(5/4/06 - Corrections made to South Sound/Olympic Peninsula section on Discovery Bay and Port Angeles shrimp districts and halibut seasons.)

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 restocking lakes after the opening-day rush, and will continue planting trout into September, he said. Plants range from 8-12 inch rainbows to 1½ -pound triploids - 10,270 of which WDFW plans to plant in May.

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

After spending opening day checking fish, Anderson also has some additional advice for boat anglers, particularly those with young people onboard.

"Anyone under the age of 13 is required by law to wear a personal floatation device aboard a boat," he said. "It's not only the law, it's common sense."

It also makes sense for other fisheries getting started, or already under way, throughout the state, including:

• Shrimp: The popular fishery begins May 6 in most areas of Puget Sound. See the regional reports below for details.

• Halibut: Despite some rough weather, fishing has been good on the south coast and will get under way May 9 in marine areas 3 (LaPush) and 4 (Neah Bay). See the reports on the South Sound/Olympic Peninsula and North Puget Sound regions for more information.

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

• Spring chinook: Counts of migrating fish are finally picking up at Bonneville Dam and anglers fishing the Lewis River are averaging one springer for every two rods.

Don't like to fish? Several wildlife festivals are coming up in the next few weeks, focusing on bird watching (Edmonds, Spokane, Leavenworth), backyard wildlife (Tukwila), sturgeon (Vancouver) and prairie species (Thurston County). See the regional reports that follow for more information:

North Puget Sound

• Fishing: Decent trout fishing was reported throughout the region as anglers took advantage of mostly mild temperatures - and braved a bit of Saturday afternoon rain - during the first weekend of the lowland lakes fishing season. On opening day, Whatcom County's Padden Lake produced nearly four fish per rod, while anglers at Silver Lake averaged just above three trout per rod. In Skagit County, anglers at Erie Lake averaged four fish per rod, while those at McMurray Lake averaged just under the four-trout mark.

  At Deer Lake in Island County, anglers averaged slightly better than four fish per rod, while those fishing Cascade Lake in San Juan County averaged three and a half trout per rod. Anglers in Snohomish County also did well, averaging more than four fish per rod at Howard Lake, and more than three fish per rod at Ki Lake. In King County, one of the hot spots was Pine Lake, where anglers averaged about three and a half trout per rod.

  "Catches could have been higher at most lakes, but many anglers chose to catch-and-release on opening day," said Chad Jackson, WDFW fish biologist. "Overall, anglers faired well and it looks like we had a really good opening weekend."

  Anglers have a daily limit of five trout. Released legal-sized trout, caught with bait, counts toward the daily bag limit. These and other rules are described in WDFW's 2006/2007 Fishing in Washington pamphlet, available from license dealers and online at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm.

  Throughout the region, thousands of legal-sized trout have been stocked in lakes. Anglers can check the stocking schedules for rainbow, cutthroat and triploid trout online at (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/plants/index.htm).

  For the first few weeks of the trout season, biologists recommend fishing higher in the water column because the stocked fish tend to remain in the top 3 to 5 feet of water. Trout fishing in the region should continue to be good for the next month, said Jackson.

  Out on the saltwater, anglers can drop a line for halibut. The halibut-fishing season is open five days a week, Thursday through Monday, with a daily limit of one halibut and no minimum size limit.

  Lingcod, rockfish and cabezon fishing seasons are also open. During the lingcod hook-and-line season (May 1-June 15), there's a one-fish daily limit for lings, which must be a minimum size of 26 inches and a maximum size of 40 inches. 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.

  Break out those pots. The shrimp season opens throughout the region May 6, with a daily limit of 80 shrimp. In marine areas 8-1, 8-2, 9 and 10 the fishery is open Wednesdays and Saturdays 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, the fishery is open daily and will close when the quota is reached, or Oct. 15, whichever comes first. Details, such as the required minimum mesh size, are available on WDFW's website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/crabreg/.

• Wildlife viewing: Looking for whales? Try Saratoga Passage, where gray whales continue to be spotted almost daily. One observer reporting to the Orca Network (http://www.orcanetwork.org/sightings/map.html) spotted two grays traveling along the Clinton and Mukilteo ferry route. "Lots of backs, blows and flukes," the observer noted. West of the passage, orca whales also have been sighted.

  Birders have an opportunity to take part in the Puget Sound Bird Fest in Edmonds on May 12-13. 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. 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 "Gardening on the wing: Bats, Bees, Birds and Butterflies." For more information visit the Puget Sound Bird Fest website at http://www.pugetsoundbirdfest.com/index.htm.

  Link also will give his presentation at the Backyard Wildlife Festival May 13 in Tukwila. The event begins at 10 a.m. 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. For more information about the festival visit http://www.backyardwildlifefair.org/index.htm.

  Elsewhere in the region, birders have been busy recently. At the Union Bay Natural Area, a birder reporting to Tweeters birding website (http://www.scn.org/earth/tweeters/) spotted several species, including swallows, sandpipers, common mergansers, northern shovelers, great blue herons and bald eagles.

South Sound/Olympic Peninsula

• Fishing: There's still plenty of trout remaining in area lakes after fickle weather brought mixed results for anglers on the opening day of the lowland lakes trout season. Meanwhile, the shrimp season is set to get under way May 6, the halibut season is expanding to the north coast and anglers are continuing to reel in lingcod and chinook salmon.

  To gauge the opening-day action, WDFW fish samplers checked 2,600 anglers April 29 on lakes throughout the region with nearly 5,300 trout. Trout caught that day ranged from averaging 8-to-10-inchers to some over 20 inches. Young anglers at Vance Creek pond in Grays Harbor County caught some of the biggest fish of the day - rainbow trout up to 30 inches and a 13.6-pound steelhead.

  Devereux Lake in Mason County produced a 21-inch carry-over while jumbo rainbows pulled out of Sandy Shore Lake in Jefferson County averaged 14 inches. The 225 anglers at Sandy Shore were getting 2.34 fish per rod on opening day. Other lakes with high yields were Wooten Lake in Mason County; Clear Lake in Pierce County; and Deep, McIntosh and Summit lakes in Thurston County.

  But cool, rainy weather put a damper on fishing at some lakes in the region where the bite was off. "Weather was a factor," said Hal Michael, a WDFW fish biologist. "Because of the low pressure from the storm that moved in Saturday morning, the fish may have chosen not to feed and stayed in waters where they were comfortable."

  But there are still a lot of fish in the lakes. "The next month or so should provide plenty of good fishing in all of the lakes we've stocked," Michael added. Two good sources of information on where to fish are available on the WDFW website. Washington Fishing Prospects (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/prospects/index.htm) describes lakes throughout the state and the kinds of fish that can be caught there. The 2006 Catchable Trout Plants (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/plants/2006stocking.pdf) details when and where the agency has planted more than 21 million trout this year.

  Next up, the recreational shrimp fishing opens on Puget Sound on Saturday, May 6. All areas of the sound except two will open for the popular fishery that day. One exception - Marine Area 11, extending from the northern tip of Vashon Island to the Tacoma Narrows Bridge - will open for shrimping Wednesday, May 10, then close for the season. The one-day season in that area is designed to keep the recreational catch within the area's harvest quota, said Mark O'Toole, a WDFW shellfish biologist. "The recreational shrimp harvest in Marine Area 11 has increased dramatically in recent years," O'Toole said. "With so many more shrimp pots in the water, it now appears that the area can support only one weekday of recreational fishing."

  Shrimp districts in Port Townsend, Discovery Bay and Port Angeles will all be closed for spot shrimp fishing this spring due to extremely low catches in pre-season testing. However, non-spot shrimping opportunities in the Port Townsend Shrimp District will begin 7 a.m. on June 1, south of a line running from Kala Point to Walan Point. Fishing for non-spot shrimp will also open June 1 in the southern portion of the Discovery Bay Shrimp District, south of a direct line from Contractors Pt. to Tukey Pt.

  While most areas of Puget Sound will open for shrimping May 6, different fishing schedules will be in effect for those areas:

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

  • Hood Canal (Marine Area 12) will open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays and Wednesdays through May 17 or until the quota is reached, whichever comes first. Additional dates and times may be announced if sufficient quota is remaining.

  • Marine Areas 4 (east of the Bonilla Line), 5, 6, 7 and 13 (excluding shrimp districts) will be open daily beginning May 6 at 7 a.m. until quota is attained or through October 15, whichever comes first.

  "I would encourage everyone to get a copy of the Department of Fish and Wildlife's brand new Fishing in Washington (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm) pamphlet and get familiar with the new regulations, in effect May 1," noted David Sterritt, WDFW fish biologist. "The tidal exchange for this year's opening shrimp day should make for very good fishing conditions, although there's no way to predict what the winds will be like."

  A little wind and choppy water didn't dampen the spirits of halibut fishers off the coast of Westport and Illwaco when that fishery opened May 1. "Almost everyone was catching the limit and the fish were unusually big," reported Wendy Beeghley, WDFW fish biologist. "The derby winner on the first day was 62 inches; that's pretty good for rough waters."

  Recreational halibut fishing in Marine Area 2 will continue to run five days a week, Sunday through Thursday, until the quota is reached. Fishing is also open seven days a week in Marine Area 1 and in the special nearshore area south of the Queets River. Beginning May 9 anglers can also start fishing for halibut three days per week off the coast of Neah Bay and La Push. Marine areas 3 and 4 will be open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays until the catch reaches the first of two quotas.

  Meanwhile anglers continued to reel in the big flatfish off Port Angeles. Creel checks at Ediz Hook April 24 to 28 counted an average catch rate of one fish for every 5.3 rods.

  Coastal lingcod fishing off both Westport and Neah Bay has been good this year as well, according to Beeghley. But, again, it all depends on the unpredictable nature of spring weather in the Pacific Northwest. "During the latter part of last week, people had trouble getting their limit because of the bad weather," Beegley said. So, watch those forecasts and grab the opportunity when conditions are right.

  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. 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).

  When warm, sunny days melt the glaciers and raise the rivers on the Olympic Peninsula, good fishing tends to follow, said David Low, WDFD fish biologist. For that reason, the action is heating up for spring chinook salmon. "The prospects are good for getting those hatchery fish," Low said. 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.

  Still looking to catch steelhead on the Olympic Peninsula? The season opens for hatchery steelhead on May 17 on the Hoh River from the mouth to Willoughby Creek. The fishery is open Wednesday through Sunday, with a two-fish limit.

• Wildlife viewing: Early May is a perfect time for a prairie walk. The 11th Annual Prairie Appreciation Day at the Glacial Heritage Preserve in Thurston County on Saturday, May 6 is a springtime celebration of this unique habitat. The event is timed to coincide with the prairie's best wildflower displays, including the blooming of the spectacular blue camas. Visitors are likely to see birds and butterflies found in few other places in the world. Activities of the day include self-guided trails, a hay ride, bug and butterfly exhibits, birding lessons, and lots of information about wildflowers, geology, history and prairie restoration. The event is free and runs from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. For more information, go the http://www.prairieappreciationday.org

  Meanwhile, spring shorebird migration through Washington is in full swing. Check the Grays Harbor Shorebird Festival's survey webpage (http://www.shorebirdfestival.com/sightings.html) to see how reports climbed from 0 shorebirds on April 12 to 40,337 as of May 1. In late April, birders reported on the Tweeters birdwatcher's website (http://www.scn.org/earth/tweeters/) seeing 10 red knots among the mass of western sandpipers, dunlin, short-billed dowitchers and smaller numbers of black-bellied plovers, semi-palmated plovers and least sandpipers at Bottle Beach in Grays Harbor County. You can celebrate International Migratory Bird Day with a walk around Nisqually Wildlife Refuge in Thurston County on Saturday, May 13, from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. An experienced birder and guide will lead the walk. All levels of birders are welcome.

  Elsewhere around the region, birdwatchers on Fort Lewis turned up some excellent sightings of a canvasback duck, northern pygmy owl, northern harrier, buffleheads and purple martins. Thirty black turnstones, several harlequins and a pair of oyster catchers were spotted at Neah Bay. Another birder posting on the Tweeters site saw a female at Fort Flagler in Jefferson County. He says he has now seen them on the beaches of Kitsap, Clallam and Jefferson counties.

  Gray whales have been active in the Strait of Juan de Fuca west of Sekiu. One observer at Chito Beach Resort has reported several sightings on the Orca Network website (http://www.orcanetwork.org/sightings/map.html#recent) since April 16 of single and multiple grays circling and feeding between Chito Beach and the Sekiu River. Also, spotters watched a gray whale round Brown's Point at Commencement Bay on April 16. "The whale came quite close to shore," they wrote. "We had a great view of its fluke."

Southwest Washington:

• Fishing: After weeks of slim prospects, anglers once again have some good opportunities to catch fish around the region. For one thing, the lowland lakes trout season opened April 29, adding dozens of well-stocked waters to the mix. For another, spring chinook fishing has suddenly caught fire on the Lewis and Kalama rewarding anglers who banked on a late run.

  "This is the time of year when a lot of anglers will fish for spring chinook. If they're unsuccessful for salmon, they can always switch to trout," said Joe Hymer, a WDFW fish biologist. "It's nice to have some options."

  The outlook for upriver salmon anglers is also improving, Hymer said. From April 28 to May 1, the total number of spring chinook counted above Bonneville Dam jumped from 2,955 to 9,577 fish. The improved dam counts will almost certainly mean improved fishing in the Wind River, the Klickitat River and Drano Lake, Hymer said.

  "The spring chinook run is clearly arriving late, but those upriver areas are starting to see increased effort and catch," said Hymer, who reminds anglers that Drano Lake is closed to fishing every Wednesday through May.

  But the Lewis River was clearly the hotspot for spring chinook the last week of April, when boat anglers from the Lewis River Salmon Hatchery to the mouth averaged one fish for every two rods. The 92 boat anglers checked that week had 38 springers among them and reported releasing nine more. Bank anglers fishing below the salmon hatchery scored about one fish for every five rods.

  "Those are definitely the best catch rates we've seen on the Lewis River this season," Hymer said. "And, if the run is as late as some people think it is, those catch rates should improve in the weeks ahead."

  Spring chinook fishing is also picking up on the Kalama River, where boat anglers averaged one fish for every three rods during the last week of April. Eighty-one boat anglers checked that week had 24 spring chinook and reported releasing two others. Sixty-five bank anglers were checked with four fish. Several summer-run hatchery steelhead were also caught from boat and bank.

  On the Cowlitz River, success rates were light, although anglers have been catching late-winter and early summer-run steelhead - primarily around Blue Creek. During the last week of April, crews at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery recovered 243 adult spring chinook, 179 winter-run adult steelhead and seven summer-run adult steelhead during four days of operations.

  Hymer reminds anglers that they must release any wild steelhead and chinook they catch on Washington Columbia River tributaries, except the upper Wind River where wild chinook may be included in their daily bag limit. Wild fish can be identified by an intact adipose fin.

  Trout fishing, meanwhile, shifted into high gear around the region on opening day of the lowland lakes season. Average catches on lakes sampled April 29 are listed below, followed by information about recent fish plants.

  • Swift Reservoir: 2.4 trout per rod; 58,970 rainbows planted April 24-26.

  • Horsethief Lake: 2.2 trout per rod; 12,658 rainbows and 75 broodstock planted April 25-26.

  • Rowland Lake: 2.2 trout per rod; 9,721 rainbows planted April 24.

  • Kidney Lake: 2.1 trout per rod; 2,517 rainbows planted April 25.

  • Plummer Lake: 2.0 trout per rod; 4,000 rainbows planted April 25.

  • Mineral Lake: 1.5 trout per rod; 25,094 rainbows, including 15,030 half-pounders from net pens.

  • Fort Borst Park Pond: 1.5 trout per rod; 3,296 rainbows planted April 26.

  At Klineline Pond north of Hazel Dell, 157 bank anglers caught 160 rainbows, 124 browns and 20 triploids for an average catch of nearly two fish per rod. Rainbow Power Bait and worms were the ticket for rainbows, while the browns went for biscuit dough under a bobber. Lures and flies worked for both species.

  On April 25, 1,626 triploid trout weighing 1.5 pounds were released into Horseshoe Lake in Woodland and 836 triploids were released into Kress Lake in Kalama. Both lakes also received some broodstock rainbows, weighing 8 pounds each.

  Other waters planted with trout in late April include Davis Lake in Lewis County (1,344 rainbows April 26); South Lewis County Park Pond just southeast of Toledo (3,040 rainbows April 26); Mayfield Lake (6,080 rainbows); Siler Pond (1,008 rainbows April 25); Horseshoe Lake in Woodland (10,770 rainbows); Lacamas Lake in Camas (4,588 rainbows, 3,855 browns); Icehouse Lake at the Bridge of the Gods (2,314 rainbows); Little Ash Lake two miles west of Stevenson (3,302 rainbows); Little Klickitat River in Goldendale (825 rainbows); and Maryhill Pond in Klickitat County (415 rainbows).

  But few boat anglers had better success rates than those fishing for bass in Bonneville Pool, where the daily average has been 6.6 bass per rod. Boat anglers fishing the John Day Pool have also been doing well, averaging 4.2 bass and nearly half a walleye per rod.

  Sturgeon fishing closed May 1 in three spawning sanctuaries on the Columbia River designed to protect female sturgeon during the spawning period. The three sanctuaries, which are 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.

  Anglers are also reminded that sturgeon fishing is catch-and-release only through May 12 on the mainstem Columbia from the mouth to the Rocky Point/Tongue Point line. That section of the river re-opens May 13 seven days per week with a minimum size of 45 inches.

• Wildlife viewing: With thousands of spring chinook salmon a day now moving past Bonneville Dam, there's no time like the present to stop by the Washington Shore Visitor Complex for a look. Underwater windows give visitors a prime view of salmon parading up the fish ladder, while eel-like lamprey press against the glass with open-stretched mouths. To get there, take Washington State Highway 14 east to Milepost 40 (about 5 miles from Stevenson) and turn into the Bonneville Dam visitor center. The visitor center is the glass building at the end of the powerhouse.

  There is also an opportunity to learn more about the Columbia River's largest native inhabitant during the free Sturgeon Festival May 20 and 21 at the Water Resources Education Center, 4600 SE. Columbia Way in Vancouver. Environmental activities for all ages will be offered from noon to 4 p.m. both days. Teens and adults can discuss environmental issues and career opportunities with staff from natural resource agencies and environmental organizations. They'll also have an opportunity to learn about sturgeon and salmon anatomy, and find out what sort of aquatic life inhabits the backwaters of the Columbia River.

  Environmental games and relays and interactive learning stations will also keep younger children entertained. Special events include Portland Audubon Society's Rap with Raptors, Oregon Zoo's Condor presentation, Mother Nature's Garden, Reptile Man, and Eartha the Clown. More information is available by calling WDFW's Brad James at (360) 906-6716 or Bev Walker with the City of Vancouver at (360) 696-8478.

Eastern Washington:

• Fishing: The lowland lakes trout-fishing season opener on April 29 saw increased angler numbers and success, said John Whalen, WDFW regional fish program manager. Mild weather and high water levels, a near-normal snowpack and above-average spring rainfall all contributed to high catch rates, he said. He expected good fishing into fall at most lakes, which have been well-stocked with hatchery rainbow, cutthroat, brown, or brook trout fry or catchable-size fish.

  Three of the state's 10 highest-producing lakes on opening day were are in this region, including Williams Lake in Spokane County and Fishtrap Lake in Lincoln County where all anglers checked had five-fish limits. Rocky Lake in Stevens County was right behind with an average of 4.5 fish per angler. Opening day creel checks by WDFW staff are usually a fair measure of what anglers can expect now and in the weeks ahead. Here's the full report from opening day:

  In Spokane County:

  • Williams Lake, 5.0 fish per angler, rainbows 10-24 inches, cutthroat 10-15 inches, mostly from trout fry stocked in spring 2005 and some in carryovers from 2004 after the fall 2003 rotenone treatment.

  • Badger Lake, 4.0 fish per angler, rainbows 11-16 inches, cutthroat 10-16 inches, mostly from trout fry stocked in spring 2005.

  • West Medical Lake, 3.4 fish per angler, rainbows up to 18 inches, browns up to 20 inches, lots of carryover fish in the catch.

  • Fish Lake, 3.0 fish per angler, brook trout 10-13 inches, tiger trout (brook/brown cross) 10-12 inches, with a few fish in 22-inch range.

  • Clear Lake, 2.2 fish per angler, rainbows 10-24 inches, browns 10-21 inches, including fall 2005 fry and spring 2006 yearlings and many carryovers from earlier stocking.

  WDFW enforcement officers checking Spokane County lakes also noted Chapman Lake as productive for kokanee, with several limits checked. The fish were caught on corn and maggots during daylight hours in about 43 feet of water at the far end of the lake. Trout and bass fishing was slow at Chapman, as it was at Liberty Lake.

  In Stevens County:

  • Rocky Lake, 4.5 fish per angler, rainbows 11-15 inches, mostly from last year's rainbow fry stocking, limits caught in an average of two hours.

  • Starvation Lake, 3.85 fish per angler, rainbows 12-17 inches; Waitts Lake, 2.4 fish per angler, rainbows 10-25 inches, browns 14-17 inches.

  • Deep Lake, 1.33 fish per angler, mostly 9-10 inch cutthroat, rainbows 12 inches. Cedar Lake, 0.4 fish per angler, rainbows 15-21 inches.

  Loon Lake (not officially creel-checked on the opener) has a new, wheelchair-accessible dock adjacent to the WDFW boat launch, thanks to a donation from E-Z Docks distributor Knight Construction of Deer Park.

  In Lincoln County, Fishtrap Lake produced 5.0 fish per angler, mostly rainbows 11-16 inches but with lots of carryovers from spring 2005 fry stocking. Marshall Lake In Pend Oreille County produced 1.7 fish per angler with rainbows 9-14 inches. In Ferry County, anglers caught an average of 3.0 fish rod at Ellen Lake, mostly rainbows 11-18 inches.

  The Columbia County Tucannon impoundments have been open for fishing since March 1 but continue to be re-stocked with hatchery catchable-size fish, and rainbows, kokanee and walleye in year-round Lake Roosevelt. Fishing is slowly starting for smallmouth bass and channel catfish in the sloughs and backwaters of the Snake River (although water levels are currently low) and in the Palouse River.

• Hunting: Spring wild turkey hunting continues through May 15, and although WDFW enforcement officers say numbers of hunters in the field are down from the first half of the month-long season, they also report numerous violations. A check station conducted the last weekend in April on the Miles-Creston Road in Lincoln County - which catches hunter traffic returning from turkey-dense Stevens County - resulted in 22 arrests and nine warnings. Emphasis patrols throughout the region, from northern Stevens County to Asotin County, have also yielded contacts with many turkey hunters and some violations.

  "We've got the majority of turkey hunting in the state here in this region, so we're bound to have violators," said WDFW Captain Mike Whorton. Violations included hunting without a license or tag, failure to tag a harvested turkey, killing hens during the toms-only season, loaded firearms in motor vehicles and shooting from roads. One of the biggest complaints from landowners is trespassing, Whorton said. "All hunters need to ask permission to hunt private land first or hunters will continue to see more private land posted with no hunting signs," he said.

• Wildlife viewing: A fun way for the whole family to learn more about birds is at the Spokane Bird Fest on Saturday, May 6, at the West Valley Outdoor Learning Center, 8706 E. Upriver Drive. Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy activities from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., including bird observations and counts, a bird scavenger hunt, bird house or feeder construction, owl pellet dissection, live raptor demonstrations, and more. The festival is co-sponsored with the center by Spokane Audubon Society and the Council for Environmental Education, with support from WDFW, Washington Department of Ecology, Big Horn Foundation and Inland Northwest Wildlife Council. For more information, see http://www.wvolc.org/birdfest or call 509-340-1028.

  The great blue heron nesting season has begun, and the big birds can be seen at their nests near Lyons Ferry Marina on the south side of the railroad bridge over the Snake River. "There are many nests constructed on the last two supports of the railroad bridge," said WDFW fish biologist Debbie Milks. "You can view the birds from the shore as well as by boat. Double-crested cormorants have also been observed roosting in the same vicinity."

  This is also a good time to view nesting osprey, bald eagles, cormorants, geese and other waterfowl along the Pend Orielle River, said WDFW wildlife biologist Steve Zender. "A car trip around Calispell Lake can be especially productive," he said. To get there, take LeClerc Creek Road north from Newport on the east side of the Pend Oreille River, cross the Usk bridge and take River Road to Cusick. Return to Usk and go west on McKinzie to Westside Calispell Road and follow it south around the lake.

  WDFW wildlife biologist Dana Base relays that local birders are seeing white-headed and black-backed woodpeckers in a burned-over area along Lake Roosevelt near Gifford in Stevens County. Past controlled burns on Department of Natural Resources land and near a Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area campground are evidently drawing the unusual woodpeckers and other bird species seeking bugs in dead and dying trees. Park in the far north end of the Gifford campground and walk north through the burned area.

  Spring is in full force at Lincoln County's Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area, reports WDFW area manager Juli Anderson. "All sorts of birds are busy nesting now," she said. "Watch out for killdeer sitting on the roads, trying to lure you away from their nests on the ground nearby. We spotted a bluebird last week along a county road, near a nest box. Arrowleaf balsamroot, or desert sunflower, is blooming right now on the south facing slopes, a bit earlier than it did last year. The ground is still unseasonably wet, with the handful of non-maintained county roads in the area remaining impassable, due to water over the roadway."

  Along with warmer weather, spring also brings out ticks. Wildlife managers recommend taking precautions to avoid health problems caused by ticks, which are always abundant in shrub-steppe, riparian and wetland habitat areas of eastern Washington during the springtime. Wear long-sleeved, tucked-in shirts and long pants tucked into boots to minimize chances of ticks hitching a ride on loose clothing and moving into bare skin areas. Save the shorts and t-shirts for the coming hot, dry weather when tick numbers decline. Check carefully for ticks after leaving an area. Treat dogs with tick repellent products before going afield.

North Central Washington:

• Fishing: Columbia Basin lakes that opened April 29 saw mild weather and lots of anglers with good catches of rainbow trout and other fish. But farther north in the region where winter has been slow to leave, the best fishing is still ahead. Three of the state's top ten lakes on opening day were in this region: Round and Fish lakes in Okanogan County respectively averaged 4.7 and 4.6 fish per angler, while Perch Lake in Grant County averaged 4.5 fish per angler. Opening day creel checks by WDFW staff can be a measure of what anglers might expect now and in the weeks ahead.

  WDFW fish biologist Jeff Korth reported great fishing at Perch Lake where anglers averaged 4.5 fish per rod, mostly 11-12-inch yearling rainbows with no carryovers. Warden Lake anglers averaged 3.5 fish each, including 12-inch yearling rainbows and 9-inch catchables stocked this year.

  Deep, Park and Blue lakes, which have been among the best producers in the past, had much lower catches. Korth says Park and Blue are in the late stages of being over-run with spiny-rayed fishes (perch, sunfish, bass, bullheads, sculpins). Fingerling trout survival to yearlings has been poor. "It's been ten years since we've rehabilitated these lakes and the numbers of competing species have increased dramatically," he said. "We've been shoring up the fishery for the last three years through the addition of larger fall fingerlings and spring catchables, but we can't do that indefinitely."

  Park Lake anglers averaged 0.8 fish each on the opener, mostly with 14-15-inch rainbow yearlings and a few 20-26-inch brown trout. Blue Lake averaged 0.7 fish per angler, all in 14-15-inch rainbow yearlings. Boat anglers at Park and Blue lakes tended to do much better than shore anglers, with an average of two fish apiece. Deep Lake anglers averaged 0.3 fish ranging from 8-inch catchables to 15-inch carryovers.

  WDFW fish biologist Bob Jateff reported that in addition to Fish and Round lakes, which produced close to five-fish limits for the majority of anglers on the opener, Okanogan County's larger lakes - the Conconullys, Wannacut, Spectacle - were all very productive. Wannacut Lake averaged 3.6 fish per angler, mostly in 10-12-inch yearling rainbows with carryovers up to 15 inches. Spectacle Lake anglers averaged 3.3 fish each, including some 1.5-pound triploids. Conconully Lake saw a 3.3 fish per angler average, with carryover rainbows up to 16 inches.

  Conconully Reservoir anglers averaged 2.2 fish each, with carryovers up to 17 inches. Among the selective gear waters, Blue Lake in the Sinlahekin Wildlife Area was a top producer with browns to 16 inches and rainbows to 17 inches; the catch rate was much slower than normal, however, with just one fish per angler measured on the opener. Some of the lakes in the Methow Valley area were slow due to a late ice-out, but they should pick up as the water warms up in the next few weeks. Patterson Lake gave up just 1.4 fish per angler and Pearrygin Lake 1.1 fish per angler. Jateff also reported that Jameson Lake in Douglas County produced well on the opener, with a 3.4-fish-per-angler average, including rainbow carryovers up to 17 inches.

  WDFW fish biologist Art Viola reported good fishing in Chelan County at Wapato Lake, where anglers averaged 3.5 fish each. Yearling rainbows at Wapato averaged near 11 inches and two-year-olds averaged near 17 inches. The largest fish seen at Wapato was a 19.5-inch rainbow. Clear Lake anglers averaged 2.35 fish each, ranging from 12.5-inch yearlings to 15.5-inch two-year-olds. But fishing at Lilly Lake was poor due to a recent fish kill, Viola said. "We have attempted to determine what caused this problem but no reasons are yet evident," he said. Lilly Lake anglers averaged less than one fish each on the opener. Beehive Reservoir was still frozen, so all the good fishing there is yet to come.

  In other fishing, Viola noted that so few spring chinook salmon have passed Bonneville Dam to date that there will not be any fishing for them on the Icicle River this month. "If the run comes in later in sufficient numbers," he said, "we may still be able to open that salmon fishery on the Icicle on June 1."

  The 2006 Rod Meseberg Spring Walleye Classic fishing tournament at Potholes Reservoir is May 6-7. See http://www.mardonresort.com or call 1-800-416-2736 for more information. May 20-21 is Big Wally's Spring Walleye Classic fishing tournament at Banks Lake. Contact Gordy Steinmets at 800-632-5504 or at http://www.bigwallysfishing.com for more information.

• Wildlife viewing: Birdwatchers won't want to miss the fourth annual Leavenworth Spring Bird Fest, May 18-21, with pre-registration taken now through May 17. Although scheduled a weekend after the official International Migratory Bird Day (May 13), this event celebrates such migratory species as and western tanagers, as well as rare residents like white-headed woodpeckers.

  Throughout the weekend, event and trip leaders raise awareness that neotropical migratory songbirds come here for a very important, and brief, part of their year - to breed and fledge. Organized by the North Central Washington Audubon Society in cooperation with the Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce, birding is the heart of the weekend activities. But there are also field trips and lectures on geology, wildflowers, and other local natural resources. For more information see the website for the Leavenworth Spring Bird Fest (http://www.leavenworthspringbirdfest.com/index.html) on the Internet or e-mail birdfest@earthlink.net.

  Along with warmer weather, spring also brings out ticks. Wildlife managers recommend taking precautions to avoid health problems caused by ticks, which are always abundant in shrub-steppe, riparian and wetland habitat areas of eastern Washington during the springtime. Wear long-sleeved, tucked-in shirts and long pants tucked into boots to minimize chances of ticks hitching a ride on loose clothing and moving into bare skin areas. Save the shorts and t-shirts for the coming hot, dry weather when tick numbers decline. Check carefully for ticks after leaving an area. Treat dogs with tick repellent products before going afield.

South Central Washington:

• Fishing: Because lowland rainbow trout lakes in this region are open year-round, there is no "opener" creel check. But anglers can check the stocking schedule for hatchery fish at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/plants/regions/reg3/index.htm. Fish will be stocked at Columbia Park Family Fishing Pond in Kennewick, in preparation for the Kids Fishing event May 6. Five- to 14-year-old children can participate with a $5 per kid fee, which provides a Fishing Kids T-shirt and Zebco rod and reel. Advance registration is required through the Kennewick Parks and Recreation Department at 509-585-4293 or at http://www.ci.kennewick.wa.us. WDFW and the C.A.S.T. for Kids Foundation co-sponsor the event.

  Jim Cummins, WDFW fish biologist, said Yakima River bass and catfish were hitting before recent warm weather triggered heavy snowpack melt, swelling all the rivers and streams in the Yakima River basin. The lower Yakima is now high and muddy, and fishing is poor, he said. "The bass are in and fishing will improve when flows drop," said Cummins. "Bass anglers may want to head for the Columbia River for a few days, or wait until the Yakima drops into shape." Yakima flows can be monitored at http://www.usbr.gov/pn/hydromet/yakima/. "The 'Kiona' gauge is a good indicator of lower Yakima flows and they increased rapidly last weekend, and now apparently have peaked," he said.

  Cummins reminds anglers most rivers and streams in the Yakima River basin are closed for trout, steelhead and salmon fishing. An exception is the Yakima River upstream from Roza Dam, which is open to catch-and-release trout fishing. But recent high water also has put a damper on that fishing, he said. Check the new regulations, which took effect May 1 and are now available in pamphlet form at license vendors and WDFW offices.

  The boat launch at Dog Lake, just east of White Pass off Highway 12 in the Wenatchee National Forest, is under reconstruction by the U.S. Forest Service and will not be available for use until after July 1. WDFW hatchery crews will stock rainbow trout in the lake as usual, after the snow melts, but for now anglers will need to either fish from the bank or carry float tubes or rafts to the lake to fish from the water.

• Wildlife viewing: May 1 marked the opening of road and other access closures on several WDFW wildlife areas in the region. The areas are closed to protect elk during winter and early spring when they're transitioning from winter range to spring foraging areas, said Wayne Hunt, WDFW wildlife biologist.

  On the L.T. Murray/Wenas Wildlife Area Complex in Kittitas County, the Joe Watt Canyon, Robinson Canyon, and Mellotte areas are now open for use by wildlife viewers, horseback riders, shed antler gatherers and other outdoor recreationists. Similarly, on the Oak Creek Wildlife Area in Yakima County, the Oak Creek, Bethel Ridge, Sandford Pasture, and Mud Lake road systems that were closed are now open.

  Hundreds of white pelicans have taken up residence along the Yakima River, said Cummins. "Pelicans are often visible along the Greenway trail that extends from Selah Gap to Union Gap and downriver on the WDFW I-82 lands between Union Gap and Zillah," he said. Cummins also notes that the shrub-steppe wildflower bloom is spectacular in Yakima and Kittitas Counties this time of year. "Arrowleaf balsamroot is in full bloom and has turned the hillsides yellow," he said.

  Ticks are out and about along with people and their pets, and WDFW managers remind you to take precautions to avoid problems. Ticks are always abundant in shrub-steppe, riparian and wetland habitat areas of eastern Washington during the springtime. Pockets of very high abundance can occur, but are impossible to predict since they change from year to year and even week to week. Wear long-sleeved, tucked-in shirts and long pants tucked into boots to minimize chances of ticks hitching a ride on loose clothing and moving into bare skin areas. Save the shorts and T-shirts for the coming hot, dry weather when tick numbers decline. Check carefully for ticks after leaving an area. Treat dogs with tick repellent products before going afield.