WDFW announces razor clam dates ahead of Long Beach Razor Clam Festival; Asks beachgoers to avoid snowy plovers

  OLYMPIA – Razor clam diggers can return to various ocean beaches for a three-day opening beginning Saturday, April 20 and extending through Earth Day, April 22. State shellfish managers with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) approved the dig on morning low tides after marine toxin tests showed the clams are safe …

Lake Roosevelt white sturgeon fishery

  WDFW FISHING RULE CHANGE   Action: Opens a harvest fishery for white sturgeon in Lake Roosevelt. Effective date: Open 7 days per week beginning June 15, 2019 until further notice. Species affected: White sturgeon Location: From Grand Coulee Dam to China Bend Boat Ramp (including the Spokane River from Highway 25 Bridge upstream to 400′ below Little Falls …

Columbia River John Day Pool to close for sturgeon retention

Sturgeon photo courtesy of Columbia River Fishing Adventures     WDFW FISHING RULE CHANGE   Action: Anglers must release all sturgeon. Effective dates: 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, April 3, 2019 Species affected: White sturgeon Locations: The Columbia River from John Day Dam to McNary Dam. Reason for action: Fishing effort picked up over this past weekend resulting in catches much higher than …

States set dates for sturgeon retention on the Lower Columbia River

Photo Courtesy of Columbia River Fishing Adventures   Sturgeon anglers will get to keep fish in the Columbia River estuary for 11 days, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays from May 13 to June 5. Oregon and Washington biologists set the year’s first retention season Thursday. All retention fishing will close at 2 p.m. on open …

Fisheries manager meet March 26th-28th to discuss salmon fisheries in sections of Columbia and Snake rivers

  OLYMPIA – Anglers have three opportunities in March to meet with state fishery managers to talk about salmon fisheries in the mid- and upper Columbia River and lower Snake River before this year’s seasons are set. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has scheduled three public meetings to discuss pre-season salmon forecasts …

As many as 200 sturgeon stranded in Sturgeon Lake on Sauvie Island

  Portland Oregon- Piles of Sturgeon remain trapped in the low water mudflats of Sturgeon Lake. Reports are coming out that ODFW has been using a pump to try to raise water levels in a pond that formed off the main body of water at Sturgeon Lake, trapping hundreds of fish. As many as 200 …

Berkley fishing poles a once popular brand goes the way of Zebco

  Over the years I have owned endless fishing poles, overall most have been of great quality and have brought significant joy thus installing brand loyalty. One such brand I used to take great pleasure in owning was Berkley. Their poles, in my opinion, were not only of superior quality but an excellent value as …

WDFW seeks public input on proposals for Washington’s ocean salmon fisheries

  VANCOUVER, Wash. – Fish managers have developed options for Washington’s ocean salmon fisheries that reflect concerns over chinook stocks and optimism about improved returns of coho projected this year. The three options for ocean salmon fisheries were approved Tuesday for public review by the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC), which establishes fishing seasons in …

Charter boat captains convicted for unlawful recreational fishing and waste of fish and wildlife

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife LONG BEACH – The courtroom testimony of more than 25 witnesses and work by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Police Officers and local prosecutors resulted in two charter boat convictions last Thursday, Feb. 28. After an eight-day trial in a Pacific County District Courtroom, David Gudgell 58, …

Commission approves modifications to its Columbia River salmon fishery policy

  SPOKANE – The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission has agreed to allow the use of gillnets during the fall salmon fishery on the lower Columbia River while state fishery managers work with their Oregon counterparts to develop a joint long-term policy for shared waters. The commission, a citizen panel appointed by the governor to …