Fishermen Hook Some New Regulations They Angled For

Many of the state’s anglers didn’t get all they wanted after the Fish and Wildlife Department asked for their opinions on fishing regulations. But some, particularly fly fishers, are smiling.

The new regulations will become effective May 1, five days after the opening of the regular fishing season.

The Fish and Game Commission went along with fly fishers’ requests that Lenice, Nunnally and Merry lakes be opened to fishing March 1 in future years and that the limit for Bayley Lake southeast of Colville be cut to one per day. Commissioners also agreed to extend the season for Dry Falls Lake through November and cut the limit at Sidley Lake to two trout per day.

One surprise for anglers was the setting of a new limit for Loon, Chapman and Horseshoe lakes. It will be possible for fishermen to take home 15 fish per day, but no more than 10 can be kokanee.

Fly anglers had hoped the commission would open Lenice, Nunnally and Merry lakes, all selective fishery waters, on March 1 this year, but the commissioners made the new regulations effective May 1. That meant the lakes will open this year the third Saturday in April.

The fly fishers presented some sound arguments for opening the lakes early each year. They noted some important insect hatches occur early at the lakes and argued the presence of anglers on the lakes would deter poaching. In addition, opening the lakes early, they said, would provide more opportunities for fishing at a time of year when little is happening.

In some years, the massive hatches of outsized chironomids at the Lenice-Nunnally lakes peaked before the lakes were opened to fishing. By the time the lakes were opened, chironomid hatches had tapered and, in some cases, were virtually over.

Lenice, Nunnally and Merry, which are somewhat isolated, are perhaps the most poached lakes in the state. Wildlife agents arrest numerous migrant farm workers during “emphasis patrols” each year, but can be at the lakes only a few days of each year. Fly fishers believe the presence of fly and spin fishermen at the lakes from March 1 through Oct. 31 will deter poachers.

The commission added a month to the Dry Falls Lake season. The selective fishery lake has been closed each Oct. 31 the last few years. It will be closed Nov. 30 this year. Fishing can often be excellent at Columbia Basin lakes in November.

Some anglers, complaining that over-fishing depleted trout populations at Sidley Lake northeast of Tonasket, asked that the lake be designated as a selective fishery lake with a limit of one trout per day. The commission didn’t go along with a selective fishery designation, but cut the limit from five to two per day. Trout grow fast in the insect-rich lake near the Canadian border.

The state’s fly fishers were divided in their recommendations for Bayley Lake, a fly fishing-only lake on the Little Pend Oreille Wildlife Refuge. Some wanted the lake and nearby Potter’s Pond designated fly fishing-only, catch-and-release waters. Many wanted Bayley’s limit cut to one fish per day and minimum sizes to be 14 inches for brook trout and 26 for rainbows.

The commission retained existing regulations for Potter’s Pond, but cut the Bayley Lake limit to one per day, with the minimum size for all fish at 14 inches.

The Bayley Lake limit has been two trout per day and that limit still will be in effect the last four days of April. On the fifth day after opening of the season, the limit will be one trout per day.

Fly fishers argued that the two-fish-per-day limit was excessive considering the small size and popularity of Bayley Lake. Although most fly fishers have released all the trout they caught, some kept two legal-sized fish every time they fished the lake. Enough fly fishers were killing two trout per day, fly clubs argued, that the lake’s trout population was being depleted.

Starting May 1, anglers can keep 15 fish per day at Loon, Chapman and Horseshoe lakes. In recent years, anglers could keep 10 fish per day, only five of which could be rainbows, browns, brookies or lake trout.

Under the new regulations, the daily limit will be five trout and 10 kokanee. The regulations will say “kokanee are not included in the trout daily limit;” consequently, kokanee anglers will have to stop fishing after catching 10 kokanee, unless they want to try for trout.

The commission made some other changes that will become effective May 1, including the designation of Muskegon Lake as a “selective fishery” water and returning Clear Lake to a standard season, i.e., opening April 27 and closing Sept. 30.

, DataTimes MEMO: You can contact Fenton Roskelley by voice mail at 459-5577, extension 3814.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Fenton Roskelley The Spokesman-Review