Hunting+Fishing

Fri., April 6, 2007

Alan Liere Correspondent

Tip of the week

» Anglers are finding the drop-shot technique used for walleye is also deadly for Priest Lake mackinaw. Using the smaller drop-shot hook with a shortened glow grub ensures better hookups.

Overheard

» The numerous sea lions that munch salmon and steelhead below Bonneville Dam have evidently discovered sturgeon are also on the menu. There have been several reports of sea lions catching and killing sturgeon as long as 9 feet.

Heads up

» A boating safety course that meets Washington's soon-to-be phased in requirement begins Wednesday, taught by the Spokane Power Squadron. Info: 328-6165.

“Applications for Idaho controlled hunts for moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goat are due by April 30.

“Washington is revamping the 16-year-old Advanced Hunter Education program. While the revisions start, the program will take no new enrollees. Applications will be accepted again starting early next year.

“Learn tricks for catching mackinaw and rainbows in Lake Pend Oreille at the free Bayview Fishing Seminar, 9 a.m.-noon on April 14 at the Bayview Community Center. Info: (208) 683-2951.

Trout

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife fish hatchery crews are busy stocking trout in Eastern Washington in preparation for the April 28 lowland lakes fishing season opener. They are also stocking waters that are open year-round, and those may be the ones to hit now. Eloika Lake recently received 5,000 catchable-size brown trout, and Long Lake received 2,500 catchable browns. In addition, the 12,000 cutthroat trout fry and 25,000 brown trout fry planted there last fall should be catchable size.

Rock Lake has already received some of its 2007 allotment of 30,000 catchable-size rainbow and 20,000 browns. Last fall, Rock Lake was stocked with 40,000 rainbow fry and 35,000 brown trout fry. Those fish should also be catchable, but be careful if you go out on the water. Rock Lake is notoriously windy, and its 2,000-plus acres of narrow, long and deep waters have basalt shelves that can be boat-eaters.

Selective-gear lakes that opened March 1 near Spokane continue to provide good fishing. Coffeepot is yielding rainbow trout mostly in the 15- to 22-inch range. Amber Lake is providing 11- to 22-inch rainbow and an occasional cutthroat. Amber shifts to a catch-and-keep season for two trout daily on April 28. North Silver Lake, also under selective-gear rules, was recently stocked with 2,500 catchable-size rainbows.

The Tucannon River impoundments continue to produce good catches of 8- to 12-inch rainbow. Fishhook Pond, east of Burbank in Walla Walla County, has also been open since March 1 and has been restocked since then with catchable-size rainbows.

Other southeast waters open year-round that were recently stocked with catchable-size rainbows include Asotin County’s Golf Course, Silcott and West Evans ponds; Columbia County’s Dam, Dayton Juvenile and Orchard ponds; Walla Walla County’s Jefferson Park and Lions Park (College Place) ponds for juveniles, and Quarry Pond and Bennington Lake (Mill Creek Reservoir); and Whitman County’s Pampa and Riparia ponds.

WDFW district fish biologist Jeff Korth of Moses Lake reported the April Fool’s Day fishing season opener in the Columbia Basin produced decent catches of large fish. On the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge, Upper Hampton Lake anglers averaged about 1 1/2 fish each. Catches were mostly 15-inch rainbow, with about 42 percent running more than 19 inches. Lower Hampton Lake anglers averaged less than one fish each, most running a little less than 14 inches, with 40 percent near 20 inches.

Dry Falls Lake, just west of Coulee City in northern Grant County, also opened Sunday for selective-gear fishing and a one-trout daily catch limit. Many anglers caught and released up to four fish each, including 14-inch yearlings and 16- to 18-inch carryovers including brown trout. Many 8- to 10-inch rainbows from fall fingerling stocking were also caught and released.

Three Grant County waters with selective-gear rules and a one-trout daily catch limit are receiving 1 1/2-pound triploid trout this week or next. Those include Beda Lake south of Winchester Wasteway, and Lenice and Nunnally lakes in the Crab Creek Wildlife Area east of Beverly.

WDFW district fish biologist Bob Jateff of Omak reported good catch rates on 9- to 10-inch rainbows at Spectacle Lake on the Sunday season opener. Spectacle also produced a few carryover trout to 13 inches.

Curlew Lake is ice-free, and numerous rainbows 14-16 inches are being caught from shore. Trollers are also finding success.

April 14 marks the opening of many Tribal lakes including the popular South Twin near Inchelium. Anglers should find some nice brook trout as well as rainbow and bass.

Brain Stauffacher and his son Drew spent a three-day weekend at Priest Lake drop-shotting for mackinaw. Stauffacher said the bite was frantic, with his son at one time catching seven macks in 15 minutes.

Steelhead/salmon

The Salmon River from the Lemhi River to the Little Salmon River had good steelheading last week with anglers averaging about a fish every eight hours. Fishing was even better on the South Fork Clearwater, with a catch average of a fish every three hours.

On the Lower Columbia from the I-5 Bridge downstream, salmon boat anglers averaged a chinook per every 12.5 rods this week. The best success was in Cathlamet, where private boat anglers averaged a chinook kept/released per every 8.7 rods. Bank angling continues to be slow. The Lewis River is giving up a few chinook, but Wind River and Drano Lake are not attracting anglers.

Anglers in marine areas 8-1 and 8-2 have through April 30 to hook a blackmouth.

“We’re entering the final weeks of what has turned out to be a great blackmouth salmon season,” said Steve Thiesfeld, WDFW fish biologist.

Spiny ray

Eloika and Newman lakes are giving up a few largemouth and crappie, although fishing should improve as the weather warms. Largemouth and smallmouth bass are also fair game in Long Lake, although the bass season shifts to catch and release May 1.

Pike fishing remains hot in Coeur d’Alene Lake bays and good at Hayden, Hauser and Twin lakes.

Walleye action is picking up on Bonneville, The Dalles and John Day Pools, but closer to Spokane, the notoriously tight-lipped Sprague Lake walleye haven’t done anything to change their tough-to-catch reputation.

The Spokane Arm of Lake Roosevelt is closed to walleye fishing until June 1.

Other species

Open recreational fishing for Halibut in Puget Sound Marine Areas 6-11 and 13 begins Monday, five days per week, closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Lingcod fishing opens off Neah Bay in Marine Area 4 on April 15. The fishery has been open in ocean marine areas 1-3 since March 17.

Hunting

General season youth turkey hunts in Idaho and Washington run Saturday and Sunday. The general spring turkey hunts open April 15.

WDFW wildlife biologist Dana Base of Colville reported Washington turkey-hunting opportunities in game management units 101-136 should again be the best in the state. The second-best place in the state to harvest a turkey is the southeast part of the region, in game management units 139-186. There, the birds are Rio Grandes rather than Merriams.

Idaho hunters applying for a controlled hunt can the fight against poaching and it won’t cost them an extra dime. The major source of revenue for the Citizens Against Poaching program is a check-off on controlled hunt applications. Simply check the “YES” box, and $1 of the $6.25 application fee goes to the program.