Free fishing weekend set for tomorrow, Sunday
This opportunity appears for two days each year. Tomorrow and Sunday is Free Fishing Weekend. Anglers do not need a fishing license to fish Washington State waters on these two days.
However, Catch Record Cards are required to fish for salmon, sturgeon, steelhead, Puget Sound Dungeness crab and halibut. Free fishing days are valid for everyone, no matter the state in which they live.
All other rules apply, including area and lure or bait restrictions and size and catch limits. A Vehicle Use Permit, Columbia River Salmon/Steelhead Endorsement, and Two-Pole Endorsement is not required during this weekend.
Take advantage of this scenario: The kids attend the Kids Fish In, as explained below, and then the family heads to Connelly Park for a couple of hours of evening fishing.
On Sunday the family packs a lunch and heads for Sun Lakes State Park for a day of fun. Head to Deep Lake first and try your luck there. Next head to the lawn at Park Lake and make sandwiches or cook lunch on a camp stove.
Such a trip was a favorite of my family when my sister, Denise, and I were growing up. Mom and Dad could relax at the picnic table while Denise and her friends could play nearby. My friends and I would head to the lake or incoming stream and fish. Our parents could see us see us most of the time, as we were usually within 100 yards of the table.
Kids fishing event
Here are the facts: Kids Fish In for youth ages 5 through 14 at Cascade Park will take place tomorrow, June 11. The cost is $5 and each youth will receive a rod and reel and be allowed to catch two fish. Photos will be taken of the angler and the fish.
The fish will be cleaned at the event, so they will be ready to cook. There is a maximum of 120 youth per each of the five sessions.
Register by stopping by Moses Lake Parks and Recreation Department office. A form needs to be completed for the registration, but call 764-3805 for questions.
By the time many readers pick up their Friday CBH, they will not be able to register, but there is a little flexibility with this event.
The timeslots of 9 and 10 a.m. are full. However, as of this writing, the 11 a.m. timeslot still had 51 slots available, 12 noon has 97 and the 1 p.m. timeslot has 106 slots open.
Organizer Alan Heroux and his volunteers would be most pleased to have enough youth show up tomorrow to fill all of the slots. If a reader takes their children or grandchildren to the event on the hope they can find an open slot, be patient, as you may need to wait for an hour or so.
Goose banding operations
Fish and Wildlife goose banding operations are now scheduled as followes: Next Monday, June 13, Yakima, meet at the Selah Park and Ride at 7:45 a.m.; Tuesday, June 14, Kennewick, 7:30 a.m., Columbia Park; Wednesday, June 15, Wenatchee, meet at the Rock Island Golf Course at 5 a.m.; Thursday, June 16, Spokane, with details to be announced later; Friday, June 17, Sprague Lake, 8 a.m. at the Sprague Lake Resort and Monday, June 20, Moses Lake, meet at the Broadway Bar and Grill parking lot, 302 West Broadway at 7 a.m.
Mikal Moore is the contact at 754-4624, ext. 237.
Folks this is a fantastic volunteer project for volunteers of most ages. Not sure what the youngest was last year, but it seemed the geese were as large as they were.
This is a chance to get up close and personal with several Canada geese and assist with a valuable research project at the same time. Don't look for us at Wenatchee at 5 a.m.
Raffle permit hunts
Although there is less of a chance of winning, Dennis still purchases a few raffle permits for Washington State hunts. There is still plenty of time to research the raffles and apply, as the raffle permit hunt deadline is July 22. Stay tuned for more information about these hunts.
Special hunt permit results
Checked for the special hunt permit results on Thursday at 10:30 and the draws have not been run yet. As Fish and Wildlife has said, hunters who applied by May 18 for special big-game hunt permits for the upcoming season can find out in late June if they were drawn by checking the Fish and Wildlife's Website.
Winners will be notified by mail by the middle of July. Holders of the special permits can hunt at times and locations beyond those authorized by a general hunting license.
Discover Pass
We are still trying to get a feel for the Discover Pass and all it entails. The pass is scheduled to begin on July 1, but we just learned it may not begin until after the July 4 weekend.
Basically, as we understand the situation at this time, a person who has a hunting and fishing license is able to access Fish and Wildlife lands.
If a family wanted to go to Potholes State Park and have a picnic in the day-use area, it would cost them $10 or they could purchase an annual pass for $30. If a friend arrived in a different vehicle to attend the picnic, it would cost them the same amounts.
However if a family was camping at the park, they do not need to pay the fee. But if a friend arrived to camp in a tent at the same site, it would cost the extra vehicle fee of $10, which is the practice now. If another friend arrived to simply have lunch with us, they would have to pay the daily fee or purchase the annual pass.
The fine for not displaying the pass is $99.
Stay tuned, more information as we coming your way.