Contrary to the implied upward trajectory of its name, spring is a notorious season of slumps — and they can happen to anyone.
The doldrums develop in any number of ways. Too much isolation and confinement to the warm and dusty homestead over the long winter has a way of developing into acute cabin fever this time of year when the rains refuse to stop. Rivers run high and higher, brown and browner, and schools of promised fish seem to run only on the days that dedicated anglers are forced to report to the old salt mines.
Spring is also the time of year when the game of baseball creeps back into our lives through the dulcet tones of the radio and inky newspaper box scores. Professional players jump the gun a bit and report for official spring training in February and the ensuing weeks of Grapefruit and Cactus league games serve as a honeymoon period for ballplayers young and old, while washed up coaches try to squeeze into a uniform one more time.
By now though that honeymoon is over and the players have begun to watch the counting stats pile up, or against them. Likewise, the local high school and collegiate seasons of hardball have reached their halfway marks. In many cases, eternal optimism has been washed away and replaced with cold hard facts that nobody would want on the back of their baseball card.
Sometimes even writers hit the skids and wonder what words will come next? Why wasn’t it as easy as before? Was this a hit? Was that a miss? Have I completely struck out with my readers again?
Many times the answers to these questions are out of our own hands. The best bait will never hook a fish that isn’t there. A scorched line drive can be snared by a perfectly placed defender. A perfect pitch can be called a ball by any umpire and ten different readers can express eleven varying opinions about any given story.
The thing is that just because you’re in a slump doesn’t mean that you have failed. The essence of any undertaking is bound up in the authenticity of the action, rather than being dependant upon some presupposed outcome, and the only way to lose is to quit.
An angler is still an angler even when he doesn’t catch a fish. A ballplayer is still a ballplayer even when he strikes out, and a writer is still a writer even when he submits a column that lets his readers down.
In reality, bad days, errors and rainouts are to be expected. It’s all part of the game.
FISHIN’
The fish are starting to jump in area lakes and ponds just in time for the lowland lake opener. Of course, those jumping fish have more to do with the fact that they were just pumped out of a tanker truck than any warming of the weather.
According to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Tacoma Power recently planted South Lewis County Park Pond in Toledo with 1,600 rainbow trout. That deposit of hatchery fish comes just a few weeks after WDFW crews planted SoCo Pond with 1,840 fingerling rainbows in early March.
Those fish will help to stoke the odds for the youth fishing derby at South Lewis County Park Pond on Saturday, May 12. Two days prior to that annual event the pond will close to the public in order to allow for one last planting of frying pan ready fish. SoCo Pond is slated to close beginning May 10, with the fishing derby set to take place from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. on May 12. The pond will reopen to the public after 2 p.m. on the day of the derby, which is open to all children 14 years of age and under.
According to a press release from the WDFW, “This rule change is to ensure a successful fishing event. Several thousand rainbow trout will be stocked in South Lewis County Park Pond two days prior to the event to acclimate them to ensure they will bite while the kids are fishing.” To register for the event send an email to penny_lancaster@msn.com.
In other big fish/small pond news, several hundred lowland lakes are set to open to fishing on April 28. In advance of that traditional opening day the WDFW has been working to stock some 12 million hatchery trout and kokanee for the six month fishing season.
“Although many lakes are open year-round, the fourth Saturday in April marks the traditional start of the lowland lakes fishing season, when hundreds of thousands of anglers are expected to turn out to fish,” said Steve Thiesfeld, WDFW’s inland fish program manager, in a press release.
The lowland lake opener will also serve as a testing ground for the new WDFW Fish Washington app.
“The Fish Washington app is a planning tool that should be on every Washington angler’s smart phone,” said Thiesfeld, in the release. “It is designed to convey up-to-the-minute fishing regulations for every lake in the state.”
During the six month lowland lake season that’s set to expire at the end of October the WDFW will be holding an ongoing fishing derby. Anglers who catch one of 1,000 green-tagged trout will be eligible to redeem the tag for a prize donated by license vendors. The total value of those prizes is more than $38,000. In Lewis County, tagged trout will be planted at SoCo Pond, Fort Borst Pond, Carlisle Lake (Ol’ Mill Pond), and Mineral Lake. In Cowlitz County Lake Sacajawea, Silver Lake, Kress Lake and Horseshoe Lake will all have prize winning fish to catch. A complete list of lakes with prize fish and details on how to claim prizes is available online at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/Home/FishingDerby.
All told the WDFW plans to stock about 2.1 million catchable size trout in advance of the lowland lake season. Approximately 125,000 of those fish will be large trout weighing at least one pound each. On April 11 both Kress Lake and Horseshoe Lake were planted with more than 3,000 small rainbow trout, At Mineral Lake 3,276 fingerling rainbow trout were planted on April 6, with an additional 6,474 small rainbows planted the previous day. Mayfield Lake received 4,020 half pound rainbow trout on April 5, and on March 29 Swofford was stocked with 4,200 half pound rainbow trout to buffer the 4,400 fingerling rainbows it received on March 22.
If reeling big fish is more to your liking then there’s good news rolling in off of the mighty Columbia River. Fish managers recently set the parameters for a sturgeon harvest fishery in the Lower Columbia below the Wauna powerlines all the way to Buoy 10. That fishery, which extends to Youngs Bay and all adjacent tributaries in Washington, will take place on the Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays of May 14, 16, 19, 21, 23, 26, 28, 30, and June 2 and 4. Sturgeon angling, including catch and release, will close at 2 p.m. on each open day. Anglers will be allowed to keep white sturgeon measuring between 44 and 50 inches in fork length.
The WDFW noted that an increase in legal-size sturgeon population over the past several years has allowed for the limited harvest opportunity. The daily limit for anglers is one white sturgeon with an annual limit of two fish. No green sturgeon may be retained.
Anglers already have upriver opportunities for hatchery sturgeon, where there are no annual catch limits, and the WDFW has also announced that sturgeon fisheries in the Bonneville and The Dalles dam pools will begin on June 15. At Bonneville, keeper fish must measure between 38 and 54 inches, while keeper sturgeon at The Dalles must measure 43-54 inches.
Salmon angling is on hiatus on the Lower Columbia for the time being while the WDFW continues to count the trickle of spring salmon making their way beyond Bonneville Dam. Last Saturday the WDFW allowed a one-day salmon fishery and nearly 1,200 salmon boats were counted between Bonneville and Puget Island. Another 600 bank anglers were observed, but there was no report on angler success.
While things are shut down on the Columbia, the springers have finally begun to show up in noteworthy numbers on the Cowlitz River and effort has surged as a result. Last week the WDFW sampled 120 bank rods downstream from the I-5 Bridge with a haul of two adult springers and two steelhead, while 17 boat rods kept one springer. Closer to the trout hatchery and barrier dam 146 bank rods kept 14 springers and 20 steelhead while releasing another two steelies. Additionally, a whopping 199 boat rods kept three adult springers and 49 steelhead, while releasing four steelies.
The salmon bite was reportedly hottest near the barrier dam and the steelhead were hungriest near the trout hatchery. Last week at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator crews recovered 775 winter-run steelhead, 39 spring Chinook adults and two jacks during five days of operations. Tacoma Power employees then released 40 winter-run steelhead into the Tilton River at Gust Backstrom Park in Morton along with 14 winter-run steelhead and one spring Chinook adult into the Cispus River, near Yellow Jacket Creek. Additionally, 33 winter steelhead and one spring Chinook were planted in Lake Scanewa. River flow at Mayfield Dam was reported at about 6,340 cubic feet per second on Monday with water visibility of six feet and water temperature is 44.6 degrees F.
In a roundup of other Lower Columbia River tributary creel reports from the WDFW, 33 bank anglers released one steelhead on the Kalama River and seven boat anglers had no catch. On the mainstem Lewis River 15 bank rods released one adult springer and one boat angler had no catch, while 20 bank rods on the North Fork Lewis had not catch, but 17 boat rods kept three springers and released two steelhead.
HUNTIN’
That spring turkey hunt began on April 15 and will continue through the end of May. While that hunt is open statewide, opinions vary on the usefulness of pursuing gobblers on southwest Washington.
“Western Washington turkey season isn’t all that great just because our weather isn’t all that great for survival,” said Dan Rhoden, of the WDFW police. “We’ve tried releasing turkeys in the past and they just didn’t take.”
Rhoden said in Region 5 the best odds for bagging a turkey can be found in Klickitat County, but he suggested heading even farther east for the best prospects.
However, according to WDFW wildlife manager, Brian Calkins, there are big birds to be found in the hills around the Lewis/Thurston County line as well, so long as you know where to look.
“The best odds are probably twenty miles in any direction,” said Calkins during a meeting in Tenino last week. “But you’ve got to put in a lot of time if you want to have any hope of finding them.”
Those turkey hunts have a combined limit of three birds for the season, of which only two may be taken from Eastern Washington, with the exception of Chelan, Kittitas, and Yakima counties where only one gobbler may be killed per person. A one turkey limit is also applicable in Western Washington, although two turkeys may be taken in Klickitat County. Only male turkeys, or those with visible beards, are legal for hunting.
Time continues to grow short for long in the tooth cougar hunts that began last fall. Those opportunities to cap a big cat are set to continue through April 30 in most areas. However, hunters should check for closures in units with harvest limits before heading out. When cougar season ends, the general turkey season and permit-only black bear hunts will be all that’s left for hunters until the general hunting seasons strike back up again in August. Except, of course, for coyotes which state law stipulates never go out of season.
During a series of public meetings in Olympia last week the Fish and Wildlife Commission set new hunting seasons and regulations through 2020. Those changes included the banning of the use of drones during active hunts, while other key changes in hunting rules approved by the commission for upcoming seasons include:
• Waterfowl: The limit for pintail ducks increased to two birds a day in general waterfowl seasons. Additionally, special seasons for hunters under age 16 will be staggered to allow individual hunters to participate in youth hunts on both sides of the state. The special youth hunt is set for Sept. 22-23 in western Washington, followed by a youth hunt Sept. 29-30 in eastern Washington.
• White-tailed deer: Hunters will be allowed to take antlerless white-tailed deer in game management units 101-121 in northeast Washington. Special permits will be available to seniors and hunters using modern firearms, while other hunters can take antlerless deer during general hunting seasons.
• Elk: The early general bowhunting season for antlerless elk in the Yakima and Colockum elk herds has been reduced to six days from 13. This change, as with previous permit reductions for hunts with modern firearms and muzzleloaders, is designed to meet and sustain population objectives for those herds. The season for bull elk is not affected by this change.
The commission also approved a proposal that allows hunters with muzzleloaders to use primers designed for use in modern cartridges. A full rundown of hunting seasons and regulations will be available online beginning Thursday at wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/regulations/.
CLAMMIN’
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife finally signed off on a set of proposed razor clam digs on coastal beaches late last Friday afternoon. That four-day dig, which will likely be the last opening of the spring, is set to begin Thursday and continue through Sunday at a rotating assortment of locations.
Approval for those digs was delayed temporarily last week when rough surf conditions prevented field technicians from conducting marine toxin surveys.
“We collected all but one of the last set of razor clam samples for toxin testing (Tuesday) night. Really crummy surf conditions prevented the crew from collecting the full Mocrocks sample,” wrote Dan Ayres, WDFW coastal shellfish manager, in an email to the Fishrap command center last week. “The domoic acid levels have been low … but we still need to do the testing.”
Those tests are required in order to ensure that razor clams are safe for human consumption, and the results were good news for succulent bivalve enthusiasts.
With the positive test results filed, Mocrocks will now be open from April 19-22, with Long Beach and Twin Harbors open on April 21-22. Copalis will also be included in the digging terrain on April 21.
The digs on Thursday and Friday will be confined to morning hours as per usual during spring openings. However, since low tide is close to noon on Saturday and Sunday the digging times will be extended to accommodate the surf.
The upcoming dig is approved on the following beaches, dates and morning low tides:
• April 19, Thursday, 9:46 a.m.; -0.9 feet; Mocrocks
• April 20, Friday, 10:37 a.m.; -0.7 feet; Mocrocks
• April 21, Saturday, 11:34 a.m.; -0.4 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks, Copalis (digging hours will be extended to 1 p.m.)
• April 22, Sunday, 12:38 p.m.; -0.1 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks (digging hours will be extended to 2 p.m.)
Ayres noted that updated numbers on resident razor clam populations will be available toward the end of the summer in advance of the next digging opportunities.
State law allows clam diggers to keep up to 15 razor clams per day so long as they keep the first 15 clams that they dig. Additionally, all diggers age 15 and up are required to have a fishing license, and each digger must keep their harvest in a personal container.
State wildlife managers are urging diggers to hit the beach with care this week in order to avoid disturbing the sensitive nesting grounds of snowy plovers and streaked horned larks. Both of those protected species use the soft, dry sand away from the tide line in order to nest. The most popular locations for those birds include the southern section of Twin Harbors and at Leadbetter Point on the Long Beach Peninsula.
The snowy plover is a small bird with gray wings and a white breast. The lark is a small bird with a pale yellow breast and brown back. Male larks have a black mask, breast band and “horns.”
The WDFW is asking all beachcombers to limit their travel to the hardpack sand nearest to the ocean while avoiding disturbing the soft sand and dunes. Officials also ask that drivers keep their vehicles near or below the high-tide line and access the beach only at designated spots when traveling on the beach.
Additional information on the Long Beach Razor Clam Festival can be found online at http://longbeachrazorclamfestival.com.
SHELLFISHIN’
The WDFW is seeking candidates to serve on an advisory committee for sport crab and shrimp fishing in Puget Sound. That committee will consist of up to 12 individuals serving two-year appointments that are set to begin on June 1. The deadline to apply is April 30 and the committee typically meets twice per year.
Applicants will be graded on their experience in recreational crab and shrimp pursuits, their ability to address issues in a thoughtful and productive manner, their willingness to engage in the management process, and their ability to communicate with fishery managers and other interested parties. Applicants do not have to be affiliated with an organized group.
Letters of interest or nominations must include the following information:
• Name, address, telephone number and email address of the person to be considered.
• Relevant experience (including the Puget Sound marine area where the candidate most often harvests crab/shrimp) and reasons for wanting to serve as a member of the advisory group.
• Views on how an advisor should work with other Puget Sound advisors and WDFW staff in resolving Puget Sound crab and shrimp fishery issues.
• Effectiveness in communication, including methods the candidate would use to relay information to regional constituents.
Applications are due by 5 p.m., April 30, and may be mailed to: WDFW Port Townsend District Office, Attn: Bob Sizemore, 375 Hudson Street, Port Townsend, WA 98368-5614. Applications may also be emailed to Robert.Sizemore@dfw.wa.gov.
