February 20-March 5, 2002

Contact: Madonna Luers, (509) 456-4073

These last weeks of winter are the time to begin planning this year's salmon fishing seasons, start plying eastern Washington waters for trout, and clean out and set up bird nesting boxes for coming spring migrants.

The kickoff to the month-and-a-half-long process to set 2002 recreational and commercial salmon fisheries is Feb. 27 in Lacey. That's when the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has its annual salmon forecast and fishery outlook session, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Lacey Community Center (6729 Pacific Ave. S.E.). Fisheries managers will present salmon forecasts and discuss possible fishing opportunities with everyone and anyone interested in following the "North of Falcon" process (named after the coastal point north of which these fisheries occur.

That process officially starts with the federal Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) meeting March 11-15 to establish a range of options for salmon harvest levels off the Washington and Oregon coasts. State and treaty Indian fisheries representatives get together March 20 in Portland, and again on April 2 in Tukwila, to discuss salmon fisheries management options for Washington state's marine waters, in conjunction with the PFMC, which adopts the ocean fishing regulations at its April 8-12 meeting in Portland. For more information about the Feb. 27 preview session, and the North of Falcon process in general, call 360-902-2700, or see the department's website.

March 1 marks the opening of trout fishing at dozens of lakes and a few streams in eastern Washington, and all are expected to be ice-free by then. Seven of the March-opening waters are man-made impoundments off the Tucannon River in southeast Washington's Columbia County, where WDFW hatchery crews have been busy stocking catchable-size rainbow trout. Coffeepot Lake in Lincoln County opens with selective gear rules and will provide great trout, bass and perch fishing. Spectacle Lake in Okanogan County opens with the promise of whopper rainbows from triploid plants. The Stehekin River in Chelan County opens for catch-and-release fishing. The rest of the March 1 opening waters are in central Washington's Columbia Basin, most in Grant and Adams counties.

The general fishing forecast for the Basin lakes is a mixed bag, according to WDFW fish biologist Jeff Korth of Moses Lake. "Even without unpredictable weather, " Korth says, "the need for surveys and lake rehabilitations, the availability of catchable-sized fish for stocking, and dealing with the fish management restraints of the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge make the March 1-opening fisheries a management challenge."

Korth says Quincy and Burke lakes should be the best of the lot, coming off the 1999 rehabilitation with their second crop of lake-raised rainbow trout. Dusty Lake will be out of action because the rehabilitation planned for last spring was cancelled. Angling will be slow but the fish will be large at the Hampton lakes. Some of the Pillar-Wigeon chain of lakes and the Quincy area walk-in lakes will be fair for yearling rainbows. The selective-gear waters Lenice and Nunnally should be great and this year offer a new enticement for anglers – tiger trout. Lake Lenore has shown signs of recovery as of last fall and should provide good catch-and-release fishing. Korth reminds anglers that the Warden lakes no longer open March 1, and are now in the late-April opening season.

All March 1 opening waters are listed under "Special Rules – Eastside Rivers/Eastside Lakes" in the 2001-2002 WDFW "Fishing in Washington" sport fishing rules pamphlet, which is in effect through April 30, 2002. See regional reports that follow for more information.

This is also time to clean out old bird nest boxes and set up new ones to accommodate incoming spring migrants and year-round resident birds. Many birds that winter in Washington are nest box users, including flickers, woodpeckers, chickadees and nuthatches. Others that winter in warmer climes return this month to set up housekeeping in our backyards. The migrants that make the earliest return– and one of the most popular and colorful nest box users– are bluebirds.

Bluebirds are "secondary cavity nesters," meaning they rely on "primary cavity nesters" like woodpeckers to excavate and then abandon holes in trees. With trees becoming more scarce near open fields where bluebirds feed on insects, and competition fierce for nest sites, bluebirds need all the help they can get.

But just any old nest box won't do. Bluebirds, woodpeckers and other nest box birds have specific size and depth needs. The size and design of the opening are important to keep out competitive exotic species such as English sparrows. Placement also can make a difference.

WDFW has information on nest box dimensions, construction, placement and maintenance for dozens of bird species through its Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary program packet, available for $5 through WDFW's regional offices or online. Specific plans for wood duck nest boxes, which also work for small owls, are also available online.

If you already have nest boxes up, make sure they're cleaned out and ready for new occupants to "furnish" according to their own tastes. Most birds need to go through the instinctual ritual of nest-building and won't simply use an old nest.

Spring hunting opportunities are coming soon and deadlines for special permit applications are even sooner. Turkey hunters who want a chance for double the season and twice as many birds have until Feb. 24 to buy raffle tickets for the two special permits that will be drawn Feb. 26. The two raffle winners will be able to hunt April 1 - May 31, instead of the regular April 15 - May 15 season, and will be eligible to purchase up to six turkey tags, instead of three. Turkey raffle tickets cost $5 and can be purchased at dealers, by phone, 1-866-246-9453, or online, http://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov. Blue Mountains spring bear hunting permit applications are due March 10 for the April 15 – May 31 season. Permit application is by phone, 1-877-945-3492, or Internet, http://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov. Both turkey and bear hunters who purchased tags last year must file hunter reports before purchasing this year's tags.

More information on current fish and wildlife recreational opportunities is available by region below:

North Puget Sound:

• Fishing: The Puget Sound winter blackmouth fishery got under way Feb. 16 throughout most of the region, with a one-fish daily limit in Marine Areas 7, 8-1, 8-2 and 9. Marine Area 10, which is in central Puget Sound near Seattle, opens to blackmouth fishing March 1 with a one-fish daily limit. There is a minimum size of 22 inches for blackmouth in all marine areas. Steelhead fishing remains an option on many traditional steelie streams, with the hatchery runs slowing to a trickle, and the number of wild fish growing. Because of low returns, wild fish must be released on most northern Puget Sound streams, including the Skagit, Stillaguamish and Snohomish river systems, among others. Fishing for Dolly Varden, some tipping the scales at eight pounds or more, has been good in a handful of river systems this season. The Skagit River is a good bet for big dollies, which can be caught on eggs, spinner lures, and even flies. For the Skagit, Dolly Varden can be retained as part of the daily trout limit of two fish per day with a 20-inch minimum length.

• Wildlife viewing: Swans and snow geese are still highly visible throughout the farmlands and river mouths in northern Puget Sound, including the Samish Flats area and Fir Island. This is a great time of year to check out the Tennant Lake Interpretive Center, a site cooperatively managed by WDFW and Whatcom County Parks. There is a large wetland area accessible by boardwalk, plus an observation tower and a remote camera for people with disabilities. Take the Ferndale turnoff (Exit 262) off I-5, go west to the railroad underpass and immediately turn left. Turn right on the Nielsen Road and follow signs to park.

Olympic Peninsula/South Sound:

• Fishing: The winter blackmouth season opened Feb. 16, providing a new round of fishing opportunities from the Sekiu River to Budd Inlet in southern Puget Sound. There is a one-fish limit, and any blackmouth under 22 inches must be released. Best bets include Midchannel Bank between Port Townsend and Whidbey island, Jefferson Head south of Kingston and Clay Banks at Tacoma's Point Defiance Park. "It's hard to beat Jefferson Head on an incoming tide," said Tony Floor, Puget Sound recreational fisheries coordinator for WDFW. "Look for the bait fish and you'll find the blackmouth," said Floor, who recommends fishing about 10 feet off the bottom. Or, if you've set your sights on steelhead, now is a good time to go. Water conditions on north coast rivers are the best they've been in a number of weeks, and fishing for wild steelhead is picking up on the Sol Duc, Quillayute and Calawah rivers. Fishing on the Bogachiel and Soleduck has been slow, but the Satsop, Quinault, Queets and Wynoochee rivers are showing promise. Note that the Humptulips River will close to all fishing March 1 by emergency order because steelhead returns are expected to be below escapement goals.

• Wildlife viewing: If you're WDFW wildlife biologist Kelly McAllister, the signs of spring are everywhere. Red-legged frogs have begun to lay their eggs, Northwestern salamanders are congregating in marshy areas and you might come across a ball of writhing rough-skinned newts engaged in the rites of spring. But unless you spend a fair amount of time wading around in wetlands researching amphibians, you'll probably hear spring approaching before you see it. Robins have already begun to sing their morning songs, punctuated by the occasional ch-weet of Hutton's vireos. Or, if you're walking in a marshy area, listen for the unmistakable call of the Virginia Rail, which McAllister says sounds "something like the laugh of the Penguin character in the Batman movies." Yes, visible signs of spring have begun to appear: tree swallows have begun to appear, bald eagles soar overhead in their search for food and nesting materials, and Great Blue Herons are beginning to return to area nests. But don't forget to listen for the sounds of spring, too.

Southwest Washington:

• Fishing: The smelt show may be winding down, but spring chinook are waiting in the wings with indications of lots of action in store for fishers. "It's still early but chinook effort and catch should both continue to pick up," says Joe Hymer, regional fish biologist. More spring chinook were counted last week at Bonneville Dam and salmon are being caught in the mainstem river downstream from the I-5 bridge, reports Hymer. Dam fish counts will be available in mid-March in the Fishing section of the WDFW webpage under "Adult Fish Counts, " and spring chinook catches will be posted on the Southwest Washington Sport Sampling Summary section of the WDFW website, Hymer said. Steelhead anglers are finding good results in the Cowlitz and Kalama rivers, and sturgeon fishing remains generally good from Bonneville Dam downstream to Woodland, with fishers recently averaging up to one legal fish per boat. Sturgeon anglers face a new release requirement from March 3 to May 13, when they will be required to release all sturgeon caught on Sundays and Mondays. The two-day-per-week retention closure is aimed at keeping this year's sport sturgeon catch within harvest management guidelines. Lake anglers should be able to reap the benefits of recent fish plants– waters which recently received half-pound rainbow trout include Klineline Pond near Hazel Dell (2,000 fish); Lacamas Lake near Camas (2,100 fish); Ice House Lake near Bridge of the Gods (1,000 fish), and Kidney Lake near North Bonneville(2,000 fish), and Little Ash Lake near Stevenson (1,100 fish).

• Wildlife viewing: This is the time of year when an influx of sandhill cranes in flocks of up to 50 birds may be on hand in and around the Shillapoo Wildlife Area. Large flocks of Canada geese were reported at the wildlife area over the past weekend. To avoid disturbing the birds and driving them off public land, visitors are reminded to stay on roadways or designated parking areas in the north and south units of the area. Elk are still visible at Mount. St. Helens Wildlife Area. While on the move to higher elevations they frequently can be spotted from State Route 504 (Spirit Lake Highway) even at midday, says Brian Calkins, wildlife area manager.

Eastern Washington:

• Fishing: The March 1 fishing opener in this region features the seven man-made impoundments off the Tucannon River in southeast Washington's Columbia County which are stocked with catchable-sized (1/3-pound) and "jumbo" (1/2-pound) rainbow trout. Some lakes still held a little ice at the time hatchery crews were stocking them, but all are expected to be ice-free by March 1. Over the course of the eight month season, here's the total number of rainbows each lake is scheduled to receive: Beaver – 1,500, Big Four – 2,300, Blue – 19,300, Deer – 3,000, Rainbow Lake -18,300, Spring - 9,300 and Watson – 14,300. Year-round waters in the southeast also scheduled for the start of rainbow trout stocking at this time include: Dayton Pond (juveniles only) – 3,100, Golf Course Pond – 18,400, Silcott Pond – 4,000, West Evans Pond – 18,500, Bakers Pond – 1,500, Casey's Pond – 500, Bennington Lake – 22,200, College Place/Lyons Park Pond (juveniles only) – 4,200, Quarry Pond – 18,300, Jefferson Park Pond – 2,100, Gilcrest Pond – 2,000, Riparia Pond – 2,000. Also opening on March 1 is Coffeepot Lake in Lincoln County where anglers can expect to catch rainbows up to 22 inches, along with nice-sized largemouth bass and lots of fair-sized yellow perch. Coffeepot fishers need to follow selective gear rules (no bait, single barbless hooks only), the daily catch limits of no more than two trout and two bass, and the maximum size limit on bass of 14 inches. The winter-only trout lakes in the region – Fourth of July, Hog Canyon, Hatch, and Williams – remain open through the end of March and are quickly becoming ice-free, allowing more shoreline fishing. Year-round Sprague Lake will start receiving 5,000 catchable-sized (1/3-pound) hatchery rainbow trout now. Steelhead trout fishing on the tributaries of the Snake River (Grand Ronde, Touchet, Tucannon, Walla Walla) is still productive.

• Wildlife viewing: Early spring waterfowl migrations are starting and a good place to watch is Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge, near Cheney (southwest of Spokane), where a few rare trumpeter swans are known to mix with the more common tundra swans by early March. Another good spot to see ducks and geese is the area from Sprague to St. John in Whitman County, along Highway 23 through Rock Creek - Cottonwood Creek drainages, south of Rock Lake. Tundra swans should be returning to northeast Washington waterways, notably Kalispel Lake and Pend Oreille River areas of Pend Oreille County. Great blue herons are re-building their nests in the age-old rookery on the Little Spokane River in Spokane County. Juncos, finches, chickadees, nuthatches, and other wintering birds that frequent backyard feeders have new competition from red-winged blackbirds, robins, waxwings and other migrants that recently blew in. If you keep those bird feeders clean and dry, now is one of the most important times to provide seed for all of these feathered friends as they ready for the rigors of breeding and nesting. The cavity-nesters among them – chickadees, nuthatches, and migrants yet to come – will gladly start checking out any nest boxes you provide at this time, too.

• Hunting: Blue Mountains spring black bear hunting permit applications are due March 10. A total of 105 permits are available across seven southeast units for the season that runs April 15 to May 31. Permit application is by phone, 1-877-945-3492, or Internet, http://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov.

North Central Washington:

• Fishing: Among the dozens of rainbow trout waters in the Columbia Basin that open on March 1, the best bets will be Quincy and Burke lakes in Grant County near the town of Quincy. That is, says WDFW fish biologist Jeff Korth, if the weather cooperates. Burke and Quincy were rehabilitated during the fall of 1999 so they should be very productive. Each received about 20,000 rainbow fingerlings in the spring of 2001, which ought to be 12-inch yearlings now. There should also be a fair number of carryovers (15-20 inches). In addition, this spring Quincy will receive 6,000 three-quarter pound rainbows and Burke gets 7,000. Nearby Dusty Lake has suffered poor fingerling trout survival and catch rates due to a massive population of speckled dace, Korth reports. Dusty was not stocked for this opener and although there might be a fish or two to be caught, Korth expects success to be very low. Rehabilitation of Dusty is currently planned for this fall. WDFW's Quincy Wildlife Area's small walk-in lakes usually have variable success rates. Cup and Spring lakes have been the most consistent. Yearling rainbows range from nine to 12 inches and carryovers can be found from 14 to 18 inches. Bass were discovered at Dot Lake last year, Korth says. Cliff, Crystal, Cup, and Upper Spring lakes each received 1,000 rainbow fingerlings; Scout got 600; and Cascade, Dot, and Lower Spring 500 each. Upper and Lower Hampton lakes, on the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge north of Othello, will put out some nice carryovers, and the few yearlings caught will be fat 14-inchers. The Hamptons were last rehabilitated in 1994, and now sunfish and probably bass are creating problems for trout. Korth suspects bird predation is also a problem, so some stocking occurs in late fall after cormorants have left. Year-round residing mergansers still prey on small fish, however. No catchable-sized trout are allowed to be stocked on the Refuge, so a spring-fall stocking split helps reduce competition. Upper Hampton received 10,000 rainbow finglerings last spring and 10,000 last fall, Lower Hampton received 4,000 spring plants and 4,000 fall, and Hampton Slough received 200 each in spring and fall. Other Refuge waters that are stocked include Hen, Marie, and Coot lakes which each received 1,000 rainbows last spring, and Dabbler Lake which received 500 last spring. The nearby Pillar-Widgeon chain of 10 lakes should also do fairly well for yearling rainbow, Korth says, especially Pillar, Cattail and Snipe. Although the fish are smaller (8-10 inches), the scenery and serenity of the area more than compensate and they are an excellent choice for an angler with time and a float tube. These waters are planted both spring and fall with larger fry, but bird predation can vary results. Last year Pillar received a total of 4,000 rainbows; Shoveler, Snipe, Cattail and Widgeon each 2,000; Gadwall 1,000; Lemna and Poacher each 500; and Sago and Hourglass each 200. Korth reports that Martha Lake, just off I-90 near the town of George, had terrible rainbow survival last year due to hoards of sunfish. But Martha's opening day is being salvaged with the stocking of 2,450 one-pound-plus rainbows. The few survivors from last spring's plant of 8,000 rainbow fingerlings will be 13-14-inch yearlings, Korth says, and a very few 18-20 inch carryovers will round out the catch. Upper, Lower, and West Caliche lakes, southwest of George, have had a mysteriously rough time the last few years Korth says. Yearlings have been getting larger (14 inches last year), and the carryover rate has increased (26 percent-plus at 17-20 inches). This usually means rehab time, but as yet no undesirable fish have been seen in the Caliches. Fingerling rainbow plants were Upper Caliche, 10,000; Lower Caliche, 6,000; and West Caliche, 1,000. Upper Caliche will also receive 1,300 three-quarter pound rainbows this spring. Lenice and Nunnally lakes, south of Vantage, should be excellent fishing, having been rehabilitated in 2000. But remember these lakes require selective gear (single, barbless hook and no bait ) and have a one-trout daily catch limit. Yearling rainbows should be 14 inches and there are plenty of carryovers from 16 to 24 inches in length. Since the larger fish from the original year 2000 stocking were mostly sterile triploids, Korth says the possibility for some "true monsters" is very real. Both lakes were stocked with rainbow fingerlings this year, (Lenice 7,000, Nunnally 9,000), half of which were triploids. Among the yearlings only, the triploids are NOT clipped. The normal, diploid rainbow are adipose-clipped. Korth says there will be another surprise for angers in 2002 - tiger trout (brown-brook trout hybrids) fingerlings were stocked last year (Lenice 1,000, Nunnally 1,500). The tigers are expected to be about 12-inch yearlings by the opener. Up in the north end of Grant County, near the town of Soap Lake, Lake Lenore opens on March 1for catch-and-release fishing through May. Korth says Lenore fishing is usually a little slow this time of year since the Lahontan cutthroat stocked here don't really seem to get active until April. Lenore showed signs of recovery last year from the serious fish kills of 1998. Stocking rates were increased from 40,000 to 70,000 fingerlings in 1999, 2000, and 2001 to replace the lost fish. Fish stocked in 1999 and 2000 should be showing up in the fishery as 3 and 2 year olds, respectively, at about two to four pounds each. Many long-time Columbia Basin anglers may routinely head for Warden and South Warden Lakes, near Potholes Reservoir, for the March 1 opener, but Korth reminds that those waters are now managed in the season that opens the last Saturday of April. Korth also notes that with the many management challenges of the March 1-opening fisheries, WDFW officials will be making lots of creel checks and especially need anglers who catch-and-release some or all of their fish to provide the most accurate information possible.

• Wildlife viewing: Washington's newest wildlife viewing festival debuted in the Grand Coulee Dam area last weekend (Feb. 15-17) to celebrate the bald eagles that winter there. But WDFW biologist Ron Friesz says you can still see concentrations of the big birds through mid-March, as long as you keep some viewing ethics in mind. The first annual "Balde" Eagle Festival, using the 18th century spelling when the species was chosen as our national symbol, sponsored by the Grand Coulee Chamber of Commerce, featured tours of a bald eagle roosting site in the Northrup Canyon Natural Area, about seven miles south of Grand Coulee Dam. The road into Northrup Canyon, which is managed by Washington State Parks, is partially blockaded so plan on parking and walking a bit to see eagles. The best time to see the most birds is the last couple hours of daylight, from about 3:30-5:30 p.m. Friesz advises staying on the road or parking area, keeping your distance from the roost sites, which can be occupied by up to 100 eagles. For best viewing and least disturbance to the birds, he also says visitors should be as quiet as possible, moving slowly, dimming lights, avoiding car door slams and keeping voices low. "This is a sensitive area," Friesz explains. "These birds use it because it provides protection from harsh winter weather so they can conserve energy. It also serves as a place for eagle pairs to meet and form or renew bonds." Bald eagles are feeding on fish and waterfowl throughout the reservoir area and can also be seen more easily, although in fewer numbers, along Banks Lake from Coulee City to Soap Lake, below Grand Coulee Dam along the Columbia River, and on Lake Roosevelt from Grand Coulee to Kettle Falls. Friesz says that a growing population of year-round or resident eagles nest along Lake Roosevelt, Rufous Woods Lake, and Banks Lake. Most of the eagles that use the Northrup Canyon roosts are migrants that nest much further north. "They're not in a hurry to return north just yet," he says. "They'll hang around through mid-March."

South Central Washington:

• Fishing: Some of the region's year-round fisheries are starting to receive hatchery-reared, catchable-sized (one-third-pound) rainbow trout plants, including Franklin County's Marmes Pond (2,000) and Dalton Lake, which is scheduled for up to 18,300 through the spring. More trout planting allotment information will be available at WDFW's Yakima regional office by March 1, and also posted on that portion of WDFW's website, http://wdfw.wa.gov/reg/region3.htm. Meanwhile, WDFW staffers from the region will be on hand to answer questions and share fishing information at the Central Washington Sportsmen Show at the Yakima SunDome, Feb 22-24.

• Wildlife viewing: Juncos, finches, chickadees, nuthatches, and other wintering birds that frequent backyard feeders have new competition from red-winged blackbirds, robins, waxwings and other migrants that recently blew in. Bluebirds are even starting to show up in a few places. If you keep those bird feeders clean and dry, now is one of the most important times to provide food for all of these feathered friends as they ready for the rigors of breeding and nesting. The cavity-nesters among them, including chickadees, nuthatches, bluebirds, and migrants yet to come, will gladly start checking out any nest boxes you provide at this time, too. WDFW biologist Ken Bevis notes that if you already have nest boxes up, be sure to clear out any old nesting materials so birds that were born in the area can return and re-use them. "Be sure that the entrance holes are too small for starlings but large enough for cavity-nesting species," Bevis advises. "We recommend using 1 ½ inch diameter nest holes, with at least six inches depth between the hole and box bottom. There are many designs for bird boxes available, but basically they all need to have the right size entrance hole, and adequate depth. Proper construction and follow up maintenance are the keys to successful bird box projects." WDFW has information on nest box dimensions, construction, placement and maintenance for dozens of bird species through its Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary program packet, available for $5 through WDFW's regional offices or online.