| Early morning or late evening best times to fish county lakes Published in the Aug. 1, 2007 issue of The Omak-Okanogan County Chronicle Early morning and evening are the best times to fish lakes in the Okanogan County area during the heat of summer, according to the state Department of Fish and Wildlife. Both Conconully lakes, Spectacle, Wannacut, Alta and Pearrygin are still producing trout. Fishing for bluegill and crappie continues to be good at Leader Lake and yellow perch have been caught at Patterson Lake, according to a department announcement July 25. Summer is nearly over on the Columbia River, at least as far as fishing seasons are concerned, say department officials. Starting today, Aug. 1, several areas of the big river and its tributaries will reopen to salmon fishing, marking the beginning of fall season. "Our fishing seasons are based on fish returns, rather than on the calendar," said Joe Hymer, a fish biologist for the department. "This is the time of year when we start seeing tagged fall Chinook salmon enter the lower Columbia River - and the coho won't be far behind." "Besides," he quipped, "I noticed some maple trees starting to turn color on my way to work." With the start of the fall season, salmon fishing will open Aug. 1 from the mouth of the Columbia River upstream to the Highway 395 bridge in Pasco. Tributaries opening to salmon fishing that day include the Deep, Green, Toutle, Washougal, Cowlitz, Kalama, Lewis, Wind, White Salmon and Klickitat rivers plus Drano Lake. More information on those fisheries is available in the "Fishing in Washington" rules pamphlet, http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm. Scott Fitkin, district wildlife biologist in Winthrop, said now is a great time to get up into the high country in the Okanogan and experience the alpine environment. "The wildflower show there supports a tremendous variety of butterfly species," he said. "In fact, Okanogan County supports the state's greatest butterfly diversity. The only Washington records for two alpine species are on Slate Peak, northwest of Mazama. "There are also other alpine residents to watch for, like ptarmigan, hoary marmots and pikas," he said. Access this year may be a little more difficult because of a major rockslide that closed Hart's Pass Road, Fitkin said. "The other fairly accessible spots - Tiffany Mountain and Horseshoe Basin - both burned in wildfires last year and I'm unsure of trail conditions and access," he said. "Check with the Forest Service about access and conditions before going." A common loon pair at Lost Lake, about 20 miles northeast of Tonasket in eastern Okanogan County, has successfully fledged chicks again this year, Fitkin said. "This year they're the only loon chicks we're aware of in the county," he said. Both adults and chicks are readily observable this time of year. Steve Zender, district wildlife biologist in Chewelah, said that chicks are visible with common loon pairs at Swan and Ferry lakes, south of Republic in Ferry County. Spotted mule deer fawns are more visible in the valleys of Okanogan County, particularly on irrigated ground at dawn and dusk, Fitkin said. Hot, dry conditions can bring wild animals in search of food and water, and closer to people. Deer find irrigated vegetation tastier than dry fare, and cougars will sometimes follow the deer, department officials warn. Black bears also could be on the prowl for easy pickings if wild berry patches are spent. People should be alert to the possible presence of potentially dangerous wild animals, according to the announcement. Enjoy them from a distance by giving them a wide berth, and avoid attracting them by keeping campsites tidy and storing food in wildlife-proof containers away from tents, the announcement continued. More information about living with cougars can be found at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/cougar/cougar.htm. Information about living with bears can be found at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/blkbear/blkbear.htm. |
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2007 The Chronicle, Inc., Omak, WA 98841, unless otherwise noted. |
