With spring fast approaching, improving weather and new recreational opportunities have given anglers and wildlife watchers new reasons to venture outdoors.

In western Washington, fishing has been good under increasingly sunny skies for blackmouth salmon on Puget Sound and steelhead on the Olympic Peninsula. On the lower Columbia River, anglers have landed the first spring chinook of the season.

East of the Cascades, anglers have been taking advantage of warmer temperatures to fish newly opened trout lakes, many covered by ice only a few weeks ago.

"Participation and catch rates will pick up at these lakes when our weather stabilizes and spring advances," said Jeff Korth, a fish biologist for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).

Anglers aren't the only ones enjoying the change of season. Thousands of geese, ducks and other birds are descending on waterways throughout the state in their annual northward migration, drawing increasing numbers of birders into the field.

Among the avian visitors are hundreds of sandhill cranes, headliners of the 10th annual Othello Sandhill Crane Festival March 23-25, featuring birding tours and lectures. Meanwhile, birders in southwest Washington are flocking to the Vancouver lowlands where bald eagles, great blue herons and other birds can be seen building their nests.

"It's a good time to see the herons, because the cottonwoods haven't really leafed out yet," said Brian Calkins, who manages WDFW's Shillapoo and Mount St. Helens wildlife areas. "The lowlands are also a prime spot to observe eagles right now, because they tend to start nesting here earlier than in the rest of the state."

Other outdoor events worth noting in the coming weeks are:

• March 16-18 - A razor clam dig is tentatively scheduled at several ocean beaches on evening tides. Final word on the dig will be announced once marine toxin tests determine whether clams on those beaches are safe to eat.

• March 17 - The Roosevelt Elk Festival in the Quinault rain forest, featuring guided elk-viewing tours and lectures on area wildlife. For information, see http://www.QuinaultRainForest.com or call 360-288-2900.

• March 30-April 1 - Olympic Peninsula Birdfest in Sequim. The event features field trips, a salmon bake and a Protection Island boat trip. For information, call 360-681-4076.

For more information on these and other upcoming outdoor opportunities, see the regional reports below.

North Puget Sound

• Fishing: Anglers could have an opportunity over the next couple weeks to take advantage of warming temperatures and spring-like conditions on Puget Sound, where blackmouth salmon fishing remains hot. Freshwater fishers also could benefit from the changing seasons, as the Skagit River appears to be dropping into shape, improving anglers' chances of hooking a steelhead.

  The best bet, though, continues to be the blackmouth fishery. "There's no shortage of blackmouth out there," said Steve Thiesfeld, WDFW fish biologist. "Fishing has been good for several weeks, and some people have said that this is the best blackmouth fishing they've seen in a long time."

  Most marine areas in the region - with the exception of Marine Area 10 (Seattle/Bremerton) - are open for blackmouth, and all have been good for salmon anglers, Thiesfeld said.

  The most productive region seems to be the southern portion of Marine Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet), Thiesfeld said. According to WDFW creel checks at the Everett boat ramp, 262 anglers brought home 56 salmon during the first weekend in March. At the Kingston public ramp, 34 anglers were checked with nine chinook that same weekend.

  Anglers in Marine Area 9, as well as Marine Area 7 (San Juan Islands), have a daily limit of one salmon, and chinook must measure at least 22 inches in length. "Marine Area 7 also is kicking out some nice size fish," Thiesfeld said. "I've heard some salmon have been as large as 18 pounds."

  Blackmouth fishing in marine areas 8-1 (Deception Pass, Hope Island and Skagit Bay) and the northern portion of 8-2 (Port Susan and Port Gardner) also remains a good bet, Thiesfeld said. Anglers in those two marine areas can keep up to two hatchery chinook per day, so long as the fish measure at least 22 inches in length. Wild chinook salmon, which have an intact adipose fin, cannot be brought aboard the boat.

  "There might be some really hot spots here and there, but it's hard to go wrong just about anywhere in the region this year when it comes to blackmouth," Thiesfeld said.

  Hot fishing could make for some heated competition during the inaugural Anacortes Salmon Derby, which is scheduled for March 10-11 out of the Cap Sante Marina. Tickets for the event are $50 per person, with proceeds going toward scholarships to benefit young adults interested in pursuing an education in fisheries or a related natural science. Top prize for the derby, which is hosted by the Fidalgo Chapter of Puget Sound Anglers, is $5,000. For more information visit http://www.anacortessalmonderby.com.

  In the freshwater, anglers in the region still have a shot at steelhead. A number of rivers closed to steelhead fishing Feb. 28, although most areas of the Skagit River remain open for the harvest of hatchery steelhead through March 15. Beginning March 16, a catch-and-release fishery for all steelhead opens on the Skagit from the Dalles Bridge to the Cascade River. Wild steelhead are distinguished from hatchery fish by their intact adipose and ventral fins.

  Brett Barkdull, another WDFW fish biologist, said fishing has been decent on the Skagit, especially in the lower river. "The river had been running a little high recently," he said. "But it should be back in shape, and anglers should find some nice fish."

  Barkdull reminds steelheaders on the Skagit fishing from boats, sleds or any other floating device equipped with a gas or electric motor that it's illegal to fish while under power during the catch-and-release season. Rules and regulations for the Skagit River fishery, as well as other freshwater and saltwater fisheries, can be found in WDFW's 2006/2007 Fishing in Washington pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm).

• Wildlife viewing: Sporadic sightings of a whooper swan continue in the region. The last reported sighting on Tweeters birding website (http://www.scn.org/earth/tweeters/) was March 3, when the swan was seen in a field along Ulrick Road just south of Ferndale. Whooper swans, uncommon visitors to Puget Sound, are large white birds with black and yellow bills. They breed mainly across northern Europe and Asia, and regularly winter on the Aleutian Islands.

  Elsewhere, a birder in the Drayton Harbor area spotted a number of different bird species - and nearly 100 harbor seals. The birder, a frequent visitor to the Semiahmoo Spit area, saw his first black oystercatcher at the harbor. The oystercatcher, a crow-sized black bird with pink legs and a reddish-orange bill, was seen on a gravel bar near a flock of black turnstones, the birder noted on Tweeters. Oystercatchers prey on different types of shellfish, but mostly eat mussels. With a jab to the adductor muscle, the birds can disable and hold open a mussel, making the mollusk an easy meal.

  Farther south, a birder visiting the Snoqualmie Valley spotted several raptors, including six red-tailed hawks, nine bald eagles and two Cooper's hawks. The birder also spotted a large flock of Canada geese at Carnation Farm and several hundred ducks at Tall Chief Golf Course.

South Sound/Olympic Peninsula

• Fishing: Fishing for blackmouth is still going strong in Puget Sound, but steelheading may give that fishery a run for its money now that the rivers have dropped into shape. Add the prospect of a razor clam dig in mid-March and the outdoor forecast is looking good for the days ahead.

  Fishing for blackmouth continues to reward anglers from Port Angeles to Hood Canal, said Steve Thiesfeld, WDFW fish biologist. "This season is continuing to produce," he said. "The fishing is the best I've seen in the past six to eight years."

  Good numbers of fish, combined with nice weather, helped make the 25th annual Geoduck Restaurant Salmon Derby in northern Hood Canal a success, said Sue Perley, who sponsored the event. Shane Roaf of Brinnon won the $600 first prize after hooking an 18-pound, 2-ounce blackmouth. A total of 149 fish were weighed in during the two-day derby, which takes place "anywhere south of the Hood Canal Bridge," Perley said. Most of the fish were caught in the Brinnon-Seabeck area.

  Twenty-five blackmouth were reported caught over the March 3-4 weekend at Ediz Hook (Marine Area 6), the three-and-a-half mile spit that curves north of Port Angeles. Farther south, anglers fishing in Marine Area 11 near Point Defiance boat ramp hauled in nine blackmouth March 4. South Sound anglers should also be aware that Marine Area 13 opened March 1 for blackmouth.

  Meanwhile, word is out that rivers and streams throughout the area have dropped into shape for some prime steelhead fishing. Sixty-three anglers were contacted on the Bogachiel River during a creel survey conducted March 2-4, up from just 17 anglers during the previous three-day period. Those 63 anglers connected with 51 fish (all but four of them wild), releasing 16 of them.

  "The rivers are dropping into shape and fishing should start to pick up," said David Low, a WDFW fish biologist who monitors the fishery on north coast rivers. "Conditions haven't been great this season but, when they are, anglers are generally finding fish."

  More anglers were surveyed on the Hoh River during the March 2-4 creel check than anywhere else. On the lower river, 141 anglers reported catching 45 steelhead, 41 of them wild. On the upper river, 94 anglers caught 50 fish, releasing all 46 of the wild ones. The 21 anglers surveyed on the Sol Duc had caught 11 steelhead, nine of them wild.

  No survey results were available for the Queets River during that period, but Low said he had heard reports of several 18-to-20 pounders caught in recent days.

  Under state rules, anglers may retain one wild steelhead per year, provided that it is caught in one of 10 designated rivers in western Washington. Rules for wild-steelhead retention are outlined on page 29 of the Fishing in Washington rule pamphlet http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm.

  Favorable weather and river conditions have also made for good fishing in the Grays Harbor area, said Scott Barbour, WDFW fish biologist. "Now that the rivers are back in shape, there are fish to be had," he said. "Although some rain is expected in coming days, the rivers should remain quite good." The Wynoochee and Satsop rivers were especially popular for steelhead fishing in early March, Barbour said.

  Those fishing the Chehalis River might also want to consider trying for sturgeon, which are now present in the river. "The technique for catching the big fish is somewhat different," said Barbour. "People seem to have the best luck using smelt for bait on an incoming or outgoing tide, and keeping their lead low to reach the fish."

  Ready to dig some razor clams? Fishery managers have tentatively scheduled a three-day razor clam dig March 16-18 at various ocean beaches on evening tides. Final word on the dig will be announced about a week ahead of time, once marine toxin tests determine whether clams on those beaches remain safe to eat.

  As currently scheduled, the following beaches will be open for razor clam digging between noon and midnight on the following days:

  • March 16, Friday - Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks (low evening tide: 5:31 p.m., +0.1 ft.)
  • March 17, Saturday - All beaches: Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks, Kalaloch (low evening tide: 6:16 p.m., -0.1 ft.)
  • March 18, Sunday - Long Beach, Twin Harbors and Kalaloch (low evening tide: 6:58 p.m. -0.1 ft.)

  No digging will be allowed before noon any of those days.

• Wildlife viewing: What better way to kick off spring than with a bird-watching festival? The 2007 Olympic Peninsula Birdfest, scheduled March 30 to April 1 in Sequim, is geared to beginning birders, experts, and those who just enjoy the outdoors. The festival has a full slate of events including a live raptor demonstration, Saturday night salmon bake, Protection Island boat trip, several local field trips, kayaking and other presentations. For more information, call 360-681-4076, or email: info@olympicbirdfest.org.

  Drawn by sporadic sightings of the rare black-headed gull, birders are still flocking to Point No Point near Hansville in northern Kitsap County to catch a glimpse. Black-headed gulls are seldom seen in Washington, with less than 15 records reported in the state. Birders reporting on the Tweeters website (http://www.scn.org/tweeters/) say the bird, which should be in southern Europe or Asia, is often seen feeding with Bonaparte gulls on the incoming tide.

  Binoculars, spotting scopes and clear weather are bringing good numbers of late-winter birds into focus from Elma to Tokeland. Participants on a recent Audubon field trip recorded a total of 104 species, ranging from hummingbirds to hawks. Sightings include a pair of redheads near Vance Creek, a rare Bewick's swan at the Wenzel Slough Rd., along with a Harlan's red-tailed hawk and six greater white-fronted geese. Near the Brady Loop Road, birders spotted glaucous gulls, merlins, black-bellied plovers, dowitchers, Western meadowlarks and a single Eurasian wigeon. With the skies clearing around Tokeland, the travelers found more than 750 wintering marbled godwits and several long-billed curlews.

Southwest Washington:

• Fishing: Smelt are thinning out and steelhead fishing is set to close on a number of lower Columbia tributaries, but spring chinook salmon are about to take the main stage.

  With springers now showing up in creel surveys on the lower river, anglers have established a growing "fish camp" in Cathlamet.

  "Spring chinook fishing should improve daily," said Joe Hymer, WDFW fish biologist. "The fish are beginning to arrive, water conditions are improving and we're getting some warmer weather. This season is about to begin in earnest."

  The spring chinook fishery has been open since Jan. 1 between the Interstate 5 bridge downstream to Buoy 10, but it doesn't usually start heating up until mid-March, Hymer said. Creel surveys and other reports show anglers are now catching hatchery spring chinook between the I-5 Bridge and the Lewis River.

  Anglers fishing below the I-5 bridge can keep a total of six hatchery salmon per day - including two adults - but must release any wild, unmarked fish they encounter. Hatchery steelhead and shad may also be retained within the limits described in WDFW's Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm).

  Based on pre-season estimates, a total of 164,000 spring chinook are expected to return to the Columbia River this year, considerably fewer than the 225,000 that returned last year. However, some individual runs - particularly the one to the Willamette River - should provide some good fishing this year, Hymer said.

  "A large portion of the return to the Willamette is comprised of five-year-old fish, which can run to 30 pounds or more," he said. "Those fish tend to come in early, so they should start showing up in the catch pretty soon." He added that the Cowlitz, Kalama, and Lewis rivers should also start producing spring chinook soon.

  The mainstem recreational fishery for spring chinook salmon below the I-5 Bridge is scheduled to run through April 15, unless allowed targets for wild fish are reached first. Run forecasts for Columbia River tributaries are posted on the WDFW website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/salmon_columbia07.htm.

  Farther upriver, fishing for hatchery chinook and hatchery steelhead will open March 16 from the Tower Islands (six miles below The Dalles Dam) to McNary Dam. Chinook fishing will also open March 16 on the Wind River and Drano Lake, although returns to those waters - plus the Klickitat River, which opens in April - are expected to be down this year. WDFW will announce new fishing regulations for the Wind River and post them on its website within the week.

  Since only one chinook had been counted at Bonneville Dam through February, anglers should check the fish counts at http://www.cbr.washington.edu/dart/adult.html or http://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/op/fishdata/home.asp before they head to these areas.

  Meanwhile, March 15 is the last day to fish several lower Columbia tributaries, which are being closed to protect spawning steelhead. Rivers and creeks closing the next day include Abernathy, Cedar, Germany, Mill (Cowlitz County), Rock (Skamania County), Salmon (Clark County), Skamokawa, Coweeman, Elochoman, Grays, East Fork Lewis, Washougal and Wind.

  Anglers are still catching some steelhead on the Cowlitz and Kalama rivers, which will remain open for late stocks of hatchery fish. Wild fish must be released. Angler effort on the Lewis River has been light.

  Smelt dippers on the Cowlitz and lower Columbia rivers have probably seen the peak of the season - such as it was, Hymer said. Both recreational and commercial harvest did fairly well on the last Saturday in February, but the catch has declined ever since, Hymer said. "Dippers may still be able to pick up some smelt, but abundance is declining," Hymer said. The Cowlitz River will be open to smelt dipping from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. each Saturday through March 31.

  Sturgeon fishing in all areas of the Columbia open for that species should improve with warming weather, although most anglers below the I-5 bridge are now focusing on spring chinook, Hymer said. Boat anglers fishing for walleye have been averaging one fish per rod in The Dalles Pool, and almost that good in the Bonneville and John Day pools. Trout anglers should be aware that WDFW released 2,000 browns into Klineline Pond and 7,000 more into Lacamas Lake on Feb. 22.

• Wildlife viewing: It's nesting time in the Vancouver lowlands, where some of the area's most photographic birds are now setting up house. Bald eagles can now be seen constructing eyries around Vancouver Lake, said Brian Calkins, who manages WDFW's Shillapoo and Mount St. Helens wildlife areas. Great blue herons, with wingspans of up to seven feet, can also be seen building nests in cottonwood trees near the lake. "It's a good time to see the herons, because the cottonwoods haven't really leafed out yet," Calkins said. "The lowlands are also a prime spot to observe eagles right now, because they tend to start nesting here earlier than in the rest of the state."

  Meanwhile, hummingbirds are bringing a splash of color to backyards throughout the region. A few male rufous hummers have already been spotted in west Lewis County, and many more of the tiny migrants are no doubt on their way. A red-naped sapsucker topped the list of backyard sightings recently reported on the Tweeters website (http://www.scn.org/earth/tweeters/) by a birder from Battle Ground. Others included a white-breasted nuthatch, a peregrine, two bald eagles, a northern harrier, two American kestrels and three red-tailed hawks.

  Meanwhile, several birders in Morton have reported spotting a mostly-albino robin in the area. Albinoism is caused by a genetic melanin deficiency, which results in white feathers. According to one study, about one robin in 30,000 has it, a higher percentage than for any other type of bird. Weak eyesight is one problem associated with the condition, but the birder who reported the robin in Morton points to an even greater risk: "White wings and tail feathers are apparently something like a small neon sign flashing 'Eat Me' to every predator in the neighborhood."

Eastern Washington:

• Fishing: The Spokane River arm of Lake Roosevelt is the place to catch walleye now. WDFW district fish biologist Chris Donley of Spokane explains that walleye are staging in that part of the waterway now in preparation to go upstream into the reservoir to spawn. Walleye fishing in the Spokane arm remains open until April 1, then closes for two months to allow the fish to spawn.

  Many trout waters in the central district of the region have been a little tough to access. Iced-up shorelines have made bank fishing virtually impossible, and launching boats to reach open water has been challenging. "We need a good rainstorm, wind, and continued mild temperatures to open things up," Donley said. Undaunted anglers in float tubes and other small craft have been working Coffeepot Lake in Lincoln County and Amber Lake in Spokane County, both which opened March 1 and have healthy populations of rainbows.

  Donley also noted that the district's two winter-only rainbow trout-stocked lakes - Fourth of July on the Lincoln-Adams county line and Hog Canyon in southwest Spokane County - are still producing catches. Both close March 31.

  The Tucannon River impoundments in Columbia County that opened March 1 have been providing good catches. WDFW Tucannon Fish Hatchery manager Doug Maxey reported all seven man-made fishing lakes -- Beaver, Big Four, Blue, Deer, Rainbow, Spring and Watson lakes - are full of catchable-size (8-10-inch) rainbows and "in good shape," completely ice-free and accessible. Maxey said the lakes will be re-stocked starting the week of March 19.

  Anglers who want to get the latest information on fish stocking and rules can visit the WDFW booth at the Inland Northwest Wildlife Council's annual Big Horn Outdoor Adventure Show, March 15-18, at the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center. For more information see http://www.wildlifecouncil.com/bighornsubsite/default.htm.

• Hunting: Spring black bear special permit hunting opportunities are growing in this region, with 70 new permits this year in northeast game management units and 155 permits in southeast units. March 13 is the application deadline for hunters who hope to draw a special permit for the season, which runs April 15 to May 31.

  Spring turkey hunting is thriving in the region, especially in northeast game management units. This year's season, which runs April 15 through May 31, was extended two weeks and an additional extension is available through a tag raffle drawing on March 18. One winner will receive three additional turkey tags, good for hunting April 1 through May 31. Raffle tickets are available through March 17 from local National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) chapters. Contact state chapter president Dave Braaten at 253-279-2450 or daventessathome@comcast.net for assistance.

  The March 18 drawing will be held at the Inland Northwest Wildlife Council's annual Big Horn Outdoor Adventure Show, March 15-18, at the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center, where NWTF is hosting a booth and will sell raffle tickets. WDFW eastern region staff is also hosting a booth at the Big Horn Show with information about hunting, fishing, and other wildlife recreation. For more information see http://www.wildlifecouncil.com/bighornsubsite/default.htm.

• Wildlife viewing: The spring migration of waterfowl has officially arrived with a recent influx of thousands of Canada geese, mallards, pintails, widgeon, tundra swans and other species. WDFW wildlife biologist Todd Baarstad reported that birds have been arriving at the Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area in Lincoln County for a few days, but the greatest masses were observed the morning of March 7 on the area's largest bodies of water. Baarstad said the birds usually stay for a couple of weeks to feed and rest up before continuing to breeding grounds farther north.

  Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area manager Juli Anderson cautions visitors to avoid primitive roads in the area - such as Lone Pine and Grant roads - that are not maintained. With spring thaw, they may not be passable. Anderson also noted volunteer Gary Ostby recently cleaned, refurbished and replaced several bluebird nest boxes along Telford Road on the wildlife area so they are ready for use when this season's bluebirds arrive.

  WDFW district wildlife biologist Howard Ferguson of Spokane says Ostby's work serves as a good reminder to all Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary managers to get bird nestboxes cleaned and ready for new tenants. Resident species, like chickadees and downy or hairy woodpeckers, and returning migrants like house wrens and swallows, will start nesting in such man-made cavities in the next month or so.

  WDFW district wildlife biologist Steve Zender of Chewelah reports tundra swans and other waterfowl should now be on display at Calispell Lake and throughout the Chewelah Valley. "Birds are moving in and staging for migration as they take advantage of flooded fields left from melting snow and high stream flows," he said.

  WDFW wildlife researcher Woody Myers suggests watching south-facing slopes in traditional winter range areas to see deer and elk grazing on newly green grasses throughout the day. The Peone Prairie elk herd in north Spokane County has recently been very visible. Myers also reminds viewers to watch for groups of migrating raptors or birds of prey at this time.

North Central Washington:

• Fishing: WDFW district fish biologist Jeff Korth of Moses Lakes says there's plenty of good rainbow trout fishing ahead in the Columbia Basin because cold weather and ice cover on the March 1 opener kept anglers and catches to a minimum. "Participation and catch rates will pick up at all these lakes when our weather stabilizes and spring advances," he said.

  The largest lakes - Burke and Quincy - were iced up and slow on the opener. Creel checks that day measured just 2.5 fish per angler average at Quincy, where most of the catch was made up of 13.5-inch yearling rainbows and about 27 percent in 17.5-inch carryovers. Anglers at Burke averaged 1.7 fish apiece, mostly in 112-inch rainbows with about eight percent in 14.5-inch carryovers. "These two lakes have some of the best fish in the Basin," Korth said, "so as they open up and warm weather entices more anglers, they'll provide some very good fishing."

  Martha Lake fished the best on the opener with an average of almost four trout per angler. Many limits were caught in an hour or less. Most of the catch there was in 10.5-inch rainbows with a few 15.5-inch carryovers. Korth says it will stay that good throughout much of the season.

  Upper, Lower, and West Caliche lakes were slow, as expected. Upper Caliche was completely ice-free, but anglers averaged just a little over one fish apiece, mostly 11-inch rainbows with some 12.6-inch carryovers. "The rainbow fishery there is simply overrun by perch and smallmouth bass," Korth said. "We stocked 4,000 rainbows there the day before the opener, but I think those fish just didn't acclimate fast enough. By now they will be very catchable."

  Dusty Lake, managed under the selective fishery rules (no bait, single barbless hook, one-fish limit), was ice-free and provided very good fishing on the opener. Anglers were averaging four to five 14-20-inch rainbows each per hour.

  Lenice and Nunnally lakes, also selective fishery waters, were fair on the opener, with anglers averaging about three 14-19-inch rainbows apiece. The catch rate at these lakes was much slower than Dusty, however, with less than one fish per hour of effort. Korth says Lenice and Nunnally should receive some larger hatchery fish by the first of April.

  No opening day checks were made at Lake Lenore because it was mostly ice covered then. As it opens up, Korth expects Lenore to be good for many three to five-pounds Lahontan cutthroat trout. Lenore is under selective fishery rules, with catch-and-release requirements in effect from March through May.

  As water and air temperatures warm, the string of small, walk-in lakes on the west side of the Quincy Wildlife Area should provide good fishing for anglers who want to get away from the crowds. None were checked on the opener, but usually yearling rainbows range from 9-12 inches, with carryovers 14-18 inches.

  WDFW district fish biologist Bob Jateff of Omak reports hatchery-marked steelhead fishing on the Upper Columbia River above Wells Dam continues to be slow. "The most popular fishing spots are at the docks in Pateros and just upstream and downstream of the dam," he said. The season is scheduled to continue through March, but it could close on short notice, depending on impacts to wild fish. Anglers should watch for WDFW emergency announcements or news releases.

  Jateff says there are still opportunities for ice fishing in the Okanogan, with Rat and Davis Lakes still providing catches of rainbow trout in the 10-12 inch range. Rufus Woods reservoir continues to provide triploid rainbow fishing for both bank and boat anglers. Fish average in the one to three-pound range, with an occasional five-pounder caught. Jateff reminds anglers that whenever bait is used in fishing, fish hooked and landed are part of the daily limit whether retained or released.

  Jateff also reminds anglers that the regulations on Spectacle Lake are different this year. The lake opens April 1 and closes September 30 to provide a longer season for anglers on the very popular fishing lake.

• Wildlife viewing: Thousands of geese, duckssandhill cranes in the potholes country and farm fields of Adams, Grant and Franklin counties. These big birds are the stars of the 10th annual Othello Sandhill Crane Festival March 23-25. This community-supported festival includes many tours for crane viewing, plus tours of the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge, Potholes Reservoir area, Missoula Floods and the Channeled Scablands geology, sage grouse leks, lower Grand Coulee, Wahluke Slope, and shrub-steppe habitat. Tour pre-registration is suggested as many fill up quickly. For more information call 509-488-2802 or see http://www.othellosandhillcranefestival.org/.

South Central Washington:

• Fishing: The southcentral region's many year-round fishing lakes continue to be stocked with catchable-size (10-12 inch) rainbow trout through this month. Some jumbo trout, weighing about a pound each, will also be planted in those waters, including Granger Pond, I-82 Ponds 4 & 6, Myron Lake, Rotary Lake and Sarge Hubbard Park Pond. Anglers can check the weekly plants list at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/plants/weekly on the WDFW website to see which lakes were recently planted.

  WDFW district fish biologist Eric Anderson of Yakima says more lakes at higher elevations will be stocked as the weather continues to warm up and the snow and ice melts. Wenas Lake, a popular recreational fishery in the Yakima Valley, is no longer stocked because the landowner has decided to not renew the public access agreement.

  Although most of the lakes in the Yakima and Kittitas valleys are open to fishing year round, special regulations are in effect on some waters. For that reason, Anderson strongly advises anglers to check WDFW's Fishing in Washington rule book (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm) before casting a line.

• Wildlife viewing: Waterfowl are concentrated in spring migrating groups at waterways throughout the region, including the Toppenish National Wildlife Refuge southeast of Yakima, WDFW's Sunnyside Wildlife Area near Mabton and the McNary National Wildlife Refuge near the Tri-Cities. Thousands of and tundra swans have been observed. Returning migrant songbirds, including yellow-rumped warblers, red-winged blackbirds, and western meadowlarks have been reported throughout the region.

  WDFW habitat biologist Ken Bevis of Yakima recommends cleaning out bird nest boxes at this time, if you haven't already, to prepare for new tenants. Bluebirds, wrens, chickadees and many other cavity nesters will use nest boxes if properly made, located and maintained. For more information on nestboxes and backyard wildlife in general, see http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/backyard/.