(Revised 6/8/06 - New material is underlined in paragraphs three and five.)

Thousands of rivers throughout the state will open to trout fishing June 1, when new fisheries will also get under way in some waters for hatchery steelhead and spring chinook salmon. Meanwhile, catch rates for sturgeon have been picking up in the lower Columbia River while anglers in Eastern Washington are reeling in an increasing number of bass, walleye and other warmwater fish.

Sound like fun? Washingtonians who are interested in fishing but haven't actually given it a try have a perfect chance to do so during Free Fishing Weekend, scheduled June 10-11.

During those two days, no license will be required to fish or gather shellfish in any waters open to fishing in Washington state. Also, no vehicle use permit will be required during Free Fishing Weekend to park at any of the 500 water-access sites maintained by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).

"Free Fishing Weekend is a great time to revive an old hobby or to introduce friends and family to fishing," said Ross Fuller, manager of the WDFW Fish Management Division. "Adults can introduce kids to fishing on a wide variety of waters around the state."

While no licenses are required on Free Fishing Weekend, other rules such as size limits, bag limits and season closures will still be in effect. (For example, no crab fishing in Puget Sound will be allowed during Free Fishing Weekend, because the fishery will still be closed as of June 10-11.) Anglers will also be required to complete a catch record card for any salmon, steelhead, sturgeon or halibut they catch.

Catch record cards and WDFW's Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet are available free at hundreds of sporting goods stores and other license dealers throughout the state. The rules pamphlet is also available online at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm.

Of course, fishing opportunities don't begin or end with Free Fishing Weekend. Those with a fishing license might want to consider heading to the north coast for the halibut opening June 22 and 24. Others can look forward to the first round of crab openings, set for June 18 in marine areas 4 (Neah Bay), 5 (Sekiu) and 13 (south Puget Sound).

These and other fishing opportunities are discussed in the regional reports that follow.

First, though, WDFW officials want to remind anglers and others who plan to spend time outdoors of a few precautions for avoiding conflicts with potentially dangerous wildlife.

• Store picnic and camp food out of reach of hungry bears or other animals.

• Camp and hike only in designated areas and preferably in groups that discourage close encounters.

• Leave wild babies alone to avoid problems with protective parent animals.

• For more information about preventive measures and dealing with problem bears or cougars, see http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/blkbear/blkbear.htm and http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/cougar/cougar.htm.

North Puget Sound

• Fishing: With only a few weeks left in spring, anglers have an assortment of fishing opportunities, ranging from trout and chinook to shrimp and lingcod.

  On the freshwater, trout fishing continues on the lakes and will expand into several of the region's rivers and streams June 1. Under the statewide rule for trout, there is a two-fish daily limit and a minimum size of eight inches in rivers and streams. However, some of the region's rivers and streams have a rule requiring trout to be at least 14 inches in length to retain. For more rules and details on trout fishing, anglers can check out WDFW's 2006/2007 Fishing in Washington pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm).

  Portions of the Skagit and Skykomish rivers also open for spring chinook fishing June 1. The Skagit is open to hatchery springer retention from the Highway 530 bridge at Rockport to the Cascade River. The daily limit is two hatchery chinook at least 12 inches in length. On the Skykomish, hatchery springer fishing is open from the Lewis Street Bridge in Monroe to the Wallace River. The Skykomish fishery also has a daily limit of two hatchery chinook at least 12 inches in length.

  Out on the saltwater, the Tulalip Bay "bubble" fishery begins June 2 and runs through Sept. 25, except for a one-day closure on June 17. The fishery is open each week from Friday through noon Monday. There is a two-salmon daily limit and chinook must be 22 inches in length to retain.

  The northern portion of Marine Area 10 (Seattle/Bremerton) opens June 1 to catch-and-release fishing for salmon. Fishing will be allowed north of a line from Point Monroe to Meadow Point. Handling rules are in effect for this fishery.

  Meanwhile, anglers are still picking up lingcod, halibut, rockfish and cabezon in waters throughout north Puget Sound. During the lingcod hook-and-line season (May 1-June 15), there's a one-fish daily limit for lings, which must be a minimum size of 26 inches and a maximum size of 40 inches. The halibut-fishing season is open five days a week, Thursday through Monday, with a daily limit of one halibut and no minimum size limit. For rockfish, there is no minimum size and anglers must keep the first legal rockfish caught. Anglers fishing for cabezon have a daily limit of two fish, and there is no minimum size limit.

  Shrimpers have done well in the region this spring, and the opportunities continue as the coonstripe and pink shrimp season opens June 1 in marine areas 7 (San Juan Islands), 8-1 (Deception Pass, Hope Island and Skagit Bay), 8-2 (Port Susan and Port Gardner) and a portion of 9 (Admiralty Inlet). The daily limit in all of these fisheries is 10 pounds, heads and tails, of all shrimp species combined. Shrimp heads can be removed, but the heads must be retained while in the field. Details, such as the required minimum mesh size and maximum fishing depths, are available on WDFW's website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/crabreg/. As for spot shrimp, the fishery is closed throughout the region except in the southern portion of Marine Area 7 (Iceberg Point and Salmon Bank areas).

  As summer approaches, so does the crab season. Crab fishing opens July 1 in marine areas 8-1, 8-2, 9, 10, and the southern portion of 7. Fisheries in those areas will generally be open on a Wednesday-through-Saturday schedule, although the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission recently added extra fishing days around the Fourth of July. See WDFW's sport-crabbing website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/crab/) for more information.

• Hunting: Now is the time for hunters to study special hunting permit options in the 2006 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Rules pamphlet (available at WDFW offices, license vendors and at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/hunter/hunter.htm) to meet the application deadline of June 28.

• Wildlife viewing: Another peregrine falcon has been born under a Seattle bridge - the fifth this spring. The female chick was spotted recently in a nest under the Ballard Bridge. Earlier this year, four other female peregrine chicks were born under the West Seattle Bridge. The newborn peregrine in Ballard is not visible from the road, but photos of the chick can be viewed at http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/falcons.htm.

  Elsewhere in Ballard, a birder reporting to Tweeters birding website (http://www.scn.org/earth/tweeters/) spotted at least two Caspian terns over Shilshole Bay near the Golden Gardens Park. Caspians are the largest and most widespread terns in the world, found on every continent except Antarctica, according to the Seattle Audubon Society (http://www.birdweb.org/birdweb/index.aspx). When foraging, the birds fly with their bills pointing down, and will plunge into the water after fish, often completely submerging themselves.

  Gray and killer whales have been joined in the region by a couple other species. One observer reporting to the Orca Network (http://www.orcanetwork.org/sightings/map.html) spotted a humpback whale in Possession Sound recently. The large whale "lifted its tail high in the air before diving," the observer noted. Elsewhere, a minke whale was spotted near the south end of Lopez Island. The minke, which had three white spots behind and to the right of its blowhole, spent about 20 minutes circling the observer's vessel.

South Sound/Olympic Peninsula

• Fishing: Most rivers in the region open to trout fishing June 1, when additional angling opportunities open for hatchery steelhead and spring chinook salmon. Many areas of Puget Sound are now closed to spot shrimp fishing, but shellfish lovers can still look forward to non-spot shrimp and crab.

  The opening of river fishing on June 1 adds even more variety to summer fishing options. Searun and resident cutthroat are available in most local rivers and resident rainbow in some of them, said Bill Freymond, WDFW fish biologist. "June is a great time to go out fishing," he said. "There's so many different opportunities and you don't have to travel very far to find one." Freymond advises anglers to check the Fishing in Washington (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm) pamphlet for specific regulations on the rivers before going out. For example, a section of the Nisqually River, beginning at the military tank crossing bridge, will be closed until July 1. Anglers should also consult the pamphlet for the size limit rules that apply to the water they plan to fish.

  Don't forget trout are still waiting to be caught in area lakes as well. "We've done echo-sounding and we know the fish are out there," said Hal Michael, WDFW fish biologist. The longer the stocked fish live in the lake, the more in tune they get with natural foods, Michael noted. "They don't stay they same level of stupid all the time," he said. "After a while, they may be more attracted to a mayfly than to Power Bait."

  Anglers anxious to catch hatchery summer steelhead might want to consider the Wynoochee River, where "nothing is stopping the steelhead from stacking up," according to Freymond. Other spots to try for summer hatchery steelhead include the Chehalis River in Grays Harbor County and the Lyre, Bogachiel, Sol Duc and Hoh rivers on the northern Olympic Peninsula. The Quillayute, Sol Duc and Hoh rivers are also still running strong with spring chinook salmon. Freymond advises anglers to check river conditions and use caution on the Hoh since the warm weather has brought down lots of glacial melt, raising and discoloring the water considerably.

  Salmon fishing also opens on June 1 in Marine Area 11, from the north tip of Vashon Island to the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. "Lot's of people are looking forward to this opener," said Steve Theisfeld, WDFW fish biologist. "And the fishing should be pretty good from the start. Last year was very good on the opening." While there may be some resident coho, most anglers will be targeting chinook, he said. The fishery runs seven days a week, with a limit of two fish a day. Popular fishing spots include Point Defiance, Dalco Point and Clay Banks.

  For now, all ocean areas are closed for Pacific halibut fishing since Ilwaco (Marine Area 1) closed on May 27. But anglers will get two more days in June to fish for halibut off the state's north coast. Marine areas 3 (La Push) and 4 (Neah Bay) will be open for halibut fishing Thursday, June 22 and again Saturday, June 24. "A portion of the quota was previously set aside for at least one additional day of fishing in June," said Phil Anderson, a WDFW special assistant. "Because the final catch count came in under what was projected, we are able to provide a second day of fishing as well."

  A 20-fathom depth restriction in place in marine areas 3 and 4 will not apply on June 22 and 24, Anderson said. The restriction, which runs through Sept. 30, 2006, applies only on days when halibut fishing is closed. On those days, anglers may not fish for, retain, possess or land any rockfish or lingcod caught seaward of a line approximately 20 fathoms offshore. The coordinates for the 20-fathom line are available on WDFW's website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/bottomfish/20fathoms_may06.htm) and on the recreational hotline (360-902-2500).

  Lingcod off the coast continues to be hot. "The fishing out of Westport has been particularly good, with lots of boats limiting," said Wendy Beeghley, WDFW fish biologist. Anglers are also catching some lingcod in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, where the fishery in marine areas 5 and 6 is open daily through June 15. Halibut fishing in Marine Area 6 closes June 18, but remains open through Aug. 5 in Marine Area 5.

  Still looking for shrimp? Fishing for coonstripe and other non-spot shrimp will open June 1 in several areas of Puget Sound including marine areas 11 (Vashon Island to the Tacoma Narrows Bridge) and 9 (Admiralty Inlet). There is a 150-foot depth restriction in these areas. The fishing is open daily. While most waters have now closed to spot shrimp fishing, those still open include marine areas 4, 5, 6, and 13.

  As summer approaches, so does the crab season. The earliest opportunity for catching crab is June 18 on the north coast of the Olympic Peninsula and South Puget Sound. Recreational crab fishing opens in marine areas 4, 5 and 13 seven days a week through Feb. 28. Other areas opening July 1 in Puget Sound include marine areas 6 (eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca), 9 (Admiralty Inlet), 11 (Tacoma/Vashon Island), and 12 (Hood Canal). Fisheries in those areas will generally be open on a Wednesday-through-Saturday schedule, although the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission recently added extra fishing days around the Fourth of July. See WDFW's sport-crabbing website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/crab/) for more information.

• Hunting: Now is the time for hunters to study special hunting permit options in the 2006 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Rules pamphlet (available at WDFW offices, license vendors and at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/hunter/hunter.htm) to meet the application deadline of June 28.

• Wildlife viewing: Six American white pelicans touched down on McIntosh Lake near Tenino over the Memorial Day weekend, providing a rare sight for Western Washington birders. These birds, with a nine-foot wingspan, are mostly found in the Columbia Basin on the eastside of the state from spring through fall. They spent just three days at the Thurston County lake, then took off.

  A pair of western tanangers, one of the most distinctive birds returning to Washington each summer, has been seen regularly around Memorial Field in Port Angeles. The male's red-orange head, contrasting with yellow and black markings, make them favorites with birdwatchers. These monogamous birds are common and widespread in Washington from May through August. Another Port Angeles birder reported it's "a good year for seeing warblers in the landscape" having seen orange-crown, Wilson's, both types of yellow-rumped, Townsend's and MacGillivray's.

  Up the coast, off Neah Bay, two separate pairs of humpback whales were seen on May 21, as reported on the Orca Network website (http://www.orcanetwork.org/sightings/map.html#recent). The first pair, which included at least one male, delighted viewers for more than a half-hour with much breaching, fin-slapping and waving. The other pair consisted of one female and one calf.

  The Pierce County Biodiversity Alliance will conduct a 24-hour wildlife and plant inventory along the lower White River corridor between Buckley and Auburn beginning 3:00 p.m. June 2 through June 3. The aim of the exercise is to show the scope and quantity of wildlife that could be lost to development in the area. An open house for the public will follow on June 3 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Marion Grange Hall in Buckley. Volunteers are welcome to participate in the inventory. For more information, contact Michelle Tirhi, WDFW urban wildlife biologist, at 253-813-8906.

  For shutterbugs anxious to capture their wildlife sightings beyond memory, the Nisqually Wildlife Refuge in Thurston County will offer a "Wildlife Photography Walk" on Saturday, June 3, from 8:00 a.m. until noon. Photographer Gene Sine will share experiences and information about wildlife photography, first inside with pictures and then outside on the trail. Bring a camera.

Southwest Washington:

• Fishing: Summer steelhead and shad have been competing for anglers' attention as fishing for spring chinook salmon continues to drop off on the lower Columbia River. Meanwhile, a variety of rivers and streams open to trout anglers June 1, expanding fishing opportunities throughout the region.

  Rivers opening to trout fishing fall into two main categories: stocked and wild. By the June 3-4 weekend, WDFW plans to finish planting thousands of 9-to-12-inch fish in several rivers and streams around the region, said John Weinheimer, a fish manager for the department. Plants include 5,500 rainbows in Canyon Creek, 3,500 in the Little White Salmon River, 1,200 in Skate Creek near Packwood and 500 in the Tilton River. Stocking will continue throughout the summer, per the stocking schedule on the WDFW website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/plants/index.htm). Other anglers may prefer rivers that are managed for wild trout, such as the Big White Salmon River and the north fork of the Lewis River.

  "Wherever you go, I'd strongly advise that anglers exercise caution," Weinheimer said. "Almost all of the rivers are running high with snow runoff right now, so people should keep an eye on their kids - and put them in lifejackets. People catch fish in high water, but it's important to be aware of the conditions."

  WDFW still plans to stock a number of high-elevation lakes, but not until the snow melts down a ways, Weinheimer said. "We won't get to a number of high lakes, like Goose Lake in Skamania County, for a few weeks," he said. "There's still so much snow in the higher elevations we just can't get in there yet."

  Also on June 1:

  • The Elochoman River opens for hatchery spring chinook and hatchery steelhead from its mouth to the salmon hatchery bridge.

  • The Grays River opens for both hatchery chinook and hatchery steelhead from its mouth to the south fork, and from the mouth of the west fork to the hatchery intake.

  • The Washougal River opens for hatchery steelhead upriver to the Salmon Falls Bridge with the use of bait allowed.

  • The East Fork of the Lewis River opens for hatchery steelhead upriver to the boundary below Horseshoe Falls with the use of bait allowed.

  • Lake Scanewa opens for hatchery spring chinook along with hatchery rainbow trout.

  Anglers should check for fishing regulations specific to those rivers in the 2006-07 Fishing in Washington pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm) on the WDFW website.

  While anglers were gearing up for those and other new fishing opportunities, the spring chinook fishery on the lower Columbia River mainstem was winding down. Catch rates have also been on the wane on the lower Columbia and Bonneville Pool tributaries, said Joe Hymer, another WDFW fish biologist.

  "Anglers are still catching some spring chinook below Bonneville, but a lot of people are switching over to summer steelhead," he said. And for good reason. Catch rates for hatchery steelhead have been "ramping up" below Longview, where bank anglers kept 21 adipose-clipped steelies for 57 rods during the last weekend in May. "Both the number of steelhead and anglers should keep growing in the days ahead," said Hymer, noting that fishing for summer steelhead generally remains good through Labor Day.

  Want to improve your catch rate? Try fishing for shad, which are now moving into the lower Columbia River in large numbers, Hymer said. During the last week of May, creel checkers found that 186 bank anglers had caught 709 shad fishing just downriver from Bonneville Dam. Near Camas, 25 anglers were checked with 51 shad, most weighing 3 to 5 pounds.

  "Shad are boney, no doubt about it, but they put up a good fight and there is no limit on how many you can catch in Washington," Hymer said. "And you don't need a lot of fancy gear - a lot of anglers do just fine fishing a bead and a hook." A record 6 million shad returned to the Columbia River in 2005 and Hymer predicts another strong return this year. For shad recipes, see the WDFW website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/outreach/fishing/shad/shad.htm.

  Sturgeon anglers might also want to try some new recipes. Those fishing in the estuary are picking up an increasing number of legal-size fish. Charter fishers checked at the ports of Ilwaco and Chinook were averaging one legal-size sturgeon for every 2.4 rods during the last full week in May. Anglers in private boats average one keeper for every 6.3 rods. Approximately 300 private boats and 17 charter boats were counted fishing for sturgeon in the lower during a flyover May 28.

• Hunting: Now is the time for hunters to study special hunting permit options in the 2006 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Rules pamphlet (available at WDFW offices, license vendors and at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/hunter/hunter.htm) to meet the application deadline of June 28.

• Wildlife viewing: The peak of the spring chinook run passed up the fish ladder at Bonneville Dam in mid-May, but there are still plenty of fish to see through the viewing window. Anyone stopping by the facility May 27 could have counted 774 adult spring chinook salmon, 42 smaller jack salmon, 62 summer steelhead and 3,886 shad. "The spring chinook counts are way down from a couple of weeks ago, but the shad and steelhead runs are on the way up," said Joe Hymer, WDFW fish biologist.

  The biggest day for spring chinook this year was May 5, when 8,647 fish passed by the fish window. Then again, 38,267 shad moved up the fish ladder May 21, with even higher counts anticipated in the days ahead. "The kids usually like the lamprey the best," said Hymer, referring to the eel-like fish that press against the viewing glass with open-stretch mouths. There are some lamprey on show at the dam right now." To get there, take Washington State Highway 14 east to Milepost 40 (about 5 miles from Stevenson) and turn into the Bonneville Dam visitor center. The visitor center is the glass building at the end of the powerhouse.

  While some people will drive a long way to see Washington wildlife, others have been getting a closer look than they really wanted close to home. During the same week a black bear turned up in Seattle's University District, officers in the southwest region of the state responded to a bear knocking over garbage cans in Packwood and a raccoon locked in a bathroom in Clark County. In these and many other cases, animals were drawn to inhabited areas by pet food, windfall fruit or unsecured garbage.

  Tips for avoiding problems with black bears are available on line at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/blkbear/blkbear.htm. WDFW responds to cougar and bear sightings when there is a threat to public safety or property. Report sightings to the local WDFW regional office, or WDFW's dangerous-wildlife hotline, 1-800-477-6224. In the case of an emergency, dial 911.

Eastern Washington:

• Fishing: Recent heavy rains and snow melt left waterways out of shape and kept some anglers at home. WDFW enforcement officers patrolling the special spring chinook salmon season, which recently opened on a portion of the Snake River near Little Goose Dam, reported high, muddy, debris-filled waters and few anglers. Now that conditions are settling, salmon fishing should pick up as the season continues through June. Be sure to follow gear restrictions, including barbless hooks. Contrary to the first announcement of the season, the use of double or treble hooks is allowed.

  Many trout lakes throughout the region - even those with nearby campgrounds traditionally popular over the holiday weekend - were lightly used during stormy weather. Curt Vail, WDFW district fish biologist in Colville, notes that from Ferry County's Lake Ellen to Pend Oreille County's Sullivan Lake, camps were full but shorelines and fishing boats were not. "There was water running out of Lake Ellen and most folks at Sullivan Lake were gathered around campfires," he said. There are lots of fish left to be caught at those and other local waters, Vail noted. "Curlew Lake is really doing well this year with our fry plants and net-pen releases of rainbows," he said.

  The June 1 river and stream fishing opener could be a little slow with waters still high, Vail said. The Kettle and Little Pend Oreille rivers should be productive for trout once conditions return to normal, but check the rules about selective gear, size and catch limits. Stream anglers are reminded that wherever selective gear is required, nets used to land fish must be knotless to minimize harm to fish that may be released.

  Recent WDFW enforcement patrols on Lake Roosevelt showed that walleye catches are increasing in the main body of the big reservoir. Some daily limits of eight walleye were being taken near Barney's Junction near Kettle Falls.

  The June 10-11 Free Fishing Weekend is a good time to introduce family and friends to the sport without having to buy a license. The region's well-stocked trout lakes are a good bet for newcomers to the sport. Check out where the latest have been stocked at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/plants/regions/reg1/index.htm.

• Hunting: Now is the time for hunters to study special hunting permit options in the 2006 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Rules pamphlet (available at WDFW offices, license vendors and at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/hunter/hunter.htm) to meet the application deadline of June 28. Kevin Robinette, WDFW eastern region wildlife program manager, noted there are a few changes that hunters will want to keep in mind (and all are printed in red in the pamphlet). The most significant is the shift from a general late season on white-tailed deer bucks in Game Management Units 127-142 to a new late season special permit only season (hunt 1016 Palouse, Nov.6-19). The change was made to address a decline in older bucks (see detailed explanation on regional webpage at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/hunter/whtdeer_latehunt06.htm). Robinette noted the new hunt offers more permits than any other deer or elk permit hunt in the state, with a total of 625 available.

• Wildlife viewing: June is the height of wildlife activity and viewing. Robust western toads and tiny treefrogs are chirping near wetlands. Snipe are "winnowing" overhead in breeding display flights. Be especially alert about wildlife babies - flightless Canada goose broods, newborn mallard ducklings, just-hatched pheasant chicks, spotted deer fawns and elk calves, and others. Enjoy them from a distance. Black bears are more active now, so take precautions, such as securely storing picnic and camp food.

  Recent surveys in Lincoln County by WDFW wildlife biologists confirmed peregrine falcons nesting near Coffeepot Lake and at least one bird active in the Lincoln Cliffs area. Prairie falcon pairs were found in the Hawk Creek, Sylvan Lake, Downs Road and Bob's Lake areas. Bighorn sheep were surveyed in the Lincoln Cliffs area, and in the Sterling Valley area to the west.

  Steve Zender, WDFW district wildlife biologist in Chewelah, suggests visiting the Pend Oreille River and other northeast waterways to view osprey and bald eagle nests, where adult birds are busy feeding young. Cusick area roads, including River Road and Black Road, would make for a good car trip to see a variety of wildlife, he said.

  Dana Base, WDFW wildlife biologist in Colville, reports many neotropical migrant birds are back in the Togo Mountain area of the Kettle Range. In that area, Base heard the territorial singing of Hammond's and dusky flycatchers, Swainson's thrush, Cassin's and warbling vireos, Nashville yellow, yellow-rumped, Wilson's, and orange-crowned warblers, common yellowthroat, western tanager, Lazuli bunting, black-headed grosbeak, and gray catbird. "Species that I have not personally detected yet this year but which I am sure are here include the willow flycatcher, veery, red-eyed vireo, yellow-breasted chat, MacGillivray's warbler, American redstart, and the common nighthawk," he said. Base noted that the Washington Ornithological Society's (WOS) annual conference at the Ferry County Fairgrounds Pavillion, just east of Republic, is scheduled for June 16-19. The WOS conference is timed to intersect with the peak of north-bound local songbird migration, vocalization and breeding activity. For details on the conference, see http://www.wos.org.

North Central Washington:

• Fishing: Cool rainy weather and flooding in some areas made for a quiet holiday weekend around northcentral Washington's many popular fishing waters. WDFW enforcement officers reported that the catch was slow -- probably due to high, muddy waters - for anglers braving the weather to fish. With a temporary road closure due to flooding on the Sinlahekin Wildlife Area in Okanogan County, some recreationists were determined to travel cross-country, and some illegal off-road-vehicle activity citations were issued.

  Art Viola, WDFW district fish biologist in Wenatchee, said the special fishing season for spring chinook salmon, which just opened on a section of the Icicle River in Chelan County, has been slow so far. "Only one fish was caught during the opener on May 26," he said. "The run is very late this year. I expect at least 3,000 fish but more likely up to 6,000 will eventually enter the Icicle. As in the past. I expect anglers will be more successful as the season advances." The area open through July 31 begins 500 feet downstream of the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery rack and stops 500 feet short of the confluence of the Icicle and Wenatchee rivers. The daily catch limit is two salmon, measuring at least 12 inches. Night closure and non-buoyant lure restrictions are in effect.

  Bob Jateff, WDFW district fish biologist in Omak, reports good fishing for bluegill, crappie, and rainbow trout at Leader Lake near Okanogan. "Big Twin Lake near Winthrop also continues to produce some nice triploid rainbow measuring 18 to 20 inches," he said.

  Portions of the Methow, Twisp, and Chewuch Rivers open for catch-and-release trout fishing on June 1, but Jateff said that due to high spring flows, they may not be fishable until mid-month. "Remember when fishing these rivers to check the regulation pamphlet closely as there are some areas closed to fishing," he said.

  A rule change this year that stream anglers need to keep in mind is that wherever selective gear is required, nets used to land fish must be knotless to minimize harm to fish that may be released.

  The June 10-11 Free Fishing Weekend is a good time to introduce family and friends to the sport without having to buy a license. The region's well-stocked trout lakes are a good bet for newcomers to the sport. Check out where the latest have been stocked at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/plants/regions/reg2/index.htm.

• Hunting: Now is the time for hunters to study special hunting permit options in the 2006 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Rules pamphlet (available at WDFW offices, license vendors and at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/hunter/hunter.htm) to meet the application deadline of June 28. Matt Monda, WDFW Northcentral Region wildlife program manager, noted there are a few changes that hunters will want to keep in mind (all are printed in red in the pamphlet). There are several new special antlerless deer permit hunts this year for all user groups - modern firearm, muzzleloader, and archery.

• Wildlife viewing: WDFW biologists remind birders that bird feeders need to be kept clean to avoid the spread of bird diseases, especially at this time of year with wet, warm weather and the spring bird feeding frenzy. Feeders should be washed in a 10-to-one water and bleach solution and thoroughly rinsed and dried every couple of weeks.

  Be especially alert about wildlife babies - flightless Canada goose broods, newborn mallard ducklings, just-hatched pheasant chicks, spotted deer fawns and elk calves, and others. Enjoy them from a distance.

  Black bear and cougar have been more active throughout the north end of the region - a good reminder to both outdoor recreationists and rural residents to take preventive action. Bears are most often drawn to unsecured garbage at rural residences or unsecured food in campgrounds, so keep those attractants out of reach. Cougars are usually drawn to concentrations of deer and other natural prey, but will sometimes help themselves to easy meals of free-ranging domestic animals, including young livestock, housecats and small dogs. Keep livestock and pets secured as much as possible to minimize chances of problems.

South Central Washington:

• Fishing: Although trout fishing opens on most rivers and streams in the region on June 1, WDFW Fish Biologist Jim Cummins says anglers should expect flows that could make fishing difficult. "We have a good snowpack this year, and with recent rains, our flows could remain high through June," he said. Cummins reminds river and stream anglers to check the regulation pamphlet's "Special Rules" listings carefully for catch and size limits and gear restrictions. A rule change this year that stream anglers need to keep in mind is that wherever selective gear is required, nets used to land fish must be knotless to minimize harm to fish that may be released. Regulation pamphlets are available at WDFW offices, fishing license vendors, and on WDFW's website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm.

  Hatchery spring chinook salmon fishing is scheduled to continue through June 15 on the mainstem Columbia River from the Tower Island power lines about six miles below The Dalles Dam, upstream to McNary Dam. Daily catch limit is six adipose-fin-clipped fish, minimum size 12 inches, only two adults (24 inches or more). Anglers must keep all chum and sockeye salmon and wild steelhead in the water while releasing them, except when fishing from vessels that are a minimum of 30 feet in length.

  The June 10-11 Free Fishing Weekend is a good time to introduce family and friends to the sport without having to buy a license. The region's well-stocked, year-round trout lakes and ponds are a good bet for newcomers to the sport. Check out where the latest have been stocked at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/plants/regions/reg3/index.htm.

• Hunting: Now is the time for hunters to study special hunting permit options in the 2006 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Rules pamphlet (available at WDFW offices, license vendors and at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/hunter/hunter.htm) to meet the application deadline of June 28. Ted Clausing, WDFW Southcentral Region wildlife program manager, said there are a few changes that hunters will want to keep in mind (and all are printed in red in the pamphlet). The most significant is the re-numbering of Klickitat County Game Management Unit 588 Grayback to 388 Grayback, where the deer will be managed as mule deer rather than black-tailed deer. The change means both general and late-season permit hunting in GMU 388 is more restrictive, including a three-antler-point minimum, to reduce the vulnerability of mule deer bucks to harvest.

• Wildlife viewing: Reports of rattlesnakes here and there throughout the region are not to be discounted, since rattlers are active and reproducing now. But WDFW staff have discovered many of them to actually be harmless but intimidating bull snakes. For more information about snakes, check out WDFW's "Living With Wildlife" series at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/living/snakes.htm.

  Be especially alert about wildlife babies - flightless Canada goose broods, newborn mallard ducklings, just-hatched pheasant chicks, spotted deer fawns and elk calves, and others. Enjoy them from a distance. Black bears are more active now, so take precautions, such as securely storing picnic and camp food.