Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
Sorted by date Results 51 - 75 of 263
OLYMPIA – The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission today took action to further protect redband rainbow trout at Lake Roosevelt, a Columbia River reservoir in northeast Washington. The commission voted to change the daily catch limit on trout at Lake Roosevelt and extend a closure in a section of the Sanpoil River during a trout spawning period. Redband trout are a subspecies of rainbow trout found in the Columbia River and its tributaries. The modifications were approved during a c... Full story
September 8, 2016 Contact: Larry Phillips 360-902-2721 Olympia – Anglers claimed more than 340 prizes during the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (WDFW) first annual statewide fishing derby. The trout derby ran from April 23 through Sept. 6, with more than 130 license dealers donating prizes, including charter fishing trips, gift cards, and rod and reel combos. The department planted more than 700 tagged fish in lowland lakes this spring. Anglers lucky enough to catch one of the... Full story
September 8, 2016 Action: Anglers are required to release chinook salmon that have a ¼-inch diameter (round) hole punched in the upper lobe of the caudal (tail) fin Effective dates: Sept. 15 – Oct. 31, 2016 Species affected: Fall chinook salmon (hatchery and wild) Location: Columbia River from the Highway 395 Bridge in Pasco to Chief Joseph Dam Reason for action: Fall chinook salmon are sedated in a chemical anesthetic, MS-222, during sampling at the Priest Rapids Dam. The U.S. Food and Drug Ad... Full story
September 8, 2016 Contact: Kyle Adicks, (360) 902-2664 OLYMPIA – Anglers will have the opportunity to fish for coho salmon in Lake Washington starting Sept. 16, state salmon managers announced today. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) initially planned to keep Lake Washington closed to salmon fishing due to the low number of coho forecast to return to the watershed this year. However, the number of fish passing through the Ballard Locks in early September indicates a much s... Full story
Aug. 8, 2016 Contact: Commission Office, (360) 902-2267 OLYMPIA – Washington sport anglers soon will have two new options for fishing licenses after action taken by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission at its August meeting. The commission, a citizen panel appointed by the governor to set policy for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), voted to establish an all-inclusive, annual fishing license at its meeting in Olympia. The Fish Washington license will allow anglers t... Full story
His full name is Orlan Ross Ginter; his nickname his entire life has been "Bud". Bud was born May 1, 1939 in Appleton City, Missouri. (That is the same general area that, back in the day, Frank and Jessie James started their career.) He passed over the bar on June 5, 2016 of unknown natural causes; he was 77 years young. Bud was an avid hunter; he hunted Rooselvelt elk in the valleys of Mount Saint Helens here in Washington for many years, as well as white tail and black tail deer, Rocky... Full story
OLYMPIA – Beginning July 1, recreational anglers will have the opportunity to harvest hatchery sturgeon from Wanapum and Priest Rapids reservoirs, state fishery managers announced today. This is the first time in two decades that anglers will be allowed to retain sturgeon in this section of the Columbia River, said Chad Jackson, district fish biologist for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). Several thousand juvenile sturgeon were released into the upper Columbia River in 2... Full story
Action: Closes retention of sturgeon in Bonneville Pool. The one-day retention opener scheduled for July 1 is rescinded. Effective dates: Immediately until further notice. Species affected: White sturgeon. Location: The Columbia River and tributaries from Bonneville Dam upstream to The Dalles Dam (Bonneville Reservoir). Reason for action: The harvest guideline of 325 fish has been reached. Other information: Catch-and-release fishing for sturgeon will continue to be allowed. The Bonneville Pool... Full story
Fisheries managers are seeking public input through July 25 on proposals for changing the daily catch limit on trout at Lake Roosevelt, the Columbia River reservoir in northeast Washington. The proposals are available for review on the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/redband_trout/. Comments can be e-mailed to Carmen.Perez-Frayne@dfw.wa.gov. Input can also be provided at a public meeting, which will be held from 6 to 8 p.m.,... Full story
OLYMPIA – Puget Sound-area fisheries that closed during an impasse in salmon-season negotiations will reopen immediately, state fish managers announced today. Regulations for fisheries in Puget Sound marine waters, rivers and lakes through June 30 are listed in the 2015-16 Washington Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet, which is available online at http://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01726/. Beginning July 1, anglers should check the 2016-17 sport fishing rules pamphlet (available online at h... Full story
Action: Opens Icicle River for hatchery chinook salmon. Effective dates: May 16, 2016, until further notice. Species affected: Hatchery spring chinook salmon. Locations: Icicle River (Chelan County). From the closure signs located 800 feet upstream of the mouth to 500 feet downstream of the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery Barrier Dam. From the closure signs located upstream of the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery where Cyo Road would intersect the Icicle River at the Sleeping Lady Resort... Full story
Action: Increase limit to two adult spring chinook. Effective date: Immediately. Species affected: Chinook salmon. Locations: A) Below Ice Harbor Dam: Snake River from the South Bound Highway 12 Bridge near Pasco upstream about 7 miles to the fishing restriction boundary below Ice Harbor Dam; B) Below Little Goose Dam: Snake River from Texas Rapids boat launch (south side of the river upstream of the mouth of Tucannon River) to the fishing restriction boundary below Little Goose Dam. This zone... Full story
Action: Close the all-depth recreational halibut fishery in Marine Area 2 (Westport). The nearshore area will remain open seven days per week until further notice. Effective date: Immediately Species affected: Pacific halibut Location: Marine Area 2 Reason for action: The Marine Area 2 recreational halibut fishery has taken the Pacific halibut quota set aside for the all-depth fishery. There are not enough quota pounds remaining for another day. There is sufficient quota set aside to allow... Full story
OLYMPIA – The sportfishing season for spring chinook salmon on the Columbia River will reopen for three days beginning later this week under an agreement reached yesterday by fishery managers from Washington and Oregon. Anglers can fish Friday, May 13, through Sunday, May 15, from the Tongue Point/Rocky Point line upriver to the Washington/Oregon state line. Boat anglers, however, aren’t allowed to fish between Beacon Rock and Bonneville Dam. The fishing area above Bonneville Dam extends fro... Full story
Action: Close Lake Aberdeen to fishing by the public for 12 hours prior to the kids-only fishing event. Lake Aberdeen will reopen at 5:30 a.m. on May 14, 2016. Effective dates: 5:30 p.m. May 13 through 5:30 a.m. May 14, 2016. Location: Lake Aberdeen (Grays Harbor Co.) Montesano, Washington Species: All game fish Reason for action: This rule change is necessary to ensure a safe and successful kids fish-in event. The fish will be planted the evening prior to the event to better acclimate them to... Full story
OLYMPIA – Clam diggers have one last chance to dig razor clams this season during a final opening set to begin May 20. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) approved a last round of digs at Copalis and Mocrocks after marine toxin tests showed the clams on those beaches are safe to eat. No digging will be allowed at either beach after noon. All other ocean beaches remain closed to digging. "This has been a great clam digging season, despite getting a late start," said Dan A... Full story
Action: Close Lake Sylvia to public fishing 12 hours prior to a scheduled kids-only fishing event. The lake will reopen to fishing by the general public at 6 a.m. on June 11, 2016. Effective dates: 6 p.m. Friday, June 10 through 6 a.m. Saturday, June 11, 2016. Location: Lake Sylvia (Grays Harbor Co.) Montesano, Washington Reason for action: This rule change is necessary to ensure a safe and successful kids fish-in event. The fish will be planted the evening prior to the event to better... Full story
On a recent trip to Washington D.C. McDowell naturally took time out for a little fishing. Hope his trip to D.C. was as successful as his fishing was on Chesapeake Bay.... Full story
Washington, D.C. - April 18, 2016 A coalition of recreational fishing and boating organizations praised the introduction of a bill, S.2807, that will safeguard the role of state fisheries management agencies and help prevent unwarranted fishing closures like what recently occurred at Biscayne National Park. Led by Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who chairs the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), the " http://act.keepameric... Full story
Washington, D.C. - April 20, 2016 Tonight, recreational and commercial fishing representatives, Members of Congress, and key former and current individuals from the administration gathered on Capitol Hill in recognition of the 40th anniversary of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA), a first-of-its-kind piece of legislation that established a framework to manage domestic, federal saltwater fisheries. "We take many things for granted now that were not the case 40... Full story
OLYMPIA–Trout fishing in Washington reaches full speed April 23, when several hundred lowland lakes – stocked with millions of fish – open for a six-month season. That date also marks the start of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (WDFW) first lowland lake fishing derby, which runs through Sept. 6. To participate on opening weekend, Washington anglers must have an annual freshwater or combination fishing license valid through March 31, 2017. Licenses can be purchased online... Full story
OLYMPIA – The first phase of the popular sport fishery for spring chinook salmon on the lower Columbia River will close at the end of the day Friday, April 8, one day earlier than previously expected. Fishery managers from Washington and Oregon agreed to close the fishery based on projections that the catch of upriver chinook salmon will reach the initial 7,515-fish harvest guideline a day ahead of schedule. The closure includes fishing for salmon, steelhead and shad in the 145-mile section o... Full story
Action: Closes Sarg Hubbard Park Pond (Reflection Pond) to all fishing except those youths registered for the “Kids' Fish-In” event. In addition, the daily limit is reduced to two trout during the event. Effective dates: 12:01 a.m. April 20 through 4:00 p.m. April 23, 2016 Species affected: All game fish. Location: Sarg Hubbard Park Pond located on the Yakima Greenway in Yakima. Reason for action: This rule change is necessary to ensure a successful youth fishing event. Several thousand rainbow... Full story
OLYMPIA – State shellfish managers today approved nine days of razor clam digging beginning April 20 on the first of three ocean beaches. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) approved the digs after marine toxin tests showed the clams on those beaches are safe to eat. Dan Ayres, WDFW coastal shellfish manager, said the department added two days of digging at Copalis, which was not originally included in the list of tentative digs previously announced by the agency. The dig w... Full story
OLYMPIA – Anglers will have opportunities to fish for salmon in the ocean and Columbia River this year, although recreational and non-tribal commercial salmon fisheries in Puget Sound may be closed through much of the season. After lengthy negotiations, state and tribal fishery managers could not reach an agreement on salmon-fishing seasons in Puget Sound. An agreement must be reached in the next few weeks or the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and treaty tribes in western W... Full story
