Fishing & Hunting Report: Midwinter Lull Drives Outdoor Enthusiasts Inside for Shopping and Paperwork

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In past years I have made a habit of visiting the Washington State Fairgrounds in January for the Washington Sportsmen’s Show. The gathering of the moss draped and scale slathered masses offered everything from kids’ quick draw contests to world class taxidermy and pink guns with rhinestones.

The following is part of a dispatch from Puyallup, originally written on the back of a mustard stained hotdog wrapper in the winter of 2015:

When I arrived at the fairgrounds just after 10 a.m. on Saturday morning there were already lines backing up into the street at the main entrances. Traffic police were prevalent, directing sun shimmering cars and the camouflage-clad masses in opposite directions. On a side note, what ever happened to traffic cops with style? No fancy hand motions or whistle shrieks to be found here.

The first exhibit I gazed upon drew me in by my eyes, ears and nose. The sound of shots popping off and the smell of sulfur in the air was too much to be ignored. Inside a vent-less tent, young buck sharpshooters were immersed in a quick draw contest. The haze of the endless cap-gun blasting hung smoke thicker than the fog of war and pinched my brain with the force of an angry snapping turtle, though, so the cool trout pond was naturally my next stop.

Inside the trout tent a one hundred foot long pool was stocked to the gills with hundreds of hearty rainbow trout. Children age 12 and under were handed simple bamboo fishing poles and a hook festooned with but a single salmon egg on a fixed length line. Nervous mothers clutched tightly to their tadpole offspring so that the mighty trout could not abscond with their young ones for a wild ride around the pool. New anglers were born every time a trout attached itself to a line, and young senses were jubilantly overloaded once the writhing fish were pulled from the water and slimily placed in their tiny grasping hands. Advice once given to me by a dear friend echoed in my head as exuberant hollers echoed in the tent— “Don’t let the trout bite you!”

Quick draw cap guns and feeding frenzy fish ponds were not the only spoils for the kids, though. For the bigger boys and girls a smorgasbord of vendors in three separate exhibition halls flaunted every kind of outdoors nick-knack, flim-flammer, tinsel-tinker, and wham-bammer a person could possibly desire. There were fly tiers, gun engravers, and boats I can’t afford with motors bigger than a Prius. There were cozy tree hunting stands, guns, bigger guns, knives and bigger knives. There were bird calls, elk bugles, fishing lures, piscatorial poles, holsters, quivers, bows and arrows. There were trailers, campers, custom cowboy boots and hats, barbeques, smokers, and bellowing bird dogs. Heck, even the Grant County Sheriff’s office manned a booth in hopes of luring gullible folks to the potato capital of Washington.

Guided huntin’ and fishin’ trips were available for Pacific tuna and halibut, Northwest river salmonids, Montana quadrupeds, Idaho bighorns, and Texas wild boars. There were also big game trips to New Zealand where I assume the quarry would be hobbit menacing Orcs.

At the famed “Head and Horns” rack display and competition huge, gnarled racks from all over the Great-PNW were judged on size, symmetry, quality of the mount, condition of the horns, and a potpourri of intangibles, like battle scars and blood dyed patina. Once composite rack cobbled together from thousands of pounds of individual antlers was on sale for $16,000.

Down the lane from the WDFW’s scared-straight poaching penalty box, live chainsaw art performances enlivened the atmosphere with the sweet smell of two stroke fumes and the whizzing sound of chipped wood. Watching a woman wielding a needle of a chainsaw that would have served as Paul Bunyan’s electric toothbrush I saw the face of a panting black lab emerge from the flesh of a fresh round of Doug Fir, although the dog had no bark.

At another outside booth, next to a fully outfitted fireman on a stair-stepper, Strider the pack goat flaunted his custom packing gear and absorbed the fawning adoration of passersby. The Evergreen Pack Goat Club said that Strider can pack 20-30% of his weight, and makes an excellent tent toting hunting companion prone to extended bouts of rumination.

In the midst of the goats, chainsaw fumes, cigar and Little Chief smoke, it was the omnipresent wafting of the fair food that kept my head on a swivel like sand shrimp. The sausage dogs even came with real sauerkraut. Alas, the fair food was too expensive for this poor scribe, and all I wound up with is this crusty old hotdog wrapper to hold my ragtag notes.

Crammed in the corner, next to the mustard stain, were my wisest words of the day: Make a to-do list in advance. For a first-timer like me, with nothing in particular to look for, the Washington Sportsmen’s Show was a bit overwhelming, in a Barnum and Bailey meets hunters-only speed dating kind of way. For those with a specific need or inquiry however, there is no better place to stoke your interests, stock your survival kit, and talk shop with the masters of their trade. The show is a midwinter’s day well spent, indeed.

The Washington Sportsmen's Show will continue through Jan. 29 at the Washington State Fairgrounds. The show will run from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Additional information can be found online at https://www.thesportshows.com/shows/washington/show-information/.

FISHIN

Following months of persistent rumor mongering wafting its way off of the emerald waters of the Cowlitz River the cat’s finally out of the bag as the WDFW has confirmed long held suspicions that the bulk of 2016’s summer steelhead and cutthroat smolt stock came up unaccounted for last year. Officials say they don’t know how exactly they lost more than half a million fish but they have a few donkeys they’d like to pin that blame on.

In total an estimated 514,000 of the original 625,9000 smolt came up unaccounted for. That loss of about 70 percent of the intended stock dropped the actual number of released summer smolt to just 183,600 summer steelhead and 18,600 cutthroats. The lost stock is likely to be felt by frustrated fishermen as early as this summer when the first round of cutthroats would have started to return. However, the pinch will really be put on the summer steelhead run of 2018 when the bulk of those lost steelhead smolt likely would have made their return. The summer steelhead runs of 2019-21 are also likely to be negatively impacted.

The loss of more than a half a million fish that would have begun making returns to the Cowlitz River in the summer of 2017 comes on the heels of another loss of about 100,000 fall Chinook salmon smolt in May 2016 when a net pen in Lake Mayfield was vandalized, allowing the fish to escape. This time around, though, there was no nefarious outside act to help explain the loss of more than half a million hatchery fish that fuel the most popular fishery on the Cowlitz River.

WDFW policy coordinator for the Columbia River, Cindy LeFleur, spread the blame around on everything from bird predation, to faulty nets, to inaccurate counting equipment, and disease. In any case LeFleur says that the loss of so many smolt is unprecedented and that their is no foolproof solution in the works.

The losses were first noticed in May of 2016 but, despite questioning from The Chronicle and individual citizens, were not acknowledged until Jan. 9 in a “fact sheet” that was not dispersed widely to media outlets.

Although the exact cause of the massive loss of fish has not yet been officially established LeFleur says that discussions have begun to consider increasing bird harassment patrols around the hatchery net pens. LeFleur said that harassment may be include lethal action in some cases, although she was unable to comment on specifics. She added that fully netted rearing ponds that would exclude all bird of prey are not expected to be installed for the next three to six years.

Last week on the Cowlitz River the WDFW sampled one boat angler with no catch and 43 bank anglers with one adult coho in the box along with two steelhead, two adult coho and one cutthroat released. The cuttie was caught down river while all of the other fish were hooked near the barrier dam. Employees at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator last week recovered 247 adult coho, 11 jacks, three winter-run steelhead and one cutthroat trout. River flow at Mayfield Dam was reported at approximately 6,910 cubic feet per second on Monday, and river visibility was noted as five feet with a water temperature is 42.1 degrees.

Thirty bank anglers on the East Fork Lewis River caught just four steelhead and released them all while 40 bank anglers on the Kalama caught three hatchery steelhead and kept one. There were no coho or kings noted in the catch. On the Columbia River proper the WDFW reported light effort but no catch between the Bonneville and McNary dams for both salmon and sturgeon. One boat angler at John Day was observed catching some walleye, otherwise there was no effort for walleye or bass.

After reaching a recent peak of 16.6 million pounds in 2014 the Columbia River eulachon smelt return has been on the decline for two years. The return for 2017 is expected to continue that trend, coming in close to the 2011 and 2012 tallies at about 3 million pounds. No smelt fisheries were offered by the WDFW during those years. The WDFW blames poor ocean conditions for the steadily declining return.

In 2014 a total of 16.6 million pounds of smelt were estimated to return with a sport harvest of 203,880 pounds, a commercial take of 18,560 pounds and a tribal haul of 6,970 pounds. Last year the sport fishery hauled out 141,050 pounds of smelt while the commercial openings netted 4,820 pounds of fish and tribal efforts garnered 8,330 pound.

No commercial or sport fisheries were offered in 2013 either but limited opportunities have been offered since 2014. The commercial openings consisted of eight openings over four weeks on the lower Columbia. Sport openings on the Cowlitz River included five total days in 2014, two days in 2015 and one day in 2016. No decision has been made on smelt fisheries for 2017 but officials say that if opportunities are offered they will likely be similar to 2016.

On the Chehalis system the fishing prospects have all been muddied lately.

“Locally there’s just not very much happening yet,” said Jerry Barr, master of free wheeling reel talk at the Sunbirds sporting desk in Chehalis. “The Skookumchuck is all muddy water and the Chehalis is muddy water, so I think we are still a few weeks out. They’re all running high and dirty.”

For example, late last week the Satsop River nearly reached its flood stage of 35 feet. Flood warnings went off when the river crept past 33 feet but it ultimately stopped short of its banks. The highest stage for the Satsop during 2014-15 was about 34.5 feet and the lowest recorded level was 21.66 feet on Sep. 6, 1934. On Wednesday afternoon the river was back in its normal range at about 27.62 feet.

With an extended bout of relatively dry weather predicted to mostly hold out through the end of the week Barr has not given up hope that the bite will pick up.

“Maybe it will be better this weekend. I’m hoping at least,” said Barr, who noted that steelhead have been biting in recent weeks on the Willapa River. Much of the moderate catch was beginning to show color though and about half had to be tossed back for having too many fins.

Last Thursday a total of six Washington fisheries were tabbed with “disaster” status by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce after U.S. Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell petitioned for the designation in December of 2016. The designations will make federal funds available to fish and habitat recovery efforts on those waters, as well as relief stipends to affected communities. The funds would be distributed through NOAA Fisheries.

Those waters designated with disaster fisheries include:

• 2014 Fraser River sockeye salmon

• 2015 Grays Harbor coho salmon

• 2015 South Puget Sound coho salmon

• 2015 Dungeness crab

• 2015 statewide coho salmon

• 2016 statewide coho salmon



“We recognize the sacrifices are forced to take in times of environmental hardship," said Samuel D. Rauch III, NOAA Fisheries deputy assistant administrator for regulatory programs, in a press release. "We are committed to helping these communities recover and achieve success in the future."

Where raging rivers and out of season salt water fisheries have left many anglers wanting, the scene on placid waters has been more rewarding. Barr says that the trout fishing scene has been as good as anything lately. While Fort Borst Park Pond in Centralia and South Lewis County Park Pond in Toledo typically offer steady odds, Barr says that Mayfield Lake has been particularly tempting in recent days.

“Most of the fish have been coming off chartreuse power eggs, plunking them off the bottom so they float up,” said Barr of the fishing action off the bank down Burley Road in Mossyrock. “It seems like later in the afternoon because I’ve been there in the morning, not real real early but around 8 a.m., and it just seems like it’s too cold for them.”

Barr noted that Swofford Pond is still frozen and that Riffe Lake is still too low for any real angling prospects.

“I wouldn’t even recommend going down there because you’ve got to be a billy goat to get up and down the bank.”

HUNTIN

Hurry up Annie, get your gun, because it’s last call to take advantage of dwindling bang-bang opportunities that continue to slip through clenched trigger fingers like sands through the hourglass.

Sunday, Jan. 29th will mark the official end of traditional fall and winter hunting seasons as ducks, coots, snipes and geese all fall like lead shot from the fringes of the fair game list. The end of those seasons also serves as a reminder that it is time to file away paperwork in advance of what will hopefully turn out to be a successful 2017 for all that hit the field.

Brant hunts in Skagit and Pacific counties closed for good on Jan. 22 as did goose and gander gathering in Management Area 2. However, goose hunting in Management Area 3 will remain open through Jan. 29, as will statewide seasons for those wacky ducks, sneaky snipes and conspiring old coots.

Bobcat, fox, raccoon, cottontail rabbit and snowshoe hare hunts will keep on the grind through March 15, and of course, coyotes are always fair game for the assorted crosshairs of Washington. However, beavers, badgers, weasels, martens, minks, muskrats and river otters can be harvested through trapping efforts only.

Cougar hunts are also still open in many areas around the state but the arrival of the new year has made all of those areas subject to immediate closures depending on the harvest numbers accumulated since the season opened on Sep. 1. Most areas will continue to be open for the big cat season through Apr. 30 but hunters should always be sure to check with the WDFW for up to date information on particular areas and the associated harvest limits.

The next new general hunting season will be the spring turkey hunt, which will open statewide on April 15 and end on May 31. A two-day youth-only turkey hunt will serve rude notice to those gobblers on April 1-2.

Moving out of the field and into the filing cabinet, the end of January and beginning of February are critical paperwork junctions for hunters looking to keep ahead of the game. For hunters looking to expand the peripherals of their opportunities the WDFW will be accepting master hunter permit applications through Feb. 15.

According to a press release, the master hunter permit program “is designed to promote safe, lawful and ethical hunting, and to strengthen Washington’s hunting heritage and conservation ethic.” There are currently 1,650 master hunters registered in Washington.

Master hunters are used by the WDFW for controlled special hunts in order to remove problem animals that cause property damage and other problems. Master hunters are also required to participate in volunteer works to increase access to private lands, habitat enhancement, data collection, hunter education and improve landowner relations.

"To qualify for the program, applicants must demonstrate a high level of skill and be committed to lawful and ethical hunting practices," said David Whipple, WDFW Hunter Education division manager, in a press release.

A set of four orientation meetings will be hosted by the WDFW between Feb. 4-15 at locations around the state. The most local meetings are scheduled for:

• Feb. 9 – Tacoma Sportsman's Club, 16409 Canyon Rd E, Puyallup, 7-9 p.m.

• Feb. 15 – Cowlitz Co. PUD building, 961 12th Ave, Longview, 7-9 p.m.

Aspiring master hunters will be required to pay a $50 application fee, pass a criminal background check and a written test, demonstrate shooting proficiency, provide at least 20 hours of approved volunteer service and meet additional qualifications outlined by the WDFW. Lastly, all hunters are required to file reports on their activity for each transport tag no later than Jan. 31. The results of those reports are used as a primary source of information for gauging and managing game populations and outlining future hunting seasons.

Hunters who don’t meet that deadline, even if they failed to bag a single critter in the past year, will be forced to pay a $10 fine the next time they purchase a license.

Hunters can report by phone at (877) 945-3492 or online at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov. Questions about the reporting process can be directed to the WDFW by phone at (360) 902-2464 or by email to licensing@dfw.wa.gov. Additional information on the Master Hunter program can be obtained by calling 360-902-2847.

CLAMMIN

Last week the WDFW approved a set of clam digs that will begin on Friday and Saturday at Copalis and then expand to include Mocrocks. The openings were confirmed after marine toxin testing showed that the resident clams are safe for consumption.

The upcoming dig is approved on the following beaches, dates and evening low tides:

• Jan. 27, Friday, 6:26 p.m.; -0.5 feet; Copalis

• Jan. 28, Saturday, 7:01 p.m.; -0.6 feet; Copalis

• Jan. 29, Sunday, 7:37 p.m.; -0.5 feet; Copalis, Mocrocks

• Jan. 30, Monday, 8:13 p.m.; -0.3 feet; Copalis, Mocrocks

• Jan. 31, Tuesday, 8:50 p.m.; 0.2 feet; Copalis, Mocrocks

Long Beach and Twin Harbors will remain closed for the foreseeable future due to elevated levels of domoic acid. The naturally occurring toxin which is produced by decomposing marine algae, is absorbed into the tissue of razor clams and can cause illness or even death if consumed in large enough concentrations.

“We remain hopeful that we will be able to open both beaches sometime this spring,” WDFW coastal clam manager Dan Ayres said in a press release.

LICENSIN

This week the WDFW began selling hunting and fishing licenses for the upcoming 2017-18 seasons which will begin on April 1. Normally the WDFW begins selling the next year’s licenses in December but a data breach of the licensing system last summer forced a change of processing systems which pushed back the date by about a month.

“With the release of our new licensing system last month, we opted to delay selling 2017-18 licenses in order to avoid printing licenses from two separate systems, with slightly different formatting, for a single license year,” said Peter Vernie, the department’s licensing division manager, in a press release.

However, final decisions on a few species will hold up the process for a few seasons’ permits. For instance, special hunt applications for most big game species will not be available until the Fish and Wildlife COmmission approves the 2017-18 hunting seasons in April. Additionally, hunters hoping to draw a permit for a spring bear hunt can purchase their applications now and will then be allowed to enter their preferred hunt choices between Feb. 15-28. The drawing is slated to take place in early March.

Each year the WDFW sells about 2.5 million licenses. License fees will be the same as the 2016-17 season and additional information can be obtained online at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/.