Washington Fish and Wildlife Weekender Report

The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife publishes a regular newletter/press release highlighting things you might do outdoors in Washington state. A portion of these items might be of relevance to Puget Sound Maritime readers, including things like fishing seasons and wildlife viewing opportunities.

The entire Weekender Report archive is available online. Here’s the current report. I’ve included the introduction and the sections on North Puget Sound and South Sound/Olympic Peninsula.

Spring fishing, hunting seasons good reason to renew licenses

Anglers are landing increasing numbers of spring chinook salmon on the lower Columbia River, the lingcod season is under way on a large portion of the Washington coast and hundreds of lakes throughout the state open for trout fishing April 25.

Those are just a few of the reasons why anglers might want to purchase a 2009-10 fishing license before current licenses expire at midnight March 31.

Hunters also have good reason to plan ahead. A spring wild turkey season for hunters under age 16 is scheduled April 4-5 prior to the general spring turkey hunt, which gets under way April 15. Hunter should also be aware that the application period for special hunt permits will begin April 20 and close May 20.

“We encourage people to renew their fishing and hunting licenses early, so they can take advantage of all the great outdoor recreation opportunities available in the coming weeks,” said Bill Joplin, licensing manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).

Not counting dealer fees, the resident adult freshwater fishing license is $21.90; saltwater is $20.26; shellfish/seaweed is $10.95; and a combination license is $42.16. Resident hunting licenses vary with package options, ranging from a small-game license at $32.85 to a deer/elk/cougar/bear combination license for $72.27.

Most annual licenses include a WDFW vehicle-use permit, which allows access to more than 600 WDFW recreational access sites throughout the state. Sold separately, the annual permit costs $10.95.

Licenses may be purchased online (https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov), via a toll-free phone line (1-866-246-9453) or from one of 600 authorized license sales locations around the state.

For more information about fishing, hunting and wildlife-viewing opportunities available right now, see the regional reports below:

North Puget Sound

Fishing: The catch-and-release fishery for steelhead is under way on the Skagit River, but most anglers in the region are focused on the marine areas of Puget Sound, where blackmouth fisheries remain open.

Fishing continues to be decent for blackmouth – resident chinook – in Marine Area 7 (San Juan Islands), said Steve Thiesfeld, WDFW fish biologist. “From what I’m hearing, fishing is still solid around the San Juan Islands, especially for those anglers working the western and northern portions of the marine area,” he said.

Recent creel samples show some of the best harvest numbers were seen at checks at ramps in those portions of Marine Area 7. For example, 34 anglers were checked with eight chinook March 6 at the Bellingham Ramp. Two days later, 14 anglers were checked with three chinook at the Bellingham Ramp while eight anglers were checked with three chinook at Friday Harbor Marina.

Anglers fishing in Marine Area 7 (San Juan Islands) can keep two hatchery chinook as part of their two-salmon daily limit. They must, however, release wild chinook, which have an intact adipose fin.

Thiesfeld said there have been recent reports of anglers hooking some nice-size blackmouth in Marine Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet), but, overall, fisheries there and in marine areas 8-1 (Deception Pass, Hope Island and Skagit Bay) and 8-2 (Port Susan and Port Gardner) continue to be slow. Anglers in those three areas also can keep two hatchery chinook as part of their two-salmon daily limit.

Meanwhile, anglers can still cast for steelhead . Most rivers in the region closed to steelhead fishing at the end of February, but portions of the Skagit River remain open for catch-and-release, said Brett Barkdull, WDFW fish biologist. Anglers fishing the Skagit River from the Dalles Bridge at Concrete to the Cascade River can catch-and-release steelhead through April 30.

Barkdull reminds steelheaders on the Skagit fishing from boats, sleds or any other floating device equipped with a gas or electric motor that it’s illegal to fish while under power during the catch-and-release season.

The Sauk River also is open from the mouth of the river to the Darrington Bridge. Anglers can still keep two hatchery steelhead through April 30, but all wild steelhead must be released.

Looking forward to the summer salmon fishing season? There’s still time to provide input on proposals for this year’s fisheries. Four public meetings have been scheduled as fishery managers continue to develop the 2009 salmon seasons. Those meetings are scheduled for:

• March 19 – The final opportunity for anglers and others to provide input on Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor salmon seasons. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. in Room 172 of the Natural Resources Building, 1111 Washington St. S.E., Olympia.
• March 19 – Public discussion of potential recreational and commercial salmon fisheries statewide. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. at the Benton PUD, 2721 W. 10th Ave. Kennewick.
• March 30 – An opportunity for the public to comment on proposed ocean salmon fishing options adopted by the Pacific Fishery Management Council. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at the Chateau Westport, 710 W. Hancock St., Westport.
• March 31 – The public will have an opportunity to discuss salmon fisheries that take place in coastal areas, Puget Sound and the Columbia River. That meeting is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. at the Lynnwood Embassy Suites Hotel, 20610 44th Ave. W., Lynnwood.

The final fishing package for Washington’s waters will be finalized in early April. More information about the salmon season-setting process can be found on WDFW’s North of Falcon website ( http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/northfalcon/ ).

Hunting: The spring wild turkey season runs April 15 through May 31 throughout the state. The general season follows a special hunt April 4-5 for people age 15 and younger. For more information, a Wild Turkey Spring Season brochure is available at WDFW regional offices and on the department’s website ( http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/turkey/index.htm ).

Wildlife viewing: The annual gray whale migration is under way and several sightings of the large marine mammals in Puget Sound have been reported. The Whidbey and Camano Island areas, particularly Saratoga Passage, seem to be the hot spots for catching a glimpse of the massive animals. The whales are part of a larger population making its annual journey north from the coast of Mexico to the Arctic Ocean, where the animals spend the summer feeding before heading south again. While most continue on to Alaska, some gray whales linger in the waters of the Pacific Northwest during the summer months.

With the change of season, bird sightings are on the rise. A couple of birders recently set out looking for owls in the Skagit area. The pair was successful, spotting some short-eared owls at the end of Rawlins Road. The owls were hunting and interacting with female northern harriers in the area, according to the report on Tweeters website ( http://www.scn.org/earth/tweeters/ ). They also sighted a great-horned owl in a tree at the Wylie Road parking area.

Elsewhere, a group of birders at Marymoor Park spotted a number of interesting species including a green heron , a pair of Cooper’s hawks , a red-tailed hawk , a peregrine falcon , a couple of hairy woodpeckers and a barn owl in a nest box.

South Sound/Olympic Peninsula

Fishing: With lingcod and blackmouth fishing under way, spring chinook on the horizon and several proposed razor clam digs coming up, Washingtonians have plenty of good reasons to buy their 2009-10 fishing licenses before April 1.

On the ocean, recreational lingcod fishing is now under way in marine areas 1-3, while Marine Area 4 (Neah Bay) will open April 16. All four marine areas will be open seven days a week.

In Marine Area 2 (Westport/Ocean Shores), recreational fishing for bottomfish or lingcod is not allowed in waters deeper than 30 fathoms from March 14 through June 15. However, anglers may retain sablefish and Pacific cod in these waters from May 1 through June 15. Retention of canary and yelloweye rockfish is prohibited in all areas.

The minimum size for lingcod in marine areas 1-3 is 22 inches, while the minimum size in Marine Area 4 is 24 inches. Additional information about the lingcod fishery and other bottomfish is available on the WDFW Fishing Hotline (360) 902-2500 or online at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm .

Meanwhile, angler turnout and success were low for blackmouthfishing over the March 14 weekend in Hood Canal and south Puget Sound, where blustery weather likely kept anglers off the water, said Steve Thiesfeld, WDFW fish biologist. A better choice was the Strait of Juan de Fuca, where a creel check showed 84 anglers caught 29 salmon off Ediz Hook near Port Angeles. “So far this season, the strait has been the best area to find blackmouth and it could pay to make the trip,” Thiesfeld said.

Blackmouth fishing wraps up April 10 in marine areas 5 (Sekiu), 6 (eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca), 11 (Tacoma-Vashon) and 12 (Hood Canal). April 30 is the last day for blackmouth fishing in Marine Area 13 (South Puget Sound). The daily limit is one fish per angler.

On the freshwater, anglers should note that the Chehalis River and its tributaries are now closed to all fishing, with the exception of fishing for white sturgeon on the mainstem downstream of Porter Bridge. The fishery was scheduled to remain open into April, but early data indicate returns of hatchery and wild steelhead are below pre-season projections and may not meet escapement goals, said Kirt Hughes, WDFW regional fish program manager.

“The Chehalis River system has been under-escaped for two years. We had to close the basin to reduce the impact on these fish,” Hughes said. Rivers affected include the Newaukum, Cloquallum Creek, Satsop, Skookumchuck, Wishkah and Wynoochee, and their tributaries. Additional information is available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm .

As an alternative, anglers can try their luck on several north coast rivers, where the steelhead fishery is “cooking along,” said Mike Gross, WDFW fish biologist. With wild steelhead making up most of the catch, anglers checked on the Bogachiel and Sol Duc rivers over the March 14 weekend averaged one fish for every two rods, while the average on the upper and lower Hoh River was one fish for every three rods. Five anglers on the Calawah River caught three wild steelhead (one released).

The retention fishery for steelhead closes at the end of the day April 15 on the Hoh River, but will remain open on the Quillayute River system through April 30.

For more information on rules and regulations, anglers should check the Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm .

Meanwhile in Thurston County, a catch-and-release troutfishery is underway on Munn Lake, where 1,000 one-pound rainbows were planted March 1. Anglers must use single, barbless hooks and release all fish. Fish retention will be allowed when the lowland lake trout season starts on April 25.

Anglers may want to put their rods aside and grab a shovel for a three-day razor clamdig tentatively scheduled March 27-29, provided marine toxin tests show the clams are safe to eat. Two digs are also tentatively scheduled April 10-12 and April 25-27. All digs will be held on morning tides.

Tentative opening dates and morning low tides in March are:

• Friday, March 27 (7:49 a.m. 0.0 ft.) Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
• Saturday, March 28 (8:29 a.m. -0.4 ft.) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks
• Sunday, March 29 (9:12 a.m. -0.6 ft.) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks

April 1 marks the beginning of a new license year, so diggers must purchase an applicable 2009-10 fishing license. Anyone age 15 or older must have a license to dig razor clams. Licenses can be purchased at http://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov , by telephone (866) 246-9453, or in person at more than 600 license vendors throughout the state. A list of vendors is available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/lic/vendors/vendors.htm . Updates on the razor clam season are available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/razorclm/season.htm .

For those interested in the upcoming summer salmon fishing season, three public meetings will take place the end of March as fishery managers continue to develop the 2009 salmon season. Those meetings are scheduled for:

• March 19 – The final opportunity to provide input on the Grays Harbor and Willapa Bay salmon seasons. The meeting is scheduled from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Room 172 of the Natural Resources Building, 1111 Washington St. S.E., Olympia.
• March 30 – A hearing of proposed ocean salmon fishing options adopted by the Pacific Fishery Management Council. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at Chateau Westport, 710 Hancock Street, Westport.
• March 31 – An opportunity to discuss salmon fisheries developed for Puget Sound and Columbia River area sport and commercial fisheries. The meeting is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Embassy Suites Hotel, 20610 44th Ave. West, Lynnwood.

Hunting: The spring wild turkey season will run April 15 through May 31 throughout the state. The general season follows a special hunt April 4-5 for youths under 16 years of age. For more information, a Wild Turkey Spring Season brochure is available at WDFW regional offices and on the department’s website: http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/turkey/index.htm .

WDFW will notify hunters who won a permit drawing for this year’s spring black bearhunt by March 31. The drawing applies to specific hunts in western or eastern Washington. In western Washington, three pilot black bear damage hunts are scheduled between April 15 and June 15. The hunts will occur on portions of the Capitol Forest, Kapowsin Tree Farm and Copalis game management units (GMUs). A total of 295 permits will be issued in western Washington. More information on hunts scheduled on both sides of the state is available on page 58 in the 2008 Big Game Hunting Rules pamphlet at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/hunter/hunter.htm .

Wildlife viewing: Enjoy a bird-watching weekend along the bays, estuaries and beaches near the Strait of Juan de Fuca at the 2009 Olympic Peninsula Birdfest in Sequim April 3-5 . The sixth annual festival, sponsored by the Olympic Peninsula Audubon Society, Dungeness River Audubon Center and Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, offers a full slate for beginning birders, experts and those who enjoy the outdoors. Events include guided birding trips, boat tours, silent auction, salmon banquet and presentations. For more information, call (360) 681-4076 or visit the website at http://www.olympicbirdfest.org .

Curious about those birds you’re seeing and hearing? With many species flying through or breeding, spring is a great time to learn about these birds. A good place to get started is with a local Audubon society, which offers classes and field trips throughout the year for all levels of enthusiasts. Audubon Washington lists at least eight chapters in the region: Black Hills, Grays Harbor, Kitsap, Olympic Peninsula, Tahoma, Vashon, Willapa Hills -and the newest chapter – Discovery Coast in Long Beach. More information is available at http://wa.audubon.org/chapters.html .

For people with backyard birdfeeders, wildlife health experts suggest regular cleaning to avoid deadly bacteria and viruses like salmonellosis, E. coli and avian pox. Unoccupied nesting boxes should also be cleaned now, as nesting season begins this month. Experts advise replacing food in birdfeeders at least weekly and water in birdbaths every three days. Clean bird feeders every two weeks. For maximum protection, soak feeders, baths and nest boxes in a 10-parts water to one-part household bleach solution for several minutes (this contact time with disinfectant is import). Rinse and allow to dry before adding new food or water.

The most common birds to use feeders are juncos, finches, sparrows, nuthatches, pine siskins, grosbeaks, woodpeckers, jays and flickers . Birds tend to use feeders most heavily during the winter but as spring approaches, artificial feeding should be slowly reduced. Birds will readily feed on natural sources like seeds and insects when they are available in the spring and through fall.