July 1, 2016
Actions: Closes the Clear Lake Dam spillway to all fishing.
Location: The Clear Lake Dam spillway (north channel), including the fishway, waterfall, and pool upstream of the confluence with the mainstem North Fork Tieton River.
Effective date: July 1 through Aug. 15, 2016.
Species affected: All species
Reason for action: The Clear Lake Dam spillway has been closed to all fishing for many years to protect ESA-listed bull trout that congregate in the pool at the base of the spillway trying to migrate upstream into Clear Lake. This closure was inadvertently omitted from the "Stream Strategy" rule changes adopted in July 2015. As currently written in the 2016-17 fishing pamphlet, anglers may interpret the rules to allow fishing in the spillway channel up to the USFS Road 740 Bridge that crosses the spillway channel, which was not the intent of WDFW.
The pamphlet correctly states that the mainstem NF Tieton River (not the spillway channel) is open to fishing up to the Road 740 Bridge that crosses the main river channel downstream of Clear Lake Dam (there are two Rd. 740 bridges---one over the spillway channel and one over the main river channel). The main river channel upstream from the bridge to the base of Clear Lake Dam is also closed to all fishing.
Other Information: The entire NF Tieton River (upstream and downstream of Clear Lake) closes to all fishing on Aug. 16 to protect spawning bull trout.
Information contacts: Eric Anderson, District 8 Fish Biologist, (509) 457-9301 (Yakima) or John Easterbrooks, Region 3 Fish Program Manager, (509) 457-9330 (Yakima)
Location: The Clear Lake Dam spillway (north channel), including the fishway, waterfall, and pool upstream of the confluence with the mainstem North Fork Tieton River.
Effective date: July 1 through Aug. 15, 2016.
Species affected: All species
Reason for action: The Clear Lake Dam spillway has been closed to all fishing for many years to protect ESA-listed bull trout that congregate in the pool at the base of the spillway trying to migrate upstream into Clear Lake. This closure was inadvertently omitted from the "Stream Strategy" rule changes adopted in July 2015. As currently written in the 2016-17 fishing pamphlet, anglers may interpret the rules to allow fishing in the spillway channel up to the USFS Road 740 Bridge that crosses the spillway channel, which was not the intent of WDFW.
The pamphlet correctly states that the mainstem NF Tieton River (not the spillway channel) is open to fishing up to the Road 740 Bridge that crosses the main river channel downstream of Clear Lake Dam (there are two Rd. 740 bridges---one over the spillway channel and one over the main river channel). The main river channel upstream from the bridge to the base of Clear Lake Dam is also closed to all fishing.
Other Information: The entire NF Tieton River (upstream and downstream of Clear Lake) closes to all fishing on Aug. 16 to protect spawning bull trout.
Information contacts: Eric Anderson, District 8 Fish Biologist, (509) 457-9301 (Yakima) or John Easterbrooks, Region 3 Fish Program Manager, (509) 457-9330 (Yakima)