Anglers are landing increasing numbers of spring chinook salmon on the lower Columbia River, the lingcod season is under way on a large portion of the Washington coast and hundreds of lakes throughout the state open for trout fishing April 26.

Those are just a few of the reasons why anglers might want to purchase a 2008-09 fishing license before current licenses expire at midnight March 31.

Hunters also have good reason to plan ahead. A spring wild turkey season for hunters under age 16 is scheduled April 5-6 prior to the general spring turkey hunt that gets under way April 15.

"We encourage people to renew their fishing and hunting licenses early, so they can take advantage of all the great outdoor recreation opportunities available in the coming weeks," said Bill Joplin, licensing manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).

Not counting dealer fees, the resident adult freshwater fishing license is $21.90; saltwater is $20.26; shellfish/seaweed is $10.95; and a combination license is $42.16. Resident hunting licenses vary with package options, ranging from a small-game license at $32.85 to a deer/elk/cougar/bear combination license for $72.27.

Most annual licenses include a WDFW vehicle-use permit, which gives the bearer access to more than 600 WDFW recreational access sites throughout the state. Sold separately, the annual permit costs $10.95.

Due to budget reductions adopted by the state Legislature in 2003, licenses and permits are no longer sold over-the-counter at any of the WDFW offices around the state. Instead, all sales have been shifted to retail license dealers, the website and a toll-free phone line (1-866-246-9453). See https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/ for information on license sales over the Internet.

For those interested in buying a license in person, a list of license vendors is available on the WDFW website at (http://wdfw.wa.gov/lic/vendors/vendors.htm) or from local WDFW offices.

April 1 is an important date because it marks the start of the new licensing year for fishing and hunting in Washington state. Here are a few other dates to keep in mind during the coming weeks:

• March 31 - This is the deadline for deer and elk hunters to enter their name in a drawing for this year's multiple-season hunt. Winners of the drawing will be eligible to purchase a special permit allowing them to participate in archery, muzzleloader and modern-firearm general hunting seasons for deer or elk in 2008. Applications to enter the drawing cost $5.48 and can be purchased at an authorized license dealer (see http://wdfw.wa.gov/lic/vendors/vendors.htm) or by calling (866) 246-9453.

• April 1 - Members of the public can comment on this year's proposed salmon fishing seasons during the second North of Falcon meeting in Lynnwood. For more information, see WDFW's North of Falcon website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/northfalcon/).

• April 10 - Sportfishing for halibut will open in most areas of Puget Sound (marine areas 6-11 and 13). These fisheries will be open five days a week, Thursday through Monday.

For more information about fishing, hunting and other outdoor activities available in the next few weeks, see the regional reports below:

North Puget Sound

• Fishing: With steelhead fisheries winding down in the rivers, the best bet for most anglers in the region is blackmouth fishing in the marine areas of Puget Sound.

  The waters around Camano and Whidbey islands continue to provide decent fishing for blackmouth, said Steve Thiesfeld, WDFW fish biologist. "The best fishing in those areas, especially on weekdays, seems to be at a few of the usual spots - the Racetrack, Elger Bay and Langley," he said. "Nearby Admiralty Inlet, however, continues to be surprisingly slow."

  Selective fisheries for hatchery blackmouth - resident chinook - continue through April in marine areas 8-1 (Deception Pass, Hope Island and Skagit Bay) and 8-2 (Port Susan and Port Gardner). The selective fishery in Marine Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet), however, only runs through April 15. Anglers fishing in those areas can keep two hatchery blackmouth as part of their two-salmon daily limit and they must release wild chinook, which have an intact adipose fin.

  Thiesfeld reminds anglers that regulations are different for Marine Area 7 (San Juan Islands), where anglers have a daily limit of one chinook salmon. That area is open for salmon through April 15.

  Saltwater anglers looking for a change of pace will soon have an opportunity to hook a halibut. The halibut season gets under way April 10 in marine waters throughout the region. The fishery will be open five days a week, Thursday through Monday, with a daily limit of one halibut. There is no minimum size limit for halibut caught in any area.

  Meanwhile, anglers still have an opportunity to cast for steelhead. Portions of the Skagit and Sauk rivers remain open for steelheaders through March, but anglers should be aware that regulations for those two rivers changed last month, said Brett Barkdull, another WDFW biologist. The changes were made to protect wild steelhead because low returns are expected back this year to the Skagit River basin, he said.

  Anglers fishing the Sauk and Skagit rivers, as well as Fisher Slough, must now follow selective gear rules for all fish species. The rules require anglers to use unscented artificial flies or lures with single-point barbless hooks and knotless nets. Those and other selective gear rules are listed on page 26 of WDFW's Fishing in Washington regulation pamphlet, which is available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm. There are some exceptions, however, for the use of motorized vessels on the Skagit River.

  On the two rivers and the slough, anglers have a daily limit of two hatchery steelhead.

  Barkdull reminds anglers that while most of the Skagit River closes April 1, a stretch from the mouth upstream to the Memorial Highway Bridge will remain open. Before heading out to the rivers, anglers should check the department's website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm) for details on the Skagit River basin rule changes.

  Looking forward to the summer salmon fishing season? There's still time to provide input on proposals for this year's fisheries. Three public meetings have been scheduled for the last week of March and early April as fishery managers continue to develop the 2008 salmon seasons. Those meetings are scheduled for:

  • March 28 - The final opportunity for anglers and others to provide input on Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor salmon seasons. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. at the Lacey Community Center, 6729 Pacific Avenue, Lacey.

  • March 31 - An opportunity for the public to comment on proposed ocean salmon fishing options adopted by the Pacific Fishery Management Council. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at the Chateau Westport, 710 Hancock Street, Westport.

  • April 1 - The public will have an opportunity to discuss salmon fisheries that take place in coastal areas (except Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor), Puget Sound and the Columbia River. That meeting is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. at the Lynnwood Embassy Suites Hotel, 20610 44th Ave. W., Lynnwood.

  The final fishing package for Washington's waters will be finalized in early April. More information about the salmon season-setting process can be found on WDFW's North of Falcon website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/northfalcon/).

• Wildlife viewing: The annual gray whale migration is under way and a few sightings of the large marine mammals in Puget Sound have been reported. The Whidbey and Camano Island areas, particularly Saratoga Passage, seem to be the hot spots for catching a glimpse of the massive animals. The whales are part of a larger population making its annual journey north from the coast of Mexico to the Arctic Ocean, where the animals spend the summer feeding before heading south again. While most continue on to Alaska, some gray whales linger in the waters of the Pacific Northwest during the summer months.

  Despite recent wet weather, birders continue to be busy in the region. One birdwatcher counted 55 species during a morning visit to Marymoor Park in Redmond. Highlights of the outing included three male wood ducks, a red-tailed hawk, a barn owl, a Cooper's hawk and a violet-green swallow.

  Elsewhere, a birder at the Edmonds marsh also spotted several different species. Most of the activity was at the north end of the marsh, where a male Anna's hummingbird continues to defend a blackberry bush, the birder reported on the Tweeters birding website (http://www.scn.org/earth/tweeters/). "I watched him chase a house finch, a black-capped chickadee and a bushtit as they passed through his chosen territory," the birder noted. Other species of note seen during the visit to the marsh include about a dozen great blue herons, an American robin and a chestnut-backed chickadee.

South Sound/Olympic Peninsula

• Fishing: With lingcod fishing under way, halibut and spring chinook on the horizon, and a proposed April razor clam dig, anglers are reminded to buy their 2008-09 fishing licenses before current licenses expire March 31.

  On the ocean, recreational lingcod fishing got under way March 15 in marine areas 1-3 and will be open through Oct. 18. In Marine Area 4 (Neah Bay), the lingcod season will be open April 16 through Oct. 15.

  All four marine areas will be open seven days a week with the following restrictions:

  • In Marine Area 2 (Westport Ocean Shores), recreational fishing for bottomfish or lingcod is not allowed in waters deeper than 30 fathoms from March 15 through June 15.

  • In Marine Areas 3 and 4 (La Push and Neah Bay), recreational fishing for bottomfish or lingcod is not allowed in waters deeper than 20 fathoms from May 21 through Sept. 30, except on days the halibut fishery is open.

  • In Marine Area 1 (Ilwaco), no bottomfish, with the exception of sablefish and Pacific cod, are allowed on any vessel with halibut on board from May 1 through Sept. 30.

  Retention of canary and yelloweye rockfish is prohibited in all waters. The minimum size for lingcod in marine areas 1-3 is 22 inches. The minimum size for lingcod in Marine Area 4 is 24 inches.

  Additional information about the lingcod fishery and other bottom fish is available on the WDFW Fishing Hotline (360) 902-2500 and the department's website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm.

  Anglers looking for other opportunities will soon be able to try for halibut when marine areas 6-11 and 13 open for recreational halibut fishing April 10-June 13. The fishery will be open five days a week, Thursdays through Mondays (Marine Area 12 remains closed). The daily limit is one halibut per angler. Additional openings on the coast and the western Strait of Juan de Fuca will take place in May. This year, fishing out of Westport (Marine Area 2) will be limited to two days a week (Sundays and Tuesdays) after the initial opening day on Thursday, May 1. More information is available on the WDFW website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/creel/halibut/.

  In river fishing, catch rates for wild steelhead remain mixed on the Olympic Peninsula, with the Sol Duc providing the most consistent returns. Recent WDFW creel checks showed that 80 anglers caught 69 wild steelhead (59 released) and two hatchery fish on the river. On the upper Hoh, 58 anglers caught 42 wild fish (all released). However, on other rivers in the Quillayute system such as the Calawah, Bogachiel and lower Hoh, the fishing's been slow, said David Low, WDFW fish biologist.

  "River conditions have been pretty good, despite some rain," Low said. "But anglers' favorite fishing holes are coming up empty. This is especially true in the lower Hoh, where strong effort hasn't produced many fish." On the March 14 weekend, a creel check on the lower Hoh showed 145 anglers caught 19 wild steelhead and five hatchery fish. On the other hand, a few spring chinook salmon have made their way to the Sol Duc, where fishery managers estimate 1,745 hatchery salmon will return this year, which is a little above average, Low said.

  Meanwhile, blackmouth fishing continues to disappoint anglers throughout the region. On the March 14 weekend, 13 anglers surveyed near Seabeck in Hood Canal had caught two chinook, while 45 anglers in the Point Defiance area had caught eight. Farther north at Ediz Hook near Port Angeles, creel checks showed about one fish for every two rods. The blackmouth season ends April 10 in marine areas 5,6,11 and 12. Marine Area 13 is open until April 30.

  Anglers may want to put their rods aside and grab a shovel for a razor clam dig tentatively scheduled April 6-9 and April 19-23. If approved, Twin Harbors will be open on all days while Long Beach will be open April 6-8 and April 19-20. Copalis and Mocrocks will be open April 19-20. All digs will be held on morning tides.

  April 1 marks the beginning of a new license year, so diggers must purchase an applicable 2008-09 fishing license. Anyone age 15 or older must have a license to dig razor clams. Licenses can be purchased at http://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov, by telephone (1-866-246-9453), or in person at more than 600 license vendors throughout the state. A list of vendors is available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/lic/vendors/vendors.htm.

  Updates on the razor clam season are available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/razorclm/season.htm

  For those interested in the upcoming summer salmon fishing season, there's still time to provide input on proposals for this year's fisheries. Three public meetings have been scheduled for the last week of March and early April as fishery managers continue to develop the 2008 salmon season. Those meetings are scheduled for:

  • March 28 - The final opportunity to provide input on the Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor salmon seasons. The meeting is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Lacey Community Center, 6729 Pacific Avenue, Lacey.

  • March 31 - A hearing on proposed ocean salmon fishing options adopted by the Pacific Fishery Management Council. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at Chateau Westport, 710 Hancock Street, Westport.

  • April 1 - An opportunity to discuss salmon fisheries that take place in coastal areas (except Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor), Puget Sound and the Columbia River. The meeting is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Lynnwood Embassy Suites Hotel, 20610 44th Ave. W., Lynnwood.

  The final fishing package for Washington's waters will be finalized in early April. More information about the salmon season-setting process is available on WDFW's North of Falcon website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/northfalcon/.

• Hunting: Deer and elk hunters have until March 31 to enter their names in a drawing for a 2008 multiple-season permit. Names will be randomly drawn in April for 1,500 multiple-season deer permits and 500 multiple-season elk permits. Winners of the drawing will be eligible to purchase a special permit allowing them to participate in archery, muzzleloader and modern-firearm general hunting seasons for deer or elk in 2008. Winners of the multiple-season elk permit will also be able to participate in general elk-hunting season in both eastern and western Washington.

  Hunters may purchase a multiple-season permit application online at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/wdfw/special_permits.html, through an authorized license dealer listed at http://wdfw.wa.gov/lic/vendors/vendors.htm, or by calling (866) 246-9453.

  The permit application is $5.48 for residents and $54.75 for nonresidents. A 2008 hunting license is not required to submit an application, but winners of the drawing must purchase one before they can buy a multiple-season tag. More information is available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting.

  The spring wild turkey season runs April 15 through May 31 throughout the state. The general season follows a special hunt April 5-6 for people age 16 and younger. For more information, Wild Turkey Spring Season brochures are available at WDFW regional offices and on the website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/turkey/

• Wildlife viewing: Enjoy a bird-watching weekend along the bays, estuaries and beaches near the Strait of Juan de Fuca at the 2008 Olympic Peninsula Birdfest in Sequim April 4-6. The fifth annual festival, sponsored by the Olympic Peninsula Audubon Society, Dungeness River Audubon Center and Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe, offers a full slate for beginning birders, experts and those who just enjoy the outdoors. Events include guided birding trips, boat tours, silent auction, salmon banquet and raptor presentations. For more information, call 360-681-4076 or visit the website at http://www.olympicbirdfest.org.

  Curious about those birds you're seeing and hearing? With many species flying through or breeding, spring is a great time to learn about these birds. A good place to get started is with a local Audubon society, which offers classes and field trips throughout the year for all levels of enthusiasts. Audubon Washington lists at least eight chapters in the region: Black Hills, Grays Harbor, Kitsap, Olympic Peninsula, Tahoma, Vashon, Willapa Hills -and the newest chapter - Discovery Coast in Long Beach. More information is available at http://wa.audubon.org/chapters.html.

  For those with backyard birdfeeders that attract songbirds, wildlife health experts suggest regular cleaning to avoid deadly bacteria and viruses like salmonellosis, E. coli and avian pox. Unoccupied nesting boxes should also be cleaned now, as nesting season begins this month. Experts advise replacing food in birdfeeders at least weekly and water in birdbaths every three days. Clean bird feeders every two weeks. For maximum protection, soak feeders, baths and nest boxes in a 10-parts water to one-part household bleach solution for several minutes (this contact time with disinfectant is import). Rinse and allow to dry before adding new food or water.

  The most common songbirds to use feeders are juncos, finches, sparrows, pine siskins, grosbeaks, woodpeckers, jays and flickers. Songbirds tend to use feeders most heavily during the winter but as spring approaches, artificial feeding should be slowly reduced. Birds will readily feed on natural sources like seeds and insects when they are available in the spring and through fall.

Southwest Washington:

• Fishing: The spring chinook fishery got off to a fast start March 16, with boat anglers averaging a fish for every 5.5 rods on the lower Columbia River between the Hayden Island west power lines and Bonneville Dam. The turnout was good, too. In all, 368 boats and 170 bank anglers were counted on both sides of the river during an aerial survey opening day.

  The highest concentration of boats - 110 - was near the Portland Airport, although 35 boats were counted between the Interstate 5 Bridge and the power lines. Most bank anglers were fishing immediately downstream from the dam, though the fishing there was slow.

  "We're getting a strong early showing, the best in several years," said Joe Hymer, WDFW fish biologist. "The best news is this run's just getting started, and we're expecting to see a lot of fish move upriver before it's all over."

  According to pre-season forecasts, 269,300 spring chinook will return to the Columbia River and its tributaries above Bonneville Dam, the third-largest run since 1977. That compares to just 86,230 fish last year.

  The chinook fishery from the Hayden Island power lines upstream to the dam runs seven days a week through March 23, then switches to six days a week - closing from one hour after official sunset Mondays to one hour before official sunrise Wednesdays - through April 30. The limit is one adult hatchery chinook per day.

  Below the Hayden Island power lines, chinook fishing opens daily downstream to Buoy 10 from March 24 through April 4. Fishing in that area, normally the focus of the lower river season, was held to just 12 days this year to protect weak Willamette River stocks. There, too, the limit is one hatchery adult chinook per day.

  As most anglers know, hatchery chinook can be identified by a clipped adipose fin. All wild chinook with an intact adipose fin must be released unharmed.

  While some chinook have begun to show in tributaries to the lower river, late-run hatchery steelhead have been providing most of the action in the Cowlitz and Kalama rivers. On the Cowlitz, the best bet has been from the Barrier Dam downstream to Olequa.

  Hatchery steelhead have also been the name of the game above Bonneville Dam, where anglers have been doing well in The Dalles and John Day Pools. As of March 15, only 46 "springers" had cleared Bonneville Dam, so it's not surprising that none had shown up in WDFW creel checks.

  But that's likely to change in a big way over next few weeks, Hymer said. Mid-Columbia tributaries - notably Drano Lake and the Wind River - are expected to be major destination points for this year's run of upriver chinook salmon. Hymer noted that Drano Lake, at the mouth of the Little White Salmon River, is expected to see a return of 36,800 spring chinook, which would top the record of 20,600 fish in 2002.

  The spring chinook fishery also opened March 16 from Bonneville Dam upstream to McNary Dam, Drano Lake and the Wind River, where anglers can keep two hatchery salmon per day - once they arrive. The White Salmon River, which also has a two-salmon daily limit, opens April 1. The Klickitat River will be open Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays only beginning April 2. The daily limit will be one hatchery salmon or one hatchery steelhead on the Klickitat from the Fisher Hill Bridge downstream.

  Hymer reminds anglers that the shoreline outside the mouth of Drano Lake will be open for bank fishing for the first time in 30 years. In all, this year's fishing regulations will open up 40 additional miles of bank fishing on the mainstem Columbia River from Bonneville Dam to the Tower Island power lines six miles below The Dalles Dam.

  "I think the best bet will be at the mouth of Drano Lake," Hymer said. "Casting a plug or lure from shore is sure to produce fish." Anglers fishing the newly opened bank are asked to follow three rules: Don't cross the highway, don't trespass over the railroad tracks and don't interfere with tribal fisheries.

  With water temperatures rising, sturgeon fishing has again sprung to life in Bonneville and John Day pools, where anglers have been catching some legal-size fish. Those fishing John Day should keep an eye out for rule changes, because the catch is quickly approaching the annual quota, Hymer said. The Dalles Pool has already reached its annual quota and is catch-and-release through the end of the year.

  Meanwhile, boat anglers fishing the John Day Pool have been averaging three bass per rod and a walleye for every three rods. In the Bonneville Pool, they've been averaging a walleye or bass per rod, and some walleye are also being caught in The Dalles Pool.

  Here's the report for trout anglers:

  • Klineline Pond - Including fish released, bank anglers averaged 6 trout per rod. The largest was a six-pound brooder. Best fishing is in the swimming area by anglers using flies, lures, or shrimp.

  • Burns Pond in Wahkiakum County - Planted with 2,000 catchable-size rainbows March 12.

  • Lake Sacajawea in Longview - Planted with 4,300 catchable size rainbows March 10.

  • Battleground Lake - Planted with 2,000 over half-pound rainbows March 10.

• Wildlife viewing: Visit the fish-viewing window at Bonneville Dam right now and you might see a late-run steelhead or chinook salmon moving up the fish ladder. Since mid-March, a few dozen steelhead - and an occasional chinook - have passed by the underwater window each day. But things should start getting a lot more interesting in April, when hundreds - then thousands - of spring chinook weighing up to 40 pounds apiece start moving past the dam on a daily basis. Last year, the highest daily count was 3,428 on April 25.

  To monitor daily fish counts from home, check the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers website at https://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/op/fishdata/home.asp. Or stop by the Washington Shore Visitor Complex and see the annual parade of fish for yourself. To get there, take Washington State Highway 14 east to Milepost 40 (about 5 miles from Stevenson) and turn into the Bonneville Dam visitor center. The visitor center is the glass building at the end of the powerhouse.

  Recent bird sightings reported on the Tweeters website (http://www.scn.org/earth/tweeters/digests/) include:

  • A dozen red-throated loons spotted in Tidewater Cover in Vancouver.

  • A trio of turkey vultures on the ground in Willow Grove Park in the Longview area.

  • A northern shrike hunting from the bushes near Vancouver Lake - a life bird for that contributor.

Eastern Washington:

• Fishing: Fishing waters in the central district that opened March 1 are finally starting to thaw and produce catches. Liberty Lake in eastern Spokane County, which just shifted to the March 1 opener this year, may be the best now, said Chris Donley, WDFW district fish biologist from Spokane.

  "Liberty is completely ice-free and big brown and rainbow trout are being caught, including browns reportedly up to eight pounds," he said. "Bass fishing remains slow, but should pick up as spring advances."

  Farther south and west in Spokane County, Downs Lake is also ice-free and should be producing catches of rainbow trout, along with yellow perch, largemouth bass, and crappie.

  Two other lakes that opened on March 1 - Amber in Spokane County and Coffeepot in Lincoln County - still have some ice but are becoming more fishable. Donley reminded anglers that both lakes have selective gear rule restrictions. Amber is catch-and-release only for its cutthroat and rainbow trout and Coffeepot has a minimum size of 18 inches and daily catch limit of one trout.

  Medical Lake, near the town of the same name in Spokane County, is still iced up, but is expected to provide open water fishing soon. Anglers following Medical's selective gear rules should catch large brown, rainbow, and tiger trout. Donley reminded anglers that only Medical Lake is open at this time. West Medical Lake remains closed until April 26.

  Two winter-only trout fisheries - Fourth of July Lake in Lincoln County and Hog Canyon Lake near the Spokane-Lincoln county line - close March 31. Lenny Hahn, WDFW enforcement officer, reported shore fishermen are catching limits at Hog Canyon.

  In the south end of the region, the seven Tucannon River impoundments that opened March 1 continue to provide limits of rainbow trout. WDFW Tucannon Fish Hatchery crews plan to stock Big Four Lake with trout this week, now that it's thawed out and river levels are down enough to allow hatchery truck access. The other six lakes - Beaver, Blue, Deer, Rainbow, Spring and Watson - have been well-stocked for the past month with one-third to one-half pound rainbows from the hatchery.

  Anglers who want to spend rainy spring days indoors can find their fill of fishing enticements at the Inland Northwest Wildlife Council's 48th annual Bighorn Outdoor Adventure Show, March 20-23, at the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center, 404 N. Havana St. in Spokane. The show features fishing, hunting and other outdoor recreation seminars and children's activities, along with hundreds of equipment and supply vendors, sportsmen's clubs, and agency information booths, including WDFW. Proceeds from the show go into the council's many cooperative fish and wildlife habitat and enhancement projects. For more information, see http://www.wildlifecouncil.com/bighornsubsite/default.htm.

• Wildlife viewing: Good waterfowl viewing should be available now in the Colville Valley and Pend Oreille River areas of the region's northeast district, according to Steve Zender, WDFW district wildlife biologist from Chewelah.

  "The snow is still melting here so there should be standing water and good waterfowl and related birding for a few weeks," he explained. "There are a lot of birds in the valley south of Chewelah now. The Usk to Cusick area along the Pend Oreille River is really good. And of course there's always the Calispel Lake area geese and swans. This is a good year for waterfowl viewing in all these areas with all the melting water creating ponds in fields."

  The Pend Oreille River Tourism Alliance (PORTA) has more information about birding the Calispel Lake area, which has been designated an Audubon Important Bird Area (IBA), along with other northeast locations, at its website, http://www.porta-us.com/birding.html.

  Zender also noted deer and wild turkeys continue to be numerous in the fields and on open south and west slopes throughout the northeast district. "Winter turkey flocks have not dispersed too far yet," he said, "so they are still generally observed along the county roads near farms at the forest and field edges."

  Birdwatchers may want to attend a public workshop on March 25, 4 - 7 p.m., at the WDFW Eastern Region office, 2315 North Discovery Place in Spokane Valley, to discuss the next route of Audubon's Great Washington State Birding Trail series of self-guided driving tour maps. Christi Norman, director of the Audubon Washington Birding Trail, will conduct the workshop to find the best places to see birds around northeast Washington, from Republic to Spokane. The information gathered will be used to develop a Spokane Loop map scheduled for completion in 2009. Together with WDFW, Washington Office of Tourism, Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), and other public and private partners, Audubon Washington published Washington's first birding trail maps of the Cascades in 2002, Coulee Corridor in 2003, Southwest Loop in 2005, and Olympic Loop in 2007.

North Central Washington:

• Fishing: April 1 marks the opening of many more Columbia Basin fishing waters. Jeff Korth, WDFW district fish biologist from Moses Lake, reports fair to good prospects for anglers.

  Upper and Lower Hampton lakes, on the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge eight miles north of Othello, are among the largest waters opening April 1.

  "Both lakes were rehabilitated in the fall of 2004, but now Lower Hampton has an expanding population of sunfish," Korth noted. Lower Hampton should have two sizes of yearling rainbows, 12-inch fish from last spring's 9,500 fingerling plant, and eight-to-10-inch fish from last fall's 3,300 fingerling plant. "The smaller fish will grow quickly this spring and should make for good late spring angling," Korth said.

  Upper Hampton, which was stocked with 21,000 rainbow fingerlings last spring has larger fish, probably 13-to-14-inch yearlings and some larger carryovers, but catch rates will be lower. "Upper Hampton has fish-eating birds that play a role in the food chain," Korth said. Lower Hampton has a primitive boat launch. Upper Hampton is a walk-in lake, but Korth said it's not too far to carry a float tube.

  The Pillar-Widgeon chain of lakes in the same area include ten small, walk-in lakes spread over about a square mile of beautiful canyon land, with access just southeast of Soda Lake below Potholes Reservoir. Korth noted these lakes were also rehabilitated in 2004 and should provide good fishing for the "persistent angler" from the bank or, better yet, from a float tube.

  "The best of the lot will probably be Widgeon, Sago, and Pillar," Korth said, "but never count any of the other waters out." Fingerling rainbow stocking rates were: Pillar - 2,500, Gadwall - 750, Shoveler - 750, Lemna - 450, Poacher - 150, Snipe - 600, Cattail - 1,500, Sago - 300, Hourglass - 300, Widgeon - 1,650.

  Para-Juvenile, McManaman, Halfmoon, and Morgan Lakes, in the lower portion of the drainage below the Hampton lakes, are normally stocked with rainbow and/or cutthroat trout fingerlings, Korth said, but due to a shortage at the hatchery no fish were stocked for 2008.

  "Sunfish, perch, and bass currently impact trout survival," he said, "so expect just a few large carryover fish, especially the cutthroat." Morgan Lake and much of Halfmoon Lake are on private land and access is from the west end of Halfmoon Lake. Morgan Lake can only be accessed via the waters of Halfmoon Lake. Para-Juvenile Lake is for 14-year-old and younger anglers only.

  North and South Teal, Herman, and Lyle lakes, among the "Seep Lakes" on the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge north of Othello, have all been infiltrated with spiny-rayed fishes, so rainbow trout survival has been poor, Korth said. "But trout angling pressure has been relatively light so there's a good chance some carry-overs will be caught," he said. "Rumor also has it that some nice bluegill can be caught, too." Fingerling rainbow stocking rates were: North Teal - 6,300; South Teal - 9,000; Herman - 10,600; Lyle - 3,000.

  Hutchinson and Shiner lakes, and Coyote, Bobcat, and Hayes creeks and ponds off McMannaman Road in Adams County are all good bass and bluegill fisheries that also open April 1.

  "Coyote and Bobcat creeks and ponds are small waters that usually warm up quickly and provide some excellent early fishing," Korth said. He also noted that only non-motorized boats are allowed on Hutchinson and Shiner, and Coyote and Bobcat creeks and ponds are walk-in access only.

  Dry Falls Lake, at Sun Lakes State Park about three miles west of Coulee City in Grant County, opens April 1 under selective gear rules and a daily catch limit of one trout.

  "The 2008 opener here should be just like the good old days," Korth said, "with very good fishing for yearling rainbow at 14 inches and about 20 percent of the catch in carryovers from 16 to 24 inches." Dry Falls received 9,900 fingerling rainbows in preparation for this year's season. It also has brown trout and tiger trout (brown x brook trout).

  Bob Jateff, WDFW district fish biologist from Omak, noted a couple of Okanogan County lakes opened for fishing April 1.

  "Spectacle Lake near Loomis should provide very good fishing for rainbow trout," Jateff said. "The ice is just beginning to melt off, but should be completely gone by the opener." Spectacle Lake has a WDFW access site with a concrete boat launch, as well as three resorts.

  "Washburn Island Pond near Brewster should provide fair early season fishing for largemouth bass," Jateff said. "Washburn Island Pond will get much better as the water temperatures warm and the bass become more active." Washburn Island Pond has a PUD access site with graveled boat launch, although internal combustion engines are prohibited.

  Jateff also reported steelhead fishing picked up on the Okanogan and Similkameen Rivers within the last few weeks. He reminds anglers that selective gear rules prohibiting bait are in effect for the steelhead areas on both rivers. The season is scheduled to close March 31.

• Wildlife viewing: More than 2,000 sandhill cranes are now in the Columbia Basin, making their annual northward migration feeding and resting stopover. Randy Hill, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist for the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge, recently reported more than 1,000 cranes at Scooteney Reservoir, southeast of the refuge in Franklin County. Another 700 or so are in the Potholes Reservoir area of Adams and Grant counties, he said, and others are scattered around the Winchester Wasteway. Cornfields had not been cut yet in the Corfu area, he noted, so cranes had not been seen there yet.

  "I think the cranes got a later start on their migration this year," Hill said. "We're still likely to see a peak of 5,000 to 10,000 cranes in this area in the next days and weeks."

  The big birds are the stars of the 11th annual Othello Sandhill Crane Festival, March 28-30, which includes many wildlife viewing tours that require advance reservations and fill up very quickly each year. Registration for festival tours should be made by March 21 at http://www.othellosandhillcranefestival.org/. To accommodate those who cannot make the festival weekend, and to take advantage of early-arriving and late-staying birds, reservations are also being taken now for pre-festival tours on March 22 and post-festival tours on April 5. Besides crane-viewing tours, the festival offers tours that cover the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge and Potholes Reservoir area, Missoula Floods and the Channeled Scablands geology, Lower Grand Coulee briding, and Wahluke Slope/Shrub Steppe birding. Free lectures throughout the festival cover a variety of topics, from spring bird migrations in general to grouse or owls specifically, including some by WDFW biologists. For more information call 509-488-2802 or see the schedule at http://www.othellosandhillcranefestival.org/. The festival is sponsored by the Greater Othello Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and supported by the City of Othello, Othello School District and Othello Community Schools, and the Adams County Conservation District.

South Central Washington:

• Fishing: Most lakes in the south central region are open to fishing year-round and stocked periodically with WDFW hatchery rainbow trout. Eric Anderson, WDFW district fish biologist from Yakima, reported the most recently stocked lakes are the I-82 Ponds 1,2 and 3 in Yakima County.

  "Fishing will be good in these ponds," Anderson said, "but many other stocked lakes and ponds are producing nice catches, too." Anderson acknowledged fishing has been "a bit slow" in some areas, but as the weather continues to warm, fishing will improve for both trout and panfish. Anderson encouraged anglers to regularly check the WDFW website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/plants/regions/reg3/index.htm for the latest information on trout stocking in local lakes and ponds.

  North Elton Pond, the region's winter-only rainbow trout fishing water along I-82 near Selah, closes March 31.

  Yakima River anglers and guides may want to attend a March 28 program about the river and its fisheries sponsored by the Kittitas Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited and the Yakima Basin Fish and Wildlife Recovery Board, in cooperation with WDFW. The program, which runs 6 to 9 p.m. in the Manastash Room at the Kittitas County Fairgrounds in Ellensburg, includes the history and condition of the Yakima River, habitat restoration efforts, and the status of trout in the upper river. More information is available at: http://www.ybfwrb.org/.

• Wildlife viewing: Spring bird migrations, courtship rituals and nest-building have begun throughout the region. Jim Cummins, WDFW fish biologist, reported great blue herons are back on the rookery or communal nesting site along the Yakima River near Selah. Others report spotting returning songbirds, like red-winged blackbirds and western meadowlarks.

  The return of western bluebirds has some bird enthusiasts cleaning out bird nest boxes. Other cavity nesters that will readily use nest boxes if properly made, located and maintained, include chickadees, swallows and wrens. For more information on nestboxes and backyard wildlife in general, see http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/backyard/.

  Waterfowl are concentrated in spring migration groups at waterways throughout the region, from the Toppenish National Wildlife Refuge southeast of Yakima, to WDFW's Sunnyside Wildlife Area near Mabton, to McNary National Wildlife Refuge near the Tri-Cities. Thousands of Canada geese, mallards, northern pintails, and tundra swans are in the area now.

  Winter-feeding of elk and bighorn sheep at Oak Creek Wildlife Area northwest of Yakima has ended. Ted Clausing, WDFW regional wildlife program manager, reminded visitors to this area and others in the region that road closures remain in effect through April 30 to limit disturbance to animals during the critical time of late winter and early spring.

  "We know this is a popular time for some to get out collecting shed antlers," Clausing said, "but the wildlife come first."

  Vehicle gates are closed to all entry on Oak Creek and Bethel Ridge roads and the Sanford Pasture/ Mud Lake road system on the Oak Creek Wildlife Area; the Mellotte Road into the Wenas Wildlife Area; and the Robinson Canyon and Joe Watt Canyon roads into the L.T. Murray Wildlife Area.

  Clausing also noted a new motorized vehicle access closure on the Whiskey Dick and a portion of the Quilomene wildlife areas in Kittitas County remains in effect through April 30 to protect elk. The area is north of the Vantage Highway, south of Quilomene Ridge Road, east of the Wild Horse Wind Farm, and west of the Columbia River.