Hundreds of lakes are teeming with trout as the state's biggest annual fishing event nears its April 29 opener.

More than 21 million trout have been added to lakes across Washington in preparation for the nearly 300,000 anglers expected to cast a line during the opening weekend of the lowland lake-fishing season.

"It's about six times bigger than any other single sporting event in the state," said Jeff Koenings, director of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). "Fortunately, we're not all in one place that day. I wish I could guarantee perfect weather, but I can say there will be plenty of fish to go around. "

For a rundown on fishing options, check out WDFW's 2006 Fishing Prospects publication (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/prospects/index.htm), available online and at WDFW regional offices. Also available are the department's hatchery trout-stocking plan (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/plants/index.htm) and weekly trout-plant reports (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/plants/weekly/index.htm) that identify when and where trout will be planted.

To participate in the fishery, all anglers over age 15 must obtain - and carry - a valid 2006-07 fishing license. Various types of licenses, valid for up to a year or just one day, can be purchased online at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/, by telephone (1-866-246-9453) or at hundreds of license dealers across the state.

Once on the water, anglers are required to follow the rules described in WDFW's Fishing in Washington pamphlet, available from license dealers and online at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm. Fishery managers also ask that anglers clean all aquatic plants from the bottom of their boats before moving to another lake.

"We need boaters' help in stopping the transfer of aquatic plants - some of which are invasive - between lakes," said Hal Michael, a WDFW fish biologist. "Sometimes even a small piece of a plant can take root, spread, and create real problems for a lake."

Meanwhile, halibut anglers have been pulling in dozens of big flatfish since the season began April 9 in all areas of Puget Sound except Hood Canal. On May 1, the fishery expands to areas of the Pacific coast, where anglers are already catching lingcod ranging from 6 to 15 pounds. Final word on the season's last razor clam dig, tentatively scheduled to begin April 28, is expected by April 25.

Anglers looking to hook a springer on the lower Columbia River should turn their attention to the river's tributaries. Spring chinook salmon fishing on the lower Columbia River mainstem closed April 14 for conservation purposes, but catch rates are improving on portions of the Cowlitz, Lewis and Kalama rivers.

Hunters have an opportunity this spring to go afield and harvest a turkey during the next few weeks. The spring turkey hunt runs through May 15, and hunters have a three-gobbler limit - two birds in eastern Washington and one bird in western Washington.

For more information about these and other outdoor recreation opportunities throughout the state, see the regional reports below:

North Puget Sound

• Fishing: Anglers can take advantage of trout-stocked lakes beginning April 29, when the lowland lake fishing season kicks off. Thousands of legal-sized trout have been stocked in many of the region's lakes. Complete information on stocking schedules for rainbow, cutthroat and triploid trout is available on the WDFW website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/plants/index.htm).

  Anglers should focus on fishing higher in the water column for the first few weeks of the season because the stocked trout tend to remain in the top 3 to 5 feet of water after being placed in a lake, said Jon Anderson, WDFW resident trout manager. "After a few weeks, drop the hook deeper where the fish are feeding," he said.

  Out on the saltwater, the blackmouth catch has slowed and the season is wrapping up. Only the selective fishery in marine areas 8-1 (Deception Pass, Hope Island and Skagit Bay) and 8-2 (Port Susan and Port Gardner) remains open, and those two areas close April 30. By most accounts, the pilot selective fishery, which opened last October, was a success, said Steve Thiesfeld, Puget Sound recreational salmon manager for WDFW. Preliminary numbers through March 31 indicate that anglers made more than 10,000 trips, and kept about 950 hatchery chinook, which can be identified by their missing adipose fin. The mark rate for hatchery chinook was about 59 percent.

  "Creel surveys indicate the fishery had a low impact on wild fish," Thiesfeld said. "Angler compliance with the rules was very good and our sampling crew did an excellent job monitoring the fishery. These elements are absolutely essential for a successful selective fishery."

  As the fishery's closure nears, catch counts have tapered off. Only four chinook were checked in by 55 anglers over a five-day period at the boat ramp in Everett. No other blackmouth were counted at ramps throughout the region during recent catch counts.

  During the selective fishery, anglers have a daily limit of two salmon, but wild chinook must be released. Unlike hatchery fish, wild chinook have an intact adipose fin. The 8-1 and 8-2 selective fishery is scheduled to begin again in October and run through April 2007, said Thiesfeld.

  Halibut fishing opened April 9 throughout the region. Mutiny and Admiralty bays, as well as Eastern and Partridge banks are the best bets for flatfish early in the season. Halibut fishing is open five days a week, Thursday through Monday, with a daily limit of one halibut and no minimum size limit.

  Anglers also can drop a line for other bottomfish, such as lingcod, rockfish and cabezon, beginning May 1. During the 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. For rockfish, there is no minimum size and fishers 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. Before heading out to try and hook these fish, anglers should check the 2005/2006 Fishing in Washington pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm).

  Or, instead of dropping a line, drop a pot. Shrimp season opens throughout the region May 6. Details are available on WDFW's website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/crabreg/.

  In the rivers, catch-and-release fishing for steelhead is winding down. Anglers are still hooking some fish in both the Skagit and Sauk rivers, which close to steelhead fishing April 30. Anglers planning to get out on the river for the final days for steelhead fishing should check the 2005/2006 Fishing in Washington pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm) and WDFW's Emergency Rule Changes, which are posted on the same website.

• Wildlife viewing: While gray whales continue to be sighted throughout the Saratoga Passage area, other marine mammals of note have been spotted in the area as well. Minke whale sightings have been reported in the Blakely Island area and off Whidbey Island's East Point recently. Also, about eight Dall's porpoises were reported cruising through Saratoga Passage near Langley.

  Birders in the region also have sighted some interesting species. A birder reporting to Tweeters birding website (http://www.scn.org/earth/tweeters/) was surprised to find a turkey vulture near his home in Kent. Turkey vultures can be spotted in a wide range of habitat between February and October throughout Washington, according to the Seattle Audubon Society (http://www.birdweb.org/birdweb/index.aspx). With their featherless red heads, the adult birds are easily recognizable when perched. When soaring, turkey vultures rock back-and-forth with their wings tilted up. The scavengers have a 5- to 6-foot wingspan.

  Another birder sighted three Cooper's hawks near Renton. Cooper's hawks are the most widespread of the three North American accipiters, according to the Seattle Audubon Society (http://www.birdweb.org/birdweb/index.aspx). Although they are reclusive and difficult to spot, the hawks can be found in both eastern and western Washington. Cooper's hawks are known for stealthily approaching prey, quietly moving though dense cover before overtaking targets with a burst of speed.

South Sound/Olympic Peninsula

• Fishing: While hatchery workers were racing to plant millions of trout in time for the lowland lakes opener, anglers have been reeling in halibut, lingcod and spring chinook salmon from waters throughout the region. Razor clam diggers, meanwhile, have been waiting for final word on the season's last razor clam dig, tentatively scheduled to begin April 28.

  Eager to catch some rainbow trout? Anglers can choose from among hundreds of lakes throughout the state opening to trout fishing April 29. Most are stocked with 8-to12-inch rainbows, but many also are planted with cutthroat, brown trout and triploid trout weighing up to 1.5 pounds apiece.

  "Past experience is the best guide to choosing a lake to fish," said Ron Warren, regional WDFW fish manager. "Conditions usually don't change that much and we try to keep our stocking plans fairly consistent from year to year."

  For those new to lake fishing - or just want to refresh their memory - Warren recommends consulting two reports, both available on the WDFW website. The first, Washington Fishing Prospects (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/prospects/index.htm), describes lakes throughout the state and the kind of fish that can be caught there. The second, 2006 Catchable Trout Plants (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/plants/regions/reg6/index.htm), outlines when and where WDFW is planting more than 21 million trout this year.

  Young people, age 14 and younger, have an opportunity to get their lines in the water before the general opener at the Lacey Family Fish-In, scheduled April 23 at Long's Pond. The event is free, but kids who pay $5 get to keep a new rod and reel and a T-shirt. Registration is required; call 360-491-0857. The pond, open only to juvenile anglers, will be closed to all fishing until the day of the event.

  Meanwhile, halibut anglers have been pulling in dozens of big flatfish since the season began April 9 in all areas of Puget Sound except Hood Canal. Most of the fishing effort has focused around the waters off Port Angeles, where creel checks indicate a catch rate of about one fish for every 5.5 rods. How does that compare to 2005, when the fishery got under way five days later?

  "So far, the catch rates are about the same as last year," said Steve Thiesfeld, WDFW Puget Sound fisheries manager. "Anglers fishing in Marine Area 6 on opening day had a bit better catch rate and it appears more people turned out than last year, so it's likely that more halibut have been caught."

  Marine areas 6-11 and 13 in Puget Sound are open to halibut fishing five days per week, Thursday through Monday, through June 18. On May 1, two coastal areas - Marine Area 1 (Ilwaco) and Marine Area 2 (Westport) - will also open for halibut on different fishing schedules. The Ilwaco area will be open seven days per week until the quota is reached, while the Westport fishery will be on a Sunday-through-Thursday schedule. Marine areas 3 (La Push) and 4 (Neah Bay) will open May 9, with halibut fishing restricted to Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

  The coastal lingcod fishery is already in full swing. Two-fish limits have been common for anglers fishing aboard charters south of Cape Alava, and Marine Area 4 (Neah Bay) opened for lingcod fishing April 16. Rough weather kept most boats off the water that day, but the action has picked up considerably since then, said Scott Barbour, WDFW fish biologist. "We're seeing a lot of nice fish, generally running 6 to 15 pounds," he said.

  That can also be said of several Olympic Peninsula rivers, where winter steelhead and spring chinook salmon have been competing for anglers' attention. The steelhead season ends April 30 on the Sol Duc, Bogachiel, Quillayute and Calawah rivers but the spring chinook run should keep building on the Soc Duc and the Quillayute through mid-June, said Mike Gross, another WDFW fish biologist. Anglers are required to release all unmarked chinook and coho, but can keep two fin-clipped adult chinook and up to six fish, counting jacks. "We're looking at a good run this year, with good numbers of hatchery spring chinook," Gross said.

  Hoping to dig razor clams one last time this spring? Final word on the dig tentatively scheduled to begin April 28 will be announced by April 25 after marine toxin tests have determined whether the clams are safe to eat. If results are favorable, more than 20,000 people are expected to descend on coastal beaches for the opening - the last scheduled during the spring season.

  Four beaches - Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks and Copalis - are tentatively scheduled to open for digging April 28-30 on morning tides. A fourth day of digging is also scheduled May 1 at Twin Harbors and Mocrocks. Each day's dig on those beaches must be completed by noon.

  Kalaloch Beach will not reopen to razor clam digging this season, due to concerns about the low abundance of clams on the beach in recent months, said Dan Ayres, WDFW coastal shellfish manager. WDFW and Olympic National Park are investigating the apparent low abundance of razor clams on that beach.

  Ayres reminds prospective diggers that they will need a valid 2006-07 license to participate in the planned dig, since previous annual licenses expired March 31. And he strongly advises diggers to have that license in hand before they leave home.

  "Those who wait could face long lines at licensing outlets on the coast, he said. "Nobody wants to be standing in line to buy a license at low tide."

  Coming up soon: Shrimp fishing opens May 6 in most areas of Puget Sound. See the WDFW website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/do/newreal/release.php?id=apr0406a) for information about fishing schedules for specific marine areas.

• Wildlife viewing: Get ready for one of the biggest bird-watching events of the year when hundreds of thousands of shorebirds descend on Grays Harbor County. The 11th Annual Grays Harbor Shorebird Festival, held April 28-30, coincides with the arrival of some of the world's greatest migrants, arriving from as far south as Argentina, on their northward journey to the Artic. Gray's Harbor estuary is one of their favored spots to rest and feed. This unique opportunity draws people from around the world to see a wide variety of species as well as the spectacle of large flocks flying in beautiful formations. Festival activities include guided field trips, fun for kids, lectures, a live auction, book signings and more. The keynote speaker at Saturday night's banquet will be Dr. Stephen W. Kress, vice president of bird conservation for the National Audubon Society. For more information, see the festival's website at http://www.shorebirdfestival.com/.

  Birders on an Easter Sunday tour of the Brady-Elma area were treated to the sight of two separate flocks of sandhill cranes. As noted on the Tweeters birdwatchers website (http://www.scn.org/earth/tweeters/), they located the first flock of about 70 birds along the west side of Wenzen Slough Road. The second group of 35 was spotted between the Elma Airport and Vance Creek County Park. Along Brady Loop Road, the group also sighted a rough-legged hawk. This winter visitor with the thickly feathered legs has been a rare sight in this part of the state. Most have usually left the state by this time of year for their Arctic nesting grounds.

  Meanwhile, a pod of 15 orca whales was seen about 2 to 3 miles off Copalis Beach on April 4, as reported on the Orca Network (http://www.orcanetwork.org/sightings/map.html). The group included two mature males and at least one calf. On April 10, Nate Kamplin of Makah Fisheries Management reported seeing four resident orcas about a half mile off Neah Bay. A surfer also spotted two gray whales about a mile off the mouth of Westport harbor on the same day.

Southwest Washington:

• Fishing: With fishing for spring chinook salmon closed for conservation purposes on the lower Columbia mainstem, more anglers are beginning to shift their attention to the tributaries. And their timing could be good, said Joe Hymer, WDFW fish biologist. During the second week of April, 109 adult springers returned to the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery as catch rates continued to improve on portions of the Cowlitz, Lewis, and Kalama rivers. "We've had a good early showing at the hatchery and the numbers should keep ramping up in the weeks ahead," Hymer said.

  Some of the best spring chinook fishing was reported in the lower Cowlitz below the mouth of the Toutle River. Heavy rain during the second weekend in April muddied those waters, but fishing should pick up once the rivers clear, Hymer said. Summer and late winter steelhead are also returning to the Cowlitz and Kalama rivers, providing the opportunity for a mixed bag.

  Fishing for hatchery steelhead reopened April 16 in the East Fork of the Lewis River from the mouth to the upper boat ramp at Lewisville Park and in the Washougal River from the mouth to the Mount Norway Bridge at Vernon Road. Selective gear rules - no bait, single barbless hooks - are in effect through May 31.

  Besides recovering spring chinook, Tacoma Power employees at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery also corralled 247 adult steelhead during the second week of April. They released 63 spring chinook and 112 steelhead into the upper Cowlitz River at the Day Use Park on Lake Scanewa. Seven steelhead were released into the Tilton River at Gust Backstrom Park in Morton.

  Will the mainstem Columbia River reopen to spring chinook fishing below Bonneville this season? "It's possible, but it all depends on the dam counts," Hymer said. As of April 16, only 205 adult springers had been counted above the dam, compared to 851 last year - the previous record low for that date. "Everyone's just hoping that this is also the latest run on record and that the fish will start moving above the dam."

  Hymer noted that fishing for hatchery chinook jacks and hatchery steelhead is still scheduled to reopen May 16 from the Rocky Point/Tongue Point line upstream to the Interstate 5 Bridge. Shad fishing from Bonneville Dam downstream will also reopen May 16.

  Given the low counts at Bonneville Dam, spring chinook fishing farther upriver has been understandably slow but should improve, depending on fish moving upstream of the dam. The upper end of Bonneville Pool to McNary Dam is scheduled to remain open for hatchery spring chinook and hatchery steelhead through the end of April.

  Sturgeon fishing below Bonneville, however, has started to pick up - particularly in the Columbia Gorge - as river flows and temperature continues to increase, Hymer said. On the lower Columbia from the mouth to the Wauna powerlines, sturgeon anglers are reminded the fishery switches to catch-and-release only May 1-12 and then reopens May 13 with a minimum 45-inch size limit. Sturgeon fishing in The Dalles Pool switched to catch-and-release April 8 when anglers reached their 100-fish quota for that area, but there are still fish left to be caught in the Bonneville and John Day pools, Hymer said.

  Anglers should be aware that sturgeon fishing will close May 1 in three spawning sanctuaries on the Columbia River designed to protect female sturgeon during the spawning period. The three sanctuaries, which will be off-limits to all bank and boat sturgeon fishing through July 31, are located:

  • Below Bonneville Dam, downriver approximately 5 miles to Navigation Marker 85 on the Washington side of the river.
  • Below John Day Dam, downriver 2.4 miles to the west end of the grain silo at Rufus, Ore.
  • Below McNary Dam, downriver 1.5 miles to the Highway 82 Bridge.

  Bass also like the warmer water, and boat anglers have been catching three per rod - and one walleye for every two rods - in the John Day Pool. Boat anglers have also been catching some walleye in the Bonneville Pool.

  Looking forward to the lowland lakes opener April 29? Those eager to start fishing for trout should know that hatchery crews have recently planted several year-round waters that are open right now. Mayfield Lake received 5,975 catchable-size rainbows April 7 and Swofford Pond got 4,025. Lacamas Lake in Camas was planted with 4,500 rainbows and 14,162 brown trout, averaging over half a pound apiece.

• Hunting: The spring wild turkey season runs through May 15 in southwest Washington and throughout the state. For additional turkey-hunting opportunities coming up this year, see the WDFW website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/do/newreal/release.php?id=apr1206a.

• Wildlife viewing: Visitors to Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Washougal reported on the Tweeters birdwatchers website (http://www.scn.org/earth/tweeters/) seeing a mute swan at the east pond. This pond is visible from the access point at milepost 18 on Highway 18. Mute swans are very large and completely white. They have a long S-curved neck and an orange bill with a black knob at the base. These birds were brought to the United States from Europe in the mid-1800s to ornament parks and estates. They are rare in Washington. Those that are sighted may be from British Columbia, where they were introduced in 1889. The only established feral population is on southern Vancouver Island.

  Also seen at Steigerwald NWR flying along the Columbia River were six Caspian terns. The largest of the terns, they are white with a gray mantle and black cap, and distinguished by a large, bright red-orange bill. They are most commonly seen during nesting season in Columbia River estuaries. Eurasian wigeons were spotted by two separate birding parties along the Ridgefield River "S" Unit. These close relatives to American wigeons are known to breed only in Europe and Asia (primarily Siberia), according to the Seattle Audubon Society (http://www.birdweb.org/birdweb/index.aspx), but are winter visitors to Washington's coasts and western lowlands.

  A resident of Clark County reports a lesser goldfinch as a regular backyard visitor. While a permanent resident, their range barely reaches across the Columbia River and is considered to be mostly restricted to Klickitat County. They are typically found in dry, open woodlands, especially at the brushy edges of Garry oak stands.

Eastern Washington:

• Fishing: Many excellent trout fishing waters open April 29 in this region and fish biologists believe it will be a great opener if the weather cooperates. Chris Donley, WDFW central district fish biologist, expects the top producing waters to include Badger, Williams, and West Medical lakes in southwest Spokane County and Fishtrap Lake on the Lincoln-Spokane county line. "Badger was rehabilitated in fall 2002 and fishing this season for rainbows and cutthroats averaging 10 to 12 inches with some up to 20 inches should be good," Donley said. "There have been some illegal introductions of black crappie and largemouth bass in Badger and I'd like to know if anglers see any other species."

  Badger received 40,000 rainbow spring fry, 30,000 cutthroat spring fry, 5,000 rainbow catchables, 1,214 triploids and 200 rainbow broodstock. Williams Lake was rehabbed in fall 2003, so this will be its peak year of production, according to Donley. "It should be a great fishery with 11- to 20-inch trout. If anglers see other kinds of fish, let me know," he said. Williams received 75,000 rainbow spring fry, 45,000 cutthroat spring fry, 10,000 rainbow catchables, 2,167 triploids, 400 rainbow broodstock. "This is the sixth season for West Medical since our last rehab and the trout fry plants have been missing in the catch the last couple years," Donley said. "I think that cormorants may be starting to have an impact, although I'd like to hear if anyone sees anything other than trout there. The fishing won't hold up through the full season, but this will still be an excellent opening day for West Medical." West Medical received 145,000 rainbow spring fry, 11,000 rainbow catchables, and 2,100 triploids. "This will be the peak production year for Fishtrap, which we rehabbed fall 2003," Donley said. "There are bullheads back in the lake, but fishing should be great for 11- to 16-inch rainbows and fry plants now 10 to 12 inches." Fishtrap received 95,000 rainbow spring fry, 10,000 rainbow catchables, 1,615 triploids, 400 rainbow broodstock.

  "Fish Lake in Spokane County will also be good for brook and brown trout and a unique opportunity to harvest tiger trout, a brook-brown hybrid," Donley said. "Brook trout should average 8 to 16 inches, a limited number of browns will be 15 to 20 inches, and tiger trout will be 7 to 20 inches." Fish Lake received 10,000 tiger trout fall fry, 20,000 brook spring fry, and 575 brook broodstock. Medical Lake, which is under selective gear rules, has "too many trout competitors and too little suitable forage" to produce as well as other lakes, but it does have some 20-inch rainbows, Donley says. Clear Lake is a mixed species fishery that should provide fair to good fishing on the opener for rainbows up to 18 inches, 10- to 25-inch brown trout, and some rainbow broodstock.

  Other central district waters that opened earlier this spring, but continue to provide good catches, include Spokane County's Amber Lake, where rainbows are averaging 12 to 20 inches and selective gear rules are in effect, and Lincoln County's Coffeepot Lake, where rainbows are averaging 12 inches and selective gear rules are also in effect. Donley reminds anglers that on May 1 these and other selective gear rule fisheries will require knotless nets; see the new fishing rules pamphlet for more details.

  In the north end of the region, WDFW Fish Biologist Curt Vail of Colville expects two lakes in particular to be stand-outs on the April 29 opener. Rocky Lake in Stevens County and Ellen Lake in Ferry County were both rehabilitated in 2004 so Vail says this should be their first best season. Rocky received 4,500 rainbow fry in spring 2005 and Ellen received 20,000 rainbow fry in spring 2005. Although no sampling had been made at this time, Vail expected those fish to be at least 12 inches and numerous, with good survival. Waitts Lake in Stevens County should also be very good; it received 24,000 net-pen rainbow fry last fall. Vail expects Starvation Lake, also in Stevens County, to be better than last year. His recent sampling there showed last spring's fry plants (17,900) were 11.4 inches. Marshall Lake in Pend Oreille County, which received 35,000 cutthroat fry last fall, should be good. Cedar Lake in Stevens County, which received 18,000 rainbow fry last spring, always produces big rainbows.

  Trout lake fishing in the south end of the region opened last month, but hatchery crews continue to stock many waters with catchable-size rainbows. Glen Mendel, WDFW fish biologist in Dayton, reminds anglers that as of May 1 no more than two of the daily catch of five trout can be over 13 inches. The rule change is to prevent waste of smaller trout, since some anglers have been "sorting" fish to take home only the bigger ones, and to spread out the harvest of bigger fish among more anglers. Check the new rules pamphlet for details.

  April 28 is the registration deadline for the "Fishing Kids" event on May 6 at Spokane County's Clear Lake. This annual event for kids 5-14 years of age provides beginning fishing instruction, t-shirt, Zebco rod and reel, and other fishing goodies for just $5 per kid. Registrants must sign-up for half-hour fishing instruction timeslots from 8:00 a.m. through 2:30 p.m. Registration forms are available at WDFW's eastern regional office at 2315 N. Discovery Place in Spokane Valley and Spokane County 4-H at WSU Extension, 222 W. Havana St. in Spokane. Call the 4-H office at 509-477-2638 for more details.

• Hunting: The spring hunt for wild turkey is under way and, while no field reports were yet available, a good harvest is expected again in this region where 85 percent of the statewide harvest traditionally occurs. WDFW Wildlife Biologist Dana Base of Colville says turkeys in Stevens County, where populations are the most dense, are spread out in smaller and smaller groups now. Toms are gobbling mostly in early morning. "I recommend hunters focus on field and forest mosaic habitats at lower elevations for the early part of this spring season," Base said. Two of the allowed three turkeys for the spring season can be taken in eastern Washington. The season runs through May 15.

• Wildlife viewing: Thanks to abundant rain, it's water, water everywhere and that means migrating and resident ducks, geese, swans, and shorebirds are visible in many places. Ospreys are back in the area adding to traditional nests near rivers, like the Spokane and Pend Oreille, and other large waters that support their fish prey base.

  'Tis the season for wildlife reproduction and depending on the species, that can mean problems for some homeowners. Skunks and raccoons are the most common "nuisances" as they find crawl spaces, outbuildings, and other nooks and crannies to set up housekeeping for their babies to come. Squirrels, moles, rabbits, marmots, snakes and bats are among the other species preparing to raise families that are potential nuisances around human homes. WDFW staff advises removing as many attractants as possible to avoid problems - close up spaces, from basement window wells to attic rafters, and keep pet food and garbage inside. Backyard bird feeding enthusiasts should clean up feed spilled on the ground, or discontinue feeding altogether now. For more information on dealing with wildlife, see WDFW's "Living With Wildlife" series at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/living/index.htm.

North Central Washington:

• Fishing: The April 29 fishing season opener should provide good trout catches at several northcentral region waters, particularly in Okanogan County. Bob Jateff, WDFW district fish biologist of Omak, picks seven lakes to provide top fishing opportunities. Blue Lake on the Sinlahekin Wildlife Area, a selective gear rule water with a one-fish daily catch limit, has rainbows to 18 inches and browns to 16 inches. Fish Lake, also on the Sinlahekin Wildlife Area, has rainbows 11-12 inches with carryovers up to 15 inches. Leader Lake in the Omak/Okanogan area has rainbows up to 13 inches. Big Twin Lake in the Winthrop area, a selective gear rule water with a one-fish daily catch limit, has rainbows up to 18 inches. Conconully Lakes in the Omak/Okanogan area have rainbows 11-12 inches, with carryovers up to 15 inches, and some one-and-a-half-pound triploid rainbows. Pearrygin Lake in the Winthrop area has rainbows up to 11 inches. Aeneas Lake in the Tonasket area, a fly-fishing-only water with a one-fish daily limit, has both rainbows and browns up to 18 inches. Also expected to produce well is Douglas County's Jameson Lake near Mansfield. Jateff reports that Jameson has 11- to 12-inch rainbows and with carryovers up to 15 inches.

  WDFW Fish Biologist Jeff Korth of Moses Lake says the major trout waters in the Columbia Basin that open on April 29 and traditionally provide good opportunities, "are all in the late stages of being over-run with spiny-rayed fishes like perch, sunfish, bass, bullheads, and sculpins." Blue, Park, and Warden lakes have all had poor survival of fingerling trout, he noted. "However, the growth of those fingerlings that do survive will be very good and the resulting yearling trout should range from 12 to 15 inches on opening day," he said. Korth said all three are also receiving additional stockings of hatchery-reared yearling trout measuring 9-10 inches this spring. Most of the smaller lakes that open April 29 are in fairly good shape and should have good fisheries this spring, he added. "Many of the March 1 and April 1 opening waters are still fishing well, especially the Hampton Lakes and the selective gear rule waters with one-fish daily catch limits, like Dusty, Lenore, Lenice, Nunnally, and Dry Falls," he said. Korth reminds anglers that starting May 1, selective gear rule waters will include a requirement to use knotless nets; see the new fishing rules pamphlet for all the details.

• Wildlife viewing: A few hundred sandhill cranes in scattered flocks are still visible on and around the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge south of Moses Lake in Grant and Adams counties. By the end of the month, most will have departed the area to continue their migration to breeding grounds further north. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist Randy Hill says a few pairs of cranes nest in northern Douglas County and in Okanogan County, but many more go on into Canada.

  Sandhill cranes are just one of hundreds of bird species moving through or taking up residence on the refuge and surrounding area now. It's great place to drive around to see green-winged and cinnamon teal, northern pintails, gadwall, American wigeon, redhead, lesser scaup, common goldeneye, bufflehead, ruddy duck, black-crowned night heron, American avocet, least sandpiper, common snipe, Caspian and Forster's terns, bank, cliff and barn swallows, rock and marsh wrens, savannah, grasshopper and white-crowned sparrows, red-winged, yellow-headed and Brewer's blackbirds, and many other species. To learn more and plan a trip, visit the refuge's website at http://pacific.fws.gov/refuges/field/wa_columbia.htm.

South Central Washington:

• Fishing: Almost all southcentral region trout lakes are open year-round, but additional catchable-size rainbows and triploids are stocked in them now, along with the April 29-opening waters, so it's a good time to fish them. Anglers can check WDFW's catchable trout weekly updates for the most recent plants at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/plants/weekly/. WDFW Fish Biologist Jim Cummins notes that higher elevation lakes, such as Dog, Clear, and Leech in Yakima County, and Lost Lake in Kittitas County, are not expected to be accessible for fishing and planting until May due to heavy mountain snowpack, unless the weather turns unseasonably warm. Those lakes will be planted with triploids when the roads are free of snow. Dog and Clear Lakes will also be planted with catchable rainbow trout.

  Cummins also notes that Lower Yakima River smallmouth bass fishing will peak in May. "Tagging studies several years ago confirmed that adult smallmouth bass enter the Yakima River in early spring and stay in the Yakima until late June or early July when they migrate back into the Columbia River," he explained. "Fishing for them is generally excellent in April and May. Quarter-ounce tube jigs or 'gitzits' in a smoke with red flake color, bounced on the bottom of the river in rocky areas with deep slow water that is close to fast water like an eddy, should catch good-sized, hard-fighting smallmouths. The fish run about one-and-a-half to four pounds each. When the bass are most active and in highest concentrations, surface lures like a jointed Rapala will also catch them." Cummins noted that smallmouth bass regulations on the Yakima will change on May 1. Currently, from the mouth of the Yakima at Highway 240 Bridge to Granger Highway 223 Bridge, there is no daily limit, no minimum size, and only bass less than 12 inches or greater than 17 inches may be retained, with no more than one over 17 inches. Beginning May 1 the rule changes to no daily limit, no minimum size, and only three bass over 15 inches may be retained. This change standardizes the rule for bass over 15 inches with the Columbia River rules. But more importantly, the new rule should increase harvest on the extremely dense smallmouth bass population by allowing more smaller fish to be kept. "We want more bass harvested," explained Cummins, "because predation by bass on rearing and out-migrating juvenile fall chinook salmon is a major contributor to the decline of fall chinook."

  As water temperatures increase, Columbia River bass fishing is heating up, too, Cummins notes. The Yakima River Delta, Finley Area, Patterson and Plymouth are good areas to fish for both largemouth and smallmouth bass, although smallmouth are most often caught, he said. Good bass catches have already been reported for both the Yakima and Columbia Rivers. Channel catfish fishing also peaks in the Yakima in May and June. Most rivers and streams remain closed until June 1 to protect spawning steelhead and downstream migrating salmon and steelhead smolts.

  Paul Hoffarth, WDFW fish biologist, reports sturgeon fishing in the John Day Pool of the Columbia River (from John Day Dam to McNary Dam), is improving, with several legal-size sturgeon caught in April. Hoffarth reminds sturgeon anglers that Washington and Oregon fishery managers approved new spawning sanctuaries below McNary and John Day dams to protect large, breeding sturgeon. Sturgeon fishing will be prohibited from May 1 through July 31 from McNary Dam downstream to the Highway 82 Bridge and from John Day Dam to the west end of the grain silo at Rufus, Ore.

  Triploid rainbow trout are being planted in Columbia Park Pond, a juvenile and disability-licensed only lake in Benton County, and in Railroad Pond, a selective gear fishery, in Franklin County. The Tri-Cities "Fishing Kids" event, scheduled for Saturday, May 6, at Columbia Park Pond in Kennewick, provides beginning fishing instruction for children ages 5 through 14 years of age. For $5 each, kids receive a t-shirt, Zebco rod and reel, and other fishing goodies. Registration forms are available from the Kennewick Recreation Department online at http://www.ci.kennewick.wa.us.

• Wildlife viewing: The Yakima River Delta Wildlife Park in Richland is currently hosting more spring migrants, including dunlin, greater yellowlegs, Caspian terns, and violet-green swallows. This 1,000-plus acre urban wetland park commonly has Canada geese, great blue herons, many species of dabbling ducks and songbirds, cottontail rabbits, and mule deer year-round. From Wye Neighborhood Park, walk across a short dike to Bateman island or walk upstream as far as the Yakima River bridge.