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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Field Reports: Trout limit changes proposed for Lake Roosevelt

FISHING – Fish managers are seeking public input through July 25 on proposals for changing the daily catch limit on trout at Lake Roosevelt to further protect native fish.

Currently, anglers fishing the Columbia River reservoir behind Grand Coulee Dam can keep five trout (hatchery or wild) a day, including two that are 20 inches or larger.

Two proposed options revealed on Thursday would:

Allow anglers to keep up to 10 trout, only one of which can be a wild trout that is 18 inches or larger. This proposal also extends by two months the closure of the Sanpoil River arm of the reservoir where redband rainbow trout stage for an upriver spawning run. Currently, the arm is closed Feb. 1-March 31. Under this proposal, it would close Feb. 1-May 31.

Limit anglers to five hatchery trout a day with no harvest of wild trout allowed from Grand Coulee Dam to the Northport Bridge. Anglers from Northport Bridge upstream to Canada would have a daily limit of two trout (wild or hatchery) that are 18 inches long or more.

Comment online or at a public meeting, 6-8 p.m. on Thursday at the agency’s Eastern Region office, 2315 N. Discovery Pl. in Spokane Valley.

Proposed changes to the catch limit would help protect wild redband rainbow trout while still providing anglers with opportunities to harvest hatchery fish, said Chris Donley, area fisheries manager.

Bullwinkle killer says

he got bad advice

HUNTING – A Lewis County hunter accused of illegally shooting a beloved Kittitas County bull elk claimed Tuesday he’s not responsible for the animal’s death in a restricted area. Rather, a state wildlife official is to blame.

An attorney for Tod Reichert argued in Lower Kittitas County District Court that a member of Reichert’s hunting party called state wildlife officials to make sure there were no restrictions on hunting the elk, known as Bullwinkle to local residents in whose yards and fields he wandered.

“This was a case of miscommunication, and we believe that Mr. Reichert didn’t do anything wrong,” Spokane-based attorney Steve Hormel said after the hearing. Reichert is charged with second-degree unlawful big-game hunting.

Tuesday’s hearing was convened to set a new trial date to accommodate the 76-year-old Reichert’s cancer treatments.

Puget Sound reopened

FISHING – State fish managers have reopened fishing in Puget Sound marine areas, rivers and lakes that had been closed because of an impasse between tribal and state officials.