September 6-19, 2001

Contacts: Doug Williams (360) 902-2256

The end of summer marks a time of transition for Washington state's fish and wildlife. While salmon fishing remains hot on the Pacific Ocean, many fisheries on Washington's inland waters and streams are already producing excellent catches. Meanwhile, late summer's cooler weather heralds new opportunities for wildlife viewing and hunting across the state.

"People are enjoying some great salmon fishing in both inside and outside waters right now," said Tony Floor, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Puget Sound recreational fishing manager. "This transitional period, when the salmon start moving toward terminal areas, is a great time for everybody."

Hatchery coho weighing more than 20 pounds are not uncommon in the coastal fisheries at this time of year, and the Buoy 10 fishery at the mouth of the Columbia is drawing anglers by the boatload with its four-fish daily bag limit of hatchery coho, Floor said. Sekiu and Port Angeles have also become hotspots in the past week, as coho have poured into the Strait and have begun to push into northern Puget Sound.

Fans of pink salmon still have plenty of places to chase their quarry, with four-pink daily limits now on the Stillaguamish, Skykomish, and Snohomish rivers in northern Puget Sound.

"Right now it's looking like this year's pink salmon run to the Skagit River could be three times as high as the pre-season estimate," said Dick Geist, WDFW Puget Sound salmon manager. "That's making for some very good fishing."

Lake fishing for trout and panfish should pick up across the state with the return of cooler water temperatures as September progresses. Big rainbow and kokanee trout are lying in deep water in eastern Washington's larger reservoirs, while hefty perch are there for the taking in many western Washington ponds and lakes.

The returning salmon, as well as migrating shorebirds and waterfowl, are putting on great displays throughout the state. Visitors to lower Columbia River dams can see some of the thousands of chinook, steelhead, and coho climbing fish ladders every day, while hikers along many of northern Puget Sound's larger rivers can watch the flood of returning adult pink salmon digging the gravel nests into which they'll deposit their eggs.

Hunting opportunities are looking good for a variety of game. The forest grouse and dove seasons opened statewide Sept. 1, while Canada goose hunting opens Sept. 8 in most of the state. The early archery season for deer runs Sept. 1-30.

Drought conditions remain throughout much of the state, and everyone heading into the woods for hunting, hiking, or a day of wildlife viewing is reminded to use extreme caution and to follow local fire regulations. Use designated campfire areas, and remember that vehicle exhaust pipes can be hot enough to ignite dried grasses, so don't park motor vehicles on any kind of vegetation.

Here's an overview of current recreational opportunities across Washington:

North Puget Sound:

• Fishing: Salmon fishing remains hot, with a continued strong run of pink salmon, and more coho salmon beginning to come in from the Pacific Ocean, according to WDFW fisheries biologist Curt Kraemer. "The pinks are being caught in both marine and freshwater areas, and in the next week or two it will shift to a mostly freshwater fishery," Kraemer said. In response to the bountiful pink salmon run, the catch limit has been raised to four fish per day on the Snohomish/Skykomish and the Stillaguamish river systems. Pink salmon aren't the only fish to be caught in northern Puget Sound. Kraemer said coho salmon numbers should be increasing in Marine Area 9, or Admiralty Inlet, as well as Marine Area 8-2, the area around Port Susan and Everett. Sea-run cutthroat trout fishing is beginning to build in all northern Puget Sound streams. Kraemer said that some streams have special regulations, and it's a good idea to check the Fishing in Washington 2000/2001 fishing pamphlet before heading out for cutts. Lowland lake fishing also tends to heat up when the cooler fall weather comes. The next month and a half is typically the best time of year for yellow perch fishing. Perch, which tend to school by size, will start a prolonged feeding period when water temperatures begin to drop. One successful strategy for anglers fishing a lake by boat is to drift with the wind until a school of fish is located. Over the next few weeks, look for perch outside the weed beds in 10 to 20 feet of water; by October, the fish could be found in 40 feet of water or deeper.

  Crabbing in northern Puget Sound remains strong, but a few changes in the daily catch limits on Dungeness crab have gone into effect. WDFW shellfish biologist Don Velasquez said fishing for Dungeness crab is open Fridays and Saturdays each week, with a daily three-crab limit in Marine Areas 8-1, 8-2, 12, and the portion of Marine Area 9 south and west of a line from Olele Point in Jefferson County to Foulweather Bluff in Kitsap County. Velasquez said the daily catch limit is intended to extend recreational harvest opportunity for as long as possible.

• Hunting: The early Canada goose hunt runs six days, from Sept. 8-13 in northern Puget Sound, where prospects look good, according to WDFW waterfowl manager Don Kraege. "Populations have been building for the past 10 years or so, and we have very strong numbers in that region," Kraege said, adding that there may be white-fronted geese alongside Canada geese, so hunters are reminded to be sure of their bird identifications before taking a shot.

• Wildlife viewing: The returning pink salmon are putting on a remarkable show in the Skagit River. The fish, which only return to western Washington streams in odd-numbered years, are "mass spawners:" If you see one pair of pink salmon spawning, you're likely to see dozens of pairs in the same stretch of river. Don't harass spawning fish, and remember to keep dogs in check. Shorebirds are also moving through the region, particularly in areas such as Skagit Bay and Padilla Bay, north of the Swinomish Channel.

Olympic Peninsula/South Sound:

• Fishing: Of all the places in the region to catch coho salmon over the Labor Day weekend, Seiku was one of the hottest. One reason is that both marked and unmarked coho are fair game in Marine Area 5 through the end of the September. The boat ramp was so crowded over the long weekend that some anglers were diverted to Neah Bay, said Dick Geist, WDFW Puget Sound salmon manager. "Apparently they had a real traffic jam up there," Geist said. If that should happen again, Geist reminds anglers that the "any coho" rule applies only to Marine Area 5, not to the waters off Neah Bay which are in Marine Area 4. For a more peaceful coho-fishing experience, WDFW biologist Bill Freymond suggests trying the north coast rivers. A good number of coho entered area rivers after freshets in late August and early September, with good fishing reported in recent weeks. The tribal harvest in the Quinault River showed more than 2,700 coho harvested in the last two weeks of August – well above normal catches for this time of year – and anglers report that many coho are showing in the Queets and Clearwater rivers. Also, there are large numbers of summer coho in the Quillayute system and fall coho beginning to show, Freymond said. There's no report from the Hoh yet, but Freymond said there should be some early coho there, as well. Bait is allowed on all rivers except the Queets, where only artificial lures are allowed for the month of September. Bait is allowed in the Queets from Oct. 1 through Nov. 30. Be sure to check the Olympic National Park regulations when fishing the Queets and consult WDFW's "Fishing in Washington" rule book for bag limits and other regulations on all north coast rivers.

• Wildlife viewing: Whether you're spending time on the coast or further inland, there is no shortage of places to observe the change in seasons in the region. During a rainstorm at Bowerman Basin earlier this month, a Chimacum woman reported seeing more than 500 brown pelicans in the air – no doubt seeking refuge from the storm off the coast. Another pair of birders recorded sighting 167 marbled godwits, 12 willets, 15 whimbrels and a variety of other shorebirds during a weekend outing to Tokeland. For inland observations, regional WDFW wildlife manager Jack Smith recommends the Scatter Creek Wildlife Area, with approximately 2,000 acres of open land about 20 miles south of Olympia. (Take the Rochester exit from I-5, then turn right onto Case Road). The area offers a developed trail through the prairie and stands of oak. There are also horse trails, and some people use the area for dog training. Look for turkey vultures, roosting before their migration south, red tail hawks, butterflies and occasional deer.

Southwest Washington:

• Fishing: Anglers are already starting to reap the benefits of the recently raised four-fish bag limit for hatchery coho at Buoy 10 and more coho are entering the lower Columbia tributaries where bag limits are now six adults a day in some waters. Coho are showing in the Lewis River, North Fork Lewis, lower Cowlitz, Kalama, lower Toutle, Elochoman and Grays rivers, according to Joe Hymer, WDFW fish biologist in Vancouver. Though effort has been high (1,167 boats counted from Bonneville to Cathlamet on Sept. 1) and lots of fish are available (14,326 adult fall chinook were counted at Bonneville Dam Sept. 3), fishing for fall chinook on the lower Columbia from Bonneville Dam downstream to Cathlamet has been a little disappointing. However, there are signs the situation is improving, with up to one fish per boat average in recent days. Recently, the best catches have been between the Lewis and Cowlitz rivers. Meanwhile, fall chinook are present in the Elochoman, Kalama, Lewis and Washougal rivers and at the mouth of the tributaries in Bonneville Pool. The Bonneville Pool tributaries including Drano Lake and the White Salmon River are also promising spots for hatchery summer-run steelhead. Good trout fishing has been reported in Swift Reservoir on the Lewis River system. Walleye fishing has been good recently in the Camas-Washougal area of the lower mainstem Columbia.

• Hunting: The Sept. 8 Canada goose hunting opener promises fairly good prospects, with most of the action expected on islands and bays, according to WDFW district biologist Patrick Miller. Biologists have been working to mark western Canada geese with leg bands or white neck collars so hunters can distinguish them from dusky Canada geese come November. To gauge the effectiveness of the effort, WDFW biologists would like to hear from hunters who take marked geese. Meanwhile, forest grouse hunting success is expected to be average, Miller added. With many access restrictions in place due to dry conditions, it is more crucial than ever for hunters to check with landowners before heading out.

• Wildlife viewing: Fall chinook are surging back into the Columbia at numbers topping 10,000 on many recent days at Bonneville Dam. At weights in the 40-pound range, some of those fish are an impressive sight, says Joe Hymer, WDFW fish biologist in Vancouver. Also passing through are high numbers of steelhead and coho salmon. By next week the show should move upriver to The Dalles Dam and on to John Day and McNary dams. The visitor centers at the dams provide an excellent opportunity for underwater views of the fish during their upriver migration.

Eastern Washington:

• Fishing: The hatchery steelhead fishery began Sept. 1 on the Snake River, with early reports indicating that fish are still moving up through the lower Columbia River, according to John Whalen, WDFW's regional fish manager. Fishing for perch and panfish remains good at several lakes, including Downs Lake and Bonnie Lake in Spokane County, Sprague Lake near Ritzville, and Long Lake near Cheney. Anglers hoping to go for lowland trout on the Eastside will have to exercise some patience, Whalen said, as warm water temperatures are slowing the bite. Once temperatures begin to drop, try Amber Lake near Cheney or Medical Lake, just outside of Spokane, for trout with selective gear. Trout fishing on Lake Roosevelt behind the Grand Coulee Dam has been good, but be prepared to go deep for them. Rainbow trout up to 20 inches long are being caught, as are kokanee in the 18- to 22-inch range. The relatively warm lake temperatures are keeping the fish in the deep water, and most fish are being caught in 80 to 100 feet of water, Whalen said.

• Wildlife viewing: September is a transitional time for much of eastern Washington's wildlife. It's time for shorebirds to make their annual migration through the region. Look for great flocks of killdeer and other small shorebirds along waterways. Look for bugling, harem collecting, and other pre-rut activity by elk in the Selkirk Mountains in the extreme northeastern corner of the state, as well as in the Blue Mountains, in the southeastern corner, near Walla Walla.

North Central Washington:

• Fishing: Cooler weather should improve summer chinook fishing conditions, says Joe Foster, regional fish manager. Catches already have been good at the mouth of the Okanogan River; just below Wells Dam on the Columbia River; at Rocky Reach Pool just above the dam, and in the Walla Walla Point area a mile within the mouth of the Wenatchee River, Foster added. Meanwhile, Potholes Reservoir has been good for yellow perch, walleye and rainbow trout up to five pounds. Trout fishing has been favorable in Moses Lake, with fish in the 14- to 20-inch range.

• Hunting: Dove hunting got off to a good start in the Sept. 1 opener, but since the birds tend to disperse fairly quickly scouting will be crucial for continued success, says Matt Monda, regional wildlife manager. Forest grouse hunting has been variable, he added, with good results in the Okanogan and spotty success in the Colockum Wildlife Area and Chelan County.

• Wildlife viewing: Early migrations of pintail and other waterfowl are beginning, with large aggregations of birds starting to show in the Columbia Basin. In the mountains, hawks and eagles are passing through now.

South Central Washington:

• Fishing: Anglers looking for salmon fishing to pick up in the Hanford Reach shouldn't have long to wait. The count of fall chinook salmon across McNary Dam on the Columbia River jumped from a "couple hundred fish" to over 1,000 per day during the first week of September, said WDFW fish biologist Paul Hoffarth. "The coho are just starting to come in, so we should have some great fishing in the weeks ahead," he said. Hoffarth reminds anglers that all wild, unmarked coho – as well as any steelhead caught above the Highway 395 bridge at Pasco – must be released. Best spots to catch chinook include the Vernita, White Bluff, and Ringold areas of the river. Yakima River rainbow trout catch-and-release fishing is most productive now for fly fishers using grasshopper imitations. The Yakima, along with the Naches, American, and other local rivers and streams, is very low now with drought conditions peaking. That makes for tougher in-stream fishing, because fish are more easily disturbed. For bass fishers, the John Day Pool and Patterson Slough are regional hot spots right now, Hoffarth said. For walleye, fishing is picking up below McNary Dam and at the county line area, he said.

• Wildlife viewing: Bull elk begin bugling (their way of letting other bulls -- and cows -- know of their superiority) in early September, so it's not too soon to plan a trip to watch and listen to them. One of the best places for elk bugling in the Yakima area is around Raven's Roost in the Little Naches River drainage in the far northwestern corner of Yakima County (follow Hwy. 410 northwest of Naches). For the best viewing opportunities, arrive just before daylight (or plan to camp in one of the many forest service campgrounds in the area), and walk the Cougar Valley trail. Elk are normally visible on the open hillsides until about 7 a.m., when they move down into timber. Before you go, check with the Wenatchee National Forest trail and road conditions during this intense wildfire season on the Internet or at (509) 662-4335. Birds of prey, such as hawks, falcons and eagles might be seen moving in concentrations along mountain ridges where they save energy by soaring in thermals and updrafts. The Saddle Mountains, Yakima Ridge, and Rattlesnake Hills area, near the Columbia River in southcentral Washington are known raptor migration routes.