Alan Liere’s hunting and fishing report for Aug. 8, 2024

Thu., Aug. 8, 2024

By Alan Liere The Spokesman-Review

Tip of the week

When fighting a big fish, resist grasping the rod above the handle to relieve strain on your arm, as this transfers stress to a thinner part of the shaft which may not be strong enough to stop a powerful run, and could break the rod.

Braggin’ rights: The Brewster King Salmon Derby wrapped up Aug. 7 Wednesday, having seen 134 participants weigh in 94 fish averaging 10.54 pounds. The adult division winner was Gage Howe of Mead, Washingtonwith a fish weighing 20.63 pounds. Second place was won by Pat Coffey of Riverside, Washington, took second place with a fish of 19.66 pounds.

Heads up: Rainbow Lake on the W.T. Wooten Wildlife Area will be drawn down four-to-five4 to 5 feet in mid-August to remove stumps from the north end of the lake. Fishing will still be possible with the lower water. The lake is also showing physical signs of a blue-green algae outbreak, also known as cyanobacteria. Although not all blue-green blooms are toxic, the Washington State Department of Health encourages people to avoid contact with water containing algae and keep pets and livestock away from the water. More information on blue-green algae is on the Washington State Department of Health website.

Selective gear restrictions are in place on the Spokane River from Nine Mile Dam to the Washington/Idaho border and WDFW officers are patrolling the river. Selective gear rules allow for shallower hook-sets, and easy removal of the hook, which will benefit any fish and the redband rainbow trout in particular.

Overheard: Campers and hunters on the Sherman Creek Wildlife Area can store their food in the new bear food lockers. When property latched and locked, these keep your food safe from bears, and keep bears from becoming habituated to human food sources. A handful of lockers are is being installed at popular camping areas throughout the wildlife area. Instructions for use are posted on the lockers.

Fly fishing

Area rivers are fishing well for trout. Hopper/dropper rigs have worked well and should continue to do so the rest of the summer. Silver Bow Fly Shop reminds fly fishermen that the fish are educated this time of the year; they will give you only one shot, so pay attention and be quick to the takes.

A few steelhead have been being caught in the lower Clearwater River during the catch and release season. Floating lines with skaters or traditionals have generated limited action.

Trout and kokanee

“If you’re looking to fish for big cutthroat - 12-plus inches - and kokanee in the 10- to 14-inch range, fishing is good at Badger Lake,” WDFW Region 1 district fish biologist Randy Osborne said. “The kokanee will continue growing, so you can expect even bigger fish later this season.”

Many lowland lakes in north-central Washington continue to produce fair to good trout fishing. Popular choices for anglers include Blue, Park, Deep and Warden lakes in Grant county; Alta, Conconully (Lake and Reservoir) and Pearrygin lakes in Okanogan County; Wapato, Fish, Beehive and Upper Wheeler lakes in Chelan County; and Jameson Lake in Douglas County. Grimes Lake in Douglas County opened June 1 for a selective gear fishery targeting some nice Lahontan cutthroat trout. Smaller-size lakes with more secluded settings in Washington include Round Lake and Long Lake east of Tonasket; Beaver Lake and Lake Beth in northeast Okanogan County; and Wannacut Lake west of Oroville. Kokanee can be found in Patterson, Alta, Conconully, Bonaparte and Spectacle lakes. Lenice and Nunnally lakes should fish well for trout in the 14- to 16-inch range with some up to 20 inches. Dry Falls, located in the Sun Lakes State Park, is a popular selective gear lake for large rainbow and brown trout. The lake is under selective gear rules with no combustion motors allowed.

Lake Chelan is still producing limits of some nice-sized kokanee (up to 18 inches), and has also fished well for cutthroat trout and lake trout.

Salmon and steelhead

The sockeye fishery on Lake Wenatchee is open daily until one hour after official sunset Aug. 31 with a daily limit of four. Anglers must release all bull trout, steelhead and chinook salmon unharmed and without removing the fish from the water. Selective gear rules are in effect – up to three single-point barbless hooks per line, no bait or scent allowed, knotless nets required. Anglers are advised to check WDFW’s emergency fishing rules page routinely for updates, as the season could close early.

The Columbia River from the I-182 Bridge at Richland upstream to boundary markers 650 feet below the fish ladder at Priest Rapids Dam is open to fishing for sockeye through Aug. 15. The larger than expected sockeye return to the Upper Columbia River continues to produce good action for sockeye as well as summer chinook. Summer chinook can still be caught in the Entiat and Chelan River mouth areas, below Wells Dam, and near Bridgeport.

Aug. 16 marks the opening of the fall salmon sport fishery in the Hanford Reach area of the Columbia River. From the Highway 395 Bridge at Pasco/Kennewick upstream to boundary markers 650 feet below the fish ladder at Priest Rapids Dam, anglers may harvest fall chinook and coho. Both hatchery and wild salmon can be harvested.

Spiny ray

Walleye and bass are available throughout the Columbia River and Snake River. The best fishing for these species is in John Day Reservoir and McNary Reservoir.

The Potholes Reservoir is a good place to catch walleye. The Lind Coulee arm at the east end of the reservoir and the Crab Creek channel are two of the best locations to troll bottom bouncers with a night crawler. The beauty of Potholes is you can never tell what you’re going to catch. Huge channel cats and big largemouth are also caught regularly, and some days will produce all the perch and bluegill you care to clean.

I fished with two friends on Long Lake this week. Although we were initially targeting walleye, weeds stirred up by weekend boaters dotted the surface and made trolling difficult. My 20-inch walleye was the best of the day, but perch were everywhere next to huge weed beds, and we also caught several smallmouth bass.

Hunting

General hunting seasons for black bear opened Aug. 1 in Washington. Hunters in Northeastern A Zone (including GMUs 101-121) in particular are reminded that it’s possible to encounter protected grizzly bears, so species identification is critical. Successful completion of WDFW’s online Bear Identification Program is required if hunting bears in GMUs 101, 105, 108, 111, 113 or 117. For those hunting bear on or near the Wooten Wildlife Area, be aware that the Nez Perce Tribe started an in-stream project in late July in Cummings Creek from the mouth to one mile upstream. The plan is to start at the upstream end and work downstream so as not to disrupt hunting, but be aware that this work is underway.

If you are planning ahead for deer season this fall, a reminder that WDFW asks you to have your harvested or salvaged deer in Eastern Region 1 tested for chronic wasting disease (CWD). The disease has been found in one animal in Eastern Washington. There is information on the CWD surveillance web page on how to have salvaged deer and elk tested for the disease. Once hunting seasons start, hunter check station locations will be posted there as well.

Get ready for the fall hunting season. Idaho Fish and Game offers several options for shooting and/or archery ranges around the state, Farragut Public Shooting Range being the closest and features a 1-mile walk-through archery range. Calling (208 683-1499) before you go is highly recommended, as hours of operation, services or shooting opportunities may change. For a comprehensive list of shooting ranges in Idaho, check out the National Shooting Sports Foundation’s Where to Shoot webpage.

Contact Alan Liere at spokesmanliere@yahoo.com