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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

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Spring closure limits upper Columbia anglers, protects spawning rainbows

Lake Roosvelt spring fishing closures on the Upper Columbia River near Northport, Wash. (Washington Fish and Wildlife Department)
Lake Roosvelt spring fishing closures on the Upper Columbia River near Northport, Wash. (Washington Fish and Wildlife Department)

FISHING -- Washington regulations prohibit fishing March 1-May 25 in two stretches of the upper Columbia River (listed under Lake Roosevelt rules) near Northport.

Today's Fishing-Hunting report in the Sports section said anglers have been catching big spawnng rainbows near gravel bars in the Northport area.

Well, they'd better be careful where they're doing that.

The report did not mention anglers lobbied two years ago for the spawning closures, which prohibit fishing in stretches that include the mouths of Sheep Creek, Deep Creek and Onion Creek to protect the big rainbows at a vulnerable period.

See details on page 96 of the 2011-2012 fishing regulations for definitions of the CLOSED WATERS, one stretch above Northport and one below.

The photo above shows the boundary markers for those two stretches of water.



Rich Landers
Rich Landers joined The Spokesman-Review in 1977. He is the Outdoors editor for the Sports Department writing and photographing stories about hiking, hunting, fishing, boating, conservation, nature and wildlife and related topics.

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