Washington Dept. of Fish and WildlifeTHE WEEKENDER REPORT

May 17-30, 2006
Contact: Craig Bartlett, (360) 902-2259

Fishing opportunities, wildlife viewing
abound as Memorial Day weekend nears

With the sun shining and the Memorial Day weekend coming up at the end of the month, tens of thousands of Washingtonians are making plans to spend some quality time outdoors. Those who like to fish have a number of great options, including:

Anglers aren’t the only ones out and about these days. Birds and other wildlife are also far more visible now that the weather has improved and the sun is higher in the sky.

“This is a great time to see birds and other wildlife,” said Bill Tweit, a WDFW fish manager and avid birder, after a recent trip to the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge in Clark County. “We saw Virginia rails, sora, courting bitterns and ducks of all kinds. The refuge was a lively place even in the late afternoon.”

Late spring is also the time when birdwatchers, anglers and hikers are most likely to encounter baby animals – sometimes without their parents nearby, said Rocky Beach, WDFW wildlife diversity manager. Beach recommends that people enjoy those encounters, but from a safe distance.

“Baby animals – whether deer fawns, bear cubs or goslings – that appear to be abandoned usually aren’t,” Beach said. “Often their parents are nearby leading predators away or waiting for people to leave the area.”

Attempts to approach young animals can spur confrontations with their instinctively protective mothers, he said, adding that animals taken from the wild by unqualified people have a poor chance of survival. By state law, only state-licensed and trained wildlife rehabilitators with approved facilities are allowed to take wildlife into captivity for any reason.

“The best way to view wild animals is through a telescope or a telephoto lense,” Beach said. “Getting up-close and personal is a recipe for trouble.”

With that in mind, people looking for more information about outdoor adventures over the next few weeks may want to consult the regional reports below:

North Puget Sound

Fishing: Anglers have several spring-season fishing opportunities throughout the region. Out on the lakes, trout fishing continues, and some of the hot spots include Lake McMurray in Skagit County and Lakes Goodwin and Ki in Snohomish County. On saltchuck, anglers have their pick of lingcod, halibut and shrimp.

More trout will be added to some of the region’s lakes this month. WDFW will be stocking triploid trout in several lakes including Green Lake in King County, Mountain Lake in San Juan County, Campbell Lake in Skagit County, Roesiger Lake in Snohomish County and Terrell Lake in Whatcom County. Averaging 1.5 pounds each, the trout are called “triploids” because they have three sets of chromosomes instead of the normal two, making them sterile. It also makes the fish voracious feeders with the potential to grow to trophy size.

“This last round of triploid plants will give anglers a chance to catch some large trout over the next few weeks,” said Jon Anderson, WDFW resident trout manager.

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. Anglers also can check the stocking schedules for rainbow, cutthroat and triploid trout online at (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/plants/index.htm).

Beginning June 1, anglers can expand their pursuit of trout as river fishing opens statewide.

Out on the saltwater, the lingcod harvest looks decent. Catch counts at the Coronet Bay public ramp indicate 145 anglers hauled in 33 lingcod May 13, and 60 anglers checked in 16 lings the following day. Elsewhere, 71 anglers at the Everett ramp accounted for 11 lingcod May 13, while 25 anglers checked in seven lings at the Mukilteo ramp the same day. 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.

Saltwater anglers also can drop a line for halibut, rockfish and cabezon. 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. 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.

The shrimp season is going strong, although two areas – marine areas 9 (Admiralty Inlet) and 10 (Seattle/Bremerton) – already have closed after reaching their quotas. In addition, marine areas 8-1 (Deception Pass, Hope Island and Skagit Bay) and 8-2 (Port Susan and Port Gardner) close today (May 17). The fishery remains open in Marine Area 7 (San Juan Islands) 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/.

Hunting: A public meeting has been scheduled in Conway on May 30 to discuss a draft management plan for Wrangel Island snow geese and Fir Island hunts for the birds. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at the Conway Elementary School cafeteria, 19710 State Route 534, in Conway. The discussion will focus on a draft snow goose management plan and issues such as hunter safety, hunter access to private lands, and crop damage.

“We’ve had several good nesting years, and the Wrangel Island snow geese population continues to increase,” said Don Kraege, WDFW waterfowl section manager. “If the population keeps growing we will look at expanding hunting seasons.”

Wildlife viewing: As they have done for the past several weeks, gray whales continue to mill around the Saratoga Passage area. North of the passage, killer whales – members of the J-pod – were recently sighted near Lummi Island. Lots of “lob-tailing and a breach,” one observer reported to the Orca Network (http://www.orcanetwork.org/sightings/map.html). Two Steller sea lions also were spotted in the area.

Elsewhere in the region, a birder reporting to Tweeters birding website (http://www.scn.org/earth/tweeters/) spotted a male and female western tanager in the Shoreline area. Western tanagers are widespread throughout Washington between May and September and are the only tanagers found regularly in the state, according to the Seattle Audubon Society (http://www.birdweb.org/birdweb/index.aspx). Adult males are bright yellow and black, with orange-red heads. Although the birds are brightly colored, they are inconspicuous and difficult to spot.

Another birder reporting to Tweeters spotted a black tern at Ebey Slough, just west of Snohomish. The bird was alone and foraging low over the water, according to the birder. Black terns are small and graceful birds, with broad wings and slightly forked tails. When feeding, the birds will snatch insects while in flight and also swoop down to pluck food from the surface of the water. They are common in eastern Washington from May to mid-August, and are rarely seen in western Washington between July and early September, according to the Seattle Audubon Society.

South Sound/Olympic Peninsula

Fishing: While the troutfest continues throughout the region, some popular saltwater fisheries – including the spot shrimp season in Hood Canal and this month’s halibut seasons in marine areas 2, 3 and 4 – have come to and end. Meanwhile, the Hoh River opens today (May 17) for spring chinook fishing.

With more than 4,000 additional triploid trout planted in area lakes this month, anglers should have a good chance of catching some large fish over the next few weeks. Averaging 1.5 pounds each, these trout are voracious feeders with the potential to grow to trophy size.

“We’re continuing to plant and there’s still lots of fish in the lakes,” said Hal Michael, WDFW regional fish biologist. Kitsap Lake (Kitsap County) will get 785 triploids. Other lakes being stocked with more than 200 of these fish include Gibbs Lake (Jefferson County), Tee Lake (Mason County), Harts Lake (Pierce County), and Clear, Munn, Offut and Ward lakes (Thurston County). The complete triploid stocking plan can be found on WDFW’s website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/plants/triploid/index.htm. Meanwhile, thousands of trout continue to be planted in area lakes around the region. Complete information on stocking schedules (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/plants/index.htm) for rainbow, cutthroat and other trout species for lakes throughout the state is also available on the WDFW website.

“As the weather gets warmer, the trout will be most accessible when and where the waters are cool,” said Michael. “Evenings and early mornings would be the best times and those in boats should have luck where the waters are deepest. Also trout don’t like bright light, so on a sunny day, don’t expect them to be working on their tans.”

Young anglers will have a special opportunity to drop their lines for trout at Bradley Lake on Puyallup’s South Hill in Pierce County on Saturday, May 20 from 7:00 a.m. until noon. The event is open to juvenile anglers only, age 14 and younger. Bradley Lake will be closed for public fishing all day May 19 while trout are stocked for the youth fishing event on Saturday. It will reopen to anglers age 15 and over at noon on May 20.

Coming up: River fishing for trout opens on June 1 statewide. Anglers are advised to check the Fishing in Washington pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm) for regulations that apply to specific rivers.

As usual, the spot shrimp season at Hood Canal was fast and furious this year. As of today (May 17), the fourth day of fishing, the catch was advancing quickly on the fishery’s 60,000-pound quota, said Dave Sterritt, WDFW fish biologist. “It’s a beautiful day on the water – virtually, no wind – and we counted 950 boats,” he said. Shrimp fishers should check the WDFW website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/) for possible news of a closure in the Marine Area 12 fishery.

Marine Area 11 (Vashon Island to the Tacoma Narrows Bridge) had a one-day shrimp season this year on May 10. While the shrimp weren’t as abundant as last year, the day brought in a good catch for many boats, especially those on the Vashon side. Creel interviews with 74 boats mostly at Des Moines, Redondo and Point Defiance ramps counted an average of 9.5 pounds of prawns per boat.

Still open for shrimping are the areas off Neah Bay, the Strait of Juan de Fuca (excluding shrimp districts), San Juan Islands, and South Puget Sound south of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. Marine areas 4, 5, 6, 7, and 13 continue to be open daily beginning at 7 a.m. through Oct. 15 or until quota is attained, whichever comes first.

Shrimp districts in Port Townsend, Discovery Bay and Port Angeles remain closed for spot shrimp. 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.

Anglers also set a record pace for Pacific halibut fisheries off the coast of Neah Bay, La Push and Westport this year. With catch totals nearing area quotas, the season in Marine Area 2 is scheduled to close today (May 17) and the May fishery in marine areas 3 and 4 is set to end tomorrow (May 18).

The five-day fishery on the north coast is the shortest on record, said Phil Anderson, WDFW special assistant. One reason was that halibut caught off the north coast weighed an average of 31 pounds, about 5 pounds heavier than last year, Anderson said. The record number of anglers has also been a factor. “We counted nearly 1,500 anglers on the water the one Saturday the fishery was open,” Anderson said.

North coast anglers will get at least one more day of fishing on June 22, because a portion of the area’s quota is set aside for a second opening. An extra day or two may also be possible, depending on the final catch estimate from this month, Anderson said.

The halibut fishery in Marine Area 2, which opened May 1, also reached its quota in record time. “The average halibut caught off Westport weighed around 34 pounds – the largest on record – and just about everybody who went halibut fishing caught a fish,” he added.

Meanwhile, the halibut fishing off Ilwaco continues to be “constant and steady, with fish averaging 13 pounds,” according to Michele Culver, WDFW fish biologist. This fishery, which runs seven days a week, is slated through July 16 or until the quota is met. And a new opportunity to catch halibut opens on May 25, when the fishery starts in Marine Area 5 in the western Strait of Juan de Fuca off Sekiu and Pillar Point. The fishery is open five days a week, Thursday through Monday. The daily bag limit is one fish per angler. The season runs through Aug. 5.

With luck, conditions on the Strait will improve soon. Minus tides and high winds have been frustrating halibut anglers off Port Angeles, where creel checks have been showing catch rates of one fish for every 12 to 21 rods. Dogfish have also become an issue, said Steve Thiesfeld, WFWD fish and wildlife biologist, “They eat your bait,” he said. But he’s heard there are still fish coming from some favorite spots, specifically Dungeness Bar, Dallas Bank, 31/36 and Whiskey Bank. Top prize in the 6th Annual Port Angeles Halibut Derby on May 27-28 is $5,000. For more information, call the local Chamber of Commerce at 360-452-2363.

On the other hand, favorable weather and water conditions are making for good lingcod fishing off both Westport and Neah Bay, according to Michele Culver, WDFW fish biologist. “In Westport, anglers are having success in near-shore waters getting their bag limits of two per day,” she said. She reminded anglers that, beginning May 22, fishing is not allowed for lingcod or rockfish seaward of 20 fathoms in marine areas 3 or 4 (see WDFW’s Fishing Rules webpage at https://fortress.wa.gov/dfw/erules/efishrules/rules_current_order_by_date.j).

On the Olympic Peninsula, strong early returns of spring chinook for the Sol Duc Hatchery should translate to good numbers available for sport anglers fishing the Quillayute and Sol Duc Rivers, according to Mike Gross, WDFW fish biologist. “Some of these fish will also be available to anglers in the Hoh River because of their tendency to “dip in” to the lower Hoh as they migrate to the Quillayute system,” said Gross. Springer season opens on the Hoh today (May 17), running Wednesdays through Sundays with a limit of one adult chinook per day. However, the unseasonably high temperatures this week have been pulling snow from the mountains and making the river milky with till, causing poor visibility and difficult fishing conditions. “Fishers will want to check conditions before heading out,” he said. Gross reminds anglers fishing the Quillayute and Sol Duc to release wild chinook.

Wildlife viewing: Four peregrine falcon chicks have hatched in a nest box atop a Port of Olympia crane 175 feet above the ground. WDFW District Wildlife Biologist Kelly McAllister climbed the crane on May 8 to check on the chicks, which he figured to be four or five days old, and was repeatedly bonked on the head by mother bird. But getting a peek at the cute chicks was worth having his helmet knocked off, McAllister confirmed. “They’re little, downy, white fluff balls,” he said. While he hasn’t been back up on the crane, McAllister saw both parents in the port area on May 13 flying around and vocalizing “acting like normal parents,” assuring him that all was well with the family.

McAllister installed the nest box in 2004 after the peregrine couple’s first attempt to nest on the exposed crane proved unsuccessful. Peregrine falcons are built for speed and are considered by many to be the most impressive birds of prey. They were at one time severely endangered due mostly to the pesticide DDT, which softens eggshells and results in nest failure. In Washington, the species reached a low point of four pairs in 1980. But a ban on DDT allowed them to begin recovering and they can now be found in most parts of the state.

Meanwhile sharp-eyed birdwatchers around the region are reporting exciting discoveries as birds return to the state from their winter vacations. Swainson’s thrushes have been spotted along the Nisqually River and around Tenino, according to the Tweeters birdwatcher’s website (http://www.scn.org/earth/tweeters/). These highly migratory birds return to densely forested areas of Washington in late May and are especially fond of salmonberry thickets. Also spotted along the Tenino rail-to-trail path was a black-headed grosbeak and a sizable flock of Wilson’s warblers. These little yellow warblers, summer visitors from Mexico and Central America, have also been reported in Roy, Grays Harbor and at Flett Creek near Lakewood. On the Olympic Peninsula, a flock of at least 10 whimbrels was seen near Fort Flagler beach by members of the Admiralty Audubon Society in Port Townsend. A Port Angeles family spotted a western scrub jay at their feeder; unusual for this bird to range so far north.

It’s a good time to start looking for other things on the wing now as well. Spring visitors to the Nisqually Wildlife Refuge have been seeing plenty of dragonflies and butterflies. The Tahoma Audubon Society will offer an opportunity to learn more about butterflies found in the Puget Sound region. The classes will be on May 23 and 30, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Andriana Hess Audubon Center in University Place. Participants will learn to identify 30 common butterfly species. The instructor is Idie Ulsh, past president of Seattle Audubon Society and Washington Butterfly Association. A field trip on May 20 or 21 is also included. For more information, call the Tacoma Nature Center at 235-591-6439.

Southwest Washington

Fishing: With 100,000 upriver spring chinook salmon now expected to return to the Columbia River this year, anglers have a chance to pick up where they left off in April – but with a lot more fish around. Up to 8,600 springers per day have been moving over Bonneville Dam since the first week of May, prompting fishery managers to reopen sections of the lower Columbia and above Bonneville Dam. In addition, catch rates have been picking up in tributaries stretching from the Kalama to the Klickitat rivers.

“This is the latest run in recorded history, but it came on strong once it got started,” said Bill Tweit, WDFW policy leader for Columbia River fisheries. “Now that we have good numbers of fish upriver, we can finally reopen some areas to fishing.”

For example, the mainstem Columbia River opened to spring chinook fishing today (May 17) below Bonneville Dam downriver to the Rocky Point/Tongue Point line about five miles east of the Megler-Astoria Bridge. The fishery will be open seven days per week until further notice. Anglers fishing on that section of the lower Columbia River can catch a total of six hatchery chinook, identified by a clipped adipose fin, only two of which can be adults. They can also keep two hatchery steelhead. All wild chinook, chum and sockeye salmon – as well as cutthroat trout and wild steelhead – must be released.

“A lot of spring chinook are still moving through that area, so the fishing should be good,” said Joe Hymer, a WDFW fish biologist. As of May 16, anglers can also target shad from the river mouth to Bonneville Dam.

But Hymer suggests that those intent on catching a springer may have to change their tactics since last month, when the fishery closed due to lagging returns. “I’d suggest trying spinners rather than bait,” he said. “The water has warmed up considerably since last month and the fish are more in ‘attack mode’ than ‘feeding mode.’” He also recommends lighter gear – but not too light, since some “June hogs” (large summer chinook) have already been observed at Bonneville Dam.

Hymer also recommends that approach in the upper Bonneville Pool, where spring chinook fishing reopened May 13 from the Tower Island power lines below The Dalles Dam to McNary Dam. Anglers had caught fewer than 20 fish in that area when the fishery closed April 30, but are expected to do a lot better in the weeks ahead. Spring chinook fishing is now open seven days per week through June 15 or until the catch guideline is reached. Catch regulations are the same as in the lower river.

Spring chinook are clearly moving into the upper Bonneville Pool – and farther upriver. Anglers fishing The Dalles Pool have been catching nearly a fish per rod, while boat anglers fishing the John Day Pool are averaging about one fish for every two rods.

Catch rates for spring chinook are also picking up on tributaries up and down the Columbia, Hymer said. On the Klickitat River, bank anglers have been averaging one fish for every two rods below the Fisher Hill Bridge, and boat anglers fishing Drano Lake have been doing even better. Bank anglers are also catching some spring chinook in the White Salmon River. Anglers fishing these waters are advised to review selective fishing rules described in the Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm).

Farther west, boat anglers fishing the Wind River have been average one spring chinook for every three rods, about the same success rate as those on the Lewis River. Through May 10, a total of 740 adult spring chinook had returned to the trap at Merwin Dam, compared to 550 on the same date last year. On the Kalama River, boat and bank anglers averaged one chinook for every three or five rods, respectively. Those catches were spread out from the river mouth to the deadline below the upper salmon hatchery. Bank and boat angling have both been slow on the Cowlitz River.

Spring chinook salmon aren’t the only fish on anglers’ radar. Sturgeon fishing has been good just below the Marker #85 deadline about six miles below Bonneville Dam. Fishing started out slow in the Deep River area of the estuary, but some fish have been caught around the Tongue Point. Shad fishing should improve rapidly in the days ahead, with Bonneville Dam daily counts already in the thousands of fish. Last year, a record six million shad returned to the Columbia.

Warmwater fisheries are heating up right along with the weather. Boat anglers fishing the John Day Pool have been averaging more than eight bass and one walleye per rod while those fishing the Bonneville Pool are catching 3.5 bass per rod. A good bet for trout is Mineral Lake, which was planted May 9 with 3,920 catchables up to a half-pound each. Mayfield Lake also received 5,965 trout plants on May 5.

Rather catch trout from a stream? Dozens of rivers throughout the region open to fishing June 1. With dozens of rivers to choose from, Hymer recommends those that have been stocked specifically for the opener, including Canyon Creek in Clark County; Bird, Blockhouse and Bloodgood creeks in Klickitat County; Skate Creek and the Tilton River in Lewis County; and the Little White Salmon River in Skamania County. The limit is five fish per day. For more details, see the Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm).

Wildlife viewing: With thousands of spring chinook salmon and shad now moving past Bonneville Dam each day, 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: Angling for trout in central district lakes just doesn’t get any better than at this time of year, says WDFW district fish biologist Chris Donley of Spokane. “In May it’s all good,” he said. “There’s no place with fish where you can’t have a decent day of fishing right now.” Recent patrols of Amber, Badger, Chapman, Clear, Fish, Fishtrap, Liberty, Medical, Silver, Sprague, West Medical and Williams lakes showed anglers doing well on rainbow, cutthroat, brown and eastern brook trout. If unseasonably hot weather continues, however, fishing could slow down as lake water temperatures rise and fish become less active. On the other hand, the heat wave could help fishing in the northeast district of the region, where it usually takes a little longer for waters to warm up. Recent patrols at Ferry County’s Ellen, Ferry, Fish, Long and Swan lakes, Stevens County’s Deer, Loon, Pierre and Summit lakes and Pend Oreille County’s Sacheen Lake showed generally slower fishing. Diamond Lake, near Newport in Pend Oreille County, is already “hot” for both boat and shore anglers, with recent reports of rainbow limits, including a few 18-inch two-pounders and many eight to ten-inchers. Anglers fishing the Tucannon River impoundments and other southeast district lakes stocked with jumbo rainbow trout from WDFW hatcheries are reminded that the daily catch limit of five fish now stipulates that only two can be over 13 inches so that the catch can be shared among more anglers.

WDFW southeast district Glen Mendel of Dayton alerts anglers to the new opportunity for hatchery chinook salmon on the Snake River that opens today (May 17) on a stretch about five miles around Little Goose Dam, just northeast of Starbuck. A very late and abundant salmon run coming upstream from the Columbia River’s Bonneville Dam has provided the additional fishing season, which is scheduled to run through June 30 but could close earlier depending on harvest. Salmon anglers can fish from the Texas Rapids boat launch upstream to the Corps Of Engineers boat launch, which is about a mile upstream of Little Goose Dam on the south bank of the river. The daily limit is one hatchery chinook salmon – identified by a clipped adipose fin – with a minimum size of 12 inches. Anglers must release all unmarked chinook and all steelhead, and must keep those fish to be released in the water. Only single-point barbless hooks no larger than 5/8 inch from point to shank can be used. Fishing is allowed daily from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset. Mendel noted that the run is the latest ever recorded, with numbers jumping dramatically. Only 2,573 spring chinook had been counted passing Bonneville Dam as of April 30, which is about half of the 10-year average. But by May 15, the total had jumped to nearly 77,000 fish.

The Spokane arm of Lake Roosevelt and tributaries of the big reservoir open June 1 to some of the best walleye fishing in the region. Lake Roosevelt water levels are currently down and not all National Recreation Area boat launches are useable. By the June 1 opener, however, the situation could and probably will change, based on past water use fluctuations. Check out the useable boat launch water level chart at http://www.nps.gov/laro/boatLaunch.htm, then look for the latest water level report at http://www.nwdwc.usace.army.mil/ftppub/project_data/daily/gcl.txt before heading for the water.

Other rivers and streams throughout the region open June 1 for trout and other game fish. Anglers should check the regulations pamphlet’s “Special Rules” listings carefully for catch and size limits and gear restrictions, which are designed to keep river and stream fisheries sustainable in the future. This year the daily limit for eastern brook trout in Pend Oreille County streams, including Cedar and Sullivan creeks, is 10 fish, along with two trout of other species. Another rule change this year that stream anglers need to keep in mind is that, wherever selective gear is required, nets used to land fish must be knotless to minimize harm to fish that may be released. Regulation pamphlets are available at WDFW offices, fishing license vendors, and on WDFW’s Internet website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm)

Wildlife viewing: WDFW central district wildlife biologist Howard Ferguson of Spokane says spring bird migration is at a high now with warblers, vireos, flycatchers, sparrows, grosbeaks, wrens, swallows and other birds moving through or nesting throughout the region. Riparian or streamside areas are always a good bet for viewing migrants, but nearly all habitat types are in use now. One of the most watchable species right now is osprey. Traditional osprey nests atop bridge pilings, power poles and snags near the Spokane, Pend Oreille, and other rivers throughout the region are occupied by incubating pairs. A pair of Peregine falcons has been seen at the traditional nest site underneath an arch of the Sunset Highway Bridge, high above Hangman Creek in Highbridge Park, just west of downtown Spokane. “We don’t know if they’re incubating eggs yet,” Ferguson said, “but we’re hopeful.”

Birdwatchers in Walla Walla County recently reported a diversity of water birds at Tyson ponds, including blue-winged teal, cinnamon teal, American avocet, black-necked stilt, Wilson's phalarope, long-billed dowitcher, lesser yellowlegs, Baird's sandpiper, dunlin, Caspian tern, ruddy ducks, lesser scaup, gadwall, green-winged teal, redheads, shoveler, mallards, and yellow-headed blackbirds. Also spotted up Nine-Mile Canyon was a lark sparrow and gray flycatcher, and a western wood pewee in the Coppei Creek area of the southeast corner of the county. Southeast district backyard birders report black-headed grosbeaks and rufous, black-chinned, and calliope hummingbirds coming into feeding stations.

Whitetail deer continue to be highly visible, especially at dawn and dusk near streams during the recent heat wave. Since roadways follow many streams and rivers throughout the region, drivers need to remain vigilant to avoid collisions. By the end of the month, does will be giving birth to fawns, which should only be enjoyed from afar. Doe deer often leave newborns for short periods to avoid drawing predators with their own body scent. Unfortunately those babies are sometimes mistaken as orphans and picked up by well-meaning but uninformed people who come across them. A young deer removed from the wild usually ends up dead because their care can be complicated. Taking wildlife out of the wild is not only potentially harmful to animals and humans, it is against state law.

WDFW enforcement officers are dealing with several black bear and cougar complaints in the north end of the region. The bears are drawn to unsecured garbage at rural residences or unsecured food in campgrounds. Officers remind everyone living or recreating in bear country to keep those attractants out of reach. Cougars are usually drawn to concentrations of deer and other natural prey, but will sometimes help themselves to easy meals of free-ranging domestic animals, including housecats and small dogs. Keep livestock and pets secured as much as possible to minimize chances of problems.

Northcentral Washington

Fishing: WDFW district fish biologist Bob Jateff of Omak reports Big Twin Lake near Winthrop and Blue Lake in the Sinlahekin Wildlife Area are starting to produce some nice rainbow trout up to 18 inches. Trout fishing at Pearrygin Lake near Winthrop is picking up after a slow opener, he says, while the larger lakes such as the Conconullys, Spectacle and Wannacut continue to have good catch rates. Anglers who want to fish for multiple species in one lake can go to Leader Lake near Okanogan, Jateff said. “They’re catching bluegills to eight inches, crappie to 10 inches, and rainbow trout to 15 inches,” he said. May and June are good months to try for kokanee in both Palmer Lake near Loomis and Bonaparte Lake east of Tonasket. Bass fishing can be good in Palmer, Whitestone, and Washburn Island Pond, he says, as well as in the lower Okanogan River. “Remember to check the regulation pamphlet closely before you fish,” he said, “especially in lakes listed under the special rules section.”

WDFW district fish biologist Jeff Korth of Moses Lake reports “red hot” walleye fishing at Moses Lake. “Walleye fishing at Potholes Reservoir will probably pick up by Memorial Day, too,” he said. “Remember the new regulations for walleye – eight fish daily catch limit, 12-inch minimum, no more than one fish over 22 inches." Korth also noted that Banks Lake should be getting good this month for catches of 14-inch kokanee. More catchable-size rainbow trout have been stocked in Caliche and North Teal lakes. “Trout fishing is not so hot at Park and Blue lakes,” Korth said, “but try yellow perch fishing at Blue Lake.” He added that trout fishing at several selective gear rule lakes, like Dry Falls, Dusty, and Beda, is fair to good now.

Rivers and streams throughout the region open June 1 for trout and other game fish. Anglers should check the regulations pamphlet’s “Special Rules” listings carefully for catch and size limits and gear restrictions, which are designed to keep river and stream fisheries sustainable in the future. This year the Methow River’s catch-and-release area has been extended downstream to county road 1535 or lower Burma Road bridge. Another rule change this year that stream anglers need to keep in mind is that wherever selective gear is required, nets used to land fish must be knotless to minimize harm to fish that may be released. Regulation pamphlets are available at WDFW offices, fishing license vendors, and on WDFW’s Internet website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm

Wildlife viewing: “There should be excellent birding now on the wildlife areas in the north end of the region,” said district wildlife biologist Scott Fitkin of Winthrop, “particularly on the Sinlahekin and Big Valley portion of the Methow Wildlife Area.” On or near the waterways of those areas birders can expect to see loons, grebes, bitterns, herons, kingfishers and a diversity of ducks, geese and shorebirds. In the fields and forested areas, especially near streams or wetlands, look for hummingbirds, woodpeckers, flycatchers, kingbirds, vireos, swallows, wrens, warblers, tanagers, grosbeaks, towhees, sparrows, crossbills and many other species. See WDFW’s website for more information to plan a trip to the Sinlahekin Wildlife Area (http://wdfw.wa.gov/lands/wildlife_areas/sinlahekin/index.htm) and for the Methow Wildlife Area (http://wdfw.wa.gov/lands/r2methow.htm).

Three bighorn sheep rams with three-quarter-plus curl horns, one half-curl ram, five ewes and three lambs were recently seen on the north side of Spectacle Lake. Two bighorn rams were also observed crossing Highway 97 north of Oroville.

Black bear and cougar problems have been reported throughout the north end of the region – a good reminder to both outdoor recreationists and rural residents to take preventive action. Bears are most often drawn to unsecured garbage at rural residences or unsecured food in campgrounds, so keep those attractants out of reach. Cougars are usually drawn to concentrations of deer and other natural prey, but will sometimes help themselves to easy meals of free-ranging domestic animals, including young livestock, housecats and small dogs. Keep livestock and pets secured as much as possible to minimize chances of problems.

Southcentral Washington

Fishing: WDFW fish biologist Jim Cummins reports the Yakima River above Richland has good flows with “turbid but not too muddy water” and “fair” fishing for smallmouth bass. “I had to work for fish but managed to get enough action to make the fishing worthwhile,” he said. “Most were on the small size, 10 to 13 inches. Other fishers on the river were also catching a few small fish. It looks like the river may be out of shape for a few days because the snow is melting fast with the heat wave. That water flow will probably put the Columbia River out for a few days, too, depending on how long the hot spell lasts. Fishing should be excellent the week of May 21, if flow and turbidity create the right conditions. Plastic grubs, lizards, tube jigs, and small plugs will take fish.” Cummins cautioned anglers to be prepared for unseasonably intense heat – use sunscreen and sun-protective clothing and drink plenty of water.

Cummins notes that although high flows make for tough fishing, more water is an advantage to steelhead and salmon smolts that are migrating downstream. Trout, steelhead and salmon fishing remains closed through May 31 in most of the Yakima Basin to protect smolts. Although trout fishing opens at most rivers and streams on June 1, anglers should expect flows that could make fishing difficult. “We have a good snowpack this year,” he explained, “so flows could remain relatively high until late June.”

River and stream anglers preparing for that June 1 opener should check the regulations pamphlet’s “Special Rules” listings carefully for catch and size limits and gear restrictions, which are designed to keep river and stream fisheries sustainable in the future. A rule change this year that stream anglers need to keep in mind is that wherever selective gear is required, nets used to land fish must be knotless to minimize harm to fish that may be released. Regulation pamphlets are available at WDFW offices, fishing license vendors, and on WDFW’s website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm.

Thanks to an unexpected abundance of the upriver salmon run, hatchery spring chinook salmon fishing re-opened May 13 and runs through June 15 on the mainstem Columbia River from the Tower Island power lines about six miles below The Dalles Dam, upstream to McNary Dam. Daily catch limit is six adipose-fin-clipped fish, minimum size 12 inches, only two adults (24 inches or more). All chum and sockeye salmon and wild steelhead must be released, and kept in the water while releasing except when fishing from vessels that are a minimum of 30 feet in length. The fishery may close before June 15 if Endangered Species Act (ESA) impacts are reached earlier than anticipated.

WDFW regional fish program manager John Easterbrooks alerts anglers to a fishing regulation pamphlet error recently announced. The first salmon opening listed for the Columbia River from Hwy. 395 Bridge at Pasco to Old Hanford townsite wooden powerline towers should be June 16 instead of June 1, just like the catch-and-release reaches downstream and upstream.

Four lakes in the region are receiving 4,466 one-and-a-half-pound triploid rainbow trout this month to sweeten the fishing pot when access to the high country waters is available. Triploids are sterile rainbows that are voracious feeders with the potential to grow to trophy size if not harvested the first season and if sufficient forage is available. Kittitas County’s Lost Lake gets 1,123 triploids, and Yakima County’s Dog Lake gets 473, Leech Lake 802, and Clear Lake 2,068. Clear Lake was supposed to receive the big fish last month, but it wasn’t accessible then, so the triploids were saved for a late May stocking. With the recent heat wave and subsequent snow melt, access is expected soon.

Wildlife viewing: WDFW habitat biologist Ken Bevis says the late wet spring has everything blooming about two weeks behind this year. “Shrub steppe wildflowers, such as the balsamroot, are astounding this year,” he said. “The bloom delay should offer displays similar to early spring on Memorial Day weekend when lots of folks are recreating outdoors.” Bevis also notes that lots of wildlife babies – from birds to deer – will likely be encountered by those enjoying the outdoors this month and next. “Enjoy them from a distance,” he said. “Wild mothers know best how to care for their young, and even though a baby might look abandoned, that mother is probably nearby. Wild animals don’t make good pets and in fact it’s against the law to take them from the wild.”

Birders recently combed the Umtanum Recreation Area south of Ellensburg in the Yakima River Canyon and reported the following species: Western tanager, Bullock's oriole and Lewis woodpecker right near the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) parking site; Chukar partridge, canyon wren and rock wren calling throughout the canyon; pairs of nesting prairie falcons and American kestrels; Townsend's, Wilson's, yellow, and orange-crowned warblers; and yellow-breasted chat, lazuli bunting, bushtit, golden-crowned sparrow, and hermit thrush. Also reported were bighorn sheep, yellow-bellied marmots, and a rattlesnake – yes, they’re out and about now.

WDFW’s Wenas Wildlife Area assistant manager Jody Taylor notes that with this year’s heavy snow pack and wet spring, the grasses have good growth for greater fire danger later in the summer. “A lot of our lands have a ‘No Campfires’ restriction,” he said, “but fires get started every year by target shooters, smokers, and even just parking warm motor vehicles on dry vegetation. We need everyone to be especially careful this year.”

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