Salmon fishing and bear hunting season begins

We have a couple salmon fishing seasons opening tomorrow and the bear hunting season started Wednesday, Aug. 1, in several Game Management Units. Read on.

Selective chinook fishery opens in the Wenatchee River

Anglers will be able to fish for and retain adipose fin clipped adult and jack summer chinook salmon in the lower Wenatchee River. The seasons are as follows: Aug. 4 through Oct. 15 in the Wenatchee River from the mouth, the confluence with the Columbia River, to 400 feet below Dryden Dam.

And Sept. 1 through Oct. 15 in the Wenatchee River from the confluence of Peshastin Creek to a line perpendicular to the river at a marker on the opposite shore, approximately 1,000 feet above Dryden Dam, to the Icicle Creek Road bridge on the west end of Leavenworth.

The daily limit is two adipose fin clipped summer chinook, adult or jack. All other fish must be released. Selective gear rules apply, single barbless lures or flies, no bait allowed. In addition, no boats with motors are allowed, knotless nets, and night closure is in effect.

This fishery is offered because hatchery summer chinook returns to the Wenatchee River are predicted to be in excess of spawning escapement needs. The population is not listed under the Endangered Species Act. The majority of spring chinook and bull trout will have migrated to the upper Wenatchee River, and few steelhead will remain in the mainstem.

Fishers must have a current Washington fishing license as well as a Columbia River Salmon and Steelhead Endorsement.

All chinook with a floy tag attached and/or one or more round inch in diameter holes punched in the tail fin must be released. These fish are essential to ongoing studies being conducted by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

These chinook salmon are running in the 10 to 12 pound range.

Lake Wenatchee sockeye fishery opens Aug. 4

Lake Wenatchee opens for sockeye salmon fishing tomorrow, Aug. 4, beginning one hour before official sunrise through Aug. 31. The daily limit is three sockeye per angler, measuring 12 inches in length or greater.

This fishery is allowed because more than 30,000 fish are expected to migrate past Tumwater Dam on the Wenatchee River. At least 7,000 fish are estimated to be available for harvest above the natural spawning escapement goal of 23,000 fish.

Selective gear rules are in effect, single barbless lures or flies, no bait or scent allowed, knotless nets required. Bull trout, steelhead, and chinook salmon must be released unharmed without removing the fish from the water. Two-pole endorsement is not valid for this fishery. A night closure will be in effect. Legal angling hours are one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset. Fishers must have a current Washington fishing license as well as a Columbia River Salmon and Steelhead Endorsement.

This fishery, the Lake Wenatchee sockeye fishery, may be closed on short notice depending on participation and catch rates. Anglers are advised to check the fishing hotline, 360-902-2500, or Fish and Wildlife's website daily.

All sockeye with a floy tag attached and/or one or more round inch in diameter holes punched in the caudal (tail) fin must be released.

The sockeye are running in the 3 to 5 pound range.

Black bear hunting opened on Wednesday, Aug. 1, in several Game Management Units in Eastern Washington. Be sure and check the hunting pamphlet for the open units.

The master hunter antlerless elk special permit hunting also opened on Aug. 1 in designated areas of the region.

Report indicates increase in ducks this year

The report is preliminary, meaning the numbers may change. However, the news is good at this point. Perhaps we will have a banner year of duck hunting this fall. Read on.

From Ducks Unlimited:

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released its preliminary report today on breeding ducks and habitats, based on surveys conducted in May and early June.

Total populations were estimated at 48.6 million breeding ducks in the surveyed area. This estimate represents a 7 percent increase over last year's estimate of 45.6 million birds, and is 43 percent above the 1955 through 2010 long-term average. This year's estimate is a record high and is only the sixth time in the survey's history that the total duck population exceeded 40 million.

Of the 10 species traditionally reported, nine were similar to or increased in number from 2011. Two species, northern pintail and American wigeon, remained below their long-term average. Mallards, northern shovelers, blue-winged teal and scaup were bright spots on this year's survey.

For the first time since 1999, mallard populations have exceeded 10 million. Northern shovelers and bluewings again reached record highs, 5.0 and 9.2 million, respectively. Scaup numbers showed improvement and are above five million for the first time since 1991, but still remain below the North American Waterfowl Management Plan population goal. Only three species, northern pintail, American wigeon and scaup, remain below their goals.

Two-pole fishing allowed in lower section of Okanogan River

Fish and Wildlife will now allow anglers to fish with two poles from the mouth of Okanogan River to the Hwy 97 Bridge immediately upstream of the mouth.

This rule change was effective last month and is scheduled to continue through Aug. 31.

This rule change is needed to align with regulations already in effect on the Columbia River adjacent to this area, and allows anglers who fish the area around the mouth of the Okanogan River and up to the first Hwy 97 Bridge to use two poles while fishing for salmon. A two pole endorsement is required.

Dennis note: Still don't understand why the term is pole when it should be rod.