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FISHING RULE CHANGE Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
November 19, 2003
Anglers may retain hatchery steelhead including those bearing disk tags in certain eastside rivers
Action: Anglers may retain adipose fin-clipped steelhead, including those bearing disk tags, in areas of the Columbia, Okanogan, Similkameen and Methow rivers currently open to steelhead fishing.
Effective dates: November 20, 2003 until further notice, except the section of the Okanogan River from the Highway 97 Bridge at Omak to a line across the river 500 feet above the mouth of Omak Creek, which will close February 16, 2004.
Species affected: Adipose fin-clipped steelhead of hatchery origin, including those bearing disk tags.
Location & Regulations · Columbia River from Rocky Reach Dam upstream to Chief Joseph Dam. Statewide gear rules and night closure in effect.
Okanogan River from the mouth upstream. Night closure and selective gear rules in effect, except motorized vessels are allowed.
Similkameen River from the mouth to 400 feet below Enloe Dam. Selective gear rules and night closure in effect; whitefish gear rules do not apply.
Methow River from the mouth (Highway 97 bridge) upstream to the confluence with the Chewuch (Chewack) River in Winthrop. Night closure and selective gear rules in effect, except motorized vessels are allowed. Whitefish gear rules do not apply.
Reason for action: Disk tags were applied to steelhead during run-size determination and fish sampling operations at Priest Rapids Dam. The disk tagged adipose fin-clipped hatchery-origin fish are no longer needed for monitoring purposes. Large numbers of surplus adipose fin-clipped steelhead returned to the Upper Columbia River and its tributaries, and harvesting these fish will not affect upper Columbia River wild steelhead recovery.
Other information: Anglers are permitted to harvest hatchery-origin steelhead with a clipped adipose fin and a healed scar in the location of the missing fin. Adipose fin-clipped steelhead containing a disk tag may also be harvested. The daily limit is two (2) fish, 20-inch minimum size. Anglers fishing for other game fish species (including whitefish) are required to follow the same gear restrictions and night closures as steelhead anglers. Night Closure and Selective Gear Rules are defined on pages 15 and 16 of the 2003/04 Fishing Rules pamphlet.
Information contacts: Kirk Truscott, District 6 Fish Biologist (509) 664-1227, Joe Foster, Regional Fish Program Manager (509) 754-4624, Art Viola District 7 Fish Biologist (509-665-3337).
Fishers must have a current Washington fishing license. Check the WDFW 2003-04 “Fishing in Washington” rules pamphlet or the Fishing section of the WDFW webpage at http:www.wa.gov/wdfw for details on fishing seasons and regulations. Fishing regulations are subject to change. Check the WDFW Fishing hotline for the latest rule information at (360) 902-2500, press 2 for recreational rules. For the Shellfish Rule Change hotline call (360) 796-3215 or toll free 1-866-880-5431 |
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