Opening day of the lowland lakes season has come and gone, but there are still plenty of trout - and other fish ranging from halibut to spring chinook - to be caught in the weeks ahead.

"We stock lakes with trout for the whole season, not just opening day," said Jon Anderson, a fishery manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). "Trout fishing should be most productive in lowland lakes through June, and then again in September. Fishing should be good in the higher-elevation lakes, and those stocked with kokanee, right through the summer."

Hatchery crews have already begun stocking lakes since the opening day rush, and will continue planting trout into September. Plants range from 8-12 inch rainbows to 1.5-pound triploids - nearly 39,000 of which WDFW plans to stock in May.

Anderson noted that anglers stand to catch a lot more triploids this year, thanks to additional funding provided by the state Legislature and approved by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission. WDFW plans to plant more than 114,000 of them during the course of the season, compared to 60,000 last year.

For more information about stocking schedules, Anderson suggests anglers check the WDFW website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/plants/index.htm.

He also reminds anglers that new fishing rules for the 2007-2008 season went into effect May 1, resulting in a few changes since "opening day." Statewide, all fly-fishing-only waters now require anglers to use knotless nets to further protect released fish, and no green sturgeon can be retained. Several other changes apply to specific waters and are listed under "New for 2007" on page 15 of the new rules pamphlet, available at WDFW offices, license dealers, and at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm.

As indicated in the new rules pamphlet, angling for trout is just one way to put fish - and shellfish - on the table in the weeks ahead.

• Razor clams: The last razor-clam dig of the season will get under way on morning tides May 4. See the South Sound/Olympic Peninsula regional report below for details.

• Shrimp: The popular fishery begins May 5 in most areas of Puget Sound. See the regional reports below for details.

• Halibut: Fishing is now under way on the southern Pacific coast as well as all marine areas of Puget Sound except Hood Canal. See the reports from the South Sound/Olympic Peninsula and North Puget Sound regions below for more information.

• Lingcod: Anglers are now fishing for lings in Puget Sound and on the Pacific coast. See the reports from the North Puget Sound and South Sound/Olympic Peninsula regions below for more information.

• Spring chinook: Counts of migrating spring chinook salmon are picking up at Bonneville Dam, as are catch rates on tributaries to the Columbia River. Anglers are also catching good-sized "springers" on some Olympic Peninsula rivers. See reports for the Southwest and South Sound/Olympic Peninsula regions for more information.

Birdwatchers, meanwhile, should take note that the Puget Sound Bird Fest is scheduled May 18-19 in Edmonds. A backyard wildlife festival is also set for May at the Tukwila Community Center to provide homeowners with information about attracting and supporting wildlife through gardening and landscaping.

See the regional reports below for more information about wildlife viewing, fishing and hunting opportunities in the coming weeks.

North Puget Sound

• Fishing: Now that the blackmouth salmon fishery has come to a close, saltwater anglers have shifted their attention to halibut and other bottom fish while they await the popular upcoming shrimp season. Out on the freshwater, steelhead fishing is no longer an option in area rivers, but anglers can participate in the lowland lake trout season, which recently got under way throughout the region.

  Overall, trout anglers did well opening day (April 28) of the lowland lake season. According to creel checks, the lake that produced the largest catch in the region was King County's Wilderness Lake, where 152 anglers took home 328 trout. In terms of the highest catch rates, King County's Cottage Lake and Snohomish County's Wagner Lake top the list. Seven anglers at Cottage and two at Wagner caught their limit of five trout on opening day.

  Elsewhere, anglers at Cascade Lake in San Juan County averaged 4.7 trout per rod, while those at Island County's Goss Lake average 4.5 fish per rod. In Whatcom County, anglers at Toad Lake averaged 4.4 trout per rod, while those at Cain Lake averaged 4.3. Anglers at Armstrong Lake in Snohomish County also did well, averaging 4.3 trout per rod. In Skagit County, anglers at Heart and McMurray lakes averaged 4.2 fish per rod while those at Erie Lake averaged 4.1 trout.

  "Effort was slightly down throughout the region, but anglers who got out on the water opening day did well at a number of lakes," said Kirt Hughes, regional fish program manager for WDFW. "We heard from several anglers that fishing at some lakes was much better than last year."

  Under statewide rules, anglers have a daily limit of five trout on most lakes. Released legal-sized trout, caught with bait, count toward the daily bag limit. Complete information on stocking schedules for rainbow, cutthroat and triploid trout is available on WDFW's website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/plants/index.htm).

  Out on the saltwater, the halibut fishery is in full swing. The season 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. During the hook-and-line season (May 1-June 15), there's a one-fish daily limit for lings, with a minimum size of 26 inches and a maximum size of 40 inches. For rockfish, there is no minimum size and anglers must keep the first legal rockfish caught. Anglers fishing for cabezon have a daily limit of two fish, and there is no minimum size limit.

  Meanwhile, the shrimp season is set to open throughout the region May 5. In marine areas 8-1 (Deception Pass, Hope Island and Skagit Bay), 8-2 (Port Susan and Port Gardner), 9 (Admiralty Inlet) and 10 (Seattle/Bremerton) the fishery is open Saturdays and Wednesdays only from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., and will close when the quota is reached, or May 31, whichever comes first. In Marine Area 7 (San Juan Islands), the fishery is open Wednesdays through Saturdays until the quota is reached. Details are available on WDFW's website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/crabreg/.

  Before heading out, anglers should check the rules and regulations for freshwater and saltwater fisheries in WDFW's 2007/2008 Fishing in Washington pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm).

• Wildlife viewing: Birdwatchers have been busy in the region. During a recent outing, one birder spotted a black-necked stilt at a mudflat in the Kent Valley. Stilts are an occasional visitor to western Washington in spring. The birds, which have black and white plumage and long thin legs, are often found along shallow inland ponds and wetlands, wading through the water looking for a meal. When agitated, stilts will call (yip-yip-yip) loudly and continuously. The mudflat in Kent where the stilt was recently seen is just west of the intersection of Frager Road and 212th Street, the birder reported on Tweeters birding website (http://www.scn.org/earth/tweeters/).

  Birdwatchers have an opportunity to take part in the Puget Sound Bird Fest in Edmonds May 18-19. The festival is a celebration of birds and nature in and around downtown Edmonds, the Edmonds marsh and along the waterfront. The event features bird watching, guided walks, speakers, workshops and social activities. For more information visit the Puget Sound Bird Fest website at http://www.pugetsoundbirdfest.com/index.htm.

  Before taking part in the Bird Fest, why not attend the Backyard Wildlife Festival? The event begins at 10 a.m. May 12 at the Tukwila Community Center, and features a variety of activities and educational opportunities about attracting and supporting wildlife through gardening and landscaping, as well as creating and preserving wildlife habitat. Among the scheduled speakers is Russell Link, wildlife biologist for WDFW and author of "Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest" and "Living with Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest." Link will be discussing plants that attract wildlife. For more information about the festival visit http://www.backyardwildlifefair.org/index.htm.

  Meanwhile, gray whales continue to mill about Puget Sound as they make their way north. Most of the whales are headed to the Arctic Ocean, where they spend the summer feeding, before heading back south to the coast of Mexico. Some gray whales stop short of migrating all the way to the Arctic and instead linger in the waters of the Pacific Northwest during the summer months.

South Sound/Olympic Peninsula

• Fishing: There's still a lot of trout remaining after an opening day generally marked by sunny skies and good fishing. In addition, a final season razor clam dig is set for May 4-6, shrimp season gets under way May 5 in most areas of Puget Sound, the halibut season is expanding to the north coast and anglers continue to reel in lingcod and spring chinook salmon.

  According to opening-day reports, Anderson Lake in Jefferson County gave up better than four fish kept per angler, while Clear Lake in Pierce County and Munn and Ward lakes in Thurston County yielded three fish per rod. While the fishing effort was down somewhat in Grays Harbor due to off-and-on rainy conditions, Vance Creek Pond and Aberdeen and Failor lakes produced some of the largest fish of the opener, averaging 28 inches.

  The winner of the Kid's Derby at Aberdeen Lake landed a 28.5-inch rainbow, weighing 12.3 pounds, and an angler won the derby at Failor Lake with an 11-pound, 27 inch rainbow. "The youngsters at Vance Creek were catching quality rainbows up to 28 inches," reported Rick Ereth, WDFW fish biologist. "A 13-year-old girl caught the largest fish-a 29 inch, 13.3 pound steelhead."

  Weekly reports and information on WDFW trout-stocking plans are available online at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/plants/weekly/.

  Meanwhile, recreational shrimp fishing opens Saturday, May 5 in most areas of Puget Sound. The exception is the Discovery Bay Shrimp District near Port Townsend, which will remain closed to both spot and non-spot shrimp fishing due to extremely low catches in pre-season testing, said Mark O'Toole, WDFW fish biologist.

  "Each year before the season opens we monitor the catch rates and conduct an assessment of several popular shrimp-fishing areas," O'Toole said. "The number of shrimp in Discovery Bay was too low to open the fishery this year."

  Another change this year occurs in Marine Area 7 (San Juan Islands), where shrimping will be open four days a week rather than daily in order to extend the season. In addition, Marine Area 11-extending from the northern tip of Vashon Island to the Tacoma Narrows Bridge-will be open on Saturday, May 5 only, to keep the recreational catch within the area's spot shrimp harvest quota.

  Various fishing schedules will be in effect in the following areas:

  • Marine Areas 4 (east of the Bonilla Line), 5, 6 (excluding the Discovery Bay Shrimp District) and 13 will be open daily beginning May 5 at 7 a.m. until the quota is reached, or through Oct. 15, whichever comes first.

  • Marine Area 7 will open May 5 at 7 a.m. and will be open Wednesdays through Saturdays only until the quota is reached.

  • Marine Areas 8, 9, and 10, will be open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Wednesdays only, until quotas for those areas are reached, or until May 31, whichever comes first.

  • Marine Area 11 will be open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 5 only.

  Hood Canal (Marine Area 12) will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays and Wednesdays through May 16, or until the quota is reached, whichever comes first. Additional dates and times may be announced if sufficient quota is remaining.

  A strong tidal exchange expected on opening day will mean more challenging fishing conditions, O'Toole said. "It's the luck of the draw on the tides, and this year we're not so lucky on the Saturday opener, although the tides will be more favorable by the next week," he said. More information on shrimp seasons and rules is available on the WDFW shellfish hotline at 1-866-880-5431, or online at http://www.wdfw.wa.gov/fishcorn.

  While the tides may test shrimpers on opening day, they're a boon for razor clam diggers heading out May 4-6 for the final dig of the season, said Dan Ayres, WDFW fish biologist. "The low tides will offer excellent digging opportunities, especially with the favorable weather and surf that is forecast for the weekend," Ayres said.

  Digging will take place on two ocean beaches. Twin Harbors will open for digging on morning tides May 4, joined by Long Beach May 5 and 6. Each day's dig on those beaches must be completed by noon.

  "We're pleased to have clams available on these two beaches for a final dig in May," said Ayres. "We've had a great season this year. Even in April, individuals were averaging about 14 clams a trip. This last dig is the icing on the cake."

  Ayres advises those who don't have a 2007-08 license, to buy one before heading out. Fishing and hunting licenses are available on-line (https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/), via WDFW's toll-free phone line (1-866-246-9453) and from retail dealers throughout the state (http://wdfw.wa.gov/lic/vendors/vendors.htm).

  Clam enthusiasts should start digging at least one hour before low tide. Low tides during the planned dig are as follows:

  • Friday, May 4, 8:35 a.m., -0.9 ft: Twin Harbors only
  • Saturday, May 5, 9:12 a.m., -0.8 ft: Twin Harbors, Long Beach
  • Sunday, May 6, 9:50 a.m., -0.6 ft: Twin Harbors, Long Beach

  Under WDFW rules, harvesters may take no more than 15 razor clams and must keep the first 15 taken, regardless of size or condition. Each digger's limit must be kept in a separate container.

  After conducting the annual stock assessment this summer, WDFW will announce the annual razor clam public meetings, which are scheduled for September. The 2007-08 season will likely begin sometime in October 2007.

  Recreational halibut anglers with a competitive streak can head up north later this month to try for a $5,000 first prize at the 7th Annual Halibut Derby sponsored by the Port Angeles Salmon Club. The two-day derby will be held May 26-27 near the Dungeness Spit. Ticket information is available at http://www.swainsinc.com or (360) 452-2357.

  Halibut fishing in Marine areas 6-11 and 13 will continue to run five days a week Thursday through Monday until June 16. Anglers can also cast their lines wider this month as the following fisheries open:

  • Marine Area 1 (Ilwaco) opened May 1, seven days a week until 70 percent of the quota is reached, or until July 15, whichever comes first. The fishery will reopen on Aug. 3 and continue three days a week, Friday through Sunday, until the remaining quota is reached, or Sept. 30, whichever comes first. It is unlawful to fish for, retain, or possess any bottom fish, except Pacific cod and sable fish with halibut on board.
  • Marine Area 2 (Westport/Ocean Shores) opened May 1, five days a week, Sunday through Thursday, until 95 percent of the quota is reached. During this time, fishing will be open seven days a week in the northern nearshore area south of the Queets River. Once the catch reaches 95 percent of the quota, fishing in the nearshore area will be limited to Fridays and Saturdays until the remaining quota is taken - or Sept. 30, whichever occurs first.
  • Marine areas 3 and 4 (Neah Bay and LaPush) will open May 15, three days a week, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, until the May quota is reached. The fishery in that area will then reopen on selected dates in June within certain boundaries.
  • Marine Area 5 (Seiku) will be open May 24 through Aug. 3, five days a week, Thursday through Monday.

  Marine Area 12 (Hood Canal) is closed to fishing for halibut and a number of other species due to low dissolved-oxygen conditions.

  All areas open to fishing have a one-fish daily catch limit and two-halibut possession limit, regardless of whether those fish are fresh or frozen. There is no minimum size limit for halibut caught in any area. For additional information, call the Fishing Hotline at (360) 902-2500 or check the WDFW website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/creel/halibut/).

  Fishing for lingcod - as well as rockfish and cabezon - also got under way May 1 in several areas around Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan De Fuca. Inside waters now open for fishing include marine areas 5 (Sekiu, Pillar Point), 6 (East Juan De Fuca), 11 (Tacoma, Vashon Island) and 13 (South Puget Sound).

  During the hook-and-line season for lings (May 1-June 15), there's a one-fish daily limit, which must be a minimum size of 26 inches and a maximum size of 40 inches. For rockfish, there is no minimum size and anglers must keep the first legal rockfish caught. Anglers fishing for cabezon have a daily limit of two fish, and there is no minimum size limit. Before heading out to try and hook these fish, anglers should check the new Fishing in Washington pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm).

  On the coast, lingcod and rockfish fishing off Westport and Neah Bay has generally been good the past few weeks, according to Wendy Beeghley, WDFW fish biologist. But much depends on the unpredictable nature of spring weather in the Pacific Northwest. "A few weeks ago people had trouble getting their limit because of the weather was rough," Beegley said. "Since then, people have enjoyed both the weather and the catch."

  On the Olympic Peninsula, warm sunny days and rising rivers seem to be helping anglers hook up with spring chinook salmon, said David Low, WDFW fish biologist. "I hear people are catching some nice springers in the Sol Duc."

• Wildlife viewing: Interested in seeing as many birds as possible in one day? On Saturday May 12, Clallam County is participating in International Migratory Bird Day and the Clallam County Birdathon. Guaranteed to provide sightings of more than 175 species, the count covers the entire county and occurs in just one day.(Participants may catch sight of common grackles and mountain bluebirds, which have been seen recently in the area.) The event takes place in mid-May to take advantage of seeing as many migrating neotropical species as possible. All levels of birders are welcome. Contact Bob Boekelheide in Sequim at (360) 681-4076 for more details.

  Farther south, Grays Harbor and Pierce counties are offering a variety of locales for observing birds, according to reports on the Tweeters birdwatcher's website at http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/TWET.html. Birders along Newman Creek road in the Elma area spotted three sooty grouse, a ruffed grouse and two mountain quails. Also sighted in the fields along the Brady Loop Road were western kingbirds, merlins, a male Bullock's oriole, three Eurasian-collared doves, two barnacle geese and 30 greater white-fronted geese.

  Enthusiasts also report migration activity in The Hundred Acre Woods in northeast Lakewood in Pierce County. In addition to yellow-rumped warblers, yellowthroats and savannah sparrows, two pied-billed grebes were observed building a nest in the area.

  Visitors from Seattle reported seeing 54 species on a recent tour of Fort Lewis grasslands. Highlights included a Cassin's vireo, black-throated gray warbler and several purple martins.

Southwest Washington:

• Fishing: The lowland lakes trout season is now off and running after an opening day full of sunshine and good fishing. Northwestern Reservoir in Skamania County, Horsethief Lake in Klickitat County and Fort Borst Park Pond, a juvenile-only fishing spot in Lewis County, were regional hotspots, yielding better than three fish kept, per rod. At Mineral Lake in Lewis County, anglers released lots of fish but checked in several trout over nine pounds, said John Weinheimer, a regional WDFW fish biologist. He noted that fishing was also good at Swift Reservoir, particularly in the upper reservoir from the boat launch upstream.

  "It's safe to say that there are still lots of big rainbows and other trout left in lakes throughout the region," Weinheimer said. "And we plan to keep planting more as the season goes on."

  Fish stocking details, by county and lake, are available in the Hatchery Trout Stocking Plan on WDFW's website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/plants/index.htm. A report on catch rates posted opening day is available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/do/newreal/release.php?id=apr3007b.

  But some anglers have bigger fish to fry. The first two weeks of May are historically the best time to catch a hatchery spring chinook salmon on tributaries to the Columbia River, and some anglers are getting a head start, Joe Hymer, another regional WDFW fish biologist, said.

  On the Kalama River, boat anglers averaged one chinook for every three rods in creel checks conducted during the last week of April. Bank anglers averaged a fish for every six rods. On the Lewis River, boat anglers averaged a chinook for every four rods, while bank anglers landed one per every six rods during the same week. Some spring chinook are also being caught on the Cowlitz River.

  Catch rates have been slower at Drano Lake and the Wind River, where both boat and bank anglers have been running about one chinook for every six rods, Hymer said.

  "The run hasn't been building as fast as usual in the tributaries above Bonneville Dam," he said. "The next few weeks should tell the tale."

  With nearly 31,000 spring chinook past the dam through April, the Columbia River mainstem is scheduled to close for salmon angling above Bonneville Dam to McNary Dam on May 3. Fishery managers from Washington and Oregon are scheduled to review the catches and upriver run size later today (May 2); any updates on the fishery will be posted on the WDFW website.

  Below Bonneville, the mainstem Columbia River remains closed to fishing for salmon and steelhead, but will open for hatchery steelhead and hatchery chinook jacks from the I-5 Bridge to the Rocky Point/Tongue Point line May 16. Shad angling from Bonneville Dam downstream also will open that same day. Hymer noted that the first shad was counted at the dam in late April, along with a total of 1,300 spring chinook jacks through April - the highest count for that period since 2003. "That bodes well for next year's spring chinook fishery," he said.

  Meanwhile, anglers are still catching some legal-size sturgeon both above and below Bonneville Dam. From May 1-11, all sturgeon intercepted downstream from the Wauna powerline crossing near Cathlamet must be released. But starting May 12, anglers may retain sturgeon seven days per week in that area. The minimum size increases to 45 inches and the maximum length will remain at 60 inches. The fishery will remain open through July 4 or when the quota is met.

  To provide sturgeon sanctuaries to spawn, the following areas are closed to fishing for sturgeon from May 1 to July 31:

  • Bonneville Dam downstream to Navigation Marker 85.

  • John Day Dam downstream 2.4 miles to the west end of the grain silo at Rufus Oregon.

  • McNary Dam downstream 1.5 miles to the Hwy. 82 (Hwy. 395) Bridge.

  Casting for bass and walleye? Boat anglers fishing the John Day Pool averaged more than nine bass and two walleyes per rod during the last week of April. Those fishing the Bonneville Pool also reeled in seven bass per rod along with some walleye.

  Rather dig razor clams? Two ocean beaches will open for the last razor clam dig of the spring season starting May 4. See the South Sound/Olympic Peninsula report for details.

• Hunting: The spring wild turkey season runs through May 31 - two weeks longer than last year - throughout the state. The general season follows a special hunt April 7-8 for young people age 16 and younger. Most turkey hunting in the region focuses on Merriam's turkeys in Klickitat County, but some eastern turkeys can be found in Cowlitz and Lewis counties. For more information, a Wild Turkey Spring Season brochure is available at WDFW regional offices and on the department's website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/turkey/index.htm).

• Wildlife viewing: May is prime time to spot a wide variety of birds in lowland areas such as the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. In one account on the Tweeters birding website (http://www.scn.org/earth/tweeters/), one visitor to the refuge's River S Unit reported seeing 50 different species - ranging from a wood duck to a yellow-rumped warbler - in a single day. "This is a time of year when migrants and nesting pairs are here at the same time," said Eric Anderson, an outdoor recreational planner for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "It can make for some interesting viewing opportunities."

  A black-necked stilt is one relatively uncommon species recently spotted in the River S Unit. Stilts, which have black and white plumage and long thin legs, are occasional spring visitors to western Washington. They are usually found along shallow inland ponds and wetlands, wading through the water looking for a meal. When agitated, stilts will call (yip-yip-yip) loudly and continuously. Other birds sighted on that trip include a Eurasian wigeon, three pairs of redheads and some Vaux's swifts.

  As of May 1, visitor access at the wildlife refuge has been expanded in two ways. First, those touring the 4.2-mile River S auto loop can now get out of their cars, so long as they park in an approved area and walk along the road. (Also, no bikes, runners or dogs are allowed.) In addition, the 1.2-mile Kiwa Trail - the only walking trail off the River S unit - is now open. Anderson said birders may spot white-breasted nuthatches and a number of other species along the trail as they as they wind through ash trees as wetlands. "I like it best in May, because the wetlands haven't dried up yet," he said. "That improves the birding."

Eastern Washington:

• Fishing: Fishing began April 28 on more trout lakes in this region than any other season opener, and the creel check results from that day are good indications of what's available in the weeks and months to come.

  WDFW northeast district fish biologist Curt Vail of Colville reported some of the best fishing in the state at two Stevens County waters - Cedar and Deep lakes both saw averages of the five-trout daily catch limit per angler checked. The catches at Cedar Lake, just north of Leadpoint near the U.S.-Canada border, are mostly 12-inch rainbows from fry plants, with many carryovers from 17 to 25 inches. Deep Lake, nine miles southeast of Northport, has rainbows averaging 11.5 inches and cutthroat averaging 11 inches.

  Other Stevens County lakes produced well on the opener, too. Mudgett Lake, a couple miles south of Fruitland, averaged 4.4 trout per angler with rainbow fry plants running 12 inches and carryovers up to 15 inches. Starvation Lake, 10 miles southeast of Colville, averaged 3.7 trout per angler, most 12-inch rainbows with some 15 to 17.5 inches. Rocky Lake, three-plus miles south of Colville, averaged 3.2 trout per angler, most eight to 10-inchers with carryovers running 11 to 15 inches. Waitts Lake, four miles west of Valley, was a little slower with an average of 1.5 trout per angler, but the rainbows averaged 14.5 inches, the brown trout averaged 16.4 inches and 21-inchers of both species were caught on the opener.

  In Pend Oreille County, opening day checks at Diamond Lake, seven miles southwest of Newport, showed a 3.2 trout-per-angler average with most rainbows a little over 12 inches and most browns just under 11 inches. The largest trout caught was a 24.5-inch rainbow. At Marshall Lake, about six miles northwest of Newport, anglers averaged 2.8 trout each, with 11-inch cutthroat trout from fry plants and carryovers up to 14-inches. Yocum Lake, six miles north of Ruby up LeClerc Creek Road, averaged 2.2 trout per angler with cutthroat fry running 10 inches and carryovers up to 13 inches.

  Ellen Lake, 14 miles north of Inchelium, was the only Ferry County fishery checked on the opener. The catch rate there averaged 1.6 trout per angler, with nine-inch rainbows from fry plants and some 12-inch carryovers.

  WDFW central district fish biologist Chris Donley of Spokane also reported some of the best fishing in the state during the opener at one lake in Lincoln County and two in southwest Spokane County. Fishtrap, West Medical and Williams lakes all saw averages of at least the five-trout daily catch limit per angler, including lots of catch-and-release action. Fishtrap Lake, six-plus miles east of Sprague, produced 12-inch rainbows from fry plants, 16-inchers from carryovers and some recently stocked whopper triploids and surplus broodstock. West Medical rainbows ran from 10-inchers to recently stocked five-pound surplus hatchery broodstock. Williams Lake trout ranged from 11 to 20 inches, including westslope cutthroat.

  Lots of limits were also caught at Badger Lake, also in southwest Spokane County, where the opener average was 4.7 rainbow or cutthroat trout per angler. Other Spokane County lakes checked were Fish Lake, two miles northeast of Cheney, with an average of 2.4 trout per angler, and Clear Lake, two miles south of the town of Medical Lake, with an average of 1.8 trout per angler.

  Curl Lake in Columbia County opened April 28, joining the other Tucannon River impoundments that opened March 1 in providing a rainbow trout-stocked fishery. Although no creel checks are conducted, catches should be eight to 12-inch and some 14-inch-plus rainbows. All eight of the impoundments are under a no-more-than-two-fish-over-13-inch rule to help spread out the fishery among anglers and over time.

  WDFW regional fish program manager John Whalen noted that most of the lakes that just opened will remain so through at least September. "Near-normal winter precipitation is helping maintain water levels at lakes throughout the Spokane area and northern portions of the region," he said. "So fishing and boat launching should be good through the summer."

  Whalen also noted that fishing rule changes that went into effect May 1 include Stevens County's Deer Lake where biologists are trying to restore and maintain an historic kokanee fishery. Now at Deer Lake there is a separate daily limit for smallmouth bass of 10 fish, with no minimum size and no more than one over 14 inches may be retained, and the trout daily limit of five includes no more than two trout over 30 inches.

• Hunting: Throughout the region, from Asotin to Ferry counties, WDFW enforcement officers are patrolling wild turkey hunting areas and noting lots of participation and harvest. A recent one-day check station on the Miles-Creston Road near Highway 2 in Lincoln County tallied more than 150 hunters - many with birds - and 19 citations for no turkey tag, failure to tag, no evidence of turkey gender (only toms, or birds with visible beards, can be harvested) and other rule violations.

  WDFW wildlife biologist Dana Base of Colville has been seeing turkeys "almost every day on state lands west of Colville." Base reports recently seeing six different groups of turkeys in the fields early mornings while driving Highway 395 between Colville and Chewelah. WDFW's Sherman Creek and Swanson Lakes wildlife areas have recently been explored by dozens of turkey hunters.

  The spring turkey hunting season continues through the month of May.

• Wildlife viewing: "There's no month quite like May for seeing new spring bird arrivals weekly, if not daily," said WDFW wildlife biologist Dana Base of Colville. "Species I've detected locally for the first time this year - singing and establishing territories within the last two weeks - include the ruby-crowned kinglet, orange-crowned warbler, yellow-rumped warbler, Nashville warbler, savannah sparrow, white-crowned sparrow, vesper sparrow, Vaux's swift, Cassin's vireo, western kingbird, and rough-winged swallow.

  WDFW district wildlife biologist Steve Zender of Chewelah reported one pair of common loons on Yocum Lake in Pend Oreille County where he volunteered to help check anglers on the fishing season opener. Loons, which are a state-sensitive species because of low numbers of nesting pairs, have attempted to nest on the lake in the past. The pair Zender observed were near the east bay nesting site, but no nest was yet evident. Zender noted the county has apparently passed an ordinance to limit internal combustion motors on the lake, although no signs to that effect are posted. "The lake was quiet and fishermen did not appear to be disturbing the loons," he said.

  WDFW district wildlife biologist Howard Ferguson of Spokane found a new ferruginous hawk nest west of Winona, and verified nesting at a known ferruginous hawk nest north of Winona, near the Palouse River in Whitman County. WDFW wildlife biologist Dave Volsen of Spokane also found two new ferruginous hawk territories, one with a nest, in Lincoln County.

  Ferguson also observed three long-billed curlews near the La Crosse airport in Whitman County. He checked the Revere and Escure wildlife areas for sharp-tailed grouse, which were the subject of numerous reports, but none were seen or heard.

  Ferguson also just noted a lone peregrine falcon near the Sunset Highway Bridge over Latah Creek, just west of downtown Spokane, where a nest site has traditionally been used.

  The yellow blooms of arrowleaf balsamroot and Oregon grape, the blues of common camas and lupine and the white of serviceberry are decorating the eastern Washington landscape now, providing more food sources for early butterflies. Red, pink and orange blossoms will soon follow, many attracting hummingbirds returning to parts of the region. Hummingbird fans are setting up sugar-water feeding stations to draw the little birds into close-up views. For more information on feeding of hummingbirds, see http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/backyard/hummingbirds.htm.

North Central Washington:

• Fishing: The lowland lakes opener April 28 produced some "solid catches" in Okanogan County lakes, according to WDFW fish biologist Bob Jateff, who said fishing should be good well into the summer at many of them.

  Jateff reports that Blue Lake, on the Sinlahekin Wildlife Area, probably had the best catch rates on the opener, with a catch-and-release average of 10 trout per angler. The daily catch-and-keep limit at Blue is one fish, and the few brown and rainbow trout kept by anglers were running 12 to 20 inches. Conconully Lake and Reservoir both posted catch averages of over four trout per angler on the opener, mostly in 12-inch yearling trout with some carryovers to 16 inches. Spectacle Lake, northwest of Tonasket, produced nearly four trout per angler on the opener, mostly 11-inch rainbows.

  Pearrygin Lake, on the Methow Wildlife Area near Winthrop, averaged 3.6 trout per angler, including 12-inch rainbows and some whopper triploids. Alta Lake, southwest of Pateros, averaged 3.4 trout per angler, mostly in 11-inch yearlings with some 15-inch carryovers. Wannacut Lake, southwest of Oroville, averaged 3.2 trout per angler, with carryovers up to 18 inches. Leader Lake, west of Okanogan, averaged 2.8 trout per angler, mostly 12-inch rainbows with carryovers to 15 inches and some 8-inch bluegill. Fish Lake, on the Sinlahekin Wildlife Area northeast of Conconully, averaged 2.3 trout per angler with carryovers to 15 inches.

  Jameson Lake in Douglas County also had good fishing on the April 28 opener, with limits of rainbows being taken by both shore and boat anglers. The average size of yearling rainbows was nine inches, with carryover fish to 14 inches.

  Jateff said there are also some good selective gear fisheries in the Okanogan that opened April 1. Rat Lake near Brewster, Green Lakes near Omak, and Davis Lake near Winthrop, all have good catch-and-release summer fishing for rainbow trout.

  In Chelan County, WDFW fish biologist Art Viola reported excellent fishing on the opener at Beehive Reservoir, where the average catch matched the five-trout daily catch limit. "Catch rates were outstanding at Beehive," Viola said. "However, most fish caught were only 10 to 11 inches long, so many were released." A fall plant of cutthroat trout made up about 70 percent of the catch, with the rest in 11-inch rainbows stocked this spring and a few larger fish up to 18 inches.

  Clear Lake, eight miles south of Wenatchee, also tallied an average catch of five trout per angler, with rainbows running from 11 to 17 inches. But compared to last year, angling effort was down about 30 percent at both Clear and Lilly lakes, Viola said. Lilly Lake, just down the road from Clear, averaged a little over three trout per angler, most in the 11-inch range. Viola said it would have been better, but the lake winterkilled and this year's stocking allotment was cut in half for the second year. "We hope anglers will remove all or at least most of the fish from Lilly prior to this winter," he said.

  Fishing at Wapato Lake, about two miles north of Manson, was also excellent with an overall average of 4.4 trout per angler on the opener. Almost half of the fish harvested were over two years old, while others were directly stocked from the Chelan Hatchery a few weeks ago or carryovers from last year, Viola said. Triploid rainbows over 16 inches were also caught.

  WDFW fish biologist Jeff Korth of Moses Lake reported great fishing at Perch and Deep lakes in Grant County. Both averaged over four trout per angler on opening day with 10 to 14-inch rainbows. Warden Lake also produced well with an average of 2.5 trout per angler on 13.5-inch rainbows.

  Korth also reported good catches of catchable-size and triploid rainbow trout at Blue, Park and Vic Meyers or Rainbow lakes in Grant County. All three were rehabilitated last year, and the fisheries were considerably improved over the last couple of years. Blue and Park measured catch rates of about two trout per angler on the opener, and Vic Meyers averaged slightly less than one trout per angler.

• Hunting: WDFW district wildlife biologist Scott Fitkin of Winthrop reports good hunting for wild turkeys throughout Okanogan County now that most areas are accessible. "So far turkey hunting pressure has been lighter than expected, but birds are out there," he said.

• Wildlife viewing: "Bird activity is ramping up in the Okanogan," said WDFW district wildlife biologist Scott Fitkin of Winthrop. "Many neotropical migrants are arriving and actively displaying and setting up territories." Fitkin recommended birdwatchers visit WDFW's Methow and Sinlahekin wildlife areas where they are likely at this time to see western wood pewee, willow and dusky flycatchers, Say's phoebe, eastern and western kingbirds, rough-winged, bank, violet-green, tree, cliff and barn swallows, marsh and canyon wrens, ruby-crowned kinglet, Townsend's solitaire, western bluebird, Nashville, yellow and yellow-rumped warblers, western tanager, Lazuli bunting, and savannah, vesper and song sparrows.

  Advancing spring means hungry black bears are out of hibernation and seeking easy meals in the north end of the region. In keeping with "National Bear Awareness Week," May 13-19, WDFW officials remind those living or recreating in bear country to prevent problems by securely storing garbage, keeping pet food inaccessible, cleaning barbecue grills, and removing bird feeders for the season. More information on living with black bears is available online at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/blkbear/blkbear.htm.

  Early wildflowers such as spring beauties and glacier lilies are past prime now and new blooms are taking their place, from phlox to fleabane. All are food bases for butterflies, birds, and other wildlife. The Native Plant Society's next free wildflower walk is Saturday, May 12 on the Sage Hills Trail, just outside the Wenatchee-Cashmere area; meet at the Easy Street Park and Ride just before 9 a.m. Or check out Nana Simone's "Wildflower Diary" postings at http://www.wenatcheeoutdoors.org/.

South Central Washington:

• Fishing: Trout-stocked waters in the southcentral region are open year-round, with hatchery stocking continuing through the spring. Anglers can check stocking schedules at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/plants/regions/reg3/index.htm and updates on weekly plants at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/plants/weekly/.

  WDFW fish biologist Paul Hoffarth reminds anglers that Columbia Park Pond in Kennewick is closed to fishing May 4-5 to prepare for and conduct the 8th annual "Fishing Kids" event May 5, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hatchery crews will be stocking the pond with rainbow trout on July 4th for more than 1,200 pre-registered event participants. The pond, which is only open to fishing by juvenile anglers (under 15 years old) and persons with disability licenses, will re-open to the public at 4 p.m., May 5.

  Hoffarth also notes the Columbia River sturgeon sanctuary is now in effect through July 31 from the Interstate 82 bridge at Umatilla upstream to McNary Dam. No fishing for sturgeon is allowed in this area during this time period.

  The Ringold bank fishery re-opened May 1 for spring chinook through May 31. Fishing is restricted to bank angling only on the hatchery side of the river from the WDFW markers ¼ mile downstream of the Ringold irrigation wasteway outlet to the markers ½ mile upstream of Ringold Springs Creek (hatchery outlet). The daily limit is two hatchery salmon, 12-inch minimum size. Only chinook with a clipped adipose fin and having a healed scar at the location of the fin may be retained. Night closure and non-buoyant lure restrictions are in effect. All wild chinook (with an intact adipose fin) must be released immediately and may not be removed from the water.

  WDFW fish biologist Jim Cummins of Yakima reminds anglers that most rivers and streams are closed until June 1 to protect salmon and steelhead smolts that are migrating downstream and to protect spawning steelhead, rainbow and cutthroat trout. "The catch-and-release area on the Yakima River is an exception," he said. "The reach of the Yakima is open year-round, but anglers should check the Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet before fishing."

  Smallmouth bass fishing should be good through at least the end of May in the lower Yakima River, Cummins said. "Fishing can be difficult when spring flows are high, but there is some great smallmouth fishing from Benton City down," he said. The recent cool weather in the mountains has resulted in a steady decline in river flows, so now is the time to get the bass gear out and fish the river." Cummins said that although the majority of fish are in the one to two-pound class, a number of fish five pounds and larger are caught every spring. Channel catfish are another good bet in the Yakima as water temperatures increase. Anglers can check Yakima River flows at http://www.usbr.gov/pn/hydromet/yakima/, where "Daily Data" is the best tab to check. The Yakima River at Kiona is the best flow to check, and water temperatures are also posted.

• Wildlife viewing: With spring's flurry of bird-nesting activity, WDFW habitat biologist Ken Bevis reminds pet owners to keep cats indoors. Free-roaming cats, whether domestic or feral, instinctively prey on birds and other small animals, and they can have significant impacts on local wildlife populations, he said. Bevis noted that cats are introduced predators, not part of the natural ecosystem. They can become "super-predators" because they are fed and protected from disease.

  Prey animals, especially ground-dwelling birds, have not evolved to cope with introduced domestic cats and have inadequate strategies for protecting themselves. Putting a bell on a cat doesn't help because birds don't associate bells with predators. De-clawing cats doesn't help much either, because cats will instinctively bat down prey species. Bevis says cats themselves are safer indoors, avoiding collisions with vehicles, predation by coyotes, and the spread of disease.

  Hummingbirds have returned to many parts of the region and fans of these tiny birds are setting up sugar-water feeding stations to get close-up views. To keep hummingbirds healthy, create nectar by boiling four parts water to one part plain white sugar, cool, and place in feeders. Do not add red food coloring to the mix; a little red color on the feeder itself is all it takes to attract the birds. If the sugar-water is not used within a few days, or if the feeder heats up in a sunny location, drain and replace the mix to avoid bacterial growth. For more information see http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/backyard/hummingbirds.htm.