Aug. 7-20, 2002

Contact: Craig Bartlett, (360) 902-2259

Wildflowers blooming on Mount Rainier, black bears foraging for huckleberries among the firs, anglers catching salmon hand over fist off the coast – these are just a few signs of high summer in Washington state. But even at the season's mid-point, there are changes in the air.

While the coastal fishery remains the hot ticket for salmon anglers, the action is expected to switch to inside waters in the weeks ahead. As of Aug. 4, fishers had caught more than three-quarters of the 42,750-fish coastwide chinook salmon quota, an indication that time is running out on the 2002 ocean chinookfest. As noted in the South Sound/Olympic Peninsula report below, anglers planning a fishing trip for salmon off the Washington coast after Aug. 11 should check the WDFW Fishing Hotline (360-902-2500) for an update on the season.

Not that there aren't plenty of alternatives. The Buoy 10 salmon fishery at the mouth of the Columbia River is expected to catch fire during the third week of August and productive chinook fisheries are already under way in areas ranging from the upper Columbia near Brewster to Point Defiance in Puget Sound. Meanwhile, steelhead anglers are averaging one fish for every four rods on the lower Columbia and a substantial run of hatchery coho is expected to hit the Strait of Juan de Fuca by early September.

Visitors can also view migrating salmon at Bonneville Dam and in rivers and streams throughout the state. Other wildlife, from deer to butterflies, are also on display in forests and meadows from the Blue Mountains to Olympic National Forest.

All outdoor recreationists are reminded to be extremely careful with anything that could start more wildfires as field and forest conditions throughout the state remain dry.

North Puget Sound:

• Fishing:Salmon fishing has been fairly spotty throughout much of the region, including the coho fisheries in the San Juans, Admiralty Inlet and the terminal "bubble" fisheries for chinook on Tulalip and Elliott bays. The San Juan Islands (Marine Area 7) are open for chinook and coho fishing, with a two-fish daily limit, one chinook per day (minimum size of 22 inches). Wild coho and all chum must be released. Marine areas 8-1 and 8-2 have a two-fish daily limit, and all chinook must be released. The Tulalip bubble, in Marine Area 8-2, is open 12:01 a.m. Friday through 11:59 a.m. Monday each week through Sept. 30. There is a daily limit of two chinook, with a minimum size of 22 inches. Marine Area 9 is open for coho fishing with a two-fish daily limit, and all chinook and chum must be released. The same rules apply for Marine Area 10. "The coho fishing has been a little scratchy on what are mostly resident fish so far," said WDFW Fisheries Biologist Curt Kraemer. "Look for fishing to slowly improve as more of the ocean-going fish start to show up locally." Try trolling a Coyote spoon, green, blue or pink hootchies or fresh herring on a downrigger set at about 40 feet, give or take a few feet depending on weather conditions. The inner Elliott Bay bubble fishery, targeting returning Duwamish/Green River chinook, continues on a Friday through Sunday schedule each week until Aug. 18. There is a two-fish daily limit, and chinook must be 22 inches to retain. Chum salmon must be released. Kraemer said the chinook bubble fisheries ought to be improving soon. "We're approaching the historic peak of the chinook runs for those stocks," he said. Steelhead fishing in the region's rivers has settled into a normal pattern. "There are fair numbers of fish in the rivers, which have dropped into more typical summertime flows, and the experienced guys are still picking up fish regularly," Kraemer said. Coonstripe and pink shrimp fishing remains open in the northern portion of Marine Area 7 until Oct. 15, with a 200-foot maximum fishing depth restriction. Coonstripe and pink shrimping in Marine Area 8 remains open on a Thursday through Sunday schedule with a 150-foot depth restriction. All spot shrimp must be safely released. Check the Fishing in Washington pamphlet for a guide to shrimp identification and other regulation information. Crabbing continues throughout most of the region, with good numbers of Dungeness and red rock crab being taken along the inside of Whidbey Island and in the Edmonds areas.

• Wildlife viewing: Look for good concentrations of shorebirds along the tidelines in sheltered bays such as Port Susan, Padilla Bay and Skagit Bay. There's a chance visitors will see peregrine falcons speeding through thick knots of shorebirds in search of a meal. Higher in the sky, look for turkey vultures, plus bald and golden eagles cruising along on warm air currents. Orcas can still be spotted at rubbing beaches near Lime Kiln State Park on San Juan Island. Visitors to the northern portions of the Cascade Mountain range might catch a glimpse of surefooted mountain goats nimbly navigating the exposed rock faces. Mountain goats, which are really a member of the sheep family, are most active in the morning and evening hours. Usually solitary animals, they typically come together only during mating season during late fall and early winter. For a lowland wildlife experience, check out the Tennant Lake Interpretive Center and Fragrance Garden, 5236 Nielsen Ave. in Ferndale. There's been a summertime full of guided walks and activities at the center, built in a large wetland and operated by WDFW and Whatcom County Parks and Recreation. The center is open Thursdays through Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. and has an extensive boardwalk, viewing tower and native vegetation fragrance garden. Those interested in checking out the nightlife in a natural marsh setting can sign up for the Aug. 23 "Night Prowl," a guided tour from 8:30-10 p.m. This family tour will give participants a close-up look at a wetland at night, complete with hooting owls, the eye-shine of nocturnal mammals and mysterious marsh gas. More information is available by contacting the Tennant Lake Interpretive Center at (360) 384-3064, or on the Internet.

Olympic Peninsula/South Sound:

• Fishing: A resurgence of chinook salmon, together with increasing landings of hatchery coho, has continued to keep coastal anglers hopping from Neah Bay to Ilwaco. Catch rates through the first week of August ranged from 1.3 salmon per rod in Neah Bay to around 1.8 salmon per rod in waters off Westport and Ilwaco. Unfortunately, an end to the 2002 ocean fishery may be in sight. As of Aug. 4, anglers had caught approximately 76 percent of the coastwide recreational chinook quota (and 33 percent of the coastwide coho quota), raising questions about how much longer the ocean fishery can last."We're going to have to make some decisions about the ocean fishery fairly soon," Pat Pattillo, WDFW's anadromous fish coordinator. "I'd say that if someone is planning a fishing trip after Aug. 11, they should check the Fishing Hotline for an update on the season." WDFW's Fishing Hotline number is (360) 902-2500. Information about the ocean fishery fishery will also be posted on the WDFW website and announced to the news media. While some charter boats are already gearing up for albacore tuna fishing, others continue to bring in boat limits of salmon day after day. That is not yet the case in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, where catch rates remain relatively low and the peak hatchery coho fishery is not expected until late August or early September. Off Point Defiance, however, the chinook fishery is quickly picking up speed with about one fish for every three anglers. "I counted something like 80 boats out there last Saturday," said Doug Williams, a WDFW employee. "Looks like the word's gotten out." Those looking to catch a really big chinook might want to try the Hoh River, where fish ranging from 25 pounds to 50 pounds are not uncommon. Mike Gross, regional WDFW fish biologist, reports that tribal catches remain strong, indicating that chinook fishing in the Hoh should be good through August. On the Quillayute system, summer coho are now in the river, with a few already reaching the Sol Duc hatchery. Good numbers of summer steelhead are also present. With the water low and clear, Gross recommends fishing during early mornings and evenings for best results. He also reminds anglers that unmarked chinook and coho must be released through August in the Quillayute system to reduce impacts on natural summer coho and chinook stocks.

• Wildlife viewing: The wildflowers are now in bloom on Mount Rainier, Hurricane Ridge and other alpine areas, attracting hikers and nectar-eaters alike. On the trail to Sluiskin Falls at Mount Rainier National Park, brown and yellow butterflies can be seen flitting between purple aster, fireweed and ragwort. The most common species – the brightly colored silver spot (Argynnis), fritillary (Brenthis) and American tortoise shell (Venessa) – are all members of the Nymphalidae family, characterized by legs too short for walking. Dozens of other species, from tiny skippers to northern blues, add to the kaleidoscope of color as they pollinate the wildflowers in the process of drawing nectar. Hikers should also watch for white-tailed ptarmigan, marmots, pikas and mountain goats, all of which can be found in the park. Whether at the national park or in other wooded areas, people should also keep a lookout for bears, said Michael O'Malley, WDFW watchable wildlife coordinator. "The huckleberries are coming into season, and where there are huckleberries there are bears," he said. Tips on how to avoid close encounters with bears can be found at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/blkbear/dosdonts.htm, but staying alert to the possibility of an encounter is a good first step. Johnson Point resident Ron Jones certainly wasn't prepared for the sight of the chocolate brown ragfish that washed up on his waterfront beach near Olympia. Measuring more than five feet long and weighing approximately 100 pounds, the fish is a rare sight anywhere, let alone Puget Sound. Jones contacted WDFW, which is keeping the strange fish on ice while discussing research possibilities. Normally found in the open ocean at depths of up to 1,400 feet, ragfish got their name from the fact that their bones are soft, giving them a floppy, rag-like appearance out of water.

Southwest Washington:

• Fishing: Fall chinook fishing got off to a slow start in the opening of the Buoy 10 fishery at the beginning of the month, but action should build to a peak around the third week of August, says Joe Hymer, WDFW regional fish biologist. In recent days, both effort and catch have been light. On Saturday, Aug. 3, a total of 310 private boats and 11 charter boats were counted. Joint Oregon and Washington sampling showed 270 boat anglers with 15 chinook and eight hatchery coho kept. Stronger tidal action expected in coming days generally pushes ocean forage fish farther into the Columbia River estuary, with the salmon following behind them, Hymer notes. Although few fall chinook have shown so far in the lower Columbia, fishers have plenty of hatchery steelhead activity to keep them busy while they wait. Both bank and boat anglers last week were bringing in an average of one steelhead for every four rods, including kept and released fish, from Vancouver downstream on the mainstem river. Steelhead counts at Bonneville Dam hit an annual daily high Monday, Aug. 5, when 8,700 fish passed the dam. With the upriver A-run steelhead run near its peak, Hymer notes that steelheading from the mainstem sandbars is "a pretty simple, productive and easy way to fish." Plunkers can cast their lines out with Spin-Glo bobbers, put a bell on their pole before planting it in a pole holder and then sit back and relax. Good access points are Frenchmen's Park in Vancouver, sandbar areas near Woodland and Kalama, County Line Park in Longview, Sunny Sands on Puget Island and near the mouth of the Elochoman River at the Julia Butler Hansen National Wildlife Refuge. As river temperatures warm and the fish move into tributaries to cool off, Drano Lake also offers a good opportunity to catch steelhead ranging into the mid-teen pound range using prawns, sand shrimp, or salmon eggs for bait, trolling with a flatfish, or even fly fishing. Last week, Drano Lake anglers were bringing in an average of a half fish per rod, including fish kept or released. Steelheading at the mouth of the White Salmon River is also good, Hymer notes. Access is more of a challenge – requiring boat anglers to haul their small craft over the river bank or crossing the mainstem Columbia from a boat launch at Hood River, Oregon – but crowds are generally lighter than at Drano Lake. The mouth of the Wind River can also be good at times. Steelheading also remained good on the Cowlitz last week with boat anglers bringing in an average of one fish per rod and bank anglers one fish per 4.6 rods. A new weekly record for returning summer-run steelhead was reached recently at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery when 1,300 fish returned between July 22 and 29. Other good spots to try for steelhead include the Kalama, Lewis and Washougal rivers. Meanwhile, walleye fishers were doing well last week in John Day Pool, with boat anglers averaging 1.7 fish per rod, including fish released. This is also a good time to try for tiger muskies in Mayfield Lake, and recent surveys indicate some in the 30-pound range remain in the water along with recently planted rainbow trout. For high-lake fishers, Council and Takhlah lakes offer scenic views and recently planted rainbow trout. Each lake received 4,100 catchable size trout in the last week of July.

• Wildlife viewing: With reports of large-girth fall chinook entering the Columbia River, visitors to Bonneville Dam soon should be seeing some super-sized salmon passing the fish viewing windows. There already are plenty of passing steelhead on view. For a look at the beginning and end of the salmon life cycle, visit several hatcheries on the lower Columbia where spring chinook salmon will be spawned later this month. Recent reports from the Swofford Pond at the Cowlitz Wildlife Area include a Virginia rail foraging along the water's edge, osprey and mallards.

Eastern Washington:

• Fishing: Sprague Lake is producing some warmwater fish catches, including bluegill, largemouth bass, perch, and walleye. The Little Pend Oreille chain of lakes – Coffin, Frater, Gillette, Heritage, Leo, Sherry, and Thomas – in Stevens and Pend Oreille counties have good late summer fishing for cutthroat trout. Little Twin Lake, just south of the chain, is also a good cutthroat water now. Eastern brook trout are biting at Elbow and Summit lakes, northwest of Northport in Stevens County. Loon Lake is good for nighttime kokanee fishing. Lake Roosevelt kokanee and rainbow trout are the main targets of the Two Rivers fishing tournament Aug. 17-18, headquartered at the Two Rivers Casino near Ft. Spokane, where the Spokane and Columbia rivers come together; competitive anglers can register for the event through the casino (509-722-4000) or in Spokane at the General Store on North Division or Skipper Bill's on East Sprague.

• Wildlife viewing: WDFW northeast district wildlife biologist Steve Zender recommends evening drives around the backroads of the region now to view whitetail and mule deer. "The bucks are still in velvet and tend to be less wary than after their antlers harden and they shine them up in early September," Zender said. "Fawns are beginning to venture out more with their mothers now. We still won't see the actual true ratio of fawns though for another month or more and that is why we do our buck/doe ratio surveys in August and wait until September for our fawn/doe surveys." Zender says the best time to view deer is the last 90 minutes before dark on calm, cool evenings. In the south end of the region, fish biologist Debbie Milks also reports excellent deer viewing every evening in the Blue Mountains. "Deer can be found on the edge of wheat, alfalfa, and grass fields," she says. "Look up green valleys, near the edge of a creek or river, or under apple trees." Milks recently observed more than 50 deer between Pomeroy and Dayton while driving over Blind Grade to the Tucannon River valley, then up Hartsock Grade to Dayton. Other biologists throughout the region are reporting other wildlife viewing opportunities now, too. Dana Base recently saw moose, Northern goshawk, and pine marten in the Mt. Rogers/Gillette Ridge area and wild turkeys in a high meadow off Calispell Peak, both in the northeast district. Sandy Lembcke spotted a couple of immature Great horned owls in the Chewelah city park, where she speculated they might be residents. In the far southeast corner of the region, Bob Dice reports 25 to 80 elk are highly visible and fairly used to viewers in a five to six-acre field near the Chief Joseph Wildlife Area headquarters building from late afternoon (about 5:30 p.m.) until dark every day. The Chief Joe also hosts lots of turkey and quail with chicks and bighorn sheep on the cliffs to the north side of the mouth of the Grand Ronde River.

• Hunting: Black bear hunting is open in the central district of the region now but doesn't open until September 3 in the northeast and Blue Mountains. Cougar hunting is also open now statewide. Hunters are reminded to be extra careful with anything that could start more wildfires as field and forest conditions throughout the state remain dry.

North Central Washington:

• Fishing: The Upper Columbia River summer chinook salmon fishing season that opened last month has been most productive in the stretch near the mouth of the Okanogan River between Brewster and Bridgeport in Okanogan County. WDFW fish biologist Heather Bartlett reports the bite seems to be best close to dark for boat anglers trolling with flashers and a variety of lures and baits, both with and without downriggers. The special season, which runs through mid-October, is not listed in the fishing pamphlet since it was allowable only due to the strong run of summer chinook passing Priest Rapids Dam this year. The run is expected to far surpass hatchery broodstock needs and the stock is considered stable to increasing so is not listed under the Endangered Species Act. Fishing is open between the Highway 173 bridge at Brewster and the Highway 17 bridge at Bridgeport and the very lower portion of the Okanogan River downstream of the Highway 97 Bridge to the mouth. Fishing is also open from Priest Rapids Dam upstream to Wells Dam, although recent reports indicate fishing is slower there. The daily catch limit is six salmon, but no more than two can be adults (over 24 inches). All sockeye, coho, and steelhead must be released. Potholes Reservoir walleye fishing has been good, at least in terms of the size of the fish rather than the number of catches. Potholes rainbow trout fishing has been similar: good size but not many limits. Despite cooler air and water temperatures than normal, Potholes bass fishing has continued to be good. Bluegill and crappie have shown slight improvement especially on submerged beaver huts in the sand dune area and at the Mar Don fishing dock.

• Wildlife viewing: If you're not a fisher but you like to watch fish, tag along some evening with a boat angler on the upper Columbia River in the stretch near the mouth of the Okanogan River between Brewster and Bridgeport in Okanogan County. You're bound to see dozens of big, beautiful summer chinook salmon jumping, "porpoising", skimming the surface and otherwise teasing fishermen. These bright, silvery kings can be a yard-long and 30 pounds or more, so it's a "really big show." On the terrestrial side of things, this is peak deer watching time, especially on quiet evenings, with bucks in velvet and does with spotted fawns very visible now. When you're out and about, keep your eyes open for any kind of wildlife experience. During a Habitat Evaluation Procedure survey near Okanogan last week, WDFW wildlife biologist Paul Ashley observed a bobcat with a snake in its mouth just 30 feet away.

• Hunting: Black bear and cougar hunting seasons are open throughout the region. Hunters are reminded to be extra careful with anything that could start more wildfires as field and forest conditions throughout the state remain dry.

South Central Washington:

• Fishing: The summer chinook salmon fishing season that opened last month on that part of the Columbia River from the Old Hanford townsite wooden powerline crossing upstream to Priest Rapids Dam closes Aug. 15. WDFW Fish Biologist Rick Watson reports there has been almost no effort and no catch sampled in this Hanford Reach fishery. Trout fishing is still very good and should remain so throughout the summer particularly in mountainous areas, reports WDFW fish biologist Eric Anderson. Clear, Bear, Dog and Leech lakes in Yakima County are good bets, plus many smaller mountain lakes scattered throughout the east slope of the Cascades of Yakima and Kittitas counties. The Yakima River and its tributaries continue to provide decent trout fishing, too. Anderson reminds anglers to check the fishing regulations since many of the streams have bait prohibitions and the use of artificial lures or flies with single barbless hooks is required. Catch-and-release and/or reduced trout catch limits and size restrictions are also in place on many streams in the Yakima basin.

• Wildlife viewing: WDFW regional wildlife program manager Lee Stream reports bighorn sheep are visible in the Yakima Canyon, mountain goats are regularly seen on the cliffs above Gold Run Restaurant off Highway 410, and deer and elk can sometimes be seen in the early mornings by driving some of the forest service roads in the timbered areas. As water holes dry up at the Toppenish National Wildlife Refuge, more shorebirds are drawn to the growing mudflats; according to the latest on the Tweeters line they include Virigina and sora rails, spotted and western sandpipers, Greater yellowlegs, and oddly enough a tail-wagging water pipit.

• Hunting: Black bear and cougar hunting seasons are open, although WDFW Regional Wildlife Program Manager Lee Stream notes the region does not have high numbers of either species and success is not expected to be high. "Bear hunting is best in areas with huckleberries and wet meadows in higher elevations," Stream says. "Cougar hunting will be most difficult at this time of year as prey is widely dispersed." Hunters are reminded to be extra careful with anything that could start more wildfires as field and forest conditions throughout the state remain dry.