Last spring, under pressure from conservationists, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife agreed not to release hatchery steelhead smolts into most Puget Sound rivers this year, which means there will be few adult fish in the 2-year age class returning for the winter of 2015-16.
That left more than 300,000 early winter hatchery smolts with nothing to do but hang out at the mall. The department fed the fish until they reached “catchable” trout size, and announced they would plant these “rainbow trout” in various Western Washington lakes this fall.
The move almost certainly will push a significant number of winter steelheaders onto the already crowded Cowlitz and Forks-area streams — or convince many a frustrated angler to hang his or her rod in the closet and quit spending fishing-trip money in small towns around the west side of the state.
The state did its best to spin the decision. “WDFW to release torrent of trout; nearly four times more fish stocked this fall,” trumpeted a release from the department last week.
“With some 340,000 trout scheduled for stocking in western Washington lakes, area anglers should have an excellent chance at phenomenal fishing this fall and through the holiday season,” Chris Donley, the state’s inland fish program manager based in Spokane, said via the release.
The reason for this big “trout” plant, he said, was “in response to anglers’ requests to increase fall and winter trout fishing opportunities in Western Washington.”
Have you heard anyone lately say they sure wish they could go out and do some trout fishing in the snow, rain, wind and 33-degree temperatures? I haven’t.
For a 6- or 8-pound steelhead, certainly, but not for a 10-inch “trout.”
All this being said, we have two choices: take our Brad’s Wigglers and go home, or grab a kid and take him/her out for some lake fishing. Most of the fish, Donley said, will run 10 to 12 inches, with a few larger ones in the mix. A total of 47 westside lakes will be planted, and the catch limit will be increased to 10 fish daily, from the current five, on 19 of the waters. Planting already has started, and the increased catch limit goes into effect on the designated lakes Saturday.
Just three lakes in Snohomish County and one in Island County will be planted this fall/winter, and on all four the catch limit will be increased to 10 fish starting this Saturday: Lake Tye, on the west side of Monroe, gets 6,000 fish between Oct. 13-22; 2,000 fish between Nov. 3-12; and 2,000 fish between Nov.17-26. North Gissberg Pond, adjacent to I-5 at Smokey Point and open to juveniles only, receives 1,250 fish on each of three plants, the same dates as Lake Tye, and South Gissberg Pond receives 1,250 fish on each of three plants, the same dates as Lake Tye.
Cranberry Lake, on the north end of Whidbey Island, gets 13,500 fish between Oct. 13-22; 7,500 between Nov. 3-12; and 7,500 between Nov. 17-26.
While Snohomish County and Island County get a total of four planted lakes, King County gets 11: Angle, Bitter, Deep, Fenwick, Fish, Fivemile, Green, Holm, Langlois, Shadow, and Walker.
Waterfowl
Weather being crucial to the success of waterfowl hunters in this area, the wet, blustery conditions over the weekend and early this week came at just the right time for the season opener. There were a lot of ducks moving around Skagit Bay, said Kevin John at Holiday Sports in Burlington, and good shooting. The same situation existed with snow geese around the Fir Island reserve and in the Stanwood area.
“We saw some limits of snows coming from both areas,” John said.
If it’s windy, try anywhere on the Skagit or south Padilla bayfronts where you can obtain access, John said. The public Wells Property, just south of Samish Island, is a fair bet, although usually crowded. The Telegraph Slough access, just before reaching the Twin Bridges across the Swinomish Channel, offers opportunity on south Padilla Bay, and is particularly known for teal. Walk in, or launch a boat at Twin Bridges and run out to the sand islands, John said.
In the Columbia Basin, conditions also were optimal, according to wildlife program manager Rich Finger at the state’s Ephrata office. That resulted in some early limits for experienced hunters, and was also a big help to the less experienced, Finger said.
He said data from a couple of agency monitoring stations indicated that the total bag over the weekend was down a little, but that was probably because participation was down as well. Checks at Winchester Wasteway showed 2.5 birds per person on the opener, and at Frenchman Wasteway, it was about 1.75 birds — about average for Winchester but down a little for Frenchman’s.
“We need more water in the area,” Finger said. “We’ve got a problem with tall vegetation and low water, making it difficult to find openings in some of the area.”
The bag was mostly local ducks, as is usually the case early in the season, Finger said.
Derby time
Hey, highliners, it’s time to think about getting your boat team registered for the 2015 Roche Harbor Salmon Classic, to be held Feb. 5-7. Coordinator Debbie Sandwith was careful to note the dates do not conflict with either the Seattle Boat Show or the Super Bowl.
With first place worth $10,000, and the $30,000 bonus for a winning fish of 30 pounds or more, it could be a $40,000 event.
The entry fee is $750 per boat — up to four anglers — and there’s a 100-boat limit. For more information or to register, call Sandwith at 360-378-5562, or visit market@rocheharbor.com.
Saltwater coho
There are still a few coho around in local saltwater areas, but it’s spotty fishing according to All Star Charters owner/skipper Gary Krein. The best bet is off the Edmonds Marina, Krein said, and a mile or two either way. Work from the shoreline all the way out to the shipping lane, with your gear at 60 to 80 feet, using a light green or white glow squid, 28 to 30 inches behind a Gibbs green or white flasher.
For more outdoors news, read Wayne Kruse’s blog at www.heraldnet.com/huntingandfishing.
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