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Lake Washington sockeye catch largest in a decade (1) | | Thursday, September 07 |
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Weekender Update September 6-19, 2006 (0) | | Tuesday, August 29 |
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How to Catch Salmon - Marine Areas (0) | | Sunday, August 20 |
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News › Weekender Update September 6-19, 2006
 Weekender Update September 6-19, 2006 Posted by glock on Thursday, September 07, 2006 (18:23:37) (5405 reads)
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Consider wildfire conditions in making fishing plans.
For anglers, September traditionally marks the start of new angling opportunities in rivers throughout the state. This year is no different, except that wildfires may limit access to recreational areas on both sides of the Cascade Range.
Major wildfires burning from southeast Washington to the Olympic Peninsula may have a significant effect on people’s plans to spend time outdoors in the weeks ahead, said Dave Ware, game manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).
“Given the dry conditions and the number of major wildfires already burning, everyone who plans to spend time outdoors needs to pay close attention to local fire conditions,” Ware said. “People need to check for access restrictions and closures before they leave home. Obviously, it’s also critical that they avoid doing anything that would spark another fire.”
Since last month, wildfires have prompted the U.S. Forest Service and other landowners to close many lands that would otherwise be available for public hunting and other types of outdoor recreation. WDFW recently closed access for most of the Wooten Wildlife Area in southeast Washington due to the advancing Columbia Complex Wildland Fire that has burned nearly 80,000 acres.
Access restrictions and other information about other public land wildfires currently burning in Washington state can be found at http://inciweb.org/state/49/. Access restrictions on other private and public lands are posted on the Washington Department of Natural Resources webpage (http://www.dnr.wa.gov/fire/index.html) and are also available by calling 800-323-BURN.
See the regional reports below for additional information on fishing, hunting and wildlife-watching opportunities throughout the state:
North Puget Sound
Fishing: Saltwater anglers continue to hook coho salmon in portions of Puget Sound, but the wait is on for an anticipated run of ocean silvers.
“About now is when we normally expect to see a big push of coho from the ocean into Puget Sound,” said Tim Flint, WDFW salmon resource manager. “The coho catch has picked up some in Sekiu and Port Angeles, so we should start to see those ocean fish make their way into the Sound in the next couple of weeks. “Hopefully they will be biting.”
In marine areas 8-1 (Deception Pass, Hope Island and Skagit Bay) and 8-2 (Port Susan and Port Gardner) the coho catch has been fair. Creel checks at the Everett boat ramp showed 466 anglers hooked 36 coho Sept. 2, while 472 anglers hauled in 67 silvers the following day.
Anglers fishing in Marine Area 8-1 and outside the Tulalip Bay "bubble" salmon fishery in Marine Area 8-2 have a daily limit of two salmon and must release chinook. Anglers fishing the Tulalip bubble, which is open each week from Friday through noon Monday, also have a two-salmon daily limit but can keep chinook measuring at least 22 inches.
Salmon fishing has tapered off a bit in Marine Area 10 (Seattle/Bremerton), but anglers dropping a line in the area are still finding some nice coho, said Flint. Creel checks at the Armeni boat ramp indicate 66 anglers hooked eight silvers on Sept. 1, while 82 anglers were checked with 11 coho the next day.
In Marine Area 10, anglers fishing outside the boundaries of the Sinclair Inlet fishery have a daily limit of two salmon, with no minimum size limit, and must release chinook and chum salmon. Anglers fishing the Sinclair Inlet fishery also have a daily limit of two salmon and must release chum, but can keep chinook measuring at least 22 inches. Anglers in both areas can keep chum beginning Sept. 16.
Flint reminds anglers to check out the regulations for each fishery in WDFW's 2006/2007 Fishing in Washington pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm).
Crabbing has closed in all but one marine area in the region. Only the eastern and northern portions of Marine Area 7 (San Juan Islands) remain open while the other marine areas undergo a catch assessment. In early October, WDFW will announce the reopening of waters where the catch has not met area quotas. In the meantime, crabbers can drop pots in the two open portions of Marine Area 7 Wednesday through Saturday each week through Sept. 30. See WDFW’s sport-crabbing website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/crab/) for more information.
To participate in the fishery, all crabbers age 15 or older must obtain and carry a current Washington fishing license. In addition, all crab fishers – regardless of age – must obtain and carry a catch record card and a crab licensing endorsement to fish for crab in Puget Sound. The crab endorsement costs $3 for crabbers age 15 and over, but is free to fishers under age 15.
Coonstripe and pink shrimp fishing also remains open throughout the region, and shrimpers can drop a pot in marine areas 8-1, 8-2, the northern and central portions of area 7 and a portion of area 9. Details on the fishery are available on WDFW’s website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/crabreg/.
Portions of the Stillaguamish, Snoqualmie, Skykomish and Skagit rivers recently opened for salmon fishing. Anglers might be able to find some early coho but those freshwater fisheries aren’t expected to heat up until the end of the month.
Anglers fishing the Skykomish, Snoqualmie and Stillaguamish rivers have a daily limit of two salmon measuring at least 12 inches and must release chinook and pink. Anglers fishing the Skagit River are allowed three salmon daily measuring at least 12 inches, and must release chinook. Additional stretches of the Skagit River open to salmon fishing Sept. 16. Anglers should check WDFW's 2006/2007 Fishing in Washington pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm) for more information on those and other river fisheries in the region.
Elsewhere, Lake Sammamish is open for salmon fishing, with a daily limit of two salmon measuring at least 12 inches. All sockeye must be released, and salmon fishing is closed within 100 yards of the mouth of Issaquah Creek. Sammamish Lake’s larger neighbor, Lake Washington, opens Sept. 16 to coho fishing. Anglers will be allowed two coho per day (minimum size 12 inches) from waters north of the Highway 520 Bridge and east of the Montlake Bridge.
South Sound/Olympic Peninsula
Fishing: As salmon fishing begins to wind down along most of the ocean coast, the hot spot continues to be south end, according to Wendy Beeghley, WDFW fish biologist. Ilwaco (Marine Area 1) anglers were catching an average of about one fish per person during through the week of Sept. 3. “Fishing was good over the holiday weekend while effort was high,” she said. “The day after Labor Day, however, only 26 boats went out.” Fishing remains open in Marine Area 1 through Sept. 30.
In Westport (Marine Area 2), the count ranged from half to less than three-quarters of a fish per angler. Marine areas 2, 3 (LaPush) and 4 (Neah Bay) will be open for salmon fishing through Sept. 17. However, a portion of Marine Area 3 (LaPush) will open Sept. 23 through Oct. 8 for a late season salmon fishery. It is open daily with a two-fish combined limit. See WDFW's 2006/2007 Fishing in Washington pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm) for details on boundaries and rules.
In nearby Willapa Bay, the numbers of chinook have been multiplying. Based on WDFW catch counts, 18 chinook were caught on Aug. 12. On Aug. 20, the count was 37 and jumped to 62 on Sept. 2. “Anglers are having good success there,” said Tim Flint, WDFW statewide salmon manager. “The waters are generally calm and it makes for a nice day of fishing.” Also, a coho-only fishery will open in Grays Harbor from Sept. 16 through Sept. 30. The daily limit is two fish, with a minimum size of 12 inches.
A good sign of the coho’s movement was anglers’ success in Sekiu, noted Flint. The catch count for Sept. 2-3 found one in three anglers reeling in a fish.
The next two weeks should also be good for coho fishing in Puget Sound, according to Flint. “Mid-September through early October is traditionally when these fish are heading from the ocean to the rivers,” he said. Salmon fishing also open in marine areas 11 (Vashon Island to the Tacoma Narrows Bridge), 12 (Hood Canal), 13 (South Puget Sound) and 10 (Bremerton), with a daily limit of two fish.
The Puyallup River system is a popular fishing spot right now for chinook and coho, according the Hal Michael, WDFW fish biologist. While the catch is fair, the anticipation high, he said. “We’re waiting for some rainfall to drive more fish into the rivers,” he said. “The general belief is, they should be moving soon. They just need an environmental push.”
The Skokomish River chinook fishery is seeing plenty of action, Michael said. He noted anglers who wear polarized glasses tend to be hitting well because they can see lots of fish in the water. “The glare on the water’s surface can make you think they aren’t there,” he said. Anglers fishing the Skokomish River are reminded that terminal gear (hooks, weights, lures or baits) and lines must not come within 25 feet of tribal gillnets. This fishery closes Sept. 13.
Recreational crab fishing remains open in marine areas 4 (Neah Bay), 5 (Sekiu and Pillar Point) and 13 (South Puget Sound) seven days a week through Feb. 28. In early October, WDFW will announce if crab fishing will reopen in other waters where the catch has not met area quotas.
The Kids Fishing Catch and Release Pond will open at the Puyallup Fair on Sept. 8 and run all three weekends, Fri.-Sun. The pond will be open from noon to 6 p.m. with a one-hour break around 3 p.m. Kids 12 and under can drop a line for catchable-sized rainbow trout provided by the Puyallup hatchery. The pond is located in the “Go Play Outdoors” building, southwest of the fairground’s Blue Gate.
Southwest Washington:
Fishing: Columbia River anglers who find the fishing slow at Buoy 10 might want to test the action a bit further upriver. In August, sportfishers caught nearly 5,000 adult chinook salmon below Bonneville Dam – the second highest catch on record. (The record is 5,100 fish in 2002.) And with fall chinook counts at Bonneville now nearing their peak, anglers can expect more good fishing in the lower Columbia River in the coming weeks, said Joe Hymer, WDFW fish biologist.
“For whatever reason, the fish didn’t stop at Buoy 10 this year,” Hymer said. “It’s happened before, but it’s still disappointing for anglers who fished that area. On the other hand, a lot of those fish have been showing up in the catch above Tongue Point.”
Based on creels survey conducted during the first three days of September, boat anglers fishing the Columbia mainstem did best from Woodland to Vancouver, averaging an adult chinook for every three rods. Overall, boat anglers averaged an adult chinook for every 4.7 rods on the lower river while bank anglers landed one chinook for every 39 rods.
The largest chinook checked in early September weighed “in the upper 40s, with a lot of fish in the 30s,” Hymer said. “Some fish caught as far upriver as Kalama still had sea lice on them. They obviously hadn’t spent much time in freshwater.”
Although some mainstem anglers have also been catching good-sized hatchery coho and hatchery steelhead, Hymer said most are targeting chinook in deep water with wobblers and large gear. He cautioned boat anglers anchoring in the mainstem Columbia to avoid the ship channel and be alert for large vessel traffic. Also, with coho running large this year, anglers should check twice before securing their catch, he said.
“We’re seeing a substantial number of unmarked coho in anglers’ creels this fall,” said Hymer, noting that those fish are now listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act. All wild coho must be released from the mainstem Columbia and its tributaries from Buoy 10 upstream to the Hood River Bridge.
On the Cowlitz River, anglers have been taking home a mixed bag of fall chinook, hatchery coho, summer steelhead and cutthroat trout. Thirty-six boat anglers recently contacted from the Interstate 5 bridge downstream had 11 chinook, 11 hatchery steelhead and one adult coho. Anglers checked on the Kalama and Lewis rivers had a similar array of fish.
Although more than 10,000 chinook salmon are now moving past Bonneville Dam each day, Hymer said salmon fishing in the lower Columbia River should remain good through September. Then the action will shift to the Bonneville Pool, its tributaries and the Hanford Reach.
Trout anglers may want to bear in mind that Skate Creek and the Tilton River were each planted with 1,400 half-pound rainbows Aug. 29. In addition, hatchery sea run cutthroats are biting on the Cowlitz River.
Eastern Washington:
Fishing: Snake River steelhead fishing is under way in the south end of the region, and at least a few big fish have been landed. Glen Mendel, WDFW district fish biologist, said the best catches usually come later in the season, but diligent steelheaders with time to try many spots will not be disappointed. The daily catch limit is three hatchery steelhead (rainbow trout over 20 inches marked with a clipped fin). Any wild (unmarked) steelhead, or chinook and coho salmon must be released.
Steelheaders and others out in southeast Washington are bound to deal with smoky conditions as the Columbia Complex Wildland Fires continue to burn through the Umatilla National Forest and surrounding land. For information about road closures and other restrictions due to the wildfires, check
http://inciweb.org/incident/443/ or call the Fire Information Office at 509-337-6059.
With dry conditions throughout the region, open fires are currently prohibited on all WDFW owned and managed water access sites. Anglers are urged to be extra careful with anything that could start a fire.
North Central Washington:
Fishing: Cooler nights are slowly making for cooler water temperatures in the region’s Columbia Basin, and that means fish are biting. Walleye action at Moses Lake and Potholes Reservoir is picking up, along with smallmouth and largemouth bass. The third annual Mar Don Resort Marathon Dock Fishing Tournament on Potholes Reservoir is Sept. 22-24. Cash prizes from the $30 per angler entry fee will be awarded for top catches of perch, crappie, bluegill, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, trout, walleye, catfish, channel catfish, bullhead and carp. See http://www.mardonresort.com for more information and entry forms.
Bob Jateff, WDFW Okanogan district fish biologist, said fishing on the open section of the Methow River has been good for both rainbow and cutthroat trout up to 18 inches. Those fish are being caught on both flies and spinners, he said. Jateff reminds anglers it’s a catch-and-release fishery with selective gear rules, and it closes Sept. 30.
Jateff also said the salmon season on the upper Columbia River system, including the Okanogan and Similkameen rivers, has been spotty with fish in the 10- to 15-pound range still being caught. The area from the first Hwy. 97 Bridge upstream of the mouth of the Okanogan River to the Hwy. 97 Bridge just below the town of Oroville, and the Similkameen River from the mouth to the Hwy. 7 Bridge in Oroville, closes to salmon fishing Sept. 15.
“Fishing this month and next should pick up as water temperatures in some of the selective gear lakes start to cool down,” Jateff said. “Big Twin, near Winthrop, and Blue in the Sinlahekin should both be good.”
Davis Lake near Winthrop opened Sept. 1 with catches of rainbows up to 14 inches. Both Cougar and Campbell lakes were also set to open on Sept. 1, but have restricted access due to wildfires. Contact the U.S. Forest Service Methow Ranger District at 509-996-4000 for further information about access to these fishing lakes.
Jateff noted alpine lake fishing for cutthroat trout is usually good at this time of the year, but anglers planning backcountry trips should first check for wildfire access closures. See http://inciweb.org/state/49/ for the latest on northcentral Washington fires.
South Central Washington:
Fishing: Southcentral region rivers and streams continue to provide good trout fishing, including the Yakima, Naches, Little Naches, and Bumping rivers in Yakima County, and the upper reaches of Taneum Creek, Naneum Creek, Manastash Creek, and the Forks of the Teanaway in Kittitas County. Most rivers and creeks have special regulations like selective gear rules that prohibit bait. Most also have statewide trout catch limits of two trout with an 8-inch minimum size. Anglers should check the regulation pamphlet for all details.
No creel reports are in yet from the Yakima River salmon fishery that opened Sept.1. The fishery is open from the Highway 240 bridge upstream to 400 feet below Prosser Dam and from the Highway 223 bridge at Granger upstream to Sunnyside (Parker) Dam. Most of the best fishing is expected later this month. Daily limit is six salmon, but no more than two adults (24 inches or more if chinook, 20 inches or more if coho) may be retained. All areas of the Yakima River are closed to angling for steelhead, hatchery or wild.
Late September is also the best bet for salmon fishing on the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River near the Tri-Cities.
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