Effort and catch are both building for spring chinook above Bonneville Dam, where counts last week showed 37 boats at the mouth of the Wind River with an average of about one king per six boats. Same story at Drano Lake, where 60 boats were seen Saturday, and catch rates were nearly identical to those at the Wind.



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The recent Potholes Open Bass Tournament was tough pickings this year, according to Mike Meseberg at MarDon Resort. Surface water temperatures were as low as 44 degrees in some areas and that, combined with high winds, made the event "very challenging."

Big fish of the tournament was a lagemouth of 7.38 pounds.



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Sunday’s Lake Tye Kid’s Fishing Day in Monroe was once again a great success, said coordinator Gary Bee of the sponsoring Sky Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited. First place went to a rainbow of 7 pounds, 10 ounces, caught by Lexus Lachapelle of Arlington; second to Hayden Sutton of Monroe, with a trout of 6 pounds, 15 ounces; and third to Paul Lemay of Monroe.

The adult derby, which followed the kids’ fish-in, was won by Joe...

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Nick Kester of All Star Charters in Everett will present a seminar on fishing for Puget Sound lingcod at 6:30 p.m. on April 30 at Dwayne Lane’s Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Everett (10515 Evergreen Way). Kester guides locally and knows the hot spots. He’ll discuss areas, bait, tackle and more.

The lingcod season opens here May 1.

For more information, call Sheila Countryman-Bean at 425-551-4971.

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Not much fishing pressure locally on blackmouth, but the few anglers out are finding at least fair fishing. State creel samplers on Sunday checked 25 anglers in nine boats with four chinook at the Port of Everett ramp, and two anglers in one boat with one chinook at the Mukilteo ramp.



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According to the Associated Press, the Quinault Indian Nation is closing Lake Quinault to non-tribal fishing until further notice.

The tribe said the closure is an emergency measure, aimed at protecting water quality in the tribe-owned lake. Quinault president Fawn Sharp was quoted as saying tribal leaders are concerned leaky septic tanks owned by non-tribal rresidents in the aarea may have caused untreated sewage to enter the lake. The tribe has...

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The lower Columbia spring chinook fishery was extended through Friday, and fishing has picked up in spite of higher, off-color water, particularly below the Willamette and Cowlitz rivers. Catch rates last week jumped to around a fish per boat in certain areas, but had declined this week to about one for every eight rods in the face of difficult conditions.

State biologist Joe Hymer in Vancouver said no more extension meetings were being...

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The state Fish and Wildlife Department is soliciting comments on a new graphical theme for its "Fish Washington" campaign. The public can help choose a pair of new logos that will identify Fish Washington on the web and in other applications at the department's website. Voting will be open through February.

Chris Donley, the state's inland fish program manager, said the department is...

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Next coastal razor clam dig has been approved for Saturday and Sunday, as follows: Saturday, plus 0.3 feet at 5:12 p.m., and Sunday, plus 0.1 feet at 5:47 p.m., both digs on Long Beach and Twin Harbors beaches only.

OTHER CLAMS: Two of the better clam digging spots on Hood Canal will have significantly different regulations this year, resulting in shorter digging seasons.

Point Whitney Tidelands...

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Attached is the schedule for the upcoming 2013 Washington Sportsmen's Show.The show runs Jan. 23-27 at the Puyallup Fair and Events Center.

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The Cascade River from the Rockport-Cascade Road downstream to the mouth closed to fishing on Jan. 5 because personnel at the Marblemount Hatchery had been unable to collect enough hatchery winter steelhead broodstock to meet egg-take needs. The fishery will re-open Feb. 1 to fishing as listed in the 2012-13 state sport fishing pamphlet.

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A very good winter blackmouth season continues in the San Juan Islands, for fish in the 8- to 10-pound range.Best bets on the inside currently, according to Kevin John at Holiday Sports in Burlington, are Point Lawrence, Tide Point, and Lopez Flats. The banks have also been productive on those few days when the weather has allowed access.

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State creel checkers in the Forks area Jan. 4-6 checked the following:• Bogachiel, 12 bank and 37 boat anglers had nine wild fish, released, and 21 hatchery fish kept.• Calawah, three anglers had none• Sol Duc, one bank and 11 boat anglers had five wild fish released and one hatchery fish kept• Lower Hoh, 60 bank and 26 boat anglers had seven wild fish released, seven hatchery fish kept, and one hatchery fish released

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The first coastal razor clam dig of 2013 is under way, with some good tides coming up Friday and over the weekend, as follows:• Today, minus 1.3 feet at 5:27 p.m., on Twin Harbors, Long Beach, and Copalis beaches.• Jan. 11, minus 1.6 feet at 6:14 p.m. on all beaches except Kalaloch.• Jan. 12, minus 1.5 feet at 6:58 p.m. on all beaches except Kalaloch.• Jan. 13, minus 1.2 feet at 7:41 p.m. on Twin Harbors.

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Wildlife-related outdoor recreation increased dramatically from 2006 to 2011, according to data released last week by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The report, “2011 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation” showed more than 90 million people participated in fishing, hunting or other wildlife-related activities in 2011, an increase of 3 percent from five years earlier. The increase was primarily among those who fished and hunted.

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One of the more popular clam beaches on Hood Canal, Belfair State Park, will have a shorter season this year because of overharvesting last spring.The beach will be open to clam digging April 1-30 only, although a survey on the newly health-certified portion of the beach will be conducted in March and an extension could follow. Oyster gathering will remain open year-around, including the newly health-certified area.

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Spring chinook runs -- arguably the most popular on the Columbia River with recreational fishermen -- have been especially robust the past few years, so a prediction for 2013 that's more in line with historical averages seems like a letdown.Washington/Oregon salmon managers forecast a springer run of 141,000 adult fish, well below last year’s prediction of 314,200 (actual return of 203,000) but still judged “average” in historic context.

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