Outdoors | Guidelines for season's salmon fishing to be set

The salmon season setting process is coming into view, and details on the Columbia River spring chinook fisheries, the pilot run of migrating salmon, will be known soon.

The Washington commission was to meet Saturday to decide allocation guidelines for spring chinook, and the Oregon commission will meet Friday to make its decision.

The Oregon state Fish and Wildlife staff has already proposed that its commission allow sport fishing from the Interstate 5 Bridge up to Bonneville Dam six days a week through April 30; allow fishing from Bonneville to McNary Dam daily March 16-May 10; constrain commercial fishing to the area from I-5 Bridge up to Beacon Rock; open commercial select area fisheries mid-February to mid-June; and allow daily sport fishing in the Willamette River.

Early indications are the Columbia River spring chinook return could be a dandy, but after three consecutive years of bad predictions, most in the know are being cautious of what will happen.

The forecast calls for a large return of 269,300 upriver spring chinook, compared with the 86,230 last year (78,500 was the 2007 forecast).

However, the Willamette spring chinook forecast is 34,000 [40,468 last year] and appears to be a poor one.

Tributaries above Bonneville Dam will likely see a big jump in sport catches this spring. The Little White Salmon River [Drano Lake] forecasted return of 36,800 looks like it will smash the current record of 20,000 fish set in 2002. The Wind River return is also expected to be strong.

Washington and Oregon officials will finalize the spring chinook seasons Feb. 15.

The North of Falcon meeting dates have been released, and expectations in Washington's waters look good in some places and lousy in others.

North of Falcon refers to Cape Falcon in northern Oregon, which marks the southern border of active management for Washington salmon stocks.

"I think we'll have a better process, and we [including the tribal constituents] have learned some things from last year, so we're going into this season with more optimism," said Pat Pattillo of the state Fish and Wildlife's intergovernmental salmon policy group.

The general outlook for Columbia River fall and summer chinook looks better, but still not up to expectations.

As for the early coho outlook on the Columbia River some are saying it could look like seasons during the mid-1990s, when unprecedented fishing restrictions were imposed on coastal fisheries to protect struggling wild coho runs. Biologist are attributing the poor coho returns to bad survival in the ocean.

In Puget Sound, many are still buzzing about the successful selective summer hatchery-marked chinook fishery with a 7,000-fish quota in Marine Areas 9 and 10 (North and Central Puget Sound) during the first two weeks of July.

"We were very happy how the selective chinook fishery went, and fishing was quite good, with catch rates that we normally see only in the ocean," said Steve Thiesfeld, a state Fish and Wildlife Puget Sound recreational salmon fishery manager. "Clearly we were able to monitor it efficiently, and we saw very good compliance."

Thiesfeld said the fishery provided $3.7 million in economic benefit for businesses in the Greater Seattle area. The benefit was based on 27,000 angler trips taken and $137 spent per trip.

While the inaugural Puget Sound summer selective fishery went off without a hitch, those who participated in the salmon season setting process last year pointed out that the quota was just a sliver of what many had thought fisheries was going to pursue.

"The fact of the matter is, it was only a fraction of what we wanted last year, and yes, we were disappointed," said Tony Floor, director of fishing affairs for the Northwest Marine Trade Association and a sport fishing advisory group member.

The sport fishing advisory group said the way to truly recover wild chinook is to lower the level of mixing between wild and hatchery fish on the spawning beds.

The group says selective fishing provides more fishing opportunities and gets hatchery fish off spawning grounds, but conservation is a top priority.

While nothing has been set in stone for the summer, it is possible that anglers could get the selective fishery again in July.

"There was a two-year agreement made for the summer selective fishery, but all that is pending just in case we have some conservation crisis where a run is in the tank, which then we might have to reconsider it," Thiesfeld said.

In upcoming meetings, Floor and others, such as Gary Krein, owner of All-Star Fishing Charters in Everett, said the advisory group will seek an extension of a selective fishery during the winter time in Areas 7, 9 and 10 (San Juan Islands, and Central and North Sound).

"While the Area 9 and 10 selective fishery is something people can probably bank on, as with all these negotiations process nothing is guaranteed, but we are hopeful to possibly seek out a summer fishery that is consistent with last year," Krein said.

Last year, things got so heated after the fishing seasons were set that Democratic Rep. Norm Dicks intervened. Dicks met with parties involved to establish calm, and he vowed to establish more meetings before the 2008 North of Falcon process.

In recent months, Dicks has had multiple meetings with the tribes and state, and met with them last week.

"We have been in discussion with the [congressman] on where we are with selective fisheries, and what we are going to do down the road," Thiesfeld said.

In a state Fish and Wildlife release last August, Dicks recommended expanding the number of mark-selective fisheries that allow anglers to identify and release wild fish and keep only hatchery fish. Dicks said he does not favor reducing hatchery production of salmon, and he supports continuation of a strong hatchery system to sustain fish recovery programs as well as produce fish for harvest.

Dicks has supported funding for mass marking all hatchery-produced salmon in facilities receiving federal funds. Mass marking removes the adipose fin of hatchery fish so they can be distinguished from wild fish.

Dicks praised new selective fishing opportunities for hatchery chinook salmon in several areas of central Puget Sound. New selective fisheries initiated in 2007 mark the first time in more than a decade that anglers have been allowed to catch and keep adult chinook salmon in the area from Admiralty Inlet to the northern end of Vashon Island.

State Fish and Wildlife will unveil salmon forecasts 9 a.m. March 4 at the General Administration Building, 11th Avenue and Columbia Street, Olympia. Seasons will be set April 6-11.

Meeting dates: March 4, state Fish and Wildlife salmon forecasts will be unveiled, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., at the General Administration Building Auditorium,11th Ave. and Columbia St. in Olympia; March 5, Grays Harbor fisheries discussion, 6 p.m.-8 p.m., Montesano City Hall, 112 N. Main St. in Montesano; March 6, Willapa Bay fisheries discussion, 6 p.m.-8 p.m., Raymond Elks Lodge, 326 Third St. in Raymond; March 9-14, Pacific Fishery Management Council [PFMC], Doubletree Hotel, 2001 Point West Way in Sacramento; March 12, Puget Sound recreational fisheries discussion, 6 p.m.-8 p.m., state Fish and Wildlife Mill Creek Office, 16018 Mill Creek Blvd.; March 17, Columbia River fisheries discussion, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Vancouver Water Resources Education Center, 4600 SE Columbia Way; March 18, first North of Falcon meeting, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., General Administration Building Auditorium in Olympia; March 28, Grays Harbor and Willapa Bay fisheries meeting, 6 p.m.-8 p.m., Lacey Community Center, 6729 Pacific Ave.; March 31, PFMC public hearing, 7 p.m., Château Westport, 710 Hancock Street in Westport; April 1, second North of Falcon meeting, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Embassy Suites Hotel, 20610 44th Avenue West in Lynnwood; and April 6-11, final PFMC meeting, Seattle Marriot Hotel, 3201 S. 176th St. in Sea-Tac.

Notes

• The Puget Sound Anglers Sno-King Chapter meeting is 6:30 p.m. Feb. 14 at SCSC Building., 220 Railroad Ave., Edmonds. Bill Dever of Puget Sound Charters will discuss salmon fishing. Details: www.pugetsoundanglers.org.

• The Mount Baker Ski Area Banked Slalom Race is Feb. 8-10. Watch one of the longest-running snowboard events. Details: 360-734-6771 or www.mtbaker.us or www.bellingham.org.

• The Coast Guard Auxiliary Edmonds Flotilla is hosting a 13-week Boating Skills and Seamanship class starting Thursday, and an Advanced Coastal Navigation class starting Tuesday. Both will be held in the Shoreline area. Details: 206-546-4171 or e-mail Boatclasses@hotmail.com.

• The Washington Butterfly Association meeting is 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Center for Urban Horticulture, 3501 N.E. 41st St., Seattle. Bob Hardwick will host a presentation, Elusive Butterflies of Washington. Details: 206-364-4935 or www.naba.org.

• Peter Potterfield, author of Selected Climbs in the Cascades and Classic Hikes of the World, is hosting a slide show and book signing that features his favorite hikes in New Zealand 7 p.m. March 10 at the Seattle REI Store, 222 Yale Ave. North, and 7 p.m. March 11, at the Issaquah REI Store, 735 Northwest Gilman Boulevard. Details: 206-323-1944 or 425-313-1660 or www.rei.com.

• State Fish and Wildlife is looking for people to fill four open positions representing Western Washington on its Waterfowl Advisory Group. Advisers should have a broad interest in waterfowl and be able to communicate effectively with the public. Deadline is Feb. 15. Mail to Don Kraege, waterfowl section manager, WDFW, 600 Capitol Way N., Olympia, WA 98501-1091. Details: 360-902-2522.

• The recreational oyster season is open at Cushman (Saltwater) Park until further notice. The park is located in Mason County on the west side of Hood Canal. Recent surveys by state Fish and Wildlife indicate that the oyster population can support a year-round season. Details: http://wdfw.wa.gov.

• The Fly-fishing Film Tour is 7 p.m. Feb. 21 at the Neptune Theater, 1303 N.E. 45th St. in Seattle. Cost is $12 and $10 for children. Details: www.flyfishingfilmtour.com.

• Mount Rainier National Park is offering guided 1.2-mile snowshoe walks with park rangers every weekend through March 30 from 12:30-2:30 p.m. The walks are on a first-come, first-served basis. Sign ups start one hour before the walks begin at the Henry M. Jackson Memorial Visitor Center at Paradise. The walks aren't recommended for children under age 8.

Organized groups of 13 or more people may reserve a snowshoe walk in advance. Group snowshoe walks begin at 10:30 a.m. on weekends.

The Paradise snowplay area is now open, and only "soft" sliding devices such as flexible sleds, inner tubes and saucers may be used.

The Henry M. Jackson Memorial Visitor Center at Paradise is open weekends and holidays 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

The Ski Touring Center, operated by Guest Services, Inc., at Longmire offers cross-country skiing including touring and telemarking. Details: 360-569-2211 or www.nps.gov/mora.

• Just 5 miles of road within North Cascades National Park Service Complex is affected by the winter closure of the North Cascades Highway (SR 20) at milepost 134, and that means scenic drivers and adventurers can enjoy the park all winter long.

The North Cascades National Park Visitor Center near Newhalem is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. From here, drivers can access Diablo Lake and Gorge Creek Falls Overlooks.

Campers are invited to stay at the Colonial Creek, Gorge Lake, and Goodell Creek Campgrounds (no winter services and no fees).

Hikers can access the Ross Dam, Happy Panther, Pyramid Lake, Thunder Knob, Diablo Lake, Thunder Creek, Pyramid Lake and Newhalem Area trails. Boating is open in Diablo and Gorge lakes, and rafters can drift down the Skagit River. Details: 360-854-7200 or www.nps.gov/noca.

• The Stehekin and Lake Chelan National Recreation Area are open and offer a range of snowshoe and backcountry ski routes.

The National Park Service will offer ranger programs through March 8 covering various natural and cultural history topics on Fridays at 7 p.m. at the Stehekin Landing Resort, and guided snowshoe walks on Saturday mornings at the end of the plowed Stehekin Valley Road.

The Golden West Visitor Center is open 12:30 p.m.-2 p.m. Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Rangers can provide details and maps of area trails, trip planning assistance and naturalist information.

The Stehekin Landing Resort offers fully equipped kitchenettes, equipment rentals, vehicle rentals and transportation service to ski and snowshoe trails on the weekends. Details: www.stehekinlanding.com. For more information on Stehekin and Lake Chelan National Recreation Area, call 360-854-7365 or www.nps.gov/noca.

• The Nature of Winter Tour Series in the Methow Valley, hosted by the Twisp River Pub, will be held through March 1. The snowshoe trek from Jack's Hut at the Wilson Ranch or Sun Mountain Lodge is 11 a.m. every Saturday with a local naturalist. Learn about winter ecology, wildlife and animal tracking. All participants need a $3 snowshoe pass, and snowshoe rentals are available. Details: 509-996-3287 or www.mvsta.com.

• The Discovery Bay Salmon Derby is Feb. 16-18, and is the longest-running salmon derby in the state. The largest hatchery-marked chinook salmon is worth $3,000. Proceeds go to Jefferson County District Number 5 Volunteer Fire Department. The award ceremony is 2 p.m. Feb. 18 at the Gardiner boat ramp. Cost is $30. Details: 360-797-7711 or www.SwainsInc.com or www.DiscoBaySalmonDerby.com.

The derby is part of the Northwest Salmon Derby Series hosted by the Northwest Marine Trade Association.

Other derby dates: Geoduck Restaurant Salmon Derby, March 1-2; Anacortes Salmon Derby, March 29-30; Salmon Quest, Portland, Ore., May 10; Port Angeles Halibut Derby, May 24-25; Bellingham Salmon Derby, July 11-13; Elliott Bay Salmon Derby, July 26; Des Moines Salmon Derby, Aug. 2; Gig Harbor Salmon Derby, Aug. 9; Hood Canal Salmon Derby, Aug. 16-17; Sinclair Inlet Salmon Derby, Aug. 23-24; Tokeland Marina, Willapa Bay Salmon Derby, Aug. 30; and Edmonds Coho Derby, Sept. 6. Details: www.nmta.net.

• The National Alpine Ski Camp is offering a summer snow camp for children and young adults of all ages at Mount Hood in Oregon.

The camp offers six and ten-day sessions in the summer for children of all ages. There is also a masters program for those over age 20. Race training is the foundation for the camps, with an emphasis on free skiing and free skiing drills. Designated for intermediate and advanced skiers, campers must have basic ski skills to attend.

Ski training is conducted in the morning, followed by windsurfing, rock climbing, rafting, swimming, hiking, mountain biking and go-cart racing in the afternoon. Details: 800-453-6272 or www.skicamp.com.

• The state's Winter Sno-Parks are open for operation. Those planning a trip need to register their snowmobiles and purchase Sno-Park permits and cross-country ski trail guides.

Permits are available at more than 125 retail dealers statewide; one-day permits may be purchased on-line at www.parks.wa.gov/winter/. A one-day permit costs $10, seasonal permits are $30 and a special groomed-trails permit is $30.

The groomed-trails permit must be purchased along with a seasonal sno-park permit for the following Sno-Parks: Cabin Creek, Chiwawa, Crystal Springs, CS Road 54, Hyak, Lake Easton State Park, Lake Wenatchee State Park, Mount Spokane State Park and Nason Ridge. Individuals who purchase a one-day permit are not required to buy the special trail permit.

The snowmobile sno-park permit including the yearly snowmobile registration fee is $30 a year per sled ($12 a year per vintage sled), plus additional dealer fees. Snowmobile owners may register through county auditors or local state licensing office.

Nason Ridge Sno-Park near Lake Wenatchee State Park will be closed this season due to winter logging.

Downriver Golf Course Sno-Park in Spokane and Hardtime Sno-Park along the Wind River Highway in southwestern Washington are no longer available.

Several new Sno-Parks have been added: Ape Cave and Government Mineral Springs (South Cascades area), CS Road 54 and Lake Keechelus (I-90 corridor/Mt. Snoqualmie area) and Silver Springs (Crystal Mountain area).

For a list of permit dealers email winter@parks.wa.gov or 360-586-6644. For winter recreation information, including trail grooming reports go to www.parks.wa.gov/winter.

• A four-year, $10 million repair project on damaged roads and bridges of the Mountain Loop Scenic Highway has been completed, and the highway is now open to visitors with access through the Darrington Ranger District of Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

The highway follows the South Fork Stillaguamish River over Barlow Pass and into the South Fork Sauk River drainage, and reconnects the towns of Darrington and Granite Falls.

The 2003 flood damaged more than 40 roads, closing of many of them, and restricting public access to popular spots. For details on road closures in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, see www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs/conditions/road_conditions_report.shtml.

• Washington State Parks has announced their winter schedule, but that doesn't mean all outdoor activities have cone to an end.

In fact more than 100 parks will remain open daily through the winter offering campsites and other facilities. There are 19 parks closed until March and April, and six parks are remaining open during the winter on weekends and holidays only.

Tolmie State Park is open Wednesdays through Sundays through April 2, and the Goldendale Observatory is open 2 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 10 p.m. Fridays through Sundays and by appointment Wednesday through Thursdays through March 30.

Winter camping means smaller crowds, and campers may park their RVs or pitch tents on a first-come, first-served basis at most state parks open during the quiet season.

The parks also offer comfortable cabins at Camano Island, Kitsap Memorial or Wallace Falls state parks, a yurt at Cape Disappointment, Grayland Beach and Seaquest or a vacation house at Millersylvania, Fort Flagler, Fort Worden or Moran. These facilities may be reserved year-round.

Year-round camping reservations are available at Cape Disappointment, Deception Pass Dosewallips, Grayland Beach, Ocean City, Pacific Beach and Steamboat Rock. Pearrygin Lake and Riverside. Reservations can be made through Oct. 31. Details: 888-CAMPOUT or 888-226-7688. To view the winter schedule for state parks, go to www.parks.wa.gov.

• Those planning on visiting the Klickitat Wildlife Area should be aware of three road closures now through April 14 to protect roadbeds and to avoid disturbing wintering deer and elk.

The closures are in the Soda Springs Unit, including Anderson Road, 1.3 miles south of the intersection with Soda Springs Road; Old Headquarters Road, 1 mile south of the intersection with Soda Springs Road; and South Breaks Road, 0.1 miles west of the intersection with Soda Springs Road.

The 12 miles of unpaved roads were badly damaged by vehicle traffic last fall and spring.

The roads will be open during the early deer-hunting season in October, and will reopen in time for the spring turkey season. The roads will remain open to pedestrian access.

• The Wilderness Awareness School in Duvall holds numerous outdoors events, including a monthly "Tracking Club," that meets in Sultan on the third Saturday of each month now through May 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.

• 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.

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