August 12-25, 1999

Contact: Madonna Luers, 509-456-4073 or Mike Judge, 360-902-2407

If you remember the "good old days" of Washington's salmon fishing, you might want to check out the good ocean salmon fishing available right now.

If you love the beach and the taste of seafood, you've got to try surfperch fishing on Washington's beautiful coast before summer ends.

And if you're spending time in the mountains during these "dog days" of summer, watch for wildlife on the prowl for huckleberries.

Here are more details on each of these great opportunities:

Salmon fishing has been very good, especially along the Washington coast, and should get better in coming weeks, according to WDFW's Tony Floor, an avid salmon fisherman.

"The quality and size of this year's returning salmon are the best in years, especially in the ocean," Floor said. "Fishers just need to remember they're required in most areas to use barbless hooks which allow them to catch marked hatchery coho and release wild coho."

Reports have been good from all coastal Washington sport-fishing ports, from Ilwaco to the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Many anglers are successfully releasing wild coho before catching a marked coho they can keep in the Strait. Anglers are also starting to catch good numbers of "humpies" (pink salmon) in the Strait.

One chinook per day is allowed within the two-salmon limit at Westport and Illwaco; all chinook must be released at Neah Bay and the strait, to protect weakened wild runs. Two salmon of any species may be kept off La Push where anglers have been averaging 1.3 salmon each. Even better rates were reported from Ilwaco, Westport and Neah Bay. Based on these catch rates, ocean catch quotas won't be reached for weeks, ensuring a long season.

Check the fishing hotline, (360) 902-2500, for the latest on rules.

Surfperch fishing doesn't require a boat because fishers stand in the surf or fish from a jetty or pier. Gear cost is minimal -- any spinning or casting outfit will work. With a 10- to 15-fish limit, depending on the marine area, heading home with a delicious seafood dinner is likely. From Long Beach to Kalaloch these colorful perch (redtail species) live in or near the surf and move with the tides in search of food. Surfperch are visual feeders and actively hit baits with brightly colored beads (wedding-band type spinners) and pieces of yarn. Try sand shrimp, pile worms, clam necks, mussels or squid. A small piece of very fine wire can be used to tie bait onto size 4 hook above a 1- to - 4 ounce weight attached to the end of the line. Use any rod and reel, but be sure the line is heavy enough (at least 10 lb. test) to avoid snapping when the heavy weight is cast. Some of the better areas to catch surfperch include the Long Beach Peninsula (Beard's Hollow); the beach just south of Westport south jetty; Damon Point at Ocean Shores to Moclips; Kalaloch and Beach Trail 4. Surfperch usually bite best on the flooding tide. You will need a saltwater license for surfperch. Check the "WDFW Fishing in Washington" pamphlet for rules and regulations. For more on how and where to catch surfperch, get a copy of WDFW's "Coastal WA Jetty and Surf Fishing" booklet from WDFW Angler Education Coordinator Jim Byrd (360) 586-3104.

Wildlife viewing in the mountains goes with late August huckleberry picking like ice-cream goes with pie. Berry abundance and ripeness varies across the state, especially with this year's heavy snowpack and late summer. Wherever you are, you're likely to share a picking patch with berry-loving wildlife, such as bears, coyotes and forest grouse. Most wildlife will slip away upon your approach. But depending on wind direction, near-sighted bears may not. Avoid surprising a bear by making noise as you enter the brush. If you see a bear, give it space and let it have the huckleberries. If a bear is suddenly in your face, defending its berry patch, don't run; back away slowly, talk quietly, avoid eye contact; if attacked, drop down, cover your head, play dead, and the bear will most likely wander off. (Also see: Do's and Don'ts in Black Bear Country)

Other viewing & fishing opportunities:

• Eastern: White pelicans are grouping at some eastside lakes now and should be around for the rest of the month. Breeding birds from the north, with gray-colored young in tow, are joining resident non-breeders which have been with us all summer. Sprague Lake on the Lincoln-Adams county line is a good place to see pelicans, according to WDFW District Wildlife Biologist Jerry Hickman. But now the big birds are also seen at Coffeepot Lake and the Swanson Lake Wildlife Area in central Lincoln County, and at Philleo Lake near Spangle in Spokane County. Pelican watchers can call WDFW's Swanson Lake Wildlife Area (509) 636-2344 for the latest on where to look. The Little Pend Oreille chain of lakes – Coffin, Frater, Gillette, Heritage, Leo, Sherry and Thomas – in Stevens and Pend Oreille counties offer 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, in Stevens County.

• Northcentral: In the Columbia Basin, shorebirds like avocets, phalaropes, and black-necked stilts, are foraging on mudflats appearing as heat dries up small waterholes. These colorful birds and others have been rearing families at many WDFW wildlife areas in eastern Washington all summer. Now they're also showing up at roadside mudflats and other new spots. Many small alpine lakes in Okanogan County are accessible and fishing is picking up. The area's larger lakes, like Conconully and Wannacut, are producing nice rainbows. Methow Valley streams also provide good fishing. The water level at Potholes Reservoir in Grant County remains higher than normal so the dunes are still very accessible for largemouth bass; smallmouth bass are plentiful along the dam, and the net-pen-reared rainbow trout continue to bite. Perch fishing is good in Soda and Long lakes, along the canal south of Potholes.

• Southcentral: Hike, ride horseback, camp or picnic at the 50,000-acre L.T. Murray Wildlife Area in Kittitas County, and see elk, mule deer, black bear, goshawks, golden eagles and a host of other animals. The area is drained by fish-bearing streams that empty into the Yakima River. Taneum Creek, for one, offers fair fishing for rainbow and cutthroat trout, but remember that selective gear rules are in effect.

• Southwest: Check out the mountain goats in Mt. Rainier National Park in the south Cascades, especially in the Sunrise area. Hiking trails offer the best goat viewing, but sometimes goats are close to roads. Backpackers in the Goat Rocks Wilderness Area south of the park are almost sure to get a glimpse. The Cowlitz River, especially around Blue Creek, offers steelhead fishing with boat anglers averaging one hatchery fish for every two rods. On the Kalama River, recycled hatchery steelhead are providing some action. Boat anglers at Drano Lake report good catches of summer run steelhead trolling with lures, plugs, flies or plunking with fresh shrimp, salmon eggs or sand shrimp. Good catches of summer-run hatchery steelhead are coming from bank anglers on the Lower Columbia from Woodland to Cathlamet. Some fall chinook also are appearing in the catches. Overall steelhead counts at Bonneville Dam reflect the recent 10-year average; but wild fish counts are three times higher than the 1993-1997 average. Sturgeon boat anglers in the estuary are averaging one legal kept catch for every three rods.

• Northwest: The San Juan Islands offer viewing for orcas and other whales, porpoises, otters, marine birds and bald eagles. Forget fighting traffic, just walk on the ferry at Anacortes and explore Friday Harbor and other parts of San Juan Island on foot. North Cascades alpine lake fishing is picking up as winter snow and ice finally recede from more high country trails. Best bets are the Stevens Pass area, the Green River watershed, Pratt River valley, and Snoqualmie Pass. Some lakes above 5,000 feet may not be accessible at all this year.

• Coastal: The Scatter Creek Wildlife Area, south of Olympia in Thurston County, offers opportunities to view beavers, muskrats, the occasional river otter and lots of birds, including mosquito-eating purple martins. Late August is peak time for albacore tuna fishing along the central and southern Washington coast.