It was cold in the house but sunny outside so the kiddo and I decided to make a run for it. If things went according to plan we’d have a midday adventure and maybe catch a fish. If things went awry, well, at least the house would feel warmer when we returned.
The steps on the southside of the house were crusted in days old snow that had still never seen the sun. The trees branches hung low from the brittle cold and waves of smoke from neighbors’ chimneys hung in the air like the everlasting moment between hope and disappointment.
As we began to make our way down the lane we were suddenly stopped short when a pair of hawks engaged in a display of avian aerial combat directly overhead. First the smaller hawk swooped in and landed on a prime evergreen branch that overhung the gopherhole pasture. Then, it’s much larger counterpart hit the turbo button from up on high and darted straight from the heavens toward that exposed outpost.
Just before those two birds had their worlds collide the smaller of the two abandoned its perch and set forth on an arrow route toward the limitless bluebird skies. In the absence of thermal vapors the birds began to circle on the razor ice wind currents that colluded to keep the world bogged down by the cold. They flapped their boomerang wings more often than usual for a sunny day as they chased one another round and round the great expanse overhead until their maneuvers took on the casual rhythm of old dance partners.
My Bub and I just stood and stared while the old farm roosters, usually so brazen and cocksure, ducked their red combed heads and made a beeline for the henhouse
As the hawks circled from the ring of tall trees along the river and back over the fallow pastures below song birds chirped carefree from the gnarled limbs of old fruit trees in the orchard.
Soon though, a new roar tore through the tranquil soundscape of winter’s coldest day. It was a twin prop plane and it waggled its wings in acknowledgement as my son excitedly signaled his enthusiasm through a telltale series of arm flapping gesticulations.
Once it had cleared the horizon we noticed that the plane’s presence had chased the hawks from their patch of sky so we continued cutting our path toward the river. As the towering trees grew taller to our perception another bird of prey suddenly popped into view. And then another, and another.
This time it was a trio of bald eagles who were scouting for fish from the strip bare tip of a snag fir along the river’s high water mark. Two of the raptors used their gift of flight to peer through the ripples below in gridwork surveillance while the elder-statesbird held a regal portrait pose atop the loftiest bough of that standing-dead tree.
As we approached the river’s edge the slow melt of the trail shifted into a solid sheet of ice along the shaded shore. Sand turned slick and old boot prints glistened with a spackle of intricate crystals where mud had once reigned.
With no rain and little runoff to sully the streams the river ran low and clear like the czar’s last pull of potato vodka. Hoping to look down on the river like the birds of prey that filled the skies I trudged to the top of a sandy dune along the shore to see what I could see.
A broken bottle here. A beer can there. An abandoned fire ring and the charred and jagged remnants of refuse that proved impervious to the rip of the flames. But no fish appeared in that instant.
With my back turned little Bub set out doing what is always his first order of business at the river — Finding rocks and hucking them in the river.
I watched as he inched to the shoreline and felt reassured when he stopped well short of the water to let the stones fly. But, as I turned my gaze back to the river I heard the crack of the ice and the telltale thump of a toddler going boom.
Spinning around again to investigate I saw the source of the commotion lying prone and staring silently into the blue abyss above.
An iced over slick of backwater had enticed my son to shuffle across so that he could take to the top of the hill with me. Instead, his feet went out from underneath and his diaper clad rump went crashing through the frozen veneer into the brackish seep water below.
Although his backside was wet and his hands muddy he did not cry. He simply seemed confused, as if he were asking himself, “How did I get here?”
Still, I knew we had reached the turning point in our adventure. We’d been free for awhile but it was time to head back to the confines of home.
We may not have had any fish to show but the wood stove crackled a little warmer upon our return. As we munched our lunch the only thing that we had left to wish for was the ability to fly so we could leave behind the troubles at our feet.
FISHIN’
Conditions are downright odd on the Chehalis River for this time of year as a deep freeze coupled with a decided lack of precipitation has caused the main channel and its tributaries to shrivel. Typically anglers seeking out winter steelhead like to wait for the river to rise before they go casting their lot. However, this long running cold and dry spell has anglers trying out any and every trick they can think of in order to net themselves a steely.
“I’m down here, so I’m willing to try anything,” said one cigarillo smoking fishermen near the Discovery Trail on Wednesday.
The gentleman, who talked about using corkies and yarn for bait, was discussing the prospects for a good bite with two other prospective fishermen who were taking a look at the conditions from the ice slicked bank. Those anglers were even considering throwing on hip waders in order to ford the frigid river to their preferred hold of slack water in that stretch of the drainage. They said they’d probably wind up using soft beads, bobbers and jigs in order to tempt whatever steelhead were present to bite.
According to rumors proliferating along the banks of the state’s second largest watershed there were about 15 steelhead that came in from boats at the Fort Borst Park boat launch on Sunday. The WDFW was even on hand over the weekend conducting checks and searching for people conducting illegal snagging operations.
Ask Andy Coleman, head honcho of Andy’s Angling Adventures, what’s slapping on the mainstem Chehalis and its tributaries and he’ll tell you that the best fishing may still be waiting around the bend.
“Hearing of some decent numbers in the Chehalis but water levels will be keeping guys away until some steady rain shows up,” wrote Coleman in an email to the FishRap command center. “Skookumchuck also is kicking out nice fish for guys putting their time in.”
A report from the WDFW confirmed that hunch from Coleman.
“The run of hatchery steelhead is winding down in the northern rivers, but anglers can still find late-run hatchery steelhead to the south in the Skookumchuck, Satsop, Wynoochee and mainstem Chehalis rivers,” read a WDFW prospect report. “As the numbers of wild steelhead build in the coming months, anglers are reminded to release all steelhead with intact adipose fins.”
Anglers on the lower Columbia River have been forced to search high and low for the best results in recent weeks. Currently anglers are allowed to keep hatchery Chinook and steelhead from Buoy 10 up to the I-5 Bridge in Portland. While the springer run doesn’t typically get started in earnest until March the first spring Chinook has already been landed on the Willamette River. While anglers wait for the rest of that run to show up the bulk of the attention has been focused on winter steelhead on the mainstem and its tributaries.
The WDFW notes that steelhead angling usually slows down considerably on lower Columbia River tributaries in February due to the timing of early and late hatchery releases. Looking ahead, a preseason forecast for 2019 shows that 99,300 upriver adult springers are expected to show up this year. That’s a drop from 115,080 adult springers last year, and far below the 10-year average. Similarly, the return rate for lower Columbia tributaries are expected to come in lower than last year.
“Staff will be monitoring this year’s salmon returns very closely,” said Ryan Lothrop, WDFW’s Columbia River policy coordinator, in a press release. “Given these low projections, our first responsibility is to make sure we can meet our conservation objectives for the upcoming seasons.”
Back in the here and then, results from creel sampling on regional tributaries last week showed more disappointment than elation. On the Grays River ten bank anglers released one steelhead while four boat rods had no catch. On the Elochoman River 17 bank anglers kept one steelhead and released three others while two boat rods released two steelhead. One bank angler at Abernathy Creek and three bank anglers at Mill Creek had no catch between them, but 10 bank anglers at Germany Creek kept two steelhead and released one more. Lastly, 18 bank anglers on the East Fork Lewis River released one steelhead.
Those with a consistently wet line insist that an annoyingly slow bite on the Cowlitz River is bound to turn around soon.
“We should be in the home stretch here on the Cowlitz (as) for the dead time,” wrote Coleman in between guiding fishing trips for paying customers. “Numbers will be increasing in the next two weeks and get cranking mid-March I hope for the Cow.”
However, last week on the Cowlitz River things remained sluggish. From Vader on down to the mouth 26 bank rods had no catch at all. Another 12 bank rods between Toledo and the Barrier Dam kept two steelhead and released another while six boat rods kept six steelies. At the Cowlitz salmon hatchery separator last week crews retrieved just four winter steelhead adults and all of those fish were retained for broodstock operations. Flow just below Mayfield Dam was reported at 9,500 cubic feet per second on Wednesday, which was up considerably from just under 5,000 cfps on Monday. Visibility increased slightly this week to around 11 feet but water temperature dropped to 43.2 degrees.
If you’d rather spend your time searching for river monsters then the dammed sturgeon fisheries on the Columbia River gorge are where you should head. While only catch-and-release angling for sturgeon is allowed from Buoy 10 up to Bonneville Dam, anglers can still keep sturgeon in the Bonneville and John Day pools. At Bonneville anglers are allowed to keep white sturgeon between 38-54 inches in length. Last week 13 bank anglers there kept two legal sturgeon and released five that were too small. Another 30 boat rods released 17 small sturgeon and one that was too big. Meanwhile, at the John Day Pool 31 bank anglers kept one legal fish and 18 boat bound rods released two sublegal sturgeon. Anglers in the dam pools are also trying their luck for walleye with four rods keeping one fish at Bonneville and 28 boat rods at John Day kept 18 walley while releasing five others.
Area lakes and ponds have been issuing a siren call to anglers as of late as well. According to a WDFW prospect report, “February is going to be a great month to catch trout. With more sunny days in the forecast, hatchery workers have been stocking area lakes with thousands of rainbows from Battle Ground Lake to Fort Borst Park.”
Additionally, a surplus of hatchery steelhead have been stocked at Kress Lake in recent weeks while kokanee have been flirting with lures at Merwin and Yale reservoirs. At the same time, panfish have been striking bait at places like Black Lake in Olympia, Silver Lake near Toutle and South Lewis County Park Pond (Ol’ Wallace Pond) in Toledo.
The WDFW prospect report also included a heads up for new anglers who are trying to get into the reel of things.
“Interested in fishing for trout, but aren’t sure how to get started? How about carp and warmwater fish? If you send Stacie Kelsey an email (stacie.kelsey@dfw.wa.gov) at the WDFW regional office, she’ll send you an informational fishing packet for youth or adults,” read the report. Those tips are purported to include proper gear advice, cookbooks, and other leads.
HUNTIN’
Hunters who hope to bag themselves a black bear this spring have until the end of the month to submit their applications for a permit. Applicants will then have to wait for a lottery drawing that will dole out 272 permits for western Washington and 509 permits for the other side of the mountains.
Applicants must first purchase special permit application and a 2019 hunting license that includes bear as a species option. Permit applications cost $7.10 for Washington residents and $110.50 for out of staters. The cost is only $3.80 for youths under age 16. Anyone selected for a hunt in GMUs 101, 105, 108, 111, 117, and 418 will have to complete a bear identification test in order to prove they can tell the difference between a legal black bear and an off limits grizzly.
Out in the field there are still limited opportunities to conduct legal hunts.
From Feb. 2-16 hunters can target geese in the coastal strip of Goose Area 2 west of Highway 101 in Grays Harbor County and all of Pacific County. However, National Wildlife Refuges and WDFW WIldlife Areas will remain closed to hunters during that time. Another round of goose opportunity will open in the inland section of Area 2 from Feb. 9 through March 9. In Area 1 that late goose opening will last from Feb. 9-20.
Most designated areas are still open for cougar hunts but hunters should be sure to check with the WDFW before heading out to the field. That extra effort has been recommended since the new year when cougar areas became subject to restrictions based on cumulative harvest numbers from the fall and winter season. In areas where the take remains below the quota hunting will continue through April 30.
Bobcats, fox, raccoons, snowshoe hares and cottontail rabbits are all legal fodder through March 15 when those seasons traditionally end. Trapping seasons for beaver, badger, weasel, marten, mink, muskrat and river otter will continue through the end of March. And, as always, coyotes are legal fodder year round.
Roadkill salvage is also legal in Washington with the use of an emergency permit provided by the WDFW. Permits are available online and must be obtained within 24-hours of any deer or elk salvage. Permits can be found at wdfw.wa.gov/licensing/game_salvaging/application.html.
CLAMMIN’
Razor clam diggers are currently waiting with bated breath to find out if the next round of proposed digs will be given the go ahead by the powers that be. Last week a three-day clam dig took place between Twin Harbors, Mocrocks and Copalis but no stats from those digs were available before press time.
The upcoming digs will be confirmed or cancelled once results from marine toxin testing are released. I’d bet a stack of clams that news comes out before the end of the work week. However, there is no word on the prospect of allowing digging at Kalaloch Beach. A set of digs previously scheduled for that secluded slice of sand were cancelled in January due to the shutdown of the federal government.
State law allows diggers to dig up to 15 razor clams per day. All dug clams must be retained regardless of size or condition. Additionally, diggers are required to dig their own clams and carry them in a personal container. All diggers ages 15 and up are required to possess a fishing license when harvesting razor clams.
RESTORIN’
Following a fire that ravaged much of the Scatter Creek Wildlife Area near Rochester in 2017 the WDFW is seeking public input on how to best rehabilitate those areas for future uses. On Feb. 13 the WDFW will host a public meeting in Rochester in order to figure out the best path forward for those South Sound prairies that cover about 3,592 acres between Thurston and Grays Harbor counties.
"We want to hear from the public about how people use this area as well as what recreation and natural resource values are important to them," said Darric Lowery, wildlife area manager for the WDFW, in a press release.
The WDFW is currently drafting a plan that would direct the next ten years of projects and management at the wildlife areas. The public meeting will include a history of the area, a look at the planning process, and a time for public comments.
Information on the six units of the Scatter Creek Wildlife Area are available online at https://wdfw.wa.gov/lands/wildlife_areas/scatter_creek/. The Scatter Creek workshop will be held from 6-8:30 p.m. next Wednesday at Swede Hall in Rochester, located at 18543 Albany St.
BIRDIN’
The Great Backyard Bird Count is coming to a backyard near you beginning next week. That annual survey of our fine feathered friends is dependant upon volunteer bird noters just like you!
The bird watching effort asks participants to spend 15 minutes outside between Feb. 15-18, either in their backyard or another preferred space, and to then document each bird that they see or hear during that time frame.
Documented birds can be entered into a database online at http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc.
SNOWIN’
Are you ready? If you don’t have your snow shovel, an ice scraper, an extra blanket and a pair of snow goggles at the your disposal, then the answer is no.
After a light dusting of snow threatened to throw a left-handed monkey wrench into the plans of western Washingtonians early this week it looks like a real life bona fide snowstorm is headed our way this weekend. Snow is expected to start falling on Thursday night and then pick up intensity through the weekend. That storm is even expected to blanket the lowlands in several inches of pow-pow which means the slopes up in the mountain passes should be prime for shredding.
On Wednesday morning the temperature at the summit was reported at 7 degrees while the mercury rose to 11 degrees near the lodge. Although no new snow had fallen over the previous 24-hours the total snowpack had risen slightly to 82 inches up top and 42 inches down below.
White Pass is currently open for daily operations. Those offering include 27 features on the RibEye run and an enhanced course on the Grouse Run. Additionally, new lights have been installed at Progression Park. The nordic area is open Thursday through Sunday and the tubing area is open on weekends and the Monday of Presidents’ Weekend. Night skiing is offered to anyone with a general access lift ticket through 9 p.m. on Saturdays and the Sunday of Presidents’ Weekend through March 2.
Up to date information on operations and conditions can be obtained by calling the White Pass snow-report hotline at 509-672-3100.
