Fishing Decisions

Fish and Wildlife Commission

The recent federal listing of Columbia River steelhead as an endangered species is translating into more restrictions for Washington anglers.

Proposals for selective fishing gear, barbless hooks and tributary closures are among those being considered by the Fish and Wildlife Commission for Asotin and Mill Creeks, and the Grande Ronde, Touchet, Tucannon and Walla Walla rivers.

The commission will consider the proposals for 1998 at a public meeting Saturday beginning at 8:30 a.m. in the Doubletree Inn, 1100 N. Sullivan Rd. in the Spokane Valley.

Other proposals to be considered:

Changing the special hunting season permit application deadline from the first Friday in May to the third Friday in June. This would allow biologists to recommend permit quotas before hunters had to make their applications.

Requiring sterile rainbows with clipped adipose fins to be released at Amber Lake.

Adopting selective fishery regulations for Coffee Pot Lake, which will be opened to the public for the first time in years for a March 1-Aug. 31 season. The proposal calls for daily limits of two trout, 10 crappie and two bass. No bass more than 14 inches long could be kept.

No bait would be allowed. However, in a deviation from selective fishery rules, motor boats would be allowed under the proposal. , DataTimes