Customer service staff in the Spokane Regional Office are available for walk-in service 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
2315 North Discovery Place
Spokane Valley, WA 99216-1566
United States
Fishing tips and news
Steelhead/salmon
Planning to fish for steelhead and fall Chinook this fall? Be sure to check the emergency rules for the area and species you plan to fish for. Rules can change along with conditions for the Snake River and for steelhead in tributaries such as the Touchet, Walla Walla, Tucannon, and Grande Ronde rivers so do your homework in advance to avoid potential problems later.
Trout and other species
Some Spokane County trout lakes closed Sept. 30- including Fishtrap, Coffeepot, West Medical, Badger, Fish, and Downs lakes- but there are lots of other area fall fishing options. Clear Lake offers rainbow and brown trout, bass, and other fish through October, while Amber Lake remains open through November and has rainbow and cutthroat trout. Amber is under selective gear rules so no bait or barbed hooks are allowed. Medical Lake, another selective gear rule lake, is also open through November and has great opportunity for rainbow and brown trout.
Fishing is expected to pick up at the Tucannon Lakes on the Wooten Wildlife Area in southeast Washington with the cooler weather. Blue and Spring lakes will be stocked again in early October after being stocked last spring. Both are scheduled to receive two thousand catchable-size rainbow trout.
In northeast Washington, many lakes remain open until Oct. 31, and fall is an excellent time to fish for trout and panfish in the area. Cedar Lake and Rocky Lake, both in Stevens County, are good bets for rainbow trout, while Renner Lake in Ferry County offers brown trout and brook trout.
Year-round lakes
Year-round lakes like Spokane County’s Silver and Newman have good bass and panfish fishing. Lake Spokane (Long Lake) always produces decent panfish, trout, and walleye. Farther north, year-round lakes such as Curlew Lake (Ferry County), the Little Pend Oreille Chain of lakes (Stevens County), and Diamond Lake (Pend Oreille County) provide good bass, yellow perch, and trout fishing.
The annual white sturgeon fishery in Lake Roosevelt opened in September and runs through Nov. 30. It was previously a summer fishery but changed to fall in 2023 to take advantage of cooler water temperatures that are less stressful on sturgeon that are caught and released. Sturgeon must be between 53 and 63 inches to be kept. One can be harvested per day, with an annual limit of two fish.
West Medical Lake fishing limits removed
Daily trout limits have been removed on Spokane County's West Medical Lake and the fishing season extended through Oct. 13, 2024 in advance of a planned rehabilitation of the lake. The lake is now open to fishing for trout only and there is no minimum size. All other fish species must be released. West Medical will be treated with rotenone in late October to remove invasive goldfish. The lake will be planted with trout in spring of 2025.
Fall walleye index netting
If you fish Lake Roosevelt, please be aware that biologists from the Spokane Tribe, the Colville Tribes, and WDFW will conduct Fall Walleye Index Netting (FWIN) in late October. FWIN sampling has been conducted in Washington since 2002 to monitor Walleye populations in Lake Roosevelt, Potholes Reservoir, Moses Lake, Banks Lake, Scooteney Reservoir, and Billy Clapp Lake. Data collected during these annual surveys is used to monitor the abundance, size, and age structure of Walleye populations. Walleye are not removed during this annual index.
Hunting opportunities and news
Planning your hunt
If you plan to hunt deer, elk, or any other species this fall, be sure to check this year’s rules in the 2024-25 Big game hunting seasons and regulations pamphlet or the Migratory Waterfowl & Upland Game pamphlet before heading out to hunt. WDFW’s Hunting Prospects guide and past Game Harvest Reports can also be helpful in determining where to hunt.
Have your harvested deer, elk, or moose tested for CWD
Having confirmed the presence of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Eastern Washington this summer, there are some new rules for hunters and community members who feed wildlife in WDFW’s Eastern Region 1. To help prevent the spread of this fatal wildlife disease, all deer, elk, and moose harvested in game management units (GMUs) 124, 127, and 130 are required to be tested for CWD. WDFW’s CWD web page has a map of check stations and designated drop-off areas, as well as information on other ways to have your animal tested.
A reminder that if you shoot a deer outside of Washington or in GMUs 124, 127, or 130, Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 220-413-030 restricts the importation of certain parts of deer, elk, moose, or caribou into the state or into other parts of the state from those GMUs. This is intended to to help prevent the spread of CWD. A list of what is legal to move is in our new blog, as well as other information you will want to know as a hunter- how to dispose of animal parts without spreading CWD to new areas, why baiting is banned in those three GMUs, and more.
Deer seasons
The general season for modern firearm hunting for both white-tailed and mule deer begins Oct. 12. In northeast
Washington, the best white-tailed deer hunting is in District 1, in Ferry, Stevens, and Pend Oreille counties. Mule deer hunting is usually best in GMUs 101 and 121.
In Spokane, Lincoln and Whitman counties, there is almost equal hunting opportunity for white-tailed and mule deer, although much of it is on private property, where the key is to get permission in advance to hunt. The best white-tailed hunting is usually in GMUs 124 and 127, both of which have new rules in effect to prevent the spread of chronic wasting disease. The best mule deer hunting is in GMUs 136, 139, and 142.
WDFW’s Region 1 southeast district, which covers Asotin, Garfield, Columbia and Walla Walla counties, is best known for mule deer. GMUs with the highest success rates-145, 149, 178, and 181- also have the most private land so access can be limited and, again, getting permission to hunt is the place to start. GMUs 166 and 175 have the most public land but also the lowest success rates, in part due to high hunter numbers.
Modern firearm elk
The modern firearm general season for elk starts in late October in Eastern Washington. The best opportunities are in the southeast district of the Blue Mountains where the winters are milder than the rest of the region. GMU 166 has the highest success rate for general season hunters in recent years, but also a higher density of hunters because it is made up mostly of public lands.
Central district elk hunting is mostly on private lands in GMUs 124, 127, and 130. A reminder that elk harvested in these GMUs are required to be tested for chronic wasting disease and there are restrictions on what parts of harvested animals can be moved outside of those GMUs or brought into Washington from other states. For guidance on what is legal to import, review WDFW’s new blog.
Hunters on private lands in GMU 130 have the highest success, probably due to its proximity to the Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge. Elk hunting is only allowed on Turnbull for those who have drawn special permits.
The best elk hunting in northeast Washington is in the Pend Oreille sub-herd area, which includes GMUs 111, 113, and 117.
Moose
Moose hunting starts in October and takes place in the region’s northeast district, all by special permits that were drawn from last spring’s applicants. Moose harvested in GMUs 124, 127, and 130 are required to be tested for chronic wasting disease.
Bear identification test
Bear season continues through Nov. 15. If you plan to hunt black bears in GMUs 101, 105, 108, 111, 113, 117, 203, 204, 209, 215, 418, or 426, you must pass the WDFW bear identification test first, or an equivalent test from another state and carry proof of completion. While grizzly bears are rare in Washington, a small population exists in northeast Washington and their presence has also been documented in the Okanogan Highlands and the North Cascades. Hunters in these areas are also strongly encouraged to carry bear spray while hunting.
Upland game bird
Hunting begins Oct. 1 for both chukar and gray (Hungarian) partridge. These birds are mostly found along the Snake River and throughout the grasslands of Asotin County.
The general season for pheasant hunting starts Oct. 22 in eastern Washington, with most of the action in Whitman County and south of the Snake River. In addition to wild birds, pheasant hunting opportunities are enhanced with releases of farm-raised roosters at sites across the region. Details can be found at on the Eastern Washington Pheasant Enhancement Program web page.
Fall wild turkey
Fall wild turkey season is open through Dec. 31 so there’s plenty of time to get a bird- or several. In GMUs 101 through 154 and 162 through 186 you can harvest up to four turkeys this season. Check the regulations for specifics.
Waterfowl
Duck and goose hunting opens in mid-October, but the best hunting in the region doesn’t kick in until early November usually. Mallards and Canada geese are most often harvested but wood ducks that nest in the Pend Oreille, Colville, and Kettle River valleys are good for early season hunting. Canada geese are abundant throughout the season in the Pend Oreille, Colville, Kettle, Columbia, Spokane, and Snake River valleys, especially in the bottom areas where there is extensive farmland.
Sealing your harvest
A reminder that when you harvest a bighorn sheep, bobcat, cougar, mountain goat, or river otter, you must schedule an inspection for pinning or sealing through the Region 1 WDFW office by calling 509-892-1001. New this year, those who harvest bobcats are now required to submit the lower jaw as part of the mandatory pelt sealing process. More information and how to do this is on the WDFW website.
Wildlife watching and recreation
Wildlife feeding ban
While we understand that many people want to help wild animals, wildlife feeding is more harmful than helpful. In an effort to prevent the spread of chronic wasting disease, it is now illegal to feed deer, elk, or moose in GMUs 124 (PDF), 127 (PDF), and 130 (PDF) in Spokane County as feeding draws animals together where they can spread disease to each other. More information on this new rule is in WDFW’s new blog on chronic wasting disease.
Northeast Washington prescribed fires
Annual prescribed fires on Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW)-managed lands in Eastern Washington are scheduled to start in October, as conditions become favorable. Prescribed fires are a forest management practice land mangers use to reduce the risk of future wildfires, reduce the severity of wildfires when they do happen, and improve habitat for wildlife. On WDFW wildlife areas, there is a special emphasis on improving the ecosystems that support the various fish and wildlife species of our state while improving recreational opportunities associated with these species.
WDFW is planning to treat nearly 400 acres with prescribed fire in the following areas by the end of the 2024 fall season. To view the areas to be burned, see the attached map or click the links, and scroll to the map of the wildlife area units.
- Rustlers Gulch Unit, Sherman Creek Wildlife Area – Approximately 250 acres in Pend Oreille County, 20 miles north of Spokane.
- Sherman Creek Unit, Sherman Creek Wildlife Area - Approximately 140 acres in Ferry County, 10 miles west of Colville.
Sharing space with hunters
If you watch birds, hike, camp or do other recreational activities, be aware that a number of hunting seasons are underway throughout the region. While the majority of hunters follow safety rules and carefully verify their targets, non-hunters can help to avoid accidents by wearing hunter orange clothing and making their presence known to hunters.
Prepare your property for hungry bears
Black bears enter a state of inactivity around mid-December and emerge in mid-March; or April. Prior to going into their
dens, bears spend the fall months eating and drinking nearly non-stop to put on weight for winter. This process is called hyperphagia.
During this time, bears will take advantage of any easy source of food they can find including from sources on your property such as bird feeders, barbecues, and trash. Bears that become habituated to humans through feeing (whether intentional or accidental) often have to be euthanized. This is preventable by getting a bear proof garbage can (many waste management companies can provide these) or securing other food sources, storing pet food inside, and confine chickens and their feed to secured and covered enclosures or barns.
Wildlife Program biweekly reports
To read reports published prior to 2023, visit the Biweekly Wildlife Program activity reports page.
2024
Meet your Regional Director - Mike Kuttel, Jr.
Mike Kuttel Jr. is the Eastern Region (Region 1) Regional Director. Kuttel has been with WDFW since 2015 in two statewide policy positions focused on fish and wildlife conservation and providing recreational opportunities on public and private lands through federal farm bill conservation programs and partnering with the U.S. Forest Service and Washington State Department of Natural Resources on shared stewardship of forests.
Previously, he worked for conservation districts, the Washington State Conservation Commission, and Washington State Department of Ecology. He has a bachelor’s degree in environmental science. Kuttel is a lifelong Washington resident and has lived on both sides of the Cascades. He grew up in southwest Washington fishing and hunting. In his free time, Mike enjoys hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, and foraging for mushrooms and berries with family.