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News › Weekender Update November 29 - December 12, 2006
 Weekender Update November 29 - December 12, 2006 Posted by glock on Monday, December 04, 2006 (01:37:29) (4383 reads)
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Fishing a great gift idea for the holiday season
With a variety of new recreational opportunities on the horizon, outdoor enthusiasts have plenty to celebrate this season.
Razor clams, for example. Four beaches - Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks, and Kalaloch - will open for razor clam digging Dec. 2 and 3 between noon and midnight each day. Twin Harbors will also be open for a third day of digging from noon to midnight Dec. 4. Copalis Beach will remain closed to digging due to an insufficient number of clams.
Meanwhile, winter-run hatchery steelhead have been moving into dozens of rivers in western Washington, setting the stage for one of the Pacific Northwest's most popular fisheries. "Right now, the focus is still on late-run coho, but steelhead are right behind them," said David Low, a fish biologist for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).
North Puget Sound
Fishing: Saltwater anglers who braved recent heavy rains and frigid temperatures did fairly well fishing for chinook salmon. "A number of anglers that did get out on Puget Sound found some fish," said Steve Thiesfeld, WDFW fisheries biologist. "That could be a good sign as we move into December."
Catch counts were already showing some improvements by the last week of November. At the Everett Ramp, 27 anglers were checked with four chinook Nov. 24, and 48 anglers brought home 20 chinook the following day. At the Camano Island ramp, six anglers checked two chinook Nov. 24, while 28 anglers hauled in four chinook the next day.
Thiesfeld reminds anglers that salmon fishing in marine areas 7 (San Juan Islands) and 9 (Admiralty Inlet) closes Nov. 30, and a one-salmon daily limit begins Dec. 1 in Marine Area 10 (Seattle/Bremerton).
The selective fishery continues in marine areas 8-1 (Deception Pass, Hope Island and Skagit Bay) and 8-2 (Port Susan and Port Gardner), where anglers can keep up to two hatchery chinook per day, so long as the fish measure at least 22 inches in length. Wild chinook salmon, which have an intact adipose fin, cannot be brought aboard the boat.
In the rivers, anglers should still find some chum salmon, said Thiesfeld. "But this is really the time of year when most people are gearing up to fish for steelhead."
Elsewhere, about 3,000 hatchery rainbow trout - averaging approximately three pounds each - were released into Beaver Lake near Issaquah in mid-November, said Chad Jackson, WDFW fish biologist. Beaver Lake, one of several westside lowland lakes open to fishing year-round, is best fished by small boat, although anglers can also be successful fishing from shore, said Jackson. The daily bag limit is five fish, and bait anglers must keep the first five trout they catch.
Back on the saltwater, crabbing is still an option in seven marine areas of Puget Sound. Marine areas 4 (Neah Bay), 5 (Sekiu), 6 (eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca), 9, 10, 12 (Hood Canal) and 13 (south Puget Sound) are open seven days a week through Jan. 2 unless catch quotas for those areas are reached before then. Marine areas 7S (San Juan Islands), 7E (Anacortes to Bellingham), 7N (Bellingham to Pt. Roberts), 8-1, 8-2 and 11 (Tacoma-Vashon Island) will remain closed to sport crabbing for the season.
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 fisheries in the region.
South Sound/Olympic Peninsula
Fishing: Weather permitting, anglers will have some good opportunities to catch winter steelhead, coho and chum salmon in the days ahead. Then again, clam diggers can look forward to another productive razor clam opening in early December, regardless which way the weather turns.
"Despite rough weather, most diggers got their 15-clam limits during the last opening," said Dan Ayres, WDFW coastal shellfish manager. "We expect that will hold true during the upcoming dig, too." Four beaches - Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks, and Kalaloch - will open for razor clam digging Dec. 2 and Dec. 3 between the hours of noon and midnight each day. Twin Harbors will also be open for a third day of digging from noon to midnight Dec. 4. Copalis Beach will remain closed to digging due to the low number of clams in the total allowable catch.
The best time to start digging is an hour or two before low tide, said Ayres, who recommends taking a lantern for evening digs. Evening low tides for the upcoming dig are as follows:
Saturday, Dec. 2 (4:16 p.m. -0.4) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks, Kalaloch
Sunday, Dec. 3 (5:07 p.m. -1.0) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks, Kalaloch
Monday, Dec. 4 (5:56 p.m. -1.3) Twin Harbors only
Ayres noted that fishery managers have tentatively scheduled another dig over the New Year's holiday. If marine-toxin tests are favorable, an evening dig will be held Dec. 31 at all five ocean beaches - including Copalis - followed by another Jan. 1 at Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks and Kalaloch. One beach, Twin Harbors, would also remain open for an evening dig Jan. 2.
Meanwhile, rivers throughout the region have been dropping into shape for fishing since the recent freeze-up, said Bill Freymond, WDFW regional fish manager. "If it stays cold, the Satsop, Wynoochee and a lot of other rivers should be in prime condition," he said. "Right now, the focus is still on late-run coho, but steelhead are right behind them." David Low, a WDFW fish biologist, is already hearing reports of anglers catching steelhead in area rivers, noting that a friend caught "three hatchery steelhead and a 'Christmas king'," during the last weekend in November.
Hatchery steelhead are also showing up in tribal catches, said Low, adding that he'll have a better sense of the sport catch once WDFW resumes creel surveys during the first week in December. Survey results for the Quillayute River system and the Hoh River will be posted on the WDFW Fishing/Shellfishing website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishcorn.htm) under the heading "Fishing Reports." Low strongly recommends that anglers review steelhead-fishing rules discussed in WDFW's Fishing in Washington pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm) before attempting to hook up.
Chum anyone? Many popular chum salmon waters such as Kennedy Creek and McLane Creek will be closing to salmon fishing at the end of the day Nov. 30. But that's just when the late-run chum fishery on the Nisqually River gets rolling, said Steve Thiesfeld, WDFW fish biologist. "Anglers should get some nice, chrome-bright chum salmon right through the month of December," he said. "That what makes that fishery so popular."
Southwest Washington:
Fishing: Icy roads, rather than fishing conditions, could be the biggest concern for anglers hoping to spend some time on area rivers in the days ahead. With many parts of southwest Washington still in the grip of late-November storms, anglers might want to consider putting fishing plans on hold until driving conditions are less dicey, said Wolf Dammers, a WDFW fish biologist.
"There are still a lot of late-running coho around, but the winter steelhead fishery is just getting started," Dammers said. "Anglers aren't going to miss much if they wait for driving conditions to improve."
For those fishing during the week ending Nov. 26, the Cowlitz River remained a hotspot for coho. In creel surveys conducted on the Cowlitz that week, 77 anglers kept 22 adult coho and released 22 others. Fifteen anglers contacted on the Klickitat River also did well that week, landing 19 coho and releasing 13 others.
An increasing number of coho caught in those, and other, Columbia River tributaries are dark, a sure sign that those fisheries are winding down, Dammers said. As of Nov. 22, the daily limit for marked, hatchery coho was increased to three fish (minimum size, 12 inches) on the Washougal, Kalama and Lewis rivers. The daily limit was also increased to three coho, marked or unmarked, on the Klickitat River.
Meanwhile, bright hatchery steelhead are just starting to show up in the catch - and at area hatcheries. As of Nov. 22, a total of 30 winter run steelhead had returned to the Grays River Hatchery. Also that week, two winter steelhead were recorded in a creel check on the Cowlitz River and 47 others were recovered at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery. Blue Creek and Mill Creek, both tributaries to the Cowlitz River, will both open to hatchery steelhead fishing Dec. 1. Blue Creek also opens for hatchery sea-run cutthroat fishing that day.
The 47 winter-run steelhead recovered at the hatchery were released back at the Interstate 5 boat launch along with 39 summer-run steelhead. Tacoma Power employees also released 1,979 coho adults at the Day Use Park on Lake Scanewa, 525 coho adults on the Cispus River and 520 coho adults at the Franklin Bridge near Packwood.
At Klineline Pond, bank anglers fishing in the swimming area are catching 12- to 18-inch brown trout on biscuit dough. On Nov. 21, Klineline was also planted with 1,000 catchable-size rainbows and Lacamas Lake was planted with 5,000 catchable-size rainbows.
On the Columbia River, the sturgeon fishery has cooled off along with the weather. In a recent survey, 66 bank anglers fishing from the Wauna powerlines upstream to Bonneville Dam had caught just three legal-size fish. The water temperature at the dam has dropped to 51 degrees.
Eastern Washington:
Fishing: Four winter-only rainbow trout lakes open Dec. 1 for a four-month season. At least three of them should provide good action if anglers can reach them through current icy and snowy conditions.
Chris Donley, WDFW central district fish biologist, said recent sampling indicates prospects at Fourth of July Lake on the Lincoln-Adams county line and Hog Canyon Lake in southwest Spokane County are better than expected. Donley said both lakes are under a five trout daily catch limit, with no more than two over 14 inches. About half the fish in Fourth of July are 14 inches or better, he said. "If your first two fish at Fourth of July are at least 14 inches, you're done for the day," he said. Hog Canyon has more of the 9- to11-inch fish, although enough 14- to 18-inchers to make fishing interesting. Donley recommends Hog Canyon for anglers who want to take home limits. "Fourth of July anglers might see some tiger trout in their catch for the first time this season," he said. "Those fish were put in there to try to help control the fathead minnow population."
The other two winter-only trout lakes are Williams and Hatch in Stevens County. Williams Lake has 9- to 10-inch rainbows from this year's fry plants, and some 14-inch or better carryovers from last year. But illegally-introduced yellow perch are starting to compete with the trout, so this may be the last year of decent trout fishing at Williams. Hatch Lake fishing will again be poor since it has had a growing infestation of yellow perch and received only minimal hatchery trout.
Also opening Dec. 1 is a four-month whitefish season on the Little Spokane River from the state highway 291 bridge near Nine Mile Falls to the west branch tributary north of Chattaroy. Up to 15 whitefish of any size can be taken daily, but fishing gear is restricted to one single point hook no bigger than size 14 (no more than 3/16-inch from point to shank). The gear rule is designed to minimize the chances of catching other gamefish, which are not legal to harvest at this time.
Snake River steelhead trout fishing continues to be best in the tributaries, although effort recently increased in the mainstem section from Lower Monumental to Little Goose dams following the release of about 1,000 surplus adult steelhead from WDFW's Lyons Ferry Hatchery. The recent cold snap may have steelhead holing up in deep, slow-moving water, which can make for hot fishing. The latest creel checks on the Tucannon River indicate anglers have been averaging about nine hours of fishing for every steelhead caught. Anglers in the mid-Snake River section above the stateline bridge were averaging about 9.5 hours per fish caught. Those in the stretches of the mainstem from Lower Granite to Lower Monumental dams were averaging a little less than 10 hours per steelhead. For details on the latest creel see http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/creel/snake/index.htm.
North Central Washington:
Fishing: Bob Jateff, WDFW district fish biologist, said catch rates for steelhead trout have recently slowed a bit on the mainstem Columbia River above Wells Dam. "Anglers are averaging one fish per 10 hours of fishing effort," he said. "The area around Pateros has been the most popular location."
The four-month season for whitefish opens Dec. 1 on portions of the Chewuch, Entiat, Methow, Similkameen, and Wenatchee rivers and Sinlahekin Creek. The daily catch limit is 15 fish using the standard whitefish gear - one single point hook size 14 or smaller (no more than 3/16-inch from point to shank). The gear rule is designed to minimize the chances of catching other gamefish, which are not legal to harvest at this time. Jateff recommends that anglers on the Methow regularly check the WDFW website's emergency fishing season changes (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm) for special closures during the whitefish season. At this time, the Methow, Okanogan, and Similkameen rivers are closed to fishing for steelhead.
Dec. 1 also marks the shift to a catch-and-keep season with standard fishing gear on four Okanogan County lakes - Little Twin near Winthrop, Big and Little Green near Omak, and Rat near Brewster. Jateff said all four lakes should provide good fishing for rainbow trout, although recent deep-freeze conditions could delay or complicate access until a major thaw or safe ice depth develops. The daily catch limit is five fish and bait is allowed.
South Central Washington:
Fishing: North Elton Pond, the region's only designated winter season rainbow trout fishing lake, is open for fishing from Dec. 1 through March 31. The 15-acre lake near Selah, in Yakima County, has been stocked with 2,000 rainbows that average about three-quarters of a pound and 10 to 13 inches. But WDFW Fish Biologist Jim Cummins said the recent deep freeze has iced-up the water and there may be no safe opportunity to fish on the opener. If wintry conditions persist, there may eventually be fishing through the ice. The daily catch limit is two trout.
Eric Anderson, WDFW district fish biologist, said two year-round lakes in Kittitas County were recently planted with surplus hatchery rainbow trout broodstock. North FioRito and Mattoon lakes near Ellensburg each received 125 fish that range from five to 10 pounds each.
More similar-sized rainbow broodstock from WDFW's Goldendale Hatchery were slated for some Yakima County year-round waters on Nov. 29, barring any access problems from snow or ice. Rotary Lake and I-82 Pond #4 were each to receive 125 fish and Myron Lake was to get 84.
Whitefish season opens on the Bumping, Naches and Tieton rivers Dec. 1. Cummins said the Columbia River between Vantage and Priest Rapids Dam and the Yakima River are also good bets for whitefish. The daily catch limit is 15 fish using the standard whitefish gear - one single point hook size 14 or smaller (no more than 3/16-inch from point to shank). The gear rule is designed to minimize the chances of catching other gamefish, which are not legal to harvest at this time. Check the fishing rules pamphlet for all details.
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