In brief: Bald eagle cruise honors veterans

A special cruise boat is being reserved for veterans, military personnel and their families for a tour on Lake Coeur d’Alene on Nov. 29 to view the annual congregation of bald eagles that comes to feast on spawning kokanee.

The yearly event is so popular, two tours will be offered. Advance registration is required and priority will be given to veterans, active military personnel and their families who have not previously joined one of the cruises, said Suzanne Endsley, Bureau of Land Management spokeswoman.

The BLM, in cooperation with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, offers the Veterans Eagle Watch Cruise on Wolf Lodge Bay free of charge. Registration is required and party size is limited to six persons.   

Reservations will be accepted by telephone starting Friday at 7:45 a.m.

Call Suzanne Endsley of the BLM at (208) 769-5004 or Connie Curtis, (208) 769-5011. 

The current status of available seating will be posted on the Coeur d’Alene Field Office’s website.

Reservation can be made for either the morning cruise that departs at 10 a.m. and returns by noon, or the afternoon cruise that sails at 1 p.m. and returns by 3 from the Coeur d’Alene Resort Lake Cruises boat dock located on the east end of the resort.

The general public can book eagle-watching cruises with Lake Coeur d’Alene Cruises, (208) 765-2300, ext. 5623. The boats will run weekends Dec. 6-28 and Monday-Friday from Dec. 26 to Jan. 4.

The two-hour cruises cost $15-23, with the cheaper tickets for kids and seniors.

State purchases river land

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission voted to buy more 4-0 ranch land along the Grande Ronde River and updated rules for work that impacts state waters during a meeting last week in Olympia.

The commission approved the purchase of 2,005 acres of riparian and high meadow lands in Asotin County, the latest deal in a six-phase, decade-long real estate program to buy nearly 12,000 acres of the Odom/4-O Land & Livestock, LLC.

The land will be purchased with $3.6 million in state and federal funding and be added to the 6,431 acres the state already has acquired from rancher Milt (Mike) Odom II. Funding sources include the Washington Recreation and Conservation Office and a grant from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is acquiring the land to expand the Chief Joseph Wildlife Area of the Blue Mountains Wildlife Area Complex and preserve critical habitat for threatened salmon, steelhead and trout, as well as deer, bighorn sheep and elk.

The latest acquisition will include a mile-long section of the Grande Ronde River and stretches 1.5 miles on either side of Wenatchee Creek.

“This acquisition contains some of the best wildlife mosaic currently available,” said Julie Sandberg, WDFW real estate manager.

“Historically, the property has been managed as a working ranch with a focus on wildlife habitat providing trophy big-game hunting opportunities. Management practices include scattered dry-land farming, moderate cattle grazing and timber production.”

The commission also approved dozens of changes in the statewide hydraulics rules during a public meeting on Friday and Saturday. Common projects requiring approval under the state’s hydraulic rules include work on bulkheads, culverts, piers and docks.

Miranda Wecker, commission chair, said the revised hydraulic code rules reflect developments in environmental science, technology and state law since the last comprehensive update in 1994.

Some of the rules proposed by WDFW set standards for projects ranging from culvert design to decking materials that allow light to penetrate to the water below. Others clarify existing policies, including a statewide ban on the use of creosote in aquatic areas.

Fishing rule proposals

Proposed changes to fishing rules for the Columbia River Basin are open to written public comment through Dec. 1 in an extension announced by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Proposals include:  

• Closing all rivers, streams and beaver ponds in the Columbia River Basin to fishing unless otherwise stated in the rules pamphlet, and implement additional conservation measures to provide greater protection for juvenile anadromous fish.

• Changing open dates for most year-round lakes to March 1 through Oct. 31 in Asotin, Franklin, Kittitas, Yakima and Walla Walla counties.

• Eliminating the retention of sturgeon on the Snake River and its tributaries. Catch-and-release sturgeon fishing would be maintained.

• Modifying the definition of “fly fishing only” waters to include the lines used in Tenkara fly fishing gear.

• Changing walleye statewide rules to a minimum size of 12 inches and a daily limit of 8 fish.

• Eliminating chumming rules on Lake Rufus Woods.

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission will hold a public hearing on the proposals at its Dec. 12-13 meeting in Olympia.

The commission, which sets policy for WDFW, is scheduled to take action on the proposed rule changes in a January meeting.

Fisheries managers have recommended 32 of the proposals submitted by the public and staff in May move forward for additional review.

The proposals are listed on the department’s website, wdfw.wa.gov.