North Puget Sound


Fishing: Heavy rains and high winds during the first few days of December made fishing difficult for anglers in the region. But several rivers have come back into shape and are fishable again. At the same time, stalwart anglers that dropped a line in Puget Sound have had some success fishing for blackmouth.
“The big storm, and probably some holiday shopping, have kept fishing effort down in the marine areas,” said Steve Thiesfeld, WDFW fish biologist. “But anglers who did get out on the water in the last few days have actually done pretty well in some areas, especially those fishing in 8-1 (Deception Pass, Hope Island and Skagit Bay) and 8-2 (Port Susan and Port Gardner).”

Anglers fishing marine areas 8-1 and 8-2 can keep two hatchery blackmouth – resident chinook – as part of their two-salmon daily limit. They must, however, release wild chinook, which have an intact adipose fin, and are required to use single-point barbless hooks.

Farther south, Thiesfeld said anglers have been averaging about one blackmouth for every five rods in Marine Area 10 (Seattle/Bremerton), where they also have a two-salmon daily limit, and can keep up to two hatchery chinook per day.

“The blackmouth fishery is a good opportunity for anglers to get out on the water during the holidays,” Thiesfeld said. “Plus, in some marine areas, you can still do some crabbing.”

Marine areas 4 (Neah Bay), 5 (Sekiu), 6 (eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca), 9 (Admiralty Inlet), 10 (Seattle/Bremerton), 11 (Tacoma/Vashon), 12 (Hood Canal) and 13 (south Puget Sound) are open to sport crabbing seven days a week through Jan. 2. However, crabbing is closed in marine areas 7 (San Juan Islands), 8-1 and 8-2.

The daily catch limit in Puget Sound is five Dungeness crab, males only, in hard-shell condition with a minimum carapace width of 6¼ inches. In addition, fishers may catch six red rock crab of either sex per day, provided those crab measure at least 5 inches across. Additional information is available on the WDFW website at wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelf...index.htm.

In the freshwater, water levels have dropped in most streams, allowing anglers an opportunity to get out on the river and cast for steelhead, said Steve Foley, another WDFW fish biologist. “Some of the rivers are actually in pretty good shape,” he said. “I’ve heard the Green and the Skykomish are fishable and there should be some winter-run hatchery steelhead in both of those rivers.”

Foley reminds anglers that salmon fishing closes in those and most other rivers in the region after Dec. 31.

Rainbow trout, however, remain an option for anglers. About 3,000 hatchery rainbow trout – averaging approximately 3 to 5 pounds each – were released into Beaver Lake near Issaquah in mid-November. The daily bag limit is five fish, and bait anglers must keep the first five trout they catch.

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


South Sound/Olympic Peninsula


Fishing: The Olympic Peninsula’s world-class steelhead fishery should begin in earnest once rivers drop back into shape after the heavy rains of early December. Meanwhile, anglers and shell fishers around the region can choose from a number of other options, including salmon and razor clams.
Depending on the outcome of marine toxin tests, razor clam diggers may be able to add some clams to their holiday feast, said Dan Ayres, WDFW coastal shellfish manager. The last digs of the year are scheduled for Dec. 21-23 on evening tides at Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks. One more evening dig is planned Dec. 23 at Twin Harbors only. Kalaloch Beach remains closed throughout the 2007-08 season.

“We’ve found that folks really enjoy going out on a dig around the holidays, when clams are a traditional menu item for many people,” said Ayres.

Tentative opening dates and evening low tides are:

Friday, Dec. 21 (4:12 p.m. –0.4) all beaches (except Kalaloch)
Saturday, Dec. 22 (5:06 p.m. –0.9) all beaches (except Kalaloch)
Sunday, Dec. 23 (5:58 p.m. –1.2) Twin Harbors only
No digging is allowed before noon those days. For best results, Ayres recommends that people start digging at least one hour before low tide and take a lantern for evening digs.

Harvesters are allowed to take no more than 15 razor clams and must keep the first 15 they dig, regardless of size or condition. Each digger’s clams must be kept in a separate container. A license is required for anyone age 15 or older. Any 2007 annual shellfish/seaweed license or combination license is still valid.

A week after rain and high winds pelted the Olympic Peninsula, most rivers from the north coast to Grays Harbor were still too high to fish. But anglers looking for steelhead may have some opportunity by the Dec. 15 weekend, said Scott Barbour, WDFW fish biologist. “The rivers really got flooded out, but the Wynoochee and the Satsop should be plunkable soon and I hear conditions should be better on the north coast soon.”

In Puget Sound, angler effort has been low in Marine Area 11 (Tacoma/Vashon Island), but people “who know what they’re doing and are familiar with the area,” are still landing blackmouth, said Steve Thiesfeld, WDFW fish biologist. Thiesfeld said those fishing near Point Defiance averaged about one fish for every 2½ rods over the Dec. 8 weekend. He reminds anglers the salmon season ends Dec. 31 in marine areas 11 (Tacoma/Vashon Island) and 12 (Hood Canal).

Once the rain subsided, anglers on the Nisqually River began landing some late-run chum salmon. “The chum here are still pretty bright and high-quality,” Thiesfeld said. “With the river coming back into shape, anglers should be able to land some nice fish.” Anglers have been successful fishing between the WDFW handicap access and the railroad bridge due south of Old Nisqually Road. The Nisqually River remains open through Jan. 31, with a limit of six salmon, only two of which may be adults. Wild, unmarked chinook must be released.

For these and other fisheries, anglers are advised to check WDFW’s Fishing in Washington pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm) for more information.

Meanwhile, area crabbers have through Jan. 2 to sink a pot or two. Marine areas 6 (eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca), 9 (Admiralty Inlet), 10 (Seattle/Bremerton), 11 (Tacoma/Vashon), 12 (Hood Canal) and 13 (South Puget Sound) are open for sport crabbing seven days a week through that date.

The daily catch limit in Puget Sound is five Dungeness crab, males only, in hard-shell condition with a minimum carapace width of 6¼ inches. In addition, fishers may catch six red rock crab of either sex per day, provided those crab measure at least 5 inches across. Additional information is available on the WDFW website at wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelf...index.htm.

Once the fishery is over, Puget Sound crabbers will have until Jan. 15 to submit their winter catch record cards to WDFW (the mailing address is printed on the back of the cards). A drawing will be held for free fishing licenses after the filing period.


Southwest Washington:


Fishing: Heavy rains brought fishing to a near standstill during the first week of December, swamping tributaries throughout the lower Columbia River Basin. But as those rivers drop back into shape, fishing – particularly for hatchery steelhead – should be better than ever, said Joe Hymer, WDFW fish biologist.
“We’ll have to see what’s around when the water levels drop, but we’re moving into prime time for hatchery-reared winter steelhead,” Hymer said. “The fishery usually starts to take off in mid-December.”

As of Dec. 10, water levels were still running high on the Lewis and Cowlitz rivers, the two largest tributaries to the lower Columbia River on the Washington side. But anglers were pulling a fair number of hatchery steelhead out of the Lewis and Cowlitz rivers before the rains hit, and should do so again once stream flows drop, Hymer said.

Hymer noted that the North Fork Lewis River opens to hatchery steelhead and hatchery coho fishing Sunday, Dec. 16 from Colvin Creek upstream to the overhead power lines below Merwin Dam. In addition, the mainstem Grays River opens for hatchery steelhead Dec. 15 from the Highway 4 Bridge to the south fork; the West Fork also opens that day from the mouth to the footbridge at the hatchery intake.

“Smaller rivers like the Grays and the Elochoman were still running dirty a week after the heavy rains, but they should be the first to drop into shape,” Hymer said. “They, along with the Kalama and Washougal rivers, could be a good bet if the Lewis and Cowlitz rivers are still running high.”

Chris Wagemann of the WDFW Kalama Research Team noted that the “first real big push of hatchery winter steelhead” – 105 fresh fish – were handled and recycled to the lower Kalama River boat ramp by hatchery crews Dec. 10.

Anglers are reminded that any wild steelhead they intercept with an intact adipose fin must be released. See the 2007-08 Fishing in Washington pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm) for more information about hatchery steelhead and other fisheries.

As with many area rivers, there were no reports of angling success on the Cowlitz River during the first week of December, although fish were still moving up the river. During that week, Tacoma Power recovered 3,013 coho salmon adults, five fall chinook adults, 101 summer-run steelhead and 108 winter-run steelhead at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator during seven days of operations.

Tacoma Power employees then released 60 coho adults and four jacks into Lake Scanewa at the Day Use Site; 271 coho adults, 10 coho jacks and four winter-run steelhead into the Cispus River above the mouth of Yellow Jacket Creek; and 130 coho adults into the upper Cowlitz River at the Skate Creek Bridge in Packwood. They also released 188 coho adults, five fall chinook adults, one winter-run steelhead and two cutthroat trout into the Tilton River at Gust Backstrom Park in Morton.

Meanwhile, 13 anglers caught 10 rainbow trout at Klineline Pond, which was planted with 2,000 catchables Dec. 4. Icehouse Lake near the Bridge of the Gods was also planted with 1,500 catchables that day.

Only one of the 52 bank anglers checked while fishing for sturgeon immediately below Bonneville Dam took home a legal-size fish during the first week of December. Nine boat anglers checked from Vancouver to the Gorge had released 35 sub-legal sturgeon, but had caught no legal-size fish.

Under standing rules, retention fisheries for sturgeon will reopen Jan. 1 above Bonneville Dam upriver to McNary Dam. Sturgeon may be retained until the guidelines for each of the three pools are met. In addition, fishery managers from Washington and Oregon will to meet at 10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 13 to consider 2008 fishing seasons for both white sturgeon and smelt. The meeting, scheduled at the Kelso City Hall at 203 South Pacific Avenue in Kelso, is open to the public. Watch the WDFW website for news on these seasons.



Eastern Washington:


Fishing: Catch rates for steelhead fishing on the Snake River and its tributaries in southeast Washington are among the best so far this season. WDFW creel checkers found steelheaders on the stretch from the Oregon state line to the mouth of the Walla Walla River averaging just over five hours of effort per fish caught. Steelheaders on the mainstem Snake River between Lower Monumental and Little Goose dams averaged just under six hours per fish caught. Those on the mid-Snake stretch above the interstate bridge near Clarkston were averaging just under seven hours per fish caught. On the Washington section of the lower Grande Ronde River, from Bogans Oasis to the Oregon state line, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife creel checkers reported an average of nine hours of effort per steelhead caught. For the full report, see wdfw.wa.gov/fish/creel...index.htm.
Fishing has been good at the region’s central district winter-only rainbow trout fishing lakes that opened Dec. 1. Anglers averaged two to three trout on the opener in open water conditions at Hog Canyon Lake in southwest Spokane County, and Fourth of July Lake, on the Lincoln-Adams county line. Scott Young, WDFW regional access manager, reported Dec. 12 that both lakes had only about two inches of ice – enough to keep boats from being launched but not enough to walk on safely.

WDFW does not make regular checks of ice conditions or make any guarantees about safety. While ice safety can never be assured, no one should venture onto the ice unless it is at least four inches thick, clear and solid, according to U.S. Coast Guard guidelines. As much as nine inches may be needed to safely support snowmobiles or other vehicles. Such ice depths can form after at least a week of below freezing temperatures, day and night. For tips on ice fishing safety see wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regio...shing.htm.

Angler effort has been light at the region’s north district winter-only lakes – Williams and Hatch in Stevens County. Neither lake has recently been stocked with trout since both are infested with stunted, illegally introduced yellow perch. Both are candidates for fishery rehabilitation next year.

Boat anglers willing to brave winter conditions have found decent fishing for Lake Roosevelt rainbow trout. The hot spot seems to be from Seven Bays up to near Grand Coulee Dam. Roosevelt rainbows usually range from 18 to 24 inches.

Waitts Lake, just west of Valley in southern Stevens County, remains open to fishing through February to allow continued opportunity on rainbow and brown trout that range up to 15 inches. At last check, however, Waitts had only about an inch or so of ice about 100 yards out from shore, so fishing may be delayed until conditions are safer. Silver Lake, a mixed species water open year-round in southwest Spokane County, also had only about an inch of ice.


North Central Washington:


Fishing: Steelhead fishing above Wells Dam on the upper Columbia River has slowed considerably in recent days due to colder weather, said Bob Jateff, WDFW district fish biologist in Omak. “The Methow, Okanogan and Similkameen rivers all have flowing ice, and very little angler effort has been observed,” he said. “A few fish are still being caught by shore anglers fishing upstream of Wells Dam using jigs tipped with a shrimp.”
Rufus Woods Lake, the Columbia River reservoir created by Chief Joseph Dam near Bridgeport, continues to produce good catches of triploid rainbow trout that weigh up to four pounds, Jateff reported. “Both shore and boat anglers are having success using both bait and lures and flies,” he said. “Just remember that Rufus Woods has a two-fish daily catch limit for trout.”

Jateff noted Rat Lake near Brewster in Okanogan County should provide good fishing for 10-12-inch rainbow trout during the winter catch-and-keep season, which started Dec. 1. “Davis and Little Twin lakes near Winthrop should also be good this winter for rainbows once the ice is thick enough to walk on,” he said.

Columbia Basin waters are freezing up, said Jeff Korth, WDFW district fish biologist in Moses Lake. But none of the year-round big waters, like Potholes Reservoir, Moses Lake, or Billy Clapp Lake are ready to provide safe ice-fishing.

WDFW does not regularly check ice conditions or make any guarantees about safety. While ice safety can never be assured, people should not venture onto the ice unless it is at least four inches thick, clear and solid, according to U.S. Coast Guard guidelines. As much as nine inches may be needed to safely support snowmobiles or other vehicles. Such ice depths can form after at least a week of below freezing temperatures, day and night. For tips on ice fishing safety see wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regio...shing.htm.


South Central Washington:


Fishing: Year-round fishing waters in the Yakima and Ellensburg areas recently received more broodstock from WDFW’s Goldendale Fish Hatchery. WDFW district fish biologist Eric Anderson of Yakima reports that several lakes and ponds have each been stocked with 140 six-to-ten-pound rainbows. They include I-82 Pond 4 and Rotary Lake in the Yakima area and Mattoon and FioRito lakes in the Ellensburg area. Myron Lake near Yakima will be stocked later. “These big fish really spice up the winter fishery in our local year round waters,” Anderson said. For all catchable-size trout plants see wdfw.wa.gov/fish/plants/weekly/.
Anderson also noted that FioRito and Mattoon lakes should see improved fishing in the future with new funding of aquatic weed-control work at both. “We were just awarded a major grant from the Washington Department of Ecology to control and prevent re-infestation of Eurasian watermilfoil, purple loosestrife and yellow flag iris that threaten these lakes’ fisheries,” he said. "This grant is the result of a cooperative effort spearheaded by the Kittitas County Noxious Weed Board and the Kittitas County Field and Stream Club.”

WDFW fish biologist Paul Hoffarth of Pasco reminds anglers that the steelhead fishery in the Ringold area of the Columbia River, from the Highway 395 bridge to the old Hanford town site, remains open through the end of March. Anglers are allowed to retain two hatchery (adipose-fin-clipped) steelhead.

Hoffarth also notes anglers will be allowed to fish for and retain sturgeon below McNary Dam Jan. 1.


"This is a reproduction of a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife document and is not the official document or regulations of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. The accuracy of the reproduction cannot be guaranteed by WDFW."