August 8-21, 2001

Contact: Craig Bartlett, (360) 902-2408

Fishing is great - don't let citations spoil it

Recreational salmon fishing remains red hot off the Washington coast and the Buoy 10 fishery is heating up for a sizzling season at the mouth of the Columbia River. Across the Cascades, anglers are filling six-fish bag limits on upper Columbia with sockeye and chinook jacks while fishers on both sides of the mountains look forward to the Lake Wenatchee sockeye season that opens Friday and runs through Aug. 19.

With so many salmon to catch in so many parts of the state, could this year's fishing season get any better?

Yes, it could, says Capt. Mike Cenci, head of the marine enforcement patrol for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). As Cenci and others who enforce the state's fishing regulations see it, there is definitely room for improvement in angler compliance with WDFW's selective fishing rules.

"In today's fisheries, it is absolutely critical that anglers know the rules and follow them," Cenci said. "Most accept that responsibility, but there is a small but significant number who either don't know the rules or choose to ignore them."

Of the thousands of anglers interviewed by the WDFW Marine Detachment so far this year, approximately 98 percent in marine areas 1-3 (the Columbia River to Cape Alava) were in compliance with state regulations, Cenci said.

"That's not too bad," said Cenci, adding that the most common violations include retaining wild, unmarked coho, exceeding the daily bag limit and using barbed hooks.

More troubling, Cenci said, are the statistics from marine areas 4 and 5 (Neah Bay and Sekiu), where compliance rates have been running around 95 percent.

"We're working very hard to educate people who fish in those areas," Cenci said. "Those violations not only jeopardize the resource, they will also be a factor in determining next year's fishing seasons. Everybody loses when people break the rules."

Like Cenci, most WDFW enforcement officers say they are more likely to let someone off with a warning if they make an honest mistake than if they blatantly violate the regulations.

But that kind of tolerance only goes so far. WDFW recently issued a public warning that the agency may start issuing citations to anglers on the upper Columbia River who mistake adult sockeye for jack chinook in calculating their bag limit. Because the salmon fishery in that area is relatively new, officers have generally let people off with a warning. But that may change if the bag-limit violations continue, said WDFW biologist Heather Bartlett.

"Anglers have a basic responsibility to know what species are in their catch," Bartlett said. "Sockeye stocks can sustain a fishery, but only if people stay within the limit."

WDFW issued a similar warning to anglers on the Hoh River, where some have been observed holding native chinook out of the water for photos before releasing them. "That is not an acceptable way to handle these sensitive fish before releasing them," said WDFW district fish biologist Bill Freymond. "It greatly increases the odd that those fish will die and could require us to close the fishery early."

The proper method for releasing fish is described in the WDFW "Sport Fishing in Washington" rules pamphlet, which also contains a wealth of fishing opportunities awaiting anglers this month. Highlights are described in the regional summaries below, but remember to familiarize yourself with the rules and follow them when you're on the water.

Hunters gearing up and scouting for coming fall seasons will want to pick up a copy of "Game Trails: Washington Hunting News," a free, eight-page publication from WDFW that includes prospects for deer, elk, upland game birds, and black bear. Now available at all WDFW offices and most hunting license dealers, "Game Trails" also provides information on Washington's 65 wildlife areas, Weyerhaeuser Tree Farm access, upland wildlife restoration and private land access, the new hunter reporting requirement, and other subjects. "Game Trails" is also available at www.wdfw\.wa\.gov/wlm/game/hunter/gametrails

Hunters are also reminded that Sunday (Aug. 12) is the deadline for purchasing raffle tickets for chances to participate in special-permit, big game hunts. Winning tickets will be drawn at 1 p.m., Monday, Aug. 13 at the WDFW headquarters in the Natural Resource Building, 1111 Washington St., in Olympia. One winner will be chosen for each of the following hunts buck deer, bull elk, moose and bighorn sheep. Tickets, $5 each and $10 for bighorn sheep, may be purchased at all WDFW offices, online at http://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov on the Internet or by phone toll-free at 1-866-246- 9453.

And whether you're fishing, hunting or enjoying some other outdoor activity in the months ahead, remember to be extremely careful with anything that could spark a forest fire. Outdoor burning bans are in effect in a number of counties and everyone has a responsibility to be especially vigilant in preventing forest fires this year.

North Puget Sound:

• Fishing: It's the peak of the pink salmon season in northern Puget Sound. Pinks are pouring in through Admiralty Inlet (Marine Area 9) and into Marine Area 8-2, which stretches from Port Susan to the south end of Whidbey Island, with hundreds of thousands of humpies returning to streams like the Stillaguamish and Skagit rivers. Pinks are the smallest of the Pacific Northwest's salmon species and generally return to western Washington streams only in odd-numbered years. Fishing for coho salmon is also beginning to heat up in the north sound, with lots of anglers landing resident fish in the three- to seven-pound range, said WDFW fisheries biologist Curt Kraemer. Coho fishing should continue to improve through Labor Day as the fish increase in size and ocean-going silvers begin showing up, Kraemer said. It's possible that salmon fishing in the innermost portion of Elliott Bay, in Marine Area 10, could continue through August on a weekends-only schedule. Three weekend fisheries targeting healthy Green River chinook stocks in Elliott Bay have already occurred this summer, with solid catches reported. Additional sport fisheries are dependent upon the results of treaty Indian test fisheries which will help determine the available number of harvestable chinook. Call the WDFW Fishing Hotline, (360) 902-2500, for current fisheries regulation information.  
• Nooksack River advisory: Low water flows in the north fork of the Nooksack River could lead to an emergency temporary rafting and boating closure to protect spawning chinook salmon. If a closure becomes necessary, it will affect the portion of the river just east of Glacier from the Highway 542 bridge (near the Douglas-fir Campground) downstream about 2½ miles to the National Forest boundary (located approximately one-quarter mile upstream from the mouth of Cornell Creek). The temporary ban would apply to all private and commercial boating and rafting during a period of high recreational floating activities. Boaters, rafters, kayakers, and inner tubers should check with the local U.S. Forest Service office before heading to the north fork of the Nooksack.  
• Wildlife Viewing: Look for large gatherings of sandpipers and a host of other shorebirds at the West 90 Ponds near the mouth of the Samish River in northern Skagit County.

Southwest Washington:

• Fishing: The Buoy 10 salmon fishery at the mouth of the Columbia River started out with a bang. Doug Milward, WDFW ocean fisheries manager reports catch rates during the first weekend of August averaged 1.5 salmon per angler, then dropped to around one half fish per angler mostly coho. That's still much better for early August than in most years, Milward said. The pace is expected to pick up substantially by Aug. 16, when the bag limit increases to three salmon (no more than one of which can be a chinook) and the biggest run of coho in 15 years begins to move through the area en masse. "We expect a lot of fish and a lot of fishers," said Milward, noting that more than 1,000 boats typically pack the fishery on weekend days when the run is at its peak. "It should be a great fishery this year, so long as everyone keeps their cool and an atmosphere of civility," he added. Joe Hymer, WDFW fish biologist at the Region 5 office in Vancouver, notes that some of the lower Columbia's better salmon fishing spots are at the mouth of the Cowlitz and Lewis rivers. Fishing for fall chinook should continue to improve there and in deeper water lanes of the mainstem river, where waters are coolest, he added. Meanwhile, with an all-time record run of A-run steelhead returning to the Columbia River, fishing opportunities for hatchery steelhead downstream from the Highway 395 bridge at Pasco are strong, especially in Bonneville Pool and tributaries such as Drano Lake and the lower Wind and White Salmon rivers. As of Aug. 6, a total of 300,000 steelhead had been counted at Bonneville Dam, beating the former record run of 276,442 counted in 1986. Meanwhile, daily tallies continue in the ten thousand range with a new record of 14,432 fish counted on August 3. Counting of A-run steelhead, those fish destined primarily to the upper Columbia, will continue until Aug. 25. Hymer advises anglers at the Bonneville Pool tributaries that, unlike salmon, steelhead tend to bite well at night. Lighted lures, cured or dyed prawns, sand shrimp, eggs, flies and spinners all work well, he said, but fishers are reminded that a non-buoyant lure restriction is in effect on the tributaries listed above. For sturgeon enthusiasts, John Day Pool remains open, while Bonneville Pool closes to sturgeon retention Aug. 13, and the lower Columbia is under catch- and-release rules through Sept. 30. Lake fishing also has its highlights a 28-pound tiger muskie was caught July 28 in Mayfield Lake. The lunker was released and awaits another angler. Merwin Reservoir, on the Lewis River system, is also a good prospect for tiger muskies.  
• Wildlife Viewing: Regional wildlife watching opportunities stretch from the mouth of the Columbia River, where brown pelicans can be spotted, to mountain meadows where ripening berries and seeds and plentiful insects are drawing warblers, juncoes, chipping sparrows and bluebirds. On the Cowlitz Wildlife Area young wood ducks and mallards hatched this past spring are now learning to use their wings. Fawns are becoming more independent as well, and sometimes can be seen moving and feeding with no adults visible. Meanwhile vividly striped black and yellow garter snakes are abundant throughout the area, and pastures on the wildlife area are being used by blacktail deer and elk. At Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, baby black terns can be spotted on the south unit. The four pairs which produced the young are believed to be the first to breed west of the Cascades. To try for a peek and to see a host of other birds including bitterns, northern harriers, herons and egrets, drive the south unit auto loop.

South Sound/Olympic Peninsula:

• Fishing: The coho are hitting harder and harder on the coast as the 2001 coastal salmon fishery reaches a fever pitch. "A lot of people are limiting out by 8 a.m.," said Terry Smith at Coho Charters in Westport. "They've really been hitting hard in the past week." The same can be said of every ocean fishery from Neah Bay to Ilwaco, said Doug Milward, ocean fishing manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, who reminds anglers that only hatchery coho with a clipped adipose fin may be retained. As of Aug. 5, catch totals for the four ocean fishing areas stood as follows:
  • Marine Area 1 (Ilwaco): 3,612 chinook (47% of the guideline), 50,309 coho (49% of the sub- quota), five pink salmon.
  • Marine Area 2 (Westport): 12,226 chinook (63% of the guideline), 31,370 coho (38% of the guideline) and 759 pink salmon.
  • Marine Area 3 (La Push): 321 chinook (32% of the guideline), 1,776 coho (33% of the sub- quota) and 118 pink salmon.
  • Marine Area 4 (Neah Bay): 1,104 chinook (65% of the guideline), 9,854 coho (42% of the sub- quota) and 1,747 pink salmon.  

  Anglers are also scoring big in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, catching lots of hatchery coho and even more pink salmon from Sekiu to Ediz Hook. "People in Port Angeles are saying they caught more pinks on the August 1 opener than they've seen in several years, Milward said. Pink salmon are also moving into north Puget Sound in increasing number, providing some especially hot fishing on Hood Canal near the hatchery in Hoodsport. Summer steelhead fishing is also picking up on northern peninsula rivers, including the Bogachiel, Sol Duc and Lyre. Anglers are taking 8-12 pound steelies from all three, but read the regulations carefully for area rules, cautions Bill Freymond, WDFW district biologist. He also reminds anglers that fishing is closed on portions of the Dungeness and Lower Graywolf Rivers to protect depleted stocks of spring/summer chinook and pink salmon stocks. The chinook are listed as "threatened" under the federal Endangered Species Act and the pink stocks are listed as "critical" by the state. Survey teams have reported anglers fishing illegally on both rivers. Closed areas are described in the WDFW "Fishing in Washington" rules pamphlet.

• Wildlife viewing: Southbound motorists on I-5 near Tumwater were recently treated to an unexpected view of the native wildlife. A black bear, weighing 150 to 200 pounds, was eating berries alongside the freeway, tying up traffic as drivers slowed down to gawk. The bear later gave state workers a private show at the nearby Labor and Industries building, perching on a chain-link fence for photos. "I noticed that people on the trails around the building picked up their pace considerably when the bear showed up," said WDFW enforcement officer Greg Haw. Concerned about the bear's proximity to the freeway and residential areas, Haw set out several live traps in an effort to capture the bear. "The biggest threat is probably that the bear will cause a traffic problem on the freeway," Haw said. Meanwhile, enormous flocks of sooty shearwaters are putting on a show of their own on Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor. Dark in color as their name suggests and slightly bigger than a crow, shearwaters flock by the tens of thousands and dive in a continuous loop to feed on anchovies, sardines and other small fish. "They look like a huge conveyor belt when they feed," said Bill Tweit, a WDFW policy advisor and an avid birder. "We haven't seen them in these numbers for a decade or more, which is an indication that our food fish stocks are in better shape than they have been." Numerous other shorebird species are also arriving from the south, he said, including the common murre, which looks a bit like a small penguin. Look for them along jetties and craggy shorelines. If you see an adult in the water trailed by a string of baby birds, it's probably a male. The females fly north on their own.

Eastern Washington:

• Fishing: These "dog days" of summer have slowed fishing action in some areas, particularly in lowland trout lakes. But there's still lots of kokanee to be caught in Lake Roosevelt, as well as in Stevens County's Loon Lake, particularly at night. The Little Pend Oreille chain of lakes in the higher elevation country to the north are also still fair for cutthroat trout. Sprague Lake is producing some warmwater fish catches, including bluegill, largemouth bass, perch, and walleye. Snake River channel catfish and smallmouth bass fishing may be heating up with the temperatures. An outdoor burning ban with campfire restrictions continues in the southeast counties of Asotin, Columbia, Garfield and Walla Walla. Wildfire danger remains extremely high everywhere in this region, so be careful with all smoking materials and any other potential fire starters.  
• Wildlife viewing: Head for the hills to escape the summer heat and, while you're up there, watch for butterflies and bears. Butterflies follow blooming, nectar-producing flowers, and at this time of year many of those are in mountain meadows. Open, sunny areas are generally good butterfly watching spots. You might see blues, coppers, fritillaries, hairstreaks, monarchs, painted ladies, or viceroys. There are about 200 species in the Pacific Northwest, so take a butterfly identification book along, or check out www.npsc.nbs.gov/resource/distr/lepid/bflyusa/wa/toc.htm before you go. Bears follow food sources, too, of course, and that includes mountain huckleberries now. If you happen to be picking some of these delectable berries yourself, keep a sharp eye and ear out for bears sharing the berry patch. Black bears can be encountered anywhere in the region, from the Blue Mountains in the south to the Selkirks up north. Endangered grizzly bears are possible in the northeast. Both should be treated with the respect due potentially dangerous wildlife. Yield to berry-picking bears of any kind after all, they don't just enjoy the berries, they survive on them! For more information about bears, see www.wdfw\.wa\.gov/wlm/game/blkbear/blkbear.htm. Remember that an outdoor burning ban with campfire restrictions continues in the southeast counties of Asotin, Columbia, Garfield and Walla Walla. Wildfire danger remains extremely high throughout the region, so be careful with all smoking materials and any other potential fire starters.

Northcentral Washington:

• Fishing: Lake Wenatchee's sockeye salmon season will finally open Aug. 10 and run through the 19th, now that fish biologists are satisfied that the run will be sufficient for some harvest. The daily limit is two sockeye salmon 16 inches or greater in length. All sockeye with missing adipose fin must be released, and all bull trout must be released. Many fishers are used to keeping only those fish missing the adipose fin, which identifies hatchery-origin salmon. But the lack of an adipose fin on a Lake Wenatchee sockeye means the fish has been equipped with a radio transmitter that allows biologists to monitor its movements through the lake and determine spawning sites. Night closure and non-buoyant lure restrictions will be in effect, and no fishing is allowed within 100 feet of the net pens near the mouth of White River. In addition to sockeye, anglers can also keep five kokanee trout under 16 inches per day. There is no minimum size restriction on the trout. Kokanee 16 inches and over are considered sockeye salmon and count toward the daily two-salmon limit on Lake Wenatchee. Potholes Reservoir's surface water temperature has been hovering around 80 degrees and that makes for great top-water bass fishing. Buzz baits, trick baits, and poppers are popular for bass action. Potholes crappie are showing an improved bite but bluegill continue only fair. Perch action has been very good from many corners of the reservoir. Potholes walleye fishing has been slow. Limits of rainbow trout to 22 inches have been reported, with trollers doing especially well near the Mar Don Dock at the mouth of Frenchman's Wasteway and along Medicare Beach. At Moses Lake, perch fishing continues to be very productive. Walleye are also hitting at Moses Lake. Remember that an outdoor burning ban with campfire restrictions continues in Douglas County. Wildfire danger remains extremely high throughout the region so be careful with all smoking materials and any other potential fire starters.  
• Wildlife viewing: Head for the hills to escape the summer heat, and while you're up there, watch for butterflies and bears. Butterflies follow blooming, nectar-producing flowers, and at this time of year many of those are in mountain meadows. Open, sunny areas in general are good butterfly watching spots. You might see blues, coppers, fritillaries, hairstreaks, monarchs, painted ladies, or viceroys. There are about 200 species in the Pacific Northwest, so take a butterfly identification book along, or check out www.npsc.nbs.gov/resource/distr/lepid/bflyusa/wa/toc.htm before you go. Bears follow food sources, too, of course, and that includes mountain huckleberries now. If you're picking some of these delectable fruits yourself these days, keep a sharp eye and ear out for bears sharing the berry patch. Black bears can be encountered almost anywhere in the region, but are particularly numerous in Chelan and Okanogan counties. The North Cascades are also home to a few endangered grizzly bears. Both should be treated with the respect due potentially dangerous wildlife. Yield to berry-picking bears of any kind - after all, they don't just enjoy the berries, they survive on them! For more information about bears, see www.wdfw\.wa\.gov/wlm/game/blkbear/blkbear.htm. Remember that an outdoor burning ban with campfire restrictions continues in Douglas County. Wildfire danger remains extremely high everywhere in this region, so be careful with all smoking materials and any other potential fire starters.

Southcentral Washington:

• Fishing: Fly-fishing for rainbow and cutthroat trout continues on the Naches, Little Naches, and Tieton rivers, and Rattlesnake Creek in Yakima County as well as the Taneum, upper Naneum, and upper Teanaway in Kittitas County. Most high-elevation tributaries to the Naches and Yakima watersheds also have good populations of small cutthroat trout. Most streams have special rules, often requiring selective gear, so fishers should check the regulation pamphlet. Kokanee fishing is good in the Yakima Basin reservoirs, including Rimrock, Bumping, Kachess and Keechelus. Remember that an outdoor burning ban with campfire restrictions continues in Kittitas, Klickitat and Yakima counties. Wildfire danger remains extremely high everywhere in the region, so be careful with all smoking materials and any other potential fire starters.  
• Wildlife viewing: Head for the hills to escape the summer heat, and while you're up there, watch for butterflies and bears. Butterflies follow blooming, nectar-producing flowers, and at this time of year many of those are in mountain meadows. Open, sunny areas in general are good butterfly watching spots. You might see blues, coppers, fritillaries, hairstreaks, monarchs, painted ladies, or viceroys. There are about 200 species in the Pacific Northwest, so take a butterfly identification book along, or check out www.npsc.nbs.gov/resource/distr/lepid/bflyusa/wa/toc.htm before you go. Bears follow food sources, too, of course, and that includes mountain huckleberries now. If you're picking some of these delectable fruits yourself these days, keep a sharp eye and ear out for bears sharing the berry patch. Black bears can be encountered almost anywhere in the region, but are particularly numerous in Kittitas and Yakima counties. Black bears should be treated with the respect due potentially dangerous wildlife. Always yield to berry-picking bears after all, they don't just enjoy the berries, they survive on them! For more information about bears, see www.wdfw\.wa\.gov/wlm/game/blkbear/blkbear.htm. Remember that an outdoor burning ban with campfire restrictions continues in Kittitas, Klickitat or Yakima counties Wildfire danger remains extremely high everywhere in the region, so be careful with all smoking materials and any other potential fire starters.