Outdoors Notebook | Hot fishing near at Beaver Lake

Fishers looking for autumn trout-fishing action should set their sights on Beaver Lake near Issaquah.

State Fish and Wildlife plans to release about 3,000 hatchery rainbow trout averaging 1 to 3 pounds during the week of Nov. 13.

The lake is best fished by small boat, although anglers can also be successful fishing from shore.

The fish will be planted in the southern portion of the lake. Newly planted fish tend to stay near the surface until they get acclimated to the lake.

The lake's access site is most easily reached by way of East Beaver Lake Drive Southeast, off Southeast 24th Street in Sammamish.

Beaver Lake is one of several westside lowland lakes open to fishing year-round.

Internal-combustion boat engines are prohibited on the lake. All anglers 15 years of age and older are required to have a fishing license. The daily limit is five fish, and bait anglers must keep the first five trout they catch.

Improvements have been completed at Lake Kapowsin in Pierce County, which is a popular fishing and hunting site.

"Instead of simply replacing ramps and toilets, we created a new outdoor-recreation facility that offers amenities for anglers, hunters, boaters and wildlife viewers," said Steve Sherlock, a state Fish and Wildlife access coordinator.

The completed work at the 512-acre lake features a boat ramp and dock, as well as bank-access fishing opportunities. It also has paved parking, ADA access, a gangway, new signs and a toilet with overhead lighting.

The nine-acre access site off Orville Road was undeveloped when state Fish and Wildlife acquired it in 2001.

"Lake Kapowsin is one of the most popular warm-water fishing spots in Pierce County," said Bruce Bolding, a state Fish and Wildlife access project manager in the warm-water fishing program. "It also has very good duck hunting."

The lake is open for fishing year-round. It has trout, largemouth bass, bluegill, black crappie, yellow perch, pumpkinseed sunfish, rock bass and brown bullhead.

Notes

• The Wilderness Awareness School in Duvall is hosting a discussion at 7 p.m. on Nov. 6 at the Seattle REI Store titled "Living with Cougars." Rocky Spencer, a state Fish and Wildlife biologist, will discuss how cougars move and why, as well as safety tips. Cost is $15. Details: 425-788-1301 or www.wildernessawareness.org.

• The Puget Sound Anglers of Lake Washington seafood cooking seminar is 7 p.m. Nov. 9 at the Mercer Island VFW Hall, 1836 72nd Ave. S.E. on Mercer Island. Cynthia Nims is the featured chef. Details: 425-823-0704.

• The Northshore Chapter of Trout Unlimited meeting is 7:30 p.m. Nov. 7 at the American Legion Hall, 19215 Bothell Way N.E. in Bothell. Heather Trim, a spokesperson from People for Puget Sound, will discuss issues facing Puget Sound's health. Details: 206-362-6358 or www.northshoretu.org.

• The Snoqualmie Valley Chapter of Ducks Unlimited banquet is 6 p.m. Nov. 29 at The Sammamish Plateau Club. Details: 425-861-7789.

• A free winter steelhead seminar with experts Jim Stahl and Bill Herzog is 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 11 at Three Rivers Marine and Tackle, 24300 Woodinville-Snohomish Road. Details: 425-415-1575 or www.3riversmarine.com.

• The Sky Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited meeting is 7 p.m. Nov. 14 at the Snohomish County PUD Building, 120 E. Fremont Street in Monroe. Outdoor photographer Doug Wilson will discuss how to take better photos of your fishing adventures. Details: 360-794-6378.

• The Washington Trails Association is looking for volunteers to help with the new trail construction at Pioneer Park on the waterfront town of La Conner. Help is needed on Nov. 4-5 and Nov. 11-12. Details: 206-625-1367 or www.wta.org.

• Warren Miller's ski and snowboard movie "Off The Grid" will air at 3 p.m., 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Nov. 11, and 2 p.m., 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Nov. 12 at the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue; and at 8 p.m. Nov. 16-17, and 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Nov. 18 at McCaw Hall at the Seattle Center. The movie highlights winter escapades to Kashmir, India, to Kicking Horse Resort in Canada. 2006 Olympic medalist Toby Dawson, and X-Games gold medalists Zach and Reggie Crist are just a few in this action-packed documentary. Jaime Pierre sets a world record by skiing off the edge of a 245-foot snow-covered cliff, and check out the bizarre World Snowball Fighting Championships in Hokkaido, Japan. Details: 206-628-0888 or www.ticketmaster.com or www.warrenmiller.com.

• The free Himalaya End-To-End slideshow presentation is 7 p.m. Nov. 13 at The Mountaineers Building, 300 3rd Ave. W. in Seattle.

Join Garry Weare, a veteran trip leader, photographer and author of Lonely Planet's classic Trekking in the Indian Himalaya guidebook, and learn about classic and emerging trekking opportunities available across Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan, Sikkim and India. Details: 206-284-6310 or 888-464-8735 or www.mountaineers.org.

• The Roche Harbor Salmon Classic Invitational is Feb. 8-10 at the Roche Harbor Marine & Resort on San Juan Island.

More than $25,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded, including $10,000 for the largest fish. Cost is $600 per boat. Derby entries are limited to 100 boats with four anglers per vessel. Details: 360-378-5562 or email Debbie Sandwith at market@rocheharbor.com.

• The Whistler Film Festival is Nov. 30-Dec. 3 at the Whistler-Blackcomb Resort in British Columbia.

The festival showcases 80-plus films, including premieres from some of North America's top directors, and awards over $40,000 in prizes and commissions.

This event also features innovative industry programming through the Whistler Filmmaker Forum, presented by Bell.

The resort is offering special Stay, Ski and See packages for two-night and three-night packages, which includes a Cinematic 6-Pack, adult ski lift tickets and accommodations from $255 to $310 per person. Details: 866-612-6145 or www.whistler.com/wff.

• The Seattle Astronomical Society meeting is 7:30 p.m. Nov. 15 at the University of Washington Physics/Astronomy Building, Room A-102. Member Alan Macfarlane will give a presentation on "Planetary Imaging with Video Equipment." Details: 206-523-2787.

• The Wilderness Awareness School is hosting an overnight teen program Nov. 11-12 for youth ages 12-16. Learn about and experience one of the most essential survival skills — primitive shelter building. Cost is $85. Details: 425-788-1301 or www.WildernessAwareness.org.

• The North Cascades Institute is hosting a regional summit titled E3 Washington: Environment, Education and Economy 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 15 in Burlington.

The summit to help develop the environmental education plan for Whatcom, Skagit and San Juan counties.

Senator Harriet Spanel and Representative Dave Quall will both be represented and Pulitzer Prize-winning environmental journalist William Dietrich will be delivering the keynote address. Details: 360-856-5700 or www.e3washington.org or www.ncascades.org.

• The Washington Ski Touring Club offers trips, classes and volunteer opportunities for cross-country, telemark and backcountry skiers. Meetings are on the first Thursday of each month from November through April at 7 p.m. at the Seattle REI Store, 222 Yale Ave. N. Membership is $20, and $30 for a family. Details: 206-784-8741 or www.wstc.org.

• The Puget Sound Chapter of the American Cetacean Society will host a free presentation with Dr. James Ha, who will discuss the social behavior of our Souther Resident Killer Whales 7 p.m. Nov. 15 at the Phinney Neighborhood Center, Room 6, 6532 Phinney Ave. North in Seattle. Details: 206-734-4737 or www.acspugetsound.org.

• The Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group is looking for volunteers for the wild salmon recovery program from November through June. Details: 360-275-3575 or email Chris Daniel at chris@hcseg.org.

• Now is a good time for wildlife watchers to view salmon are migrating up many local streams.

Locally, there is no better place to see chinook and coho salmon than the Issaquah Creek Hatchery (425-427-0259) in the heart of the City of Issaquah.

The hatchery offers educational programs and tours, and extensive improvements made to the hatchery, the facility serves as a unique "outdoor laboratory" that teaches visitors about Pacific salmon, watershed stewardship and hatchery operations.

On some days you can watch hatchery personnel retrieve the eggs from the females and fertilize them with milt from the males. State Fish and Wildlife biologists are also on-hand examining the fish for growth and epidemiological studies. Details: www.issaquahfish.org.

The Minter Creek Hatchery (253-857-5077) near Purdy has a good viewing platform to watch salmon mingling in the water.

The Chambers Creek Hatchery (253-589-7234) in Lakewood will see coho returning in the coming weeks, and the best place viewing spot is at the dam or along the trail adjacent to the stream.

Voight's Creek Hatchery (360-893-6440) off Highway 162 east of Orting is a good place to check out migrating coho.

In Thurston County, Tumwater Falls Park offer and up-close personal view of salmon as they move up the river, fish ladder and falls. The adjacent hatchery collects salmon and their eggs.

The Kennedy Creek Salmon Trail in south Mason County will be open for visitors on weekends beginning Nov. 4, offering wildlife viewers a chance to see migrating chum salmon in their natural environment.

The half-mile trail, hosted by the South Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement Group, is almost entirely ADA accessible. Volunteer trail guides will be available to answer questions on weekends Nov. 4-Dec. 2, and Nov. 24 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Weekday tours for schools and other organized groups are available by reservation only. Details: 800-527-9436 or e-mail karinls@masoncd.org.

The Salmon Trail is located off Highway 101 halfway between Olympia and Shelton. Details: 360-412-0808 or www.spsseg.org.

• The Salish Lodge and Spa, 30 minutes east of Seattle, offers an array of fall and winter outdoor activities.

The guided fly-fishing package for two guests is available year-round, weather permitting A winter snowshoeing package for two occurs during the winter and early spring.

At the adventure center guests can participate in cross country and downhill skiing trips, guided hikes, kayaking and mountain biking. Details: 800-272-5474 or www.salishlodge.com.

• The Washington Ski and Snowboard Expo is Nov. 17-19 at the Qwest Field Plaza, 800 Occidental Ave. South.

The expos offers special deals on downhill ski and snowboard gear, lift passes and vacations, plus resort information and demonstrations. Cost is $10 adults, and children under age 12 are free.

Hours: Friday, noon-10 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; and Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Details: www.OnTheSnow.com.

• The Wilderness Awareness School in Duvall holds many outdoors events, including a monthly "Tracking Club," that meets in Sultan on the third Saturday of each month now through May (but not December) from 9 a.m. to noon.

The program is open to naturalists, hunters and people curious about learning to identify, follow and understand stories written in tracks left by animals on the Skykomish River shoreline. Details: 425-788-1301 or www.wildernessawareness.org.

• Alpine Ascents International Inc. will begin offering a variety of guided climbs and instructional programs on Mount Rainier starting next year. The group has scheduled more than 30 expeditions and more than 50 training courses in 14 countries, including the Arctic and Antarctic regions. These expeditions range from six-day training courses in the North Cascades and Alaska to three-month expeditions to Mount Everest to summit climbs and courses on Mount Rainier. Details: 206-378-1927 or www.AlpineAscents.com.

• The Alaska Conservation Series presented by Alaska Coalition of Washington is 6:30 p.m. at the Mountaineers Building, 300 Third Ave. W. in Seattle.

Next: Nov. 9, Tongass and Chugach National Forests, the world's largest intact expanse of coastal temperate rainforest. Details: 206-284-6310 or www.mountaineers.org/conservation.

• The state Department of Fish and Wildlife is seeking nominations for the Steelhead/Cutthroat and Inland Fish policy advisory groups, volunteer panels that provide recommendations on many issues.

Advisers should have a broad statewide interest in their particular species and the ability to communicate effectively with large segments of the public. Nominations are due by Dec. 1 to: Bob Gibbons, state freshwater fish manager, 600 Capitol Way N., Olympia, WA., 98501-1091. Details: 360-902-2329.

• The East Lake Washington Audubon Society hosts a full-day field trip 7 a.m. Nov. 2 to Marrowstone Island in northern Puget Sound. Bird watchers will be looking for loons, grebes, alcids, waterfowl and lingering shorebirds. Cost is $10, plus ferry share. Details: 425-485-8058 or www.elwas.org.

• Take a Hike with the Sno-Valley Senior Center 9:30 a.m. every Tuesday at 4610 Stephens Ave. in Carnation.

Hikes planned are the Iron Horse Tunnel, Mercer Slew wetland and the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie River. Round trip transportation is provided to and from the center for a small fee and pre-registration is required. Details: 425-333-4152.

• The Washington Trails Association offers statewide trip reports and trail conditions. Details: www.wta.org.

• The Northwest Fly Anglers offers various public classes through the year. The public also is invited to club meetings on the third Thursday of each month, at the Haller Lake Community Center, 12579 Densmore Ave N., in North Seattle. Details: 206-684-7524.

• The Emerald Sea Dive Club offers year-round activities including the big buddy program and weekly and monthly dives. The club meets on the first Wednesday of every month, 7-9 p.m. at Alfy's Pizza, 4820 196th S.W. in Lynnwood. Details: 425-775-2410 or www.emeraldseadiveclub.org.• The Seattle Audubon Society offers field trips and classes every month. Details: 206-523-4483 or www.seattleaudubon.org.

• Northend Bassmasters is accepting new members who want to learn more about bass fishing. The group meets on the first Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Crystal Creek Cafe, 22620 Bothell-Everett Highway (Canyon Park) in Bothell. Details: 206-789-4259 or e-mail Gary Millard at glmillard@comcast.net.

• The eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca (Marine Catch Area 6), North Puget Sound-Admiralty Inlet (Area 9), Central Puget Sound (Area 10) and Hood Canal (Area 12) will reopen daily from Wednesday Nov. 1 at 8 a.m. through Jan. 2 at 6 p.m. Sport crabbing rules adopted this year have helped slow the catch, leaving enough crab available to extend the season in some areas. Crabbing is currently open daily through Jan. 2 at Neah Bay (Area 4), western Strait of Juan de Fuca (Area 5) and southern Puget Sound (Area 13), but could close earlier if catch quotas are reached before then.

• The Tengu Blackmouth Derby is held every Sunday from today until Dec. 24 in Elliott Bay at the Seacrest Boathouse in West Seattle. Cost is $15, and $5 for children under age 12. Details: 206-324-7600.

Mark Yuasa: 206-464-8780 or myuasa@seattletimes.com