October 30 - November 12, 2002

Contact: Craig Bartlett (360) 902-2259

Unusually dry weather conditions are taking a toll on a number of seasonal recreational activities, affecting everything from big-game hunting to river fisheries. As October fades into November, many outdoor enthusiasts will be looking to the skies and hoping for rain.

That's certainly the case for serious elk hunters, who know just how difficult it can be to stalk their quarry in dry leaves and brush when the elk are already on high alert. In eastern Washington, where the elk hunt runs Oct. 26 to Nov. 3 in most areas, hunter success has been limited due to the dry conditions. Elk hunters in western Washington are hoping that rain will improve their odds when the westside hunt gets under way Nov. 2-10.

Dry weather has also slowed – and in some areas halted – fisheries in several areas of the state. In late October, extreme low-water conditions prompted the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and tribal fisheries managers to suspend all fishing on all major rivers on the northwest coast of the Olympic Peninsula. Concerned about the inability of salmon to move upstream, all sport fishing was closed until further notice on the Hoh, Clearwater and Queets rivers as well as the entire Quillayute River system. Catch rates for steelhead have also plummeted on the Snake and Walla Walla rivers under low-water conditions.

The blackmouth salmon season, which opens Nov. 1 in many areas of western Washington, provides one fishery where dry conditions are not a factor. WDFW planted released two million blackmouth in 2000, and returns are expected to be above average due to favorable ocean conditions. Conditions have not, however, been favorable for razor clams on the coast or a variety of finfish – except salmon – in Hood Canal. Those fisheries remain closed until further notice, as discussed in the South Sound/Olympic Peninsula section of this report.

The same dry conditions that have caused problems for other species are also putting a strain on many varieties of migrating and overwintering birds. An estimated two million Washington residents will feed birds over the winter, and WDFW is encouraging them to provide water for them during this dry fall as well.

As noted throughout the regional reports below, a common theme throughout the state is the need for "a good hard rain."

North Puget Sound:

• Fishing: Blackmouth fishing in Puget Sound has its one-month fall run, Nov. 1-30, with a one-fish daily limit as part of the overall two-salmon daily limit in Marine areas 7 through 11. WDFW Fish Biologist Curt Kraemer said finding the spots with baitfish and the right tides are key to successful blackmouth fishing. The fish can typically be found in 90 to 120 feet of water, and can be caught trolling, mooching or jigging. Fresh herring is a favorite bait, but candlefish can often be effective, too. Traditional blackmouth hotspots in the region include Possession Point, Wells Point, Point No Point, Jefferson Head, Gedney and Camano islands, and numerous places throughout the San Juan Islands. Extremely low water in most of the region's rivers is making for difficult fishing conditions. Kraemer said that while there are still coho in most northern Puget Sound streams, coaxing one into biting is a tall order. Chum salmon are also showing up in most river systems, and are likely a better option for fishers. River anglers might want to try the Skagit, Snohomish or Skykomish rivers. The Stillaguamish River opened Oct. 16 with a two-fish daily limit (only chum salmon can be retained). Most westside lakes close Oct. 31 to trout fishing. For lakes with year-round trout fishing, start looking for fish in deeper water. Perch can also be found in deeper water as temperatures continue cooling. As always, Lake Washington can provide excellent perch fishing. Marine Areas 8-1 and 8-2 remain closed to recreational crabbing. Anyone looking to participate in a different kind of fishery should check out squid jigging. All it takes to catch the daily limit of five quarts (or 10 pounds) of these cephalopods that go for $10 a plate as calamari in restaurants is a shellfish/seaweed gathering license, a light-action fishing rod and reel, a few squid jigs and a light source. Good squid catches are being taken most nights this time of year from several downtown Seattle piers, including Piers 62/63, and the Port of Seattle's fishing pier near the grain elevators. Serious squidders have their own portable generators and floodlights to help attract the nighttime-feeding squid, but savvy squidders can find piers with existing light sources or take advantage of someone else's floodlight. Legal gear is a forage fish jig, a maximum of four squid lures or a hand dip net. Each harvester must have a separate container.

• Hunting: The modern firearm elk season on the west side of the Cascade Mountains is set for Nov. 2-10. A number of game management units will be open in the region, although hunters might want to consider the Olympic Peninsula or other areas of western Washington with larger elk herds. Hunters are reminded that they must report their hunting activity for each deer, elk, bear and turkey tag by Jan. 31, 2003 – call toll-free at 1-877-945-3492, or via the Internet, http://www.fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/. Hunters who report within 10 days of taking an animal and unsuccessful hunters who report by Jan. 10, 2003, will be entered into a drawing for one of nine deer or elk special-incentive permits. Check WDFW's 2002 "Big Game Hunting Seasons and Rules" pamphlet for all the details. Waterfowl hunters are anxiously awaiting "real" fall weather, including good strong winds and some sideways rain to improve hunting conditions. Continuing hunting opportunities include pheasant, general duck, coot and snipe seasons and snow goose hunting in Management Area 1 for qualified hunters. Hunters are reminded that canvasback ducks are off-limits statewide. The lack of rain has kept the Snoqualmie River in check, which means pheasant releases and hunting opportunities can continue on the Snoqualmie Wildlife Area's Stillwater Unit. Pheasant releases this time of year typically are restricted on the unit because of lowland flooding, but dry conditions should allow for continued releases until Thanksgiving. Farther north, biologists estimate the snow goose population in the Port Susan Bay area has increased from 8,000 birds to 14,000 birds since the waterfowl census flight of Oct. 14. Lora Leschner, regional Wildlife Program manager, said adult/juvenile ratio surveys show continued successful reproduction on the nesting grounds in the Arctic. The general goose season in Management Area 3, which includes Whatcom, San Juan and Island counties, continues Nov. 9.

• Wildlife viewing: An unusual – but regular – visitor to Puget Sound has been spotted again. An albino yellow-billed loon was seen recently near Dash Point State Park, on Puget Sound between Tacoma and Seattle. The birder who reported the sighting to the Tweeters birdwatching website, notes that this is the fourth year in a row the albino bird has been seen on Puget Sound. The bird has also been seen in the Tacoma area. Tundra swans have begun arriving in Skagit and Whatcom county farmlands. The huge birds are easy to spot in the harvested fields throughout agricultural areas. While the real concentrations won't begin until later in the year, look for bald eagles and other big birds to start taking advantage of spawned-out salmon carcasses along the region's rivers. Eagles are easy to spot as they feed along gravel bars, or roost streamside in big trees between meals. And, as long as you're near a stream, check out adult salmon spawning activity.

Olympic Peninsula/South Sound:

• Fishing: October was not a kind month for anyone who fishes in the region, where dry weather and adverse ocean conditions have prompted the suspension of several key fisheries. On Hood Canal, WDFW closed fishing for all finfish except salmon in response to low dissolved oxygen levels that – among other things – have forced many groundfish species to the top of the water column. All fishing for rockfish, surf perch, herring, smelt, flatfish, hake and other forage fish and bottomfish has been suspended until further notice. On the Pacific coast, the razor clam season also has been postponed indefinitely due to extremely high marine toxin levels at all coastal beaches. From Long Beach to Kalaloch, domoic acid levels in clams tested by the state Department of Health were five to 10 times the threshold deemed unsafe for human consumption. Ingesting high levels of domoic acid can result in vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps and even death. Finally, as the month of October neared an end, WDFW and tribal fisheries managers suspended fishing for salmon and other species on all major rivers on the northwest coast of the Olympic Peninsula due to extreme low-water conditions. Rivers included in the sport fishing closure include the Hoh, Clearwater and Queets rivers as well as the entire Quillayute River system (including the Bogachiel, Calawah, Dickey and Sol Duc rivers). "October has been a difficult month for anglers, fisheries managers and local communities that have an economic stake in these fisheries," said Sue Patnude, regional WDFW director. "We'll be watching all of these situations very closely and let people know as soon as we see any improvement. In the meantime, all of these fisheries will, unfortunately, remain closed." On the other hand, the annual blackmouth salmon season will get under way Nov. 1 in a number of areas not already open, and chum salmon are beginning to show up in various bays and rivers throughout the region. For blackmouth, the best fishing will likely be Midchannel Bank (between Port Townsend and Keystone) or the San Juan Islands, said Tony Floor, WDFW Puget Sound recreational fishing coordinator. Other good bets include the east side of Bainbridge Island, Jefferson Head, Kingston and Point No Point. "The department released two million fish in 2000 and we're expecting a better-than-average return, so we're anticipating a good blackmouth fishery this year," Floor said. Meanwhile, anglers still angling for a few more coho might want to drop a line in the Chehalis River around Cosmopolis or Montesano, said Wendy Beeghley, WDFW fish biologist. Twenty-nine boats took 30 coho near Cosmopolis Oct. 27, while 31 boats took 19 coho and two chum salmon near Montesano the following day. "Fishers are releasing an increasing number of dark coho, but there are still a fair number of bright keepers as well," Beeghley said. Anglers are beginning to catch chum salmon – particularly near on the Minter Creek Hatchery on Hood Canal – and the harvest is expected to pick up in the weeks ahead.

• Hunting: There should be plenty of branch bulls available in the region for the elk hunting season that runs Nov. 2-10 in western Washington. The question is whether hunters will be able to find them, said Jack Smith, regional WDFW wildlife manager. "It's going to be tough with everything so dry out there," Smith said. "Under these conditions, the elk head for deep cover. And because elk are herd animals, there will be a lot of eyes and ears looking out for the first sign of trouble." On the plus side, surveys conducted in September found more older bulls at large than in previous years, which Smith attributes to the "three-point-or-better" rule adopted in the late 1990s. "We had one trophy-size bull taken in Pacific County during the muzzleloader season that rivals anything I've seen," Smith said. "And there are more out there." For those still deciding where to hunt this year, Smith recommends checking harvest reports for previous years on WDFW's website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/harvest/2001/. "Success rates really don't change that much from year to year, said Smith who strongly recommends a day or two of scouting for those considering a new area. "There's really no substitute for scouting," Smith said. "Successful hunters generally know the area pretty well." Meanwhile, duck hunters have been having some success in such areas as Willapa Bay and the Nisqually Delta, but few birds have seen any reason to move inland with the continuing dry conditions. "Until we get some sheetwater in the fields, we're not going to see many ducks move inland," said Smith, noting that he had seen "thousands of ducks" on WDFW lands at the Nisqually Delta the previous day. "Hunters were doing pretty well out there," he said.

• Wildlife viewing: With the approach of November, chunky chum salmon have begun moving into rivers and streams throughout the region. One good place to watch them make their upstream journey is the Kennedy Creek Salmon Trail near Highway 101 about halfway between Olympia and Shelton. Built two years ago by the South Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement Group (SPSSEG) on land owned by the Taylor Shellfish Co., the trail is open to the public on weekends between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. through Dec. 2. In addition, SPSSEG will host a special event Nov. 9 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. focusing on steps people can take on their property or in their community to benefit salmon. Presentations have been scheduled on various conservation issues by the Mason Conservation District (MCD), the Native Plant Salvage Project, the Washington State University Cooperative Extension, the Mason County Health Department, the Shelton/Mason County Recycling Program and Thurston County Solid Waste. Visitors can also order native plants as part of MCD's annual plant sale. For information about the "Caring for Stream and Salmon" event, or to arrange a weekday school field trip to Kennedy Creek, call (360) 754-6464. To get to the trail from Highway 101, turn west at mile post 356 onto the Old Olympic Highway. Travel eight-tenths of a mile, then turn west onto an unnamed gravel road marked with the Kennedy Creek Salmon Trail sign.

Southwest Washington:

• Fishing: Late-run hatchery coho continue to offer action for anglers in several of the region's waters, including the Cowlitz, Cispus and Tilton rivers as well as Lake Scanewa and Mayfield Lake, says Joe Hymer, regional fish biologist. Daily bag limits have been bumped up to four adult hatchery coho per day in the lower and upper Cowlitz River, the Tilton and Cispus rivers and Lake Scanewa. Last week boat anglers on Lake Scanewa were averaging nearly two-thirds of a fish per rod, Hymer noted. Other good spots to try for coho are the lower Klickitat River, including the mouth, and the Washougal River including around Lady Island near Camas. Some returning hatchery coho can also be found in the Elochoman, Lewis and Kalama rivers. Meanwhile, sturgeon fishers are out prospecting on the lower Columbia below Bonneville Dam, in anticipation of the end of catch-and-release rules which run through Nov. 22. In Bonneville Pool where a catch-and-keep fishery is currently under way, 1,241 fish of the 1,520 annual harvest guideline had been taken had been taken as of the end of September, leaving some fish still awaiting anglers.

• Hunting: With modern firearm elk hunting slated to open Nov. 2, hunters are hoping for rain. Dry weather has altered typical elk dispersal patterns, sending animals to unpredictable spots in search of forage. Hunters should also keep forage areas in mind when scouting hunting spots, as well as making advance access arrangements if they plan to hunt on private lands. Public access information for the Saint Helens Tree Farm is available by calling Weyerhaeuser's Forestry Hotline at (360) 636-6510. September surveys indicated a stable population with good numbers of bulls in the Mount St. Helens elk herd, which should mean good hunting, particularly in the herd's northern range. Eric Holman, regional wildife biologist, adds that there are good numbers of two- and three-year-old bulls, legal for harvest, in several game management units including 554 (Yale), 568 (Washougal), 572 (Siouxon), 558 (Marble) and 560 (Lewis River). Hunters lucky enough to draw permits for GMU 556 (Toutle), should find excellent hunting with the population estimated at 55 bulls per 100 cows in the unit. Meanwhile, duck hunting has been slow since the Oct. 26 opener, partly because clear, dry weather makes the birds reluctant to leave the Columbia River and coastal areas to head inland. Hunting prospects are expected to improve with the arrival of more typical fall weather and the arrival of northern migrant birds, said Don Kraege, WDFW waterfowl manager.

• Wildlife viewing: At the Cowlitz Wildlife Area, there seems to be enough moisture around for Pacific tree frogs seen on the south side of Swofford Pond. This common frog is heard with its familiar "kreeking" calls, but trying to locate where the call is coming from is difficult at best. Area Manager Lee Kantar recently reported getting a close view of the smooth-skinned, very green frog along the South Swofford Pond Trail. A black-tailed deer doe with twins in tow, a coyote and numbers of grouse have all recently been spotted on the wildlife area.

Eastern Washington:

• Fishing: Catch rates on steelhead in the Snake River system have plummeted. Latest creel checks show the overall average catch rate, from all locations on the Snake and Walla Walla rivers and their tributaries, is 11.5 hours per fish caught and 20 hours per fish kept. That's based on 729 anglers spending a total of 3,105 hours fishing. WDFW fish biologist Mark Schuck says there's probably two reasons for the slow fishing. "We still have very clear, very low water and fish are spooky," Schuck said. "And the migration of Idaho B-run fish (the big ones) has moved through quickly. Anglers need to be careful how they fish in clear water, so as not to spook their quarry, and follow the fish upstream if they want to continue harvesting these wily iron-heads. Praying for rain wouldn't hurt either." Several trout fishing lakes in the region close Oct. 31, but a few remain open one more month or have year-round fishing. WDFW's central district fish biologist Chris Donley notes that Amber Lake in southwest Spokane County offers good catch-and-release, selective gear fishing for rainbows and a few cutthroats October through November. Donley also says Whitman County's Rock Lake is good now for brown trout and Long Lake, the Spokane River reservoir off Nine Mile Falls Dam, is producing crappie among the dying silver-dollar-size lily pads. Now is also the time to troll Lake Roosevelt early mornings for big rainbow trout.

• Hunting: Blue Mountains elk permit hunters who are still trying to fill their tag before the season ends Nov. 3 can check with the Dayton Chamber of Commerce via their website to connect with local landowners who have elk damage problems and welcome hunters. As elk move around from property to property, information is updated and can even be provided directly to permit holders via e-mail. Elk hunting in the northeast district has been slow, as usual, because elk herds are small and scattered in rugged terrain. The day after elk season closes, on Nov. 4, late whitetailed buck deer hunting opens in northeast game management units 105 – 124. On Nov. 9 late whitetail hunting opens in the central district's 127-142 units, but only for three-antler-point or better bucks. Conditions remain extremely dry throughout the region, hampering all kinds of hunting but especially bird hunting. An example is at WDFW's Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area in Lincoln County where manager Juli Anderson reports "everything is drying up fast, even our largest lakes are shallow and shrinking rapidly. There's not much in the way of waterfowl, and upland game bird hunters are reporting low success rates."

• Wildlife viewing: House finches, chickadees and other resident birds have started showing up at backyard feeding stations since the deep freeze set in, particularly where bird bath heaters are available. With continuing dry conditions, hungry deer are finding more forage in suburbia than the woods. WDFW regional office manager Lois Blanchette reports "Deer have nearly finished off the roses in my neighborhood. This generally indicates more deer than dogs are beginning to travel through the local green belt. My dogs have taken to barking wildly in the middle of the night at the front room picture window, which also indicates deer in the front yard." Blanchette also notes hairy woodpeckers working the pines, bald eagles along the Little Spokane River, and what seems like "several thousand geese at Wandermere Golf Course." The golf course's friendly marmots, she says, have gone underground for the season.

North Central Washington:

• Fishing: Hatchery steelhead fishing on the upper Columbia and Methow rivers has been "fantastic," according to WDFW fish biologist Heather Bartlett. "Some anglers have caught their two adipose-fin clipped steelies in just 25 minutes off the dock in Pateros," she reported. Bartlett warns that many wild fish are encountered on the Methow, too, so anglers need to be careful about releasing unmarked fish. The lower Okanogan River's steelhead season has been slower, she says, but probably only because most people have been fishing around Pateros and up the Methow. All of the waters that opened in mid-October should be productive for quite a while. The Similkameen River, from the river mouth to a line 400 feet below Enloe Dam in Okanogan County, will open on Nov. 15 for hatchery steelhead fishing with the same rules in effect: Selective gear, release of wild, unmarked steelhead and night closure. Potholes Reservoir water levels are rising rapidly (about three inches per day), and that means more of the sand dunes are submerged and spinner baits are attracting largemouth bass. The walleye bite remains good and rainbow trout have been huge.

• Hunting: Special deer permit hunters will be afield in units throughout Okanogan and Chelan counties Nov. 1-15. Waterfowl and upland game bird hunting continues, although with dry conditions, reports of success are few and far between.

• Wildlife viewing: The upper end of Lake Chelan during November offers opportunities to see mountain goats. Contact the Lake Chelan Boat Company at (509) 682-2224 for information regarding trip schedules. Observers sometimes also see mule deer on the north shore in the lower portion of Lake Chelan. It's still a good time to see and hear wetland, water and other migrating birds in the Columbia Basin. Take the backroads between Vantage and Ritzville, through the Frenchman Hills, Winchester Wasteway and Columbia National Wildlife Refuge. Or go north from George to Soap Lake, Stratford, Wilson Creek and Odessa.

South Central Washington:

• Fishing: WDFW fish biologist Rick Watson reports chinook salmon continue to be harvested in the Ringold area of the Columbia River. The section of the river from the Old Hanford town site downstream to the Highway 395 bridge remains open through Dec. 31. The daily bag limit is now four adult chinook, due to an unexpectedly high return of fish. The total daily bag limit remains at six salmon, no more than four of which may be adults, and no more than two of which may be coho.

• Hunting: Elk season opened with lots of hunters out, although the harvest was limited because of dry conditions, reports WDFW regional wildlife program manager Lee Stream. "There has been little reason for elk to move from their summer ranges into areas where harvest could occur," Stream explained. Deer hunting was much the same, with some animals taken despite dry and noisy conditions. "There does not appear to be any moisture in the forecast so current conditions will prevail," he said. "But there is some hope that elk will move with photo period (daylight hour) changes, and be available towards the latter part of the season." Stream also reports that pheasant, chukar and Hungarian partridge harvest is down this year. "As predicted, brood survival was poor and few birds are to be found," he explained. Stream warns hunters that fires are still prohibited in many areas. "Precipitation for October was at four percent of normal," he reported, "with forests and arid lands dry and dusty. Caution should be used in regards to anything that can cause a fire. "

• Wildlife viewing: Recent windstorms and low temperatures, combined with quickly shortening daylight hours, have birds on the move, sometimes where you least expect them. Surf scoters have recently been spotted on the Columbia River near the Tri-Cities and at the Yakima Delta. Also watch for white-winged scoters and oldsquaws, which are normally on the coast but occasionally seen inland where they may use major riverways for migration guidance.