According to the calendar hanging catawampus from a bent rusty nail on my wall, true spring does not begin for another two weeks. However, all-weather outfitted outdoors enthusiasts, mycelium encrusted nature trusting naturalists, stink scent slathered anglers, mud covered farmers and blood splattered hunters have no real need for the stringent confines of that box numbered rubric.
Instead of relying on scientifically calibrated data related to the angle of the poles as compared to the rotations and revolution of the earth in space, outdoorsy types are content to religiously observe the fluctuating signs of the times in order to gauge our current status along the seasonal continuum.
For anglers the sign that spring is here is the opening of the spring Chinook salmon fishery on the lower Columbia River. Hunters have been so immersed in preseason paperwork for black bears, deer and elk that they are just now realizing the sting of their numerous paper cuts. Dedicated clam diggers meanwhile have surely noted that the seasonal switch to morning tides is a mere three weeks away.
On the farm the turning of the season has turned up full blast in an attempt to annihilate any dreary vestiges of winter. Hard neck, soft neck and elephant garlic are popping up in steaming rows of fertile tilth, while spindly raspberry shoots are unfurrowing their first luscious green leaves. Red Russian kale that held strong and weathered the brunt of winter’s vengeful siege has begun to leaf out into robust bouquets of condensed vitamin K. Lettuce seeds sprout in dewy greenhouses and the procession of daffodils continues in the orchard. Dandelions dot the lowland grasses, and determined artichoke and rhubarb shoots burst forth from a formerly dormant garden. The earth is awakening from its cold, dark slumber.
Most telling on the farm, though, is the arrival of the first kids of spring. Our mightiest matriarch, the rebel pygora goat Rose, popped out her first ever set of twins over the weekend and has been diligently tending to their rapid development. Pan and Piper, as the new girls have been named, are quickly discovering the perks of napping in the sun rather than the shade. They are learning the joys of prancing on broken pallets and gallivanting in open pastures to their mother’s obvious dismay. And they already know the comfort of cuddling with their mamma in the crowded corner of the barn while the crisped air of the night recedes into dawn.
With one duck and two hens sitting on towering clutches of eggs, soon enough a full-fledged parade of fresh chicks and ducklings will be joining the springing ode to joy on the farm. Those brooding ladies have been steadfastly sitting for a few weeks now and they know that the time to hatch is drawing near. Just a few more turns of the eggs and a couple of long sits and the great wait will be over. Another season will turn, turn, turn.
FISHIN’
Spring salmon fishing opened up on the lower Columbia River on March 1 and so far a whopping 11 spring Chinook have been counted at Bonneville. That may read like sarcasm but the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife says that the most recent 10-year average for returning Chinook at this date is just three fish. So, relatively speaking, prospects are looking up while anglers keep their eyes down on the water.
To sweeten the pot a bit, the WDFW reported that, “River conditions look good for fishing,” recently, with good flow and 42-degree water. Last Saturday the WDFW counted, “nearly 100 boats and 200 bank anglers,” from the Columbia River Estuary up to Bonneville dam.
Steelhead fishing continues to be the main draw on the mainstem of the mighty Columbia River in spite of the spring salmon openings, but the overall effort has been limited. Last week anglers in The Dalles and John Day pools had the most luck with the steely set. Walleyes were also biting well in those two pools.
The sturgeon action in The Dalles Pool was fair last week with bank anglers faring the best. Weekly checking by the WDFW, however, showed just one legal size fish was kept. In John Day Pool there was less overall action but two legal size fish were recorded.
Meanwhile, sturgeon fishing wrapped up for the season in the Bonneville Pool last week. So far less than 15 percent of the yearly guideline has been caught and the WDFW expects to reopen the fishery at a later date.
On the Cowlitz River last week the WDFW sampled 12 boat anglers with a total of eight harvested steelhead and 23 bank anglers with a total of three steelies. The return rate at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator has slowed to a trickle with just 19 winter-run steelhead making up the entirety of the weekly record. Tacoma Power employees also released four returned steelhead into the Tilton River as well as two steelhead into the Cispus River. On Monday, river flow at Mayfield Dam was recorded at about 5,060 cubic feet per second.
A load of two-pound trout was divvied up between two local lakes on Feb. 24 as Lake Sacajawea and Horseshoe Lake each received 170 rainbows. Kress Lake was planted with an additional eight steelhead of Kalama Hatchery origin.
The Ides of March will mark the last day to angle a bundle of creeks in southwest Washington. Abernathy, Salmon and Cedar creeks in Clark County, Germany and Mill creeks in Cowlitz County, and Rock Creek in Skamania County will all close on that day. The Coweeman, Elochoman, Grays, East Fork Lewis, South Fork Toutle, and Washougal rivers will also close their fisheries on March 15.
The next day though Wind River and Drano Lake will open up to salmon fishing with a daily limit of two hatchery Chinook or steelhead. The waters between the Tower Island power lines and the Washington/Oregon state line will also open to boat and bank anglers on March 16 through May 6.
Salmon run projections recently released by the WDFW show promising numbers for salmonid species in Washington waters, especially Columbia River Chinook and Puget Sound pink and coho salmon.
With the new run projections the WDFW will begin to draft summer, fall, and winter fishery guidelines and they are encouraging public participation. Ron Warren, fisheries policy lead for the WDFW, said that citizens can get involved by attending public meetings or by using a new online commenting tool.
“Ensuring we meet our conservation objectives for depressed wild salmon stocks is the first step in establishing these fisheries,” Warren said in a press release. “That is always a challenge, but several of this year’s forecasts suggest we can provide some potentially great fisheries while meeting these goals.”
Some of the specifics of that fishy forecast include:
• Columbia River: Some 900,000 fall Chinook have been projected to return in 2015. According to Ron Roler, Columbia River policy coordinator for the WDFW, that would be the third largest run recorded since 1938. About 70 percent of those fish are expected to be “upriver brights” shooting for waterways above Bonneville Dam.
• Washington’s ocean waters: Roughly 255,000 hatchery Chinook are expected to return to the lower Columbia River. Coho numbers should be strong as well, if down a bit from last year.
“Coho numbers are down about 20 percent from 2014, but the forecast for lower river chinook is up slightly from last year,” said Doug Milward, ocean salmon fishery manager for the WDFW, in a press release. “Overall, anglers can look forward to more great fishing opportunities in the ocean this summer.”
• Puget Sound: A good push of more than 891,000 coho are projected to return to the Sound, which is up 20,000 from last year’s return. Central and south Puget Sound should be prime coho fishing waters.
Summer Chinook projections are down a bit from last year, but more than 6.5 million pink salmon are supposed to return to the Sound. That number is comparable to the last run in 2013. Pink salmon only return to Washington’s waters in odd-numbered years.
“A large return of pink salmon provides another reason for anglers to get out on the water and, perhaps, bring someone new to the sport along with them,” said Ryan Lothrop, WDFW Puget Sound recreational fisheries manager, in a press release.
In other fish futures news the WDFW is accepting public proposals on freshwater fisheries in the Puget Sound and coastal regions through March 31. Proposals or comments can be submitted on any fish species found in those area waters except for salmon.
Suggestions can be submitted in writing online at, wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/rule_proposals/ or by calling (360) 902-2700.
“We expect to receive numerous proposals on freshwater fisheries in Puget Sound and the coast this year,” said Craig Burley, WDFW fish program manager, in a press release. “Next year, we’ll look at proposals for saltwater fisheries in those same areas.”
Any adopted changes will be available for public review and comments in July. Final action on these proposed rules for the 2016-17 sportfishing rules are expected to be finalized at a public meeting in December of this year.
HUNTIN’
Savvy deer and elk hunters have through the end of March to apply for multiple-season permits. A drawing will be held in mid-April by the WDFW in order to randomly assign the special permits.
According to game officials, applying for these permits is an excellent way to improve a hunter’s odds in the field. In total, 8,500 multiple-season deer permits and 1,000 multiple-season elk permits will be awarded.
Winners of the drawing will be able to purchase a tag that allows them participate in archery, muzzleloader and modern firearm general hunting season for deer or elk in 2015.
“This is a great opportunity for hunters to extend their hunting season this fall,” said Mick Cope, game manager for WDFW, in a press release. “Rather than having to choose just one hunting method over another, the multiple season permit allows more flexibility.”
Hunters are only allowed to apply one time for each species and are limited to the harvest of just one deer or elk per year.
Multiple-season permit application can be purchased at various outdoors vendors, as well as on the WDFW website, or by calling (866) 246-9453. The permit application is $7.10 for residents and $110.50 for nonresidents. A 2015 hunting license is not required to apply for the permit but is required to purchase the corresponding tag if selected.
CLAMMIN’
A four-day clam dig approved last week by the WDFW is set to conclude at the stroke of midnight on Thursday.
No digging will be allowed before noon and diggers are limited to harvesting the first 15 clams that they dig regardless of size or condition.
Thursday’s dig is scheduled at the following beaches and low tide:
• March 5, Thursday; 6:30 p.m.; 0.5 feet, Long Beach, Twin Harbors
A future nine day dig has also been penciled in by the WDFW and is currently pending toxin testing results. Midway through that proposed dig the low tides will switch from mornings to evenings, allowing for a special opportunity for hearty clam harvesters to put 30 clams in their bucket over just a 12-hour period between March 20-21.
The proposed digs are for the following dates, beaches and tides:
• March 16, Monday, 4:15 p.m.; 0.3 feet, Long Beach, Twin Harbors
• March 17, Tuesday, 5:08 p.m.; -0.2 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors
• March 18, Wednesday, 5:57 p.m.; -0.5 feet, Long Beach, Twin Harbors
• March 19, Thursday, 6:42 p.m.; -0.5 feet, Long Beach, Twin Harbors
• March 20, Friday, 7:26 p.m.; -0.4 feet, Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks
Seasonal switch to morning tides:
• March 21, Saturday, 7:55 a.m.; -0.5 feet, Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks
• March 22, Sunday, 8:42 a.m.; -0.7 feet, Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks
• March 23, Monday, 9:31 a.m.; -0.6 feet, Long Beach, Twin Harbors
• March 24, Tuesday, 10:21 a.m.; -0.3 feet, Long Beach, Twin Harbors
