fisheries, he said. The Spokane River reservoir of Long Lake and Deer and Waitts lakes in Stevens County also are good. "But fish deep for those fish this time of year," Donley said. " They're not along the shorelines like they were during spring spawning. You have to jig for them at 25 feet or deeper."

  Donley also recommends trout fishing during early morning hours or at night in the region. "Rainbows are really active now at night," he said. "Lake Roosevelt continues to produce them, and a lot of the smaller lakes up north and around Spokane are still a good bet." The lower Spokane River has nice rainbows and browns, and is much better fishing this year. Donley reminds river anglers to comply with the catch and gear restrictions listed in the fishing rules pamphlet.

  Nighttime fishing for kokanee at Loon Lake in Stevens County is very good now, Donley said. "Use your fish finder to locate kokanee, then anchor over the top and fish for them," he said.

  Curt Vail, WDFW district fish biologist in Colville, said the Pend Oreille River continues to produce good catches of large northern pike. The river is also a good bet for largemouth bass, especially from Ione to Box Canyon Dam, and smallmouth bass in the Metaline Falls area.

• Wildlife viewing: Steve Zender, WDFW district wildlife biologist in Chewelah, said the best opportunity to view whitetail deer bucks in northeast Washington is late July through August. "Antler growth is nearly complete on the larger bucks but velvet won't be shed until early September," Zender said. "We find that later, as the hormone levels rise and the velvet is shed, the bucks apparently become more wary and it's not so easy to view them." Zender said bucks are now feeding in alfalfa fields and clear-cuts in the evening throughout the district.

  Zender also said that chicks are visible with common loon pairs at Swan and Ferry lakes, south of Republic in Ferry County.

  Hot, dry conditions can bring wild animals in search of food and water closer to people. Deer find irrigated vegetation tastier than dry fare, and cougars will sometimes follow the deer. Black bears also could be on the prowl for easy pickings if wild berry patches are spent. Be alert to the possible presence of these potentially dangerous wild animals. Enjoy them from a distance by giving them a wide berth. Avoid attracting them by keeping campsites tidy and storing food in wildlife-proof containers away from tents. More information about living with cougars can be found at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/cougar/cougar.htm. Information about living with bears can be found at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/blkbear/blkbear.htm.

  Wildlife viewers are reminded to be especially careful with anything that could inadvertently start a wildfire, such as warm motor vehicles parked on dry grass, campfires or stoves, and smoking materials.

North Central Washington:

• Fishing: Fishing has been hot lately at the Potholes Reservoir. Fishing for walleye early in the morning and top water bass in the evening has been good. Trolling for walleye with a spinner and crawlers or dragging leeches has been producing walleye in the sand dunes area of the reservoir. Trolling 90 to 125 feet behind the boat at about two miles an hour in 20 feet of water is working effectively. Some big crappie have been caught in the dunes area, but more are hitting jigs tipped with bait at the Mardon Resort dock during early morning hours. Bass, perch and catfish are coming in on night crawlers.

  Early morning and evening are also the best times to fish lakes in the Okanogan district of the region during the heat of summer. Both Conconullys, Spectacle, Wannacut, Alta, and Pearrygin are still producing trout. Fishing for bluegill and crappie continues to be good at Leader Lake and yellow perch have been caught at Patterson Lake.

• Wildlife viewing: Scott Fitkin, WDFW district wildlife biologist in Winthrop, said now is a great time to get up into the high country in the Okanogan and experience the alpine environment. "The wildflower show there supports a tremendous variety of butterfly species," he said. "In fact, Okanogan County supports the state's greatest butterfly diversity. The only Washington records for two alpine species are on Slate Peak, northwest of Mazama. There are also other alpine residents to watch for, like ptarmigan, hoary marmots and pikas." Access this year may be a little more difficult because of a major rockslide that closed Hart's Pass Road, Fitkin said. "The other fairly accessible spots - Tiffany Mountain and Horseshoe Basin - both burned in wildfires last year and I'm unsure of trail conditions and access," he said. "Check with the Forest Service about access and conditions before going."

  A common loon pair at Lost Lake, about 20 miles northeast of Tonasket in eastern Okanogan County, has successfully fledged chicks again this year, Fitkin said. "This year they're the only loon chicks we're aware of in the county," he said. Both adults and chicks are readily observable this time of year.

  Spotted mule deer fawns are more visible in the valleys of Okanogan County, particularly on irrigated ground at dawn and dusk, Fitkin said.

  Hot, dry conditions can bring wild animals in search of food and water closer to people. Deer find irrigated vegetation tastier than dry fare, and cougars will sometimes follow the deer. Black bears also could be on the prowl for easy pickings if wild berry patches are spent. Be alert to the possible presence of these potentially dangerous wild animals. Enjoy them from a distance by giving them a wide berth. Avoid attracting them by keeping campsites tidy and storing food in wildlife-proof containers away from tents. More information about living with cougars can be found at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/cougar/cougar.htm. Information about living with bears can be found at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/blkbear/blkbear.htm.

  Wildlife viewers are reminded to be especially careful with anything that could inadvertently start a wildfire, such as warm motor vehicles parked on dry grass, campfires or stoves, and smoking materials.

South Central Washington:

• Fishing: Recent hot weather has been discouraging lowland lake fishing and encouraging anglers to head for the mountains. Jim Cummins, WDFW fish biologist in Yakima, said mountain trails are snow free, except at the very highest elevations. "But bugs are abundant," he said. "So in most areas insect repellent is a necessity." Cummins said alpine lakes should be producing cutthroat, rainbow and eastern brook trout "until the snow flies this fall." For information on high lake fishing check "Trout Fishing in Washington's High Lakes" at http://wdfw.wa.gov/outreach/fishing/highlake.htm or the southcentral region's recent fish stocking records for high lakes at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regions/reg3/highlakes.pdf. "Just remember that many lakes have natural reproduction and do not require stocking, so don't limit your fishing choices to the stocking list alone," he said.

• Wildlife viewing: This is usually a good time of year to watch for white pelicans and double-crested cormorants along the Yakima River near Parker Heights and west of Ellensburg near Thorp, or American pipits and gray-crowned rosy finches in the Tieton River area. Yakima Auduboners will be making their annual trek in the South Cascades in search of the "white ghost of the alpine" - the white-tailed ptarmigan - July 27-29. Contact Andy Stepniewski at 509-877-6639 or steppie@nwinfo.net to join the field trip.

  Hot, dry conditions can bring wild animals in search of food and water closer to people. Deer find irrigated vegetation tastier than dry fare, and cougars will sometimes follow the deer. Black bears also could be on the prowl for easy pickings if wild berry patches are spent. Be alert to the possible presence of these potentially dangerous wild animals. Enjoy them from a distance by giving them a wide berth. Avoid attracting them by keeping campsites tidy and storing food in wildlife-proof containers away from tents. More information about living with cougars can be found at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/cougar/cougar.htm. Information about living with bears can be found at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/blkbear/blkbear.htm.

  Wildlife viewers are reminded to be especially careful with anything that could inadvertently start a wildfire, such as warm motor vehicles parked on dry grass, campfires or stoves, and smoking materials.