Opening day not same everywhere

There’s no single opening day for fishing in Washington.

Fishing seasons open throughout the year, including major waters that open on March 1, April 1 and, of course, the popular lowland trout season that opens the “last Saturday in April.”

Just to keep anglers on their toes, the new 2011-2012 fishing licenses were required starting on April 1.

But any rule changes detailed in the 2011-2012 fishing regulations pamphlet don’t take effect until May 1. The pamphlet will show up later this month online and at fishing license dealers.

Washington’s statewide stream fishing opening day is the “first Saturday in June.”

However, exceptions are made for some streams, which open the “Saturday of Memorial Day weekend” rather than on the statewide opening date in June.

Selected waters opening May 28 this year include:

• Lake Roosevelt tributaries between Grand Coulee Dam and State Highway Bridge at Northport (except Barnaby Creek, Nancy Creek and tributaries to be listed in the sportfishing rules pamphlet),

• Colville River from Valley bridge upstream and all tributaries,

• Kettle River and Kettle Arm,

• Little Pend Oreille River.

One more date to consider is July 1.  That’s the day rule changes enacted by the Washington Legislature generally would go into effect. 

One being considered is a change in some fishing and hunting license fees.  For instance, the cost of a two-pole permit is proposed to be reduced.

But passage isn’t a gimme, and there’s a lot of fishing to do between now and then.