June 27-July 10, 2001

Contact: Doug Milward, (360) 902-2739 Margaret Ainscough, (360) 902-2408

OLYMPIA – By the time the Fourth of July rolls around this year, the holiday celebration will already be well underway for thousands of anglers expected to turn out for the first week of the 2001 ocean salmon season.

Starting July 1, coastal waters from Ilwaco to Neah Bay will open for what is predicted to be the best ocean salmon fishing since the early 1980s.

Salmon fishing is also expected to be good in other areas opening that day, including the western part of the Strait of Juan de Fuca (Marine Area 5), the San Juan Islands (Marine Area 7), Seattle-Bremerton (Marine Area 10) and Hood Canal (Marine Area 12) south of Ayock Point.

"People can expect some of the best ocean salmon fishing they've seen in a long, long time," said Doug Milward, coastal fisheries manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).

He is not alone in that assessment.

"It's going to be gangbusters," Mark Cedergreen, who represents the Westport Charter Boat Association. "This is the payoff for all the people who toughed it out during the lean years."

The main cause for all this optimism is a projected 1.5 million hatchery-bred Columbia River coho available in the ocean. That compares to last year's return of approximately 600,000 fish – also a fairly healthy run compared to previous years.

Other coho stocks, as well as coastal chinook runs, are also expected to make a strong showing this year, Milward said. Pink salmon are also running this year, which will add to the catch – particularly in northern Puget Sound.

As in previous years, only those coho with a clipped adipose fin may be retained in Marine Areas 1-5 under WDFW's selective fisheries program to protect naturally spawning stocks. This year, that requirement is also in effect for Marine Area 7 (the San Juan Islands) and for Marine Area 13 (southern Puget Sound).

Fisheries co-managers adopted a number of other measures to protect naturally spawning salmon this year, so anglers should be sure to familiarize themselves with this year's fishing regulations before they head out. Anglers can obtain WDFW's 2001 Fishing in Washington rule pamphlet from license dealers or they can view them on-line on WDFW's new Summer Salmon Fishing 2001 website.

Of course, you don't have to worry about the rule book if you simply want to view returning salmon. The Hiram Chittenden Locks in Ballard are a great place to do that right now, as thousands of sockeye salmon make their way up a paned fish ladder en route to Lake Washington.

And for those who aren't including salmon in their holiday plans, there's plenty of other fishing, picnicking, camping, hiking, and wildlife watching available. Just be careful with camp fires, cookstoves, smoking materials, chainsaws, motor vehicles and other potential fire starters, because wild fire danger is high in many places, particularly in eastern Washington. Independence Day revelers need to leave the fireworks at home. Fireworks are not allowed on public lands. Open fires are not allowed at any WDFW water access sites and may be restricted on other public lands as well; check local conditions and rules before planning to have an open fire.

Shellfish harvesters in Pierce County are reminded that a red tide alert closed all public beaches last weekend. Red-tide plankton can cause paralytic shellfish poisoning. Before harvesting shellfish to be eaten, it's a good idea to check the latest information on the status of beaches by calling the state's 24-hour biotoxin hotline at 1 (800) 562-5632.

For details on fishing and wildlife viewing opportunities around the state, check the regional reports below:

North Puget Sound:

• Fishing: July 1 brings the opening of salmon fishing in the San Juans (Marine Area 7) and the Seattle-Bremerton vicinity (Marine Area 10). Area 10 fishers are reminded to release all chinook and– through Sept. 15– all chum. In addition, area closures are in effect in some locations. Check the WDFW "Fishing In Washington" rules pamphlet for details, or visit the WDFW Summer Salmon Fishing 2001 website, where pointers on selective fishing techniques are also available. Meanwhile, the influx of sockeye salmon returning to Lake Washington has fishers hoping for a fishing opportunity there. However, with WDFW and Muckleshoot Tribal scientific technicians tallying a total of 66,727 sockeye returning through the Ballard Locks as of last Sunday, it's still too soon to say whether there will be a sockeye season this year. At least 350,000 fish are needed for spawning, in order to perpetuate the population; sometime in early July the run counts will show whether a surplus will be available for harvest. To track the sockeye count, visit the WDFW website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/sockeye/counts.htm on the Internet. The recent opening of crab fishing in the San Juan Islands may soon be followed by a crab fishing opener in the Bellingham-Anacortes area, says Norm Lemberg, WDFW's regional shellfish manager. WDFW biologists are testing crab shell conditions there this week and, if shells are sufficiently hardened, crab fishing could open in the southern portion of Marine Area 7 by this weekend. Meanwhile, Lopez Sound and other interior waters in the San Juans are producing good crabbing results, as are Skagit Bay (Marine Area 8-1) and the Everett vicinity (Marine Area 8-2).

• Wildlife viewing: Where can you see an awe-inspiring natural migration in the heart of the city? At the Hiram Chittenden Locks in Ballard, where thousands of sockeye salmon are returning to Lake Washington tributaries. Viewing windows at the Locks offer a panoramic view of the silvery fish as they work their way up fish ladders that link Puget Sound to the Ship Canal. Last year some 415,000 sockeye passed through the Locks by the end of July, and an estimated 100,000 visitors turned out to see the spectacle.

Olympic Peninsula/South Sound:

• Fishing: The big news for anglers both inside and outside the region is the July 1 opening of the 2001 salmon fishery on the coast and some inside waters, including the western portion of the Strait of Juan de Fuca (Marine Area 5) and Hood Canal (Marine Area 12) south of Ayock Point. Due in large part to a projected 1.5 million hatchery coho in the ocean, this year's ocean season is expected to be the best since the mid-1980s. Most coastal chinook stocks are also expected to be up this year, increasing the chance that you can add a king to your creel. Recreational catch quotas reflect those coastal projections: This year, anglers will be allowed to catch 225,000 hatchery coho and 30,000 chinook compared to 75,000 hatchery coho and 12,500 chinook last year. "We expect the higher quotas to translate into a considerably longer season than last year" (when the coastal salmon season ended in mid-August), said Doug Milward, WDFW's coastal fisheries manager. "We also expect the fishing to be a lot better this year, because there's going to be a lot more salmon to catch." As in previous years, only those coho with a clipped adipose fin (identifying them as hatchery fish) can be retained. Also opening to salmon fishing July 1 are Hood Canal (Marine Area 12) south of Ayock Point and the western part of the Strait of Juan de Fuca (Marine Area 5). The latter fishery, centered in Sekiu, will no doubt attract a lot of interest early in the season because – for the first time since 1997 – anglers will be allowed to retain one chinook in their daily bag until the area's 2,000-chinook quota has been reach. Meanwhile, spring chinook have been showing up in increasing numbers in the Sol Duc River and anglers have been finding lots of chinook in Marine Area 11 near Tacoma, particularly of Point Defiance and around Anderson and Ketron islands. Crabbing continues Fridays through Mondays in Hood Canal and is open seven days a week in all of Area 10 (Seattle-Bremerton), but the spot shrimp fishery in Discovery Bay closed June 23.

• Wildlife viewing: This is a good time of year to visit the coastal areas of the Olympic Peninsula, where almost every trip yields views of air, water or land-based wildlife. At Ozette and Cape Alava, the beach often offers views of sea otters. To get the view, take along binoculars. Marine birds may include tufted puffins and black oystercatchers, while bald eagles and osprey soar overhead. Summer is a good time to catch glimpses of black-tailed and albino deer on trails through wildflowers. Tidepools yield many small but unusual creatures at low tide — starfish and sea anemones, but visitors are reminded to check tide charts as incoming tides can be strong and dangerous. On mountain trails in the Olympics the wildflowers are coming on or poised to bloom in subalpine meadows, and visitors may see deer, elk and mountain goats.

Southwest Washington:

• Fishing: Effort and catch for hatchery summer-run steelhead is building on the lower Columbia. Last Saturday (June 23), over 350 bank anglers were counted along the Washington shore of the mainstem Columbia from Vancouver downstream. Last week bank anglers averaged a hatchery steelhead per every 7.4 rods based on mainly incomplete trips. Best catches were from Kalama downstream. Catch rates are anticipated to improve as fish head past Bonneville Dam or into the lower Columbia tributaries. Bonneville Dam steelhead counts are over 1,000 fish daily and through June 24, almost 24,000 fish had been tallied. This compares to the recent ten-year average of slightly less than 10,000. Steelhead fishing also has been strong in the North Fork Lewis River where over 1,300 fish have returned to the trap. The Cowlitz and Washougal rivers should also be good bets. Over 600 fish have returned to date at the Skamania Hatchery on the Washougal and hatchery rack counts are increasing on the Cowlitz. Sturgeon fishing in the estuary is going well; last week the catch was one legal-size sturgeon for every 2.5 private boat rods while almost all the charter boat anglers had their one-fish limit. Expect plenty of company with 550 private boats and 25 charters counted during last Saturday's flight. Bank anglers in the estuary and just below Bonneville Dam are catching some legals too. Some of the fish caught in the estuary are in the 4-foot range and are very fat and sassy. Best baits have been fresh anchovies (when available), frozen smelt, and sand/mud shrimp. Though shad fishing has slowed, some fish are still to be had for anglers fishing just below Bonneville Dam. For trout fishers who like to fish higher elevation lakes with road access, Council and Takhlakh lakes near Mt. Adams were recently planted with several thousand eastern brook trout.

• Wildlife viewing: Healthy broods of ducks and geese are being seen on ponds and backwaters throughout the Cowlitz Wildlife Area. Ruffed grouse broods are also being seen, most recently at Peterman Hill and along the 300 Road. Normally secretive members of the weasel family have been unusually visible recently. Cowlitz Wildlife Area personnel have reported several observations of long-tailed weasels, mink and skunks. Pileated woodpeckers have been regular visitors at Swofford Pond, using standing dead snags along both sides of the pond outlet. WDFW biologists recently conducted the Lower Columbia River bald eagle productivity survey from Vancouver to the mouth of the Columbia and found 21 of 33 territories successful in hatching young, so watch the skies for these majestic birds.

Eastern Washington:

• Fishing: WDFW fish biologist Bob Peck reports that many southwest Spokane County trout fishing lakes are continuing to provide good catches, most notably Amber, Badger, and Williams lakes. Peck also says that Sprague Lake walleye are hitting well, and a recent intense survey of Long Lake shows lots of smallmouth and largemouth bass in that reservoir off the lower Spokane River. Upper Spokane River trout fishing is going strong, although anglers need to remember the one-trout daily catch limit, 12-inch minimum size limit, and selective gear rules (no bait, single barbless hook).

• Wildlife viewing: If you're out on Eastern Washington waters or wildlands over the Fourth, keep your eyes and ears open for wild babies as they grow bolder and more visible. Streamside areas are especially good spots to see ducklings, goslings, beaver kits, moose calves, or even bear cubs. You're likely to see baby birds of all kinds including grouse, quail, and pheasant chicks, plus elk calves, bighorn sheep lambs, and deer fawns. The key to spotting wild babies is to look for a lone adult animal, then remain still for a while to see nearby babies. Watch an osprey or eagle flying with food to a nest, then look for the chicks; many raptor youngsters are exercising their wings and getting ready for the big take-off from those nests now. Waterfowl are now molting (shedding old feathers for new) and are unable to fly for a short period, so don't mistake a duck trying to fly for an injured one. Weather, nest predation, subsequent re-nesting, and other factors can result in different sizes and ages of young wildlife at this time. Some young robins almost look fully grown now, others are still helpless nestlings. Remember to enjoy all of these wild babies from a distance and leave them in the wild.

North Central Washington:

• Fishing: The Icicle River in Chelan County has been pumping out some nice hatchery spring chinook salmon, reports WDFW regional fish program manager Joe Foster, but it's hard to say how long the good fishing will last. Foster says there are still lots of chinook hanging in the Wenatchee River, just off the mouth of the Icicle, "but these critters are fickle: here today, scarce tomorrow." The special fishery remains open through July 22. Foster also reports that with little snow pack, the high lakes are nearly all accessible in Chelan and Okanogan counties. Virtually all are well-stocked with trout so hikers should pack a rod and reel. Sections of the Twisp, Methow and Chewuch rivers are very good bets for catch-and-release fishing, Foster says, with current low flows and lots of trout, "some braggin' size." Check the regs for section boundaries and keep in mind the ESA restrictions for steelhead, chinook, and bull trout. Commercial guiding services for these rivers are available in Winthrop and Mazama, Foster notes, which is a good way to learn the river and improve your chances. WDFW fish biologist Jeff Korth reports that trout fishing is still "on" in the Columbia Basin lakes, thanks to cool spring weather. Temperatures in many of the small waters are still only in the mid 60's, Korth says. Warden Lake is very good, and many of the other Seep Lakes south of Potholes Reservoir remain fishable. The Teal Lakes and Herman Lake could be good bets. North of Ephrata, Blue and Park Lakes are also still good, but it's best to plan on fishing in the morning or evening due to all the other recreation on these popular waters. WDFW fish biologist Chris Donley says that yellow perch fishing in Moses Lake continues to be good. A WDFW creel checker is keeping count of the catch, size and age of these fish caught by anglers, he says, "so be a part of the science and go catch a Moses Lake perch!"

• Wildlife viewing: With low snow pack this year, access is already relatively easy to hike into the high country of Chelan or Okanogan counties to catch a glimpse of mountain goats, black bears, hoary marmots, pikas, rosy finches, and lots of other wildlife, or to enjoy the colorful wildflowers of alpine meadows. Check local conditions with the U.S. Forest Service's Okanogan (www.fs.fed.us/r6/oka) or Wenatchee (www.fs.fed.us/r6/wenatchee) National Forests, or the North Cascades National Park (www.nps.gov/noca/index.htm) before you head up to make sure you're following any fire restrictions.

South Central Washington:

• Fishing: Rimrock Reservoir is an excellent choice for the July vacationer/angler who is interested in a beautiful mountain setting and a large lake where fishing is very good for kokanee and rainbow trout. Make a week or weekend of it at Rimrock's three private resorts, or nearby Forest Service campgrounds (www.fs.fed.us/r6/wenatchee for more information.) WDFW fish biologist Jim Cummins reports that Rimrock kokanee are generally caught from boats, but shore fishing can be good on the rocky points of the south shore about one mile west of the confluence with the South Fork Tieton River. The kokanee are averaging about nine inches and the daily limit is 16 fish. Kokanee not caught out of the reservoir this summer will drain into the Tieton River where they will not survive. Cummins says that shore and anchored boat anglers are using "chum" (bran mixed with rock salt and feed eggs) to attract fish, then catching them on hooks or small red flies baited with maggots. Kokanee bite very light so use a soft tipped rod. Trollers are using a string of small trolling blades, an ounce or two of lead, a "Rimrock Special " (very small spinner, red beads, red fly) baited with maggots. Shore anglers use a very lightweight bobber, such as a quill bobber, hook or Rimrock Special, bb split shot, and maggots, fished about five feet below the bobber. Fishing for Rimrock rainbow has been more productive than in the past, Cummins says, with fish up to 15 inches. Rainbow are being caught on worms, salmon eggs, marshmallows and Power Bait. The rainbow catch limit is five per day. With drought conditions, Rimrock is about 80 percent full now, but boats can be easily launched at least through July. Wind can hamper fishing and become a safety concern for smaller boats, so car-top boats are not suitable. If wind becomes a problem, anglers may want to try nearby Dog Lake or Clear Lake, which are good for 8-15 inch rainbow and a few 8-12 inch eastern brook trout. For the fly angler, Leech Lake at White Pass is a 30 minute drive from Rimrock, and offers excellent fly fishing for 8-12 inch eastern brook trout. Hikes to high elevation lakes, like Cramer Lake Trail #1106, will result in good fishing for rainbow or cutthroat trout; stop by the Wenatchee National Forest's Naches Ranger District office for maps and trail information (or see the website noted above.) Kokanee fishing is also good at Bumping, Kachess, and Keechelus lakes, all with Forest Service campgrounds and boat launches. Bumping also has a private resort. All of these reservoirs have below normal water levels, so launching boats and fishing will be best before the end of July. The Bureau of Reclamation has updated water level information at http://mac1.pn.usbr.gov/yakima/index. Cummins notes that river and stream trout anglers must carefully check 2001 fishing regulations. Many Yakima Basin streams have selective gear rules and some, such as the lower ten miles of South Fork Tieton, and Indian Creek, (both tributaries to Rimrock Reservoir), are closed to fishing to protect threatened bull trout. Bull trout, which must be released unharmed, can be encountered in the Yakima Basin reservoirs and many rivers and streams. Cummins reminds anglers that salmon fishing is also closed now. Good choices for river and stream anglers are Rattlesnake Creek, Yakima River above Roza Dam and Naches River, and many small higher elevation streams.

• Wildlife viewing: Timberwolf Mountain, off the Bethel Ridge Road northwest of Naches, is a great place to watch mountain goats. If you're not a hiker, this is a summit (over 6,400 feet) that you can reach via motor vehicle (able to handle rough roadway) for some incredible views of the east slope of the Cascade Mountains. Along with the area's goats, which are often spotted right from the road, you're also bound to see mule deer, elk, blue grouse, mountain bluebird, and other wildlife.