Spring turkey season begins Monday
Alissa Whitaker, 11, shot her first tom last Saturday during the opening day of the youth hunt. She was hunting with her father, Quintz. The bird was shot at 7:30 a.m. near Creston. Alissa used a Stevens side-by-side 20 gauge to down the bird at 16 yards with one shot. The bird was a couple hundred yards distance when first spotted and he danced and strutted all the way to the blind. This was her first tom.
The youth turkey season is over. Beginning Monday, adults will have a chance to take two birds. Read on.
Hunting: spring turkey season
The spring turkey season for all hunters will begin Monday, April 15, and continue through May 31.
Bag limit
A total of three turkeys may be tagged in the spring season with following restrictions: Only two turkeys may be taken in eastern Washington and only one of those may be taken in Chelan, Kittitas, and Yakima counties (combined); only one turkey may be taken in western Washington per year outside of Klickitat County. Two turkeys may be taken in Klickitat County.
Only gobblers and turkeys with a visible beard may be taken. Good luck to all.
From Fish and Wildlife Fish Program District Biologist Chad Jackson in Ephrata:
2013 April 1 opening day results and summary
General: Anglers who fished the April 1 lake opener were greeted with clear sunny skies, warm temperatures in the low 70s and not a stitch of wind. Angler effort on the opener was low, not surprisingly, given it occurred on the Monday after Easter.
Nevertheless, those anglers who ventured out found decent fishing on the Hamptons and Teals and good to excellent fishing on Dry Falls Lake.
Overall, trout size was excellent with fish ranging in size from 12 to 20 inches and most greater than 14 inches. Fishing should continue to be decent on the Hamptons and Teals through the spring. Dry Falls Lake will continue to fish well until summer.
Pillar-Widgeon lake chair: A creel survey was not performed on the Pillar-Widgeon Lake Chain.
Upper and Lower Hampton lakes: The majority of angler effort on the opener was on Lower Hampton Lake. By 10 a.m. a total of 24 anglers were fishing Lower Hampton Lake. Harvest rates were 2.4 trout per angler. Trout size ranged from 13 to 17 inches.
Upper Hampton Lake had only one shore and one boat angler fishing.
North and South Teal lakes: Most anglers fished North Teal Lake on the opener. Peak effort occurred at 8 a.m. with 16 total anglers counted. Harvest rates were similar to Lower Hampton Lake at 2.2 trout per angler. Trout size ranged from 12 to 22 inches.
Dry Falls Lake: Angler effort on Dry Falls Lake was high this year despite the opener falling on a Monday. By noon, a total of 43 boats, float tubes, pontoon boats, kayaks, etc., with 45 boat anglers counted.
Angler catch rates averaged around 10 to 12 trout caught-and-released per angler. However, those rates did vary amongst all anglers with some getting skunked and others catching over 20 trout. Trout size was excellent with anglers catching mostly 14- to 16-inch fish.
Heads up for fishing derby
The Moses Lake Irrigation and Rehabilitation Kid's Fishing Derby is scheduled for tomorrow, April 13. Although one requirement was for parents to register their children by April 9, it is still interesting to attend and watch the youngsters catch fish.