June 23 - July 6, 2004

Contact: Craig Bartlett, (360) 902-2259 or Madonna Luers, (509) 456-4073

Salmon fishing kicks into high gear in the next two weeks, as the Washington coast, the Strait of Juan de Fuca and several areas of Puget Sound open for business.

As most saltwater anglers know, the ocean salmon fishery gets under way Sunday, June 27, in marine areas 1-4 off the Washington coast. With coastwide quotas of 44,500 chinook and 202,500, prospects for this year's sport fishery are looking good.

"All signs point to another good year of ocean fishing," said Phil Anderson, special assistant to the director at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). "Again this year, the fishing season has been structured to meet the conservation objectives for wild chinook and incorporates selective-fishing rules to meet our coho management objectives."

Toward that end, anglers must release any coho salmon they catch that have not been fin-clipped for identification as a hatchery fish. Like last year, the daily limit is two salmon, only one of which can be a chinook salmon. Chinook must measure at least 26 inches.

Selective fishing rules will also be in effect in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, which opens for salmon fishing July 1. Like last year, anglers can retain two hatchery salmon per day- including hatchery chinook- from the mouth of the Sekiu River to the tip of Ediz Hook (Marine Area 5 and the western portion of Marine Area 6). All wild salmon must be released.

Several areas in Puget Sound also open for salmon fishing July 1, including the San Juan Islands (Marine Area 7), the Seattle-Bremerton area (Marine Area 10) and Hood Canal (Marine Area 12). Add all those openings to ongoing fisheries for crab, sturgeon and trout, and you'll see why many Washington fishers like to take their vacations in July.

Whether fishing or doing anything else outdoors during the weeks ahead, remember that fireworks and campfires are prohibited on all WDFW lands, including water access sites, and some other public lands (check before you go.) Late-spring rains across the state have left the landscape deceptively green, but lush growth dries out quickly, especially in eastern Washington, and the danger of wildfires is high.

A few other things to keep in mind for summertime outdoor recreation:

• Use personal flotation devices (PFDs) on or near water, especially for children.
• Be patient at public boat launches and help those who need it.
• Leave young wild animals alone.
• Keep a clean camp or picnic site to avoid problems with bears.
• Hike in groups and keep children and pets close to avoid problems with cougars.
• Carry your fishing license while fishing and display a vehicle-use permit on your vehicle when parked in a WDFW site. Both are available at fishing/hunting license dealers.

Here's a summary of current recreation opportunities across the state:

North Puget Sound:

• Fishing: The first weekend of the popular Tulalip Bay "bubble" fishery, the region's first chinook salmon-fishing opportunity of the summer, produced a bumper crop of anglers, and a handful of fish - including some kings in the 20-pound range. The fishery opened June 18 and runs through the summer from 12:01 a.m., Fridays through 11:59 a.m., Mondays each week. The daily limit is two fish, and retained chinook must be at least 22 inches; there is no minimum size for other salmon. Success rates at Tulalip should improve by the second week of July as more fish move into the terminal area. Check the "Fishing in Washington" sport fishing pamphlet for bubble-fishery boundaries. Salmon anglers don't have much longer to wait for additional fishing opportunities in the region. Salmon fishing begins July 1 in the San Juan Islands with a two-fish daily limit, only one of which can be a chinook. The 22-inch minimum rule is in effect for chinook; there is no minimum-size requirement for other salmon. The catch-and-release fishery in the northern portion of Marine Area 10 continues through the end of June. The fishery is open north of a line from Meadow Point to Point Monroe. All of Marine Area 10 opens July 1 with a two-fish daily limit and a requirement that all chinook be released. Marine Area 11 opened to salmon fishing June 16 with a two-fish daily limit and a 22-inch minimum length for chinook. Marine Area 9 opens to salmon fishing July 16 with a two-fish daily limit and a release requirement for all chinook. Remember that new salmon-handling rules are in effect this year for all of the region's marine and freshwater areas. In marine areas, species that can't be retained can't be brought aboard a vessel. For freshwater areas, it is unlawful to completely remove a salmon or steelhead from the water if the fish cannot be kept. Leave the fish in the water and use a dehooker to release chinook. If the hook is deep in the fish's mouth, cut the line as close as possible to the hook. Halibut fishing has been fair throughout the region. The fishery is open on a Thursday-through-Monday schedule each week, and the daily limit is one fish of any size. Crab fishing has been great throughout the open portions of the region. Areas currently open to crabbing are the southern portion of Marine Area 7, and all of marine areas 8-1, 8-2, 9, 10 and 11. Crabbing in marine areas 8-1 and 8-2 are open on a Friday-through-Monday schedule each week, while all other areas are open seven days a week. Freshwater anglers also have plenty of opportunities to choose from, including lake fishing for trout, bass, perch, crappie, catfish and other species. Hot weather has turned trout fishing into an early-morning or late-evening show, and anglers will probably have the best success fishing with bait on or near the bottom in deep water. Trolling a small fly at dawn or dusk could also produce a few strikes. Bass anglers are finding lots of aggressive fish, particularly near logs, in concentrations of lily pads and under docks. A thin snowpack and warm weather has opened access to some of the region's alpine lakes, where hungry trout can be taken on small flies. Packing a lightweight float tube into an alpine lake might seem like a hassle, but the extra sweat will likely be rewarded by better fishing results. A float tube gives an angler access to portions of a lake that land-bound casters can't reach. Summer-run steelhead fishing has been slow in most rivers, and dropping water levels in virtually all systems probably won't do anything to improve the bite. Despite what some frustrated steelheaders might believe, there are summer-run fish in area rivers. In fact, as of June 22, 60 steelhead had made it to the rack at the Soos Creek hatchery on the Green River, reports hatchery specialist Mike Wilson. Some anglers have been catching nice hatchery chinook salmon on the Skykomish River. The river is open to chinook fishing from the Lewis Street bridge in Monroe upstream to the confluence with the Wallace River. Only hatchery chinook may be retained. The annual sockeye fishery on a portion of the Skagit River begins July 1 from the Dalles Bridge at Concrete upstream to the confluence with the Cascade River. Fishing runs through the end of July. Curt Kraemer, WDFW regional fish program manager, said most sockeye caught in the Skagit are taken by anglers who plunk winged drift bobbers and sand shrimp. Speaking of sockeye, counts of adult fish moving through the Ballard Locks have been strong in recent days, pointing favorably toward a possible Lake Washington sockeye season later in the summer. As of June 20, twice as many sockeye had passed over the locks and into the lake system compared to the same time in 2003. Fish managers won't set a season until the run has been estimated to exceed 350,000 fish. Check out the sockeye daily counts on the Internet.

• Wildlife viewing: Early summer's extra daylight hours give birders plenty of time to scout out unusual species. One birder reporting to the Tweeters birding website counted 63 species, including several flycatchers, during a morning outing in northern Snohomish and southern Skagit counties. The willow and Hammond's were good sightings, but the one that got this birder excited was an alder flycatcher, spotted near the Skagit County community of Marblemount. Alder flycatchers tend to breed from Alaska east across Canada to the maritime provinces and south to British Columbia. A black tern, another species that is more commonly seen north of the border in Canada, was seen recently near Burlington. According to the birder's report, there have been fewer than 10 confirmed black tern sightings in Skagit County. Spring and summer black tern sightings in Washington are usually confined to the eastern half of the state. One birder on an outing to the Big Four Mountain region of eastern Snohomish County reported seeing a dozen or more black swifts foraging overhead. Black swifts are about 7 ½ inches long and feed by snatching flying insects from the sky. Look for swift nest colonies on cliffs and rocky outcroppings, particularly near waterfalls. Adult black swifts will leave their young behind when unseasonable weather interrupts their feeding. The adults will fly 100 miles or more to escape the bad weather. Meanwhile, juvenile black swifts in the nest will enter into a temporary state of torpor to survive their time without food. During torpor, the birds' breathing, heart rate and metabolism will drop significantly to minimize their need for food. Closer to the urban areas, several nighthawks were seen and heard knifing through the skies over Everett, while a bright and loud pileated woodpecker was seen jackhammering a piece of wood in search of its next meal in West Seattle's Lincoln Park. Be sure to keep birdbaths and other water sources clean and full, and keep an eye on hummingbird feeders. Nectar can spoil in warm weather - particularly if the feeder is in direct sunlight.

Olympic Peninsula/South Sound:

• Fishing: As most saltwater anglers know, the 2004 ocean salmon season gets under way Sunday, June 27, in marine areas 1-4 off the Washington coast. Ocean harvest quotas established by the Pacific Fishery Management Council point to another summer of good fishing, prompting a flurry of charter-boat reservations from Ilwaco to Neah Bay. "If the (recent) commercial troll season is any indication, we should see lots of limits on chinook," said Mark Cedergreen, executive director of the Westport Charterboat Association. For ocean fisheries, the best time to catch a chinook salmon is late June through mid-August, Cedergreen said. After that, coho take center stage. Like last year, anglers can keep two salmon per day, but only one of them can be a chinook (with a minimum length of 26 inches). Anglers can retain hatchery coho (identified by a clipped adipose fin) as part of their daily bag limit, but must release any wild coho they catch. "Selective fishing for hatchery coho has served both anglers and the resource well over the past six years," said Tim Flint, WDFW salmon manager. "We have been able to provide more fishing opportunity while providing protection to some of the weaker wild coho stocks." Flint recommends that newcomers to ocean salmon fishing start by booking a charter. "Your chances for success are good and you're fishing with an experienced skipper," Flint said. "If you plan on fishing from a private boat, safety should always be your first priority and it really helps to have someone show you the ropes," Flint said. Somewhat more forgiving, the Strait of Juan de Fuca opens July 1 for selective chinook fishing from the mouth of the Sekiu River to the tip of Ediz Hook (Marine Area 5 and the western portion of Marine Area 6). Anglers can keep two salmon per day - including two hatchery chinook (minimum size - 22 inches) but must release any wild chinook, wild coho or chum they catch. Hood Canal (Marine Area 12) also opens for retention of chinook July 1, while salmon fishing continues to pick up around Commencement Bay in Marine Area 11. (One angler recently caught a 30-pounder in the Clay Banks area!) New fish-handling rules are in effect for all "inside" fisheries, prohibiting anglers from bringing any fish that must be released into their boat. For more information on this and other rules, anglers are advised to consult WDFW's "Fishing in Washington" rules pamphlet. Although Westport charters are busy preparing for the salmon season, several still plan to offer halibut fishing trips until the area's quota is met, Cedergreen said. The north coast (marine areas 3 and 4) closed for halibut June 19, but the big flatfish are still commanding attention in Westport (which closes at 11:59 p.m. July 3), Ilwaco and most of Puget Sound. Crab fisheries are also going strong in most areas, including marine areas 4, 5, 6, 8-1, 8-2, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and part of area 7. Looking for a freshwater experience? The spring/summer chinook run is building on the Hoh River, and should peak within the next few weeks, reports Mike Gross, WDFW fish biologist. So far, fishing pressure has been fairly light, although a recent check found many of the anglers on the river got their one-fish limit. "People seem to be having the best luck in the early mornings," said Gross, noting that the chinook appear to be distributed throughout the river. On the Sol Duc River, Gross said hatchery chinook runs are beginning to taper off just as summer steelhead are beginning to show. Lakes throughout the region also continue to yield some fine catches. In Pierce County, one angler recently pulled a 14-pound catfish out of Harts Lake. At Offut Lake in Thurston County, trout are falling for orange Power Eggs as well as wedding ring/worm combinations. At Isabella and Lost lakes in Mason County, rainbow PowerBait and worms appear to be the ticket for trout anglers.

• Wildlife viewing: While Luna, the wayward killer whale, has been making news in British Columbia, other critters have been capturing headlines right here at home. "Crane-hatched falcon takes first flight," the Olympian newspaper reported after a local birder saw the seven-week-old chick leave its nest box atop a cargo crane at the Port of Olympia and perch on a nearby light post. Kelly McAllister, the WDFW wildlife biologist who rigged the nest box, later saw the chick flapping its wings on the 175-foot crane where its parents have nested for the past two years. "This is the first successful hatch we've had at this site," said McAllister, who installed the nest box on a stationary section of the crane to keep the birds out of harm's way. Last year, falcons laid three eggs on a steel beam that moved up and down with the crane's boom - with disastrous results. Thirty miles north, the Tacoma News Tribune reported on antics of a 30-foot-long humpback whale, which has been entertaining South Sound observers for several weeks. Last seen between Point Defiance and Vashon Island, the humpback has been observed breaching throughout the area, flapping and slapping its flukes. Unlike gray whales, humpbacks don't usually venture into inland waters, although occasional visits are not unprecedented. In recent years, lone humpbacks have been spotted in Puget Sound about every other year, said whale expert John Calambokidis of Cascadia Research. Noting that humpbacks are classified as an endangered species, Calambokidis urged boaters to stay at least 100 yards from the 20-ton whale. In another cautionary note, the Chinook Observer recently ran a story about a family of raccoons that has been terrorizing homeowners on the Long Beach Peninsula. According to the report, a family in Surfside fed the critters routinely for several months before relocating to Arizona. After the gravy train stopped, a caretaker notified the family that their masked "pets" had torn apart the screen door and window screens in an apparent search for food. Other neighbors reported hostile encounters with the raccoons over cat food left in dishes outside. The bottom line: Aside from birds, don't feed the wildlife.

Southwest Washington:

• Fishing: Summer has only just begun, but hatchery summer-run steelhead fishing is already hot on the Cowlitz River. During the third week of June, anglers there averaged nearly one fish per person from boats, while bank fishers reeled in one fish for every five rods. The best action was between Mission Bar and Blue Creek, reports regional Fish Biologist Joe Hymer. Steelhead catches are also improving on the Kalama, Lewis and Klickitat rivers, Hymer notes. Sturgeon are also attracting attention, with private boat anglers in the Columbia River estuary catching the big fish at a rate of one per boat during the third week of June and most charter boat anglers catching their one-fish limit. Fishers should note that sturgeon fishing goes to catch-and-release only June 26 in Bonneville Pool and its tributaries, and on June 28 in The Dalles Pool. Meanwhile, although the new, record shad run (more than 4.8 million had passed Bonneville Dam by June 22) is probably past its peak, there are still enough fish to keep anglers busy, Hymer says. During the third week of June fishers below Bonneville Dam collected an average of seven fish per rod. Summer chinook are showing up in scattered areas of the lower Columbia River. The best fishing has been just below Bonneville and John Day dams. In mid-June bank fishers below Bonneville were averaging one chinook for every four rods, including released fish. On the lakes, rainbow trout catches have been good at Mayfield Lake, while Riffe Lake has been producing land-locked coho. Anglers are catching an average of one walleye for every two rods in The Dalles Pool and one per rod in John Day Pool. Bass fishers are having good luck in Bonneville, The Dalles and John Day pools.

• Wildlife viewing: Regional Wildlife Biologist Robin Woodin reports enjoying a symphony of bird song recently in the Willapa Hills at dawn. The performance opened with tree swallows, calling and foraging over an hour before sunrise. Next to chime in were western tanagers, with a song described as "a robin needing a throat lozenge." Winter wrens joined the chorus with a blasting "squeaky wheel" sound belying their tiny, 4-inch body size. In quick order, robins, Pacific-slope flycatchers and Swainson's thrushes joined in, with spotted towhee, Stellar's jay, Oregon junco and olive-sided flycatchers right behind. Ten minutes before sunrise, a rufous hummingbird buzzed by. Immediately after sunrise, hairy woodpecker, orange-crowned and Wilson's warblers, black-capped chickadees, warbling vireos, northern flicker and black-headed grosbeak added their voices. Finally, an "early-to-bed, late-to-rise" pileated woodpecker added its two cents worth an hour and ten minutes after sunrise. Black-tail deer fawns are beginning to be seen regularly on the Klickitat Wildlife Area. The fawns are getting strong enough to follow their mothers but sometimes get confused and separated from them. WDFW staff members who have fielded calls of concern about apparently-abandoned fawns remind wildlife watchers to keep their distance from baby animals. In nearly all cases, the mothers return for their offspring, and human interference actually diminishes the young animals' odds of survival. Wild turkey poults are also beginning to be seen bugging in grassy openings on the wildlife area and surrounding lands. A Tweeters website correspondent reports an early-morning golden eagle sighting June 18 at the Cispus Learning Center south of Randle. As he stood at the edge of the woods near the river bar he spotted a golden eagle that remained stayed perched about 15 feet directly above his head. "I was glad I was not a ground squirrel, " the viewer noted.

Eastern Washington:

• Fishing: WDFW fish biologist Chris Donley reports that walleye fishing is good in Lake Roosevelt now, from the mouth of the Spokane River to China Bend. Rainbow trout catches are also good in the reservoir in the Sanpoil area and Seven Bays downstream. With Lake Roosevelt water levels close to full pool now, Donley says kokanee should also be coming on. Kokanee are hitting well at night at Stevens County's Loon and Deer lakes. Sprague Lake has been good for channel catfish and walleye. Catfish have also been the target of many Snake River anglers. Donley says most of the region's warmwater species and trout lakes are productive now, but mostly early in the morning and late in the evening. WDFW Fish Biologist Marc Divens reports catches of 12-inch rainbows at Lincoln County's Fishtrap Lake and southwest Spokane County's Badger Lake, largemouth bass at Newman Lake in eastern Spokane County, and 12-inch yellow perch at Bonnie Lake on the Spokane-Whitman county line. Divens also noted that Spokane County's Downs Lake is good for rainbow trout averaging 10-12 inches, largemouth bass and black crappie as large as 14 inches. "Anglers fishing for crappie at Downs Lake should be following the new regulation-a minimum size of 9 inches with a daily limit of 10 crappie," said Divens. The same new rule is in effect for several other lakes in the region, including Coffeepot, Eloika, Silver and Sprague. Divens noted that Lake Spokane, or Long Lake (the reservoir off the Spokane River), has also been good recently for large crappie. WDFW Fish Biologist Todd Baarstad reports that Lincoln County's Deer Springs Lake has been good for rainbows and Upper and Lower Twin lakes have been producing largemouth bass, black crappie, pumpkinseed sunfish, and perch. "But get out there before the water gets too warm during the heat of the day," Baarstad advises. Pend Oreille County's Bead Lake again this spring was the scene of a new state record catch of burbot or freshwater ling. On April 24 Mike Campbell of Newport reeled in a 17.37-pound burbot, which bested the "old" record set in January at Bead Lake.

• Wildlife Viewing: Two new peregrine falcon chicks were recently banded at their nest site on the Sunset Highway bridge over Latah Creek in Highbridge Park, just west of downtown Spokane. WDFW wildlife biologist Howard Ferguson banded the birds, with help from local falconer Doug Pineo, to help keep track of falcon numbers and distribution. Ferguson reported that after several years of banding falcon chicks produced at that site, "the mother bird seems so used to me that she just stepped aside for the procedure, as if to say 'Oh, it's you again!'" The peregrine pair can be viewed from the park, flying after swifts and other prey birds and going to and from the nest, which is on a concrete arch of the bridge directly over the creek. Ferguson expects the chicks to fledge at any time. Other WDFW staff throughout the region report frequent encounters with baby birds and other young wildlife and remind recreationists to leave them alone. Lois Blanchette, WDFW's Spokane regional office manager, reports dozens of calls each week for the past month from people wanting to "rescue" wild babies they have mistaken as "orphans". In fact, many deer fawns that are picked up had only been left alone temporarily by their mothers, as a way of avoiding drawing predators away from their offspring. And fledglings birds that hop briefly to the ground are often scooped up by well-meaning but uninformed humans. WDFW biologist Sandy Lembcke says one of the best ways to help young wildlife is to keep pet cats and dogs confined to prevent them from chasing, capturing, mauling or killing fledglings or other wild babies. Meanwhile, the wild young to enjoy from afar include quail, pheasant, and forest grouse broods parading behind proud parents, loudly cheeping families of bluebirds, nuthatches, chickadees, woodpeckers and other species that use nestboxes, and coyote pups learning pack language with off-key yipping and howling.

North Central Washington:

• Fishing: "Walleye fishing is still great in Moses Lake," said WDFW Fish Biologist Jeff Korth. "That's where the most and largest walleye in the region are being caught." WDFW Fish Biologist Patrick Verhey reported that Connelly Park and the I-90 bridge area of Moses Lake are currently excellent spots to land a walleye. Korth also noted that walleye fishing is good at Sprague Lake and Potholes Reservoir. Both smallmouth and largemouth bass fishing is great at Potholes Reservoir now, and good in Banks Lake and Moses Lake. "We still have lots of rainbow trout left in the larger trout waters," Korth said. "As water temperatures rise, fish the deeper water in the larger lakes. Blue, Park, and Warden lakes are good bets." Korth also reported that some kokanee have been caught in Banks Lake and Deep Lake at Sun Lakes State Park. "Some mixed species waters with good water temperatures are Soda and Long lakes and the wide spots in the canal south of Potholes where there are good flows," he said. "These waters have walleye, bass, some yellow perch, and even rainbows." The popular rainbow trout lake in Douglas County-Jameson Lake-closes July 4 and re-opens for the month of October.

• Wildlife viewing: Cherry lovers headed for the Rainier and Bing cherry harvests underway in the Wenatchee, Royal Slope and Mattawa areas might take in some wildlife viewing in the same trip. From families of mountain bluebirds and mule deer in the Okanogan to duck and goose broods in the Columbia Basin, there's lots to enjoy throughout the region. WDFW officials remind visitors-especially those headed north to Okanogan County-to be alert and aware to avoid problems with black bears or cougars. "Proper sanitation in bear country is more important than ever to avoid conflicts," said WDFW wildlife biologist Scott Fitkin, "whether you live here or are visiting to camp and hike." He advises putting camp garbage in bear-proof containers where available or packing it out in double plastic bags. Don't burn or bury it. At home, keep trash cans in a secure place. Reduce odors by storing meat and other food in vehicles, or away from your camp in a pack suspended from a tree 10 feet above the ground and four feet out from the trunk. Avoid cooking of smelly or greasy foods like bacon; don't sleep in your cooking clothes and keep sleeping bags and tents free of food odors. Actual encounters with cougars are rare, but to avoid problems, he advises hiking and camping in groups. Keep small children close, both at home and in camp, especially near dawn and dusk when cougars are most active. Leave pets confined safely at home as they may attract cougars or bears. Keep a clean camp to avoid attracting small mammals that may in turn attract cougars.

South Central Washington:

• Fishing: Boat anglers are limiting on kokanee in Yakima County's Rimrock Lake, report WDFW fish biologists Jim Cummins and Eric Anderson. Both still anglers and trollers are catching fish. Drifting is the ticket when the wind is blowing, which is frequent at Rimrock. Wedding ring spinners and maggots are very effective. The kokanee are running from 9-to-11 inches-a little on the small side-but anglers can keep up to 16 a day and they are excellent eating. A few rainbow trout are also being caught at Rimrock. WDFW enforcement officers recently checked 21 anglers with 68 kokanee and 10 rainbow. Kokanee at Kachess Reservoir (upper Yakima River basin in Kittitas County) are running a bit larger at 12 inches. Keechelus and Cle Elum lakes in Kittitas County are also good bets for kokanee. Anderson reports that rainbow trout fishing continues to be hot at Clear Lake, above Rimrock Lake off Highway 12 in the White Pass area. Clear Lake was heavily planted with catchable-size rainbows (9-to-12 inches). Dog and Leech Lakes in Yakima County and Lost Lake in Kittitas County are still good bets for the larger triploid trout (13-plus inches). Leech Lake is flyfishing only and also has some 7-to-12-inch eastern brook trout. Lost Lake has a few larger eastern brook. Cummins reminds anglers that Leech, Dog, and Lost lakes have new regulations this year restricting harvest to five trout daily, with no more than one over 14 inches. Anderson notes that many hike-in high elevation lakes are open to fishing also, and most of the larger, named lakes have been stocked with rainbow or cutthroat trout. The U.S. Forest Service maintains many access areas and trailheads into the high country. "The Yakima River closed to salmon fishing on June 15," said Cummins, "but the lower river continues to produce good fishing for smallmouth bass and channel catfish. There is no daily limit, but bass between 12 and 17 inches must be released, and only one over 17 inches may be retained." Cummins also notes that flows in rivers and streams are dropping gradually and are in relatively good fishing condition. Many rivers and streams have selective gear rules and some are catch and release (see fishing regulations pamphlet). The Naches River, Rattlesnake Creek, Taneum and Naneum creeks, and the upper Cle Elum River have good populations of rainbow and cutthroat trout. Some steams have closed areas to protect juvenile and adult bull trout. Salmon, steelhead and bull trout must be released if caught incidental to trout fishing.

• Wildlife viewing: For families looking for quick and easy access to a picnicking and wildlife viewing spot for the Fourth of July holiday, WDFW's I-82 Wildlife Area may be just the ticket. The area is actually 17 parcels of property along the Yakima River and Interstate Highway 82 from Union Gap to the Zillah interchange, known most for its seven man-made fishing ponds and three boat launches. The riparian habitat along the river, sloughs, and ponds offers excellent nesting and brooding cover for ducks, geese, herons, shorebirds, pheasant, quail, red-winged blackbirds and many other songbirds. It's also possible to spot deer, coyotes and other critters. Wherever you go to watch wildlife, be careful about food and fire: Keep food and garbage secured to avoid attracting wild animals into your picnic site, carefully use camp stoves rather than open fires, and leave the fireworks at home.