CONTENTS Attention Anglers! Youth Fishing Creel Surveys Buoy 10 Daily Creel Fish Plants Private Fish Plants Northern Pikeminnow Sport-Reward Fishery Types of Lake Fish Fish Management in SW Washington Warmwater Fish Research Sturgeon and Steelhead Tag Recovery Lowland Lakes Map SW Washington Regional Office Buoy 10 Fishing Useful Links Columbia River Maritime Museum Web cams near the Astoria Bridge Astoria-Megler Bridge - South Astoria-Megler Bridge - North Road Conditions Water temps and salinity Astoria weather, marine forecasts, buoy data, and sea temps Weather Marine forecasts

Jack Tipping displays a 23-inch tiger musky caught in Merwin reservoir while sampling for tiger muskies. Todd Hilson takes time out for a pose with the catch. A lot of effort and coordination occurs during field sampling!! Warmwater Fish Research This year has been a great year for warmwater work in southwest Washington. We initiated an herbicide treatment at Kress Lake, pictured to the right, to assist in controlling the Eurasian milfoil that has taken over the lake since the early 1990s. The initial treatment took place in June of 2000. Two more treatments followed in the month of July. The entire perimeter of the lake was treated as well as some areas throughout the middle. The milfoil had mostly disappeared by the end of July. We will continue to monitor the lake to see if the milfoil will grow back next spring. Over 1,000 channel cats ranging from 12-18" were planted in Kress Lake after the treatments. This is the third year that we have planted channel catfish larger than 10". Fingerlings had been planted in the early 1990s but did not show up in angler surveys. It was decided that fish larger than 10" should be planted and has proved to be a successful program. Anglers have been harvesting channel catfish over 9 lbs. from the lake. In August the lake was sampled for bluegill and several bass, crappie and channel catfish were caught. Although previous surveys show that the bass population is not doing as well as it should, with the treatment of the milfoil, the bass will have better opportunity to prey on the stunted bluegill. Early next year a Volunteer Angler Harvest Project will be initiated at Kress Lake to help determine the number of channel catfish being harvested from the lake. A box with angler forms will be placed at the boat ramp of the lake and anglers will have the opportunity to participate in our research on channel catfish in Kress Lake. Anglers will be asked to record information on their daily trips and the number of channel catfish caught and/or released. This information will help us to determine appropriate management for channel catfish in Kress Lake. Anglers will also be asked to provide information on bass. We will be able to determine if treating the lake to control milfoil is having an effect on the bass population. Our hope is that the bass population will benefit from removal of the milfoil. The bluegill have been stunted in Kress Lake for several years. By monitoring the lake closely it is possible to turn that around and balance the lake between predator and prey species. Anglers will be encouraged to help! Data provided will assist us with these management issues and others. If you have any questions, concerns or ideas regarding warmwater enhancement in southwest Washington, please contact Stacie L. Kelsey at kelsyslk@dfw.wa.gov. For more information see: Warmwater Enhancement Program