WDFW Q & A Thread - Questions for Stacie Kelsey, WDFW

[Fishininja]

Still waiting....................patiently.

[Stacie Kelsey]

I'm sure most of these have been answered but here ya go! Very very sorry about that guys. I'll catch up with the answers and get here daily!


from Gringo Pescador:

Maybe this has been asked before, but I don't remember seeing it so I will ask anyway.. Stacie, whats the deal with the white worms in the body cavity of the Riffe Lake Silvers? They just seem to be in the body cavity, not in the organs or meat. I've heard the fish are safe to eat but is it a Riffe Lake thing? Something common with Silvers?
And are those stocked every year or do they reproduce naturally?

This is a common occurrence in Riffe, but it also happens very regularly with the trout in Merrill Lake. These are anchor worms. The first question of course is - if they are safe to eat, properly handled and cooked to standard guidelines the answer is usually yes. However, if you have a fish heavily infected with the worms, probably best to just pass on it.

from mitchard:

Hey Stacie. Out of curiosity, are there any maps out there with the different zones/areas marked for rivers? I am pretty new to fishing in the local rivers, and don't know some of the landmarks that are listed on regs as start/end points.

This has always been an issue with fisherman, especially since those landmarks can change when there is flooding or other issues. The best thing to do is to contact your local fish and wildlife office and speak to the person in charge of the area you are interested in fishing. They can give you specific information on the landmarks and any changes there may be.


from Jammer19:

Not sure if this is the right place to put this question.... but I am reading the new regs and I see in marine area 11, surfperch limit is 10, but it has a note about shiner perch being a limit of 15 and does not count towards surfperch limit. I cannot find any pictures of a shiner perch on the wdfw website to compare to a surf perch. I am a newbie at this so I am wanting to make sure I stay legal. Any help ?

Our Region 6 Office can give you better information about the differences - we don't have them in my Region. 360-249-4628

from Atkins Dan:

I did a search here on the forms and did not see a clear answer for what I was looking for.

Where in Western WA can I find Catfish?? to me it all looks like it is on the eastern side of the state.and I really dont want to drive that far in less I have to.

We are working on updating the warmwater sections of our website. I can tell you for my region which is southwest Washington (Clark, Lewis, Klickitat, Skamania, Cowlitz counties) we stock channels into both Swofford Pond and Kress Lake. They are also in Vancouver Lake.

From Augwen:

Hi Stacie, I have a question about possession limits. It says on the top of page 17 that for gamefish (I am concerned with trout) That the limit is 2 days catch IN ANY FORM. Always before this did not count proccessed/frozen fish. I live on a lake and keep my fish in the fridge/freezer until I have a full smoker which is about 5 days worth of daily limits. Is this illegal?

So this mostly applies to 'in transit' situations. If you go to a lake you can only have the 2 day catch in any form. Since you live on the lake and have fish in your freezer this isn't going to apply. There may be circumstances that arise where it could - however, the majority of the time this rule again is an in transit rule.

from Toni:

I was wondering if you can find out if this statement is true?
"We have basically 1 kokanee lake with decent sized fish to target here in SW Wa. It's now getting heavy fishing pressure, even from guide services. Been turned into a commercial fishery. Merwin quality koke fishing will not last long. Mid America/PacificCorp and Pacific Power want out of their kokanee salmon steelhead fish hatcheries and campground public land reimbursement contracts in the worst way, yet they take in a cash flow of hundreds of millions of dollars $$$ every year from the publically owned land, river and water resources of Swift, Yale and Merwin. Look for they're contribution to kokanee plants and any fisheries/tourist support to be gone under the next administration in Wa. DC. The end of kokanee fishing on Merwin except for a very small local spawn that will not last with overfishing."

The statement is false. The kokanee fishing is a high quality lake that is not going to end. The settlement agreement requires PacifCorp to stock 12,500 lbs. There is a study that is going on in both Merwin and Yale at this time to determine the level of habitat that may/may not support salmon reintroduction but that is not going to affect the kokanee.

from iwalton:

Stacie, I have a question regarding a creek in your neck of the woods, Salmon Creek in Vancouver, Washington.

Are there any current special regulations on this creek that haven't been released yet? I want to make sure before fishing it this summer.

Also, Stacie, could you shed some light on the status of the large pond just east of the Felida bridge, in the Salmon Creek Park? Has this pond ever been stocked and is there any plans to improve public access to it in the future? (not the pond near I-5, I'm referring to the large wetlands pond just north of Salmon Creek in the park, visible from the Felida road to the East).

Thank you!

If you are talking about the Pond that is near Klineline - just off of the park area - we do not stock it but there is a good population of warmwater fish in there. The access would be up to the parks department itself although at this time there is fairly good shore access to it. Let me know if that is not the one you are talking about!

from fishininja

Hi Stacie. My friend recently lost his WDFW vehicle pass. Ca n he purchase a replacement or does he now have to buy a discover pass? Thanks

You can get one replacement but you need to do it through licencing in Olympia because they have to void the original out of their system.

[Mike Carey]

Long time no hear! Glad to have you back posting. Thanks Stacie.

[Augwen]

Thanx for the reply

[The Quadfather]

Yes, we are so lucky to have a Pipeline to valid information. Thanks for being there.

[Stacie Kelsey]

Thanks guys!

I promise I will be a frequent visitor instead of a ghost!!

[christophertroy]

Stacie, I think it's a great idea and thanks for the offer.

[christophertroy]

Hey Stacie, I am looking for 2013 stockings for Region 6 lakes, mostlly for Spencer and Nahwatzel. Last year there were some good stockings feb through late march in these lakes. Are they the same year to year? Any help would be great.... Thanks

[Stacie Kelsey]

It doesn't look like their stocking info is up yet, but let me check.

stace

[soberg]

Stacie, I have a couple questions regarding the new Sturgeon and Spokane Arm Walleye regulations. Will we be allowed to catch and release sturgeon after we have caught our 2 fish annual limit? I fish the Snake River below Lower Granite. My next question is I have read that the Spokane Arm of Lake Roosevelt will be open year round starting May 1st 2013, so does this mean it will close april 1st and reopen May 1st?

[geljockey]

Stacie, I have a couple questions regarding the new Sturgeon and Spokane Arm Walleye regulations. Will we be allowed to catch and release sturgeon after we have caught our 2 fish annual limit? I fish the Snake River below Lower Granite. My next question is I have read that the Spokane Arm of Lake Roosevelt will be open year round starting May 1st 2013, so does this mean it will close april 1st and reopen May 1st?

For your question about the Spokane Arm of Lake Roosevelt:

FISHING RULE CHANGE
WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091

March 28, 2013

New walleye rules for Lake Roosevelt, lower San Poil River, lower Spokane River

Action: The daily walleye bag limit for Lake Roosevelt, the lower San Poil River, and the lower Spokane River will increase to 16 fish with no size restriction. In addition, the lower Spokane River from mouth (SR 25 Bridge) upstream to 400 feet below Little Falls Dam will open for walleye fishing April 1.

Effective Date: April 1 at 12:01 a.m. until further notice

Species affected: Walleye

Locations:

Lake Roosevelt;

The lower Spokane River from mouth (SR 25 Bridge) to 400 feet below Little Falls Dam; and

The lower San Poil River from Boundary Line A upstream to Boundary Line C (as illustrated by the map in the current WDFW Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet, or the Fishing section of the WDFW webpage at http: //wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/.

Reason for action: In early March, the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission approved new fishing regulations designed to increase harvest on an overabundant walleye populations in Lake Roosevelt and the lower Spokane River. Besides providing additional fishing opportunities for anglers, these changes will help to reduce walleye predation on native fish populations as well as the number of small walleye in those waters. The permanent regulations approved by the Commission will take effect May 1, 2013.

The emergency regulations will effectively initiate these changes April 1, 2013, a month sooner, to expedite the goals of the Commissions permanent rules for Lake Roosevelt and the lower Spokane River. In addition, they apply the 16-fish daily limit for walleye to the lower San Poil River, which also has an overabundance of the species.

Other information: All other WDFW fishing regulations for Lake Roosevelt, Spokane River, and San Poil River remain in effect.

Recreational fishing in Lake Roosevelt, and in the San Poil River between Boundary A to Boundary C, requires a Washington State freshwater license and compliance with established State fishing regulations. The Colville Confederated Tribes (CCT) have established non-tribal recreational fishing regulations which differ from State regulations in this area. Be advised that anglers fishing in this area may be checked by tribal enforcement officers for a tribal license. All waters upstream of Boundary C (above the 1310 mean sea elevation) and within the CCT Reservation boundary are under the regulatory authority of the CCT. For CCT fishing information call (509) 634-2110.

Information Contact: John Whalen, WDFW Spokane, (509) 892-7861

[soberg]

Thank you very much for the answer on my question of Lake Roosevelt. Now does anybody have an answer on the new Sturgeon rules. Will we be allowed to catch and release after we reach our yearly limit?

[soberg]

Well I had not recieved a reply about wether or not we will be allowed to catch and release sturgeon after we reach our 2 fish limit so I decided to call the regonal office here in Spokane and to my dismay, they could not answer my question either..... It used to be you could on the Columbia River anywhere it divided Wa and Or but not the anywhere else. I just love how the WDFW doesn't even know themselves. Makes me very nervouis about many our fish and game laws.

I would sure like to see a catch and release season only on Lake Roosevelt. I think I am dreaming there. We see the sturgeon Jumping on the north end of the lake from time to time and once in a while on the Spokane River around Little Falls in the fall whe the Kokanee are spawning.

[geljockey]

Well I had not recieved a reply about wether or not we will be allowed to catch and release sturgeon after we reach our 2 fish limit so I decided to call the regonal office here in Spokane and to my dismay, they could not answer my question either..... It used to be you could on the Columbia River anywhere it divided Wa and Or but not the anywhere else. I just love how the WDFW doesn't even know themselves. Makes me very nervouis about many our fish and game laws.

I would sure like to see a catch and release season only on Lake Roosevelt. I think I am dreaming there. We see the sturgeon Jumping on the north end of the lake from time to time and once in a while on the Spokane River around Little Falls in the fall whe the Kokanee are spawning.

I have been told that unfortunately, it’s not straight forward in WAC 220-56-282. The WAC only singles out that circumstance for areas of the Columbia River downstream of the border between Washington and Oregon (just upstream of McNary Dam), where catch-and-release is allowed after retaining a daily or annual limit (see (7)(g)). It doesn’t specifically say that it isn’t permitted in other areas in the state, which generally are open to catch-and-release year-round unless being restricted to open seasons for salmon or game fish. I believe that (7)(g) was adopted a number of years ago to maintain concurrent regulation with Oregon, which suggests it isn’t permissible elsewhere. The following is from the version of the WAC just recently revised:

WAC 220-56-282 Sturgeon -Areas, seasons, limits and unlawful acts.
(1) It is unlawful to retain green sturgeon.
(2) It is permissible to retain white sturgeon in Puget Sound and all Puget Sound tributaries from June 1 through June 30, 2013, and September 1 through October 15, 2013, except in Union River white sturgeon may only be retained from June 1 through June 30, 2013.
(3) It is permissible to catch and release white sturgeon in saltwater waterways year-round. However, for freshwater waterways, including freshwater Puget Sound tributaries, it is permissible to catch and release white sturgeon only when the season is open for salmon or game fish, unless otherwise provided.
(4) It is permissible to catch and release sturgeon year-round in the following waters, unless otherwise provided by department rule:
(a) The mainstem Columbia River and its tributaries downstream from where the river forms the boundary between Oregon and Washington;
(b) The mainstem Columbia and its tributaries from Priest Rapids Dam to Chief Joseph Dam;
(c) The Snake River and its tributaries from Lower Granite Dam upstream.
(5) It is unlawful to fish for sturgeon in the Columbia River and tributaries upstream of Chief Joseph Dam.
(6) Effective January 1, 2014, it is unlawful to retain white sturgeon in the following areas:
(a) The Columbia River and its tributaries below Bonneville Dam;
(b) Coastal waters and tributaries of coastal waters; and
(c) Puget Sound waters and tributaries of Puget Sound.
(7) The following limits and requirements apply in areas where it is permissible to retain sturgeon:
(a) The daily limit is one white sturgeon.
(b) The possession limit is two daily limits of fresh, frozen, or processed white sturgeon.
(c) The annual personal-use limit for white sturgeon from April 1 through March 31 is two fish, regardless of where the angler takes the sturgeon.
(d) The maximum fork-length is 54 inches;
(e) The minimum fork-length is 38 inches, except the minimum fork-length is 43 inches on the mainstem Columbia and its tributaries from The Dalles Dam to Priest Rapids Dam and the Snake River from the Confluence Protection Area to Lower Granite Dam;
(f) It is unlawful to fail to release undersize or oversize sturgeon immediately;
(g) Once an angler reaches his or her annual limit of white sturgeon, he or she may continue to fish for white sturgeon in the mainstem Columbia River downstream from where the river forms the common boundary between Oregon and Washington, unless otherwise provided by department rule, so long as the angler releases all subsequent sturgeon immediately.
(h) It is unlawful to fish for sturgeon with terminal gear other than bait and one single-point barbless hook.
(i) It is permissible to use artificial scent with bait when fishing for white sturgeon.
(j) It is unlawful to use a gaff or other body-penetrating device while restraining, handling, or landing a sturgeon.
(k) It is unlawful to fish for or possess sturgeon taken for personal use from freshwater, except the Chehalis River, from one hour after official sunset to one hour before official sunrise.
(l) It is unlawful to possess sturgeon eggs in the field without retaining the intact carcass of the fish from which the eggs have been removed.
(8) Violation of this section is an infraction, punishable under RCW 77.15.160, unless the person has harvested sturgeon. If the person has harvested sturgeon, the violation is punishable under RCW 77.15.380, Unlawful recreational fishing in the second degree -Penalty, unless the sturgeon are taken in the amounts or manner to constitute a violation of RCW 77.15.370, Unlawful recreational fishing in the first degree -Penalty.
(9) It is unlawful to possess sturgeon taken with gear in violation of the provisions of this section. Possession of sturgeon while using gear in violation of the provisions of this section is a rebuttable presumption that the sturgeon were taken with such gear. Possession of such sturgeon is punishable under RCW 77.15.380, Unlawful recreational fishing in the second degree -Penalty, unless the sturgeon are taken in the amounts or manner to constitute a violation of RCW 77.15.370, Unlawful recreational fishing in the first degree -Penalty.

[soberg]

Thank you geljocky! I appreciate your attemp to answer my question. Your right it is not clear. I guess I better keep one a yr so I can cotinue to catch and release to be safe. I was really hopeing they would allow a catch and release season on lake roosevelt also this yr.I would sure would be glad to tag the sturgeon I catch and release for the WDFW to help determine their population and movement. The WDFW would benifit if they started a program that involved us advid fisherman.

[Stacie Kelsey]

Hey all!

Back after a 3 1/2 month absence from work (knee replacement!).

Wanted to check in and see how everything is going! We have some great warmwater fishing opportunities down this way!

Check out Swofford Pond for some beautiful catfish; Kress Lake (near Kalama) for catfish; Rowland Lake (Klickitat County) for some nice bluegill.

Silver Lake (Cowlitz) has been delivering some nice size crappie as well.

Enjoy your holiday!

[Stacie Kelsey]

Also want to make sure you are aware of our new Fish Washington website!!

http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/washington/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Pretty fun info!!

stace

[hewesfisher]

Thank you geljocky! I appreciate your attemp to answer my question. Your right it is not clear. I guess I better keep one a yr so I can cotinue to catch and release to be safe. I was really hopeing they would allow a catch and release season on lake roosevelt also this yr.I would sure would be glad to tag the sturgeon I catch and release for the WDFW to help determine their population and movement. The WDFW would benifit if they started a program that involved us advid fisherman.

The answer is clear on Lake Roosevelt sturgeon, WAC 220-56-282, sub-paragraph (5),

(5) It is unlawful to fish for sturgeon in the Columbia River and tributaries upstream of Chief Joseph Dam.

This rule is stated throughout the 2013 Sport Fishing Rules Pamphlet. See the Catch and Release note on pg 16:

Please Note: Sturgeon fishing 2014
Effective January 1, 2014: catch-and-release fishing ONLY in the Columbia River from Bonneville Dam downstream, coastal, and Puget Sound waters including their tributaries.

That means you cannot catch and release Sturgeon ABOVE the Bonneville Dam.

Pg 93, 2103 Sport Rules Pamphlet:

Rufus Woods Lake (section of Columbia River between Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee dams)

RUFUS WOODS LAKE (Douglas/Okanogan Co.)
STURGEON CLOSED

Lake Roosevelt (section of Columbia River above Grand Coulee dam)

ROOSEVELT LAKE (Columbia River from Grand Coulee Dam to U.S.- Canadian border) including Hawk
Creek downstream of the falls at the Hawk Creek Campground, the Spokane arm downstream of SR 25 Bridge, and
Kettle arm downstream of Barstow Bridge
• see also: Hawk Creek, Kettle River, Spokane River, and Roosevelt Lake tributaries
• for San Poil Arm of Lake Roosevelt, see San Poil River, page 80

STURGEON CLOSED

Lake Roosevelt Tributaries, pg 79:

ROOSEVELT LAKE TRIBUTARIES between Grand Coulee Dam and State Hwy. 25 Bridge at Northport - except
Barnaby Creek, Nancy Creek and tributaries listed elsewhere in Special Rules
STURGEON CLOSED

San Poil Arm, pg 80:

SAN POIL RIVER (Ferry Co.) Refer to map. Recreational fishing between Boundary A to Boundary C requires a Washington State Freshwater License. The Colville Confederated Tribes (CCT) asserts that a tribal license is required in this area. Anglers may be checked by tribal enforcement officers for a tribal license. All waters upstream of Boundary C (above the 1310 mean sea elevation) and within the CCT Reservation boundary are under the regulatory authority of the CCT.
Refer to Map: Boundary A to Boundary B – STURGEON CLOSED
Refer to Map: Boundary B to Boundary C - STURGEON CLOSED

Spokane Arm, pg 81:

SPOKANE RIVER (Spokane Co.) from mouth (SR 25 Bridge) to 400' below Little Falls Dam
STURGEON CLOSED

from Little Falls Dam upstream to the boundary of the Plese Flats Day Use Area (Riverside State Park), except Long Lake, formed by Long Lake Dam
STURGEON CLOSED

from the upstream boundary of the Plese Flats Day Use Area (Riverside State Park) to Monroe Street Dam
STURGEON CLOSED

2013 Sport Rules Pamphlet, pg 10:

Closed Waters A body of water where fishing is prohibited

2013 Sport Rules Pamphlet, pg 12 under the paragraph titled YOU MAY NOT, first item listed:

Fish in closed waters.

In short, sturgeon is a CLOSED fishery in any section of the Columbia River above Chief Joseph Dam and fishing for them in this section of the Columbia is illegal.

[mtom938]

Hoping this thread is still active....

I have a question regarding WDFW policy on freshwater limits. Are our species catch limits also considered combined daily limits? For instance if I fish American Lake for kokanee and trout, each with a 5 fish limit, is it legal to retain 5 kokes AND 5 trout or must I stop when I reach 5 fish total regardless of species?

Thanks for your time.

[Stacie Kelsey]

If Kokanee were not a part of the trout limit it would be specifically listed. See Merwin Reservoir as an example in the pamphlet. For Merwin Kokanee are listed as not a part of the trout limit.

For American there is not an additional rule stating Kokanee and trout are separate limits - so they are counted together.