Discover Eastern Washington

Free Fishing Weekend

Want to try something new? Or get back into an old hobby? June 11-12 is the annual Free Fishing Weekend in Washington State this year; a great time to take the kids, friends, or neighbors fishing who may not have done it before. Fishing licenses are not required to fish, nor are vehicle access passes or Discover Passes required to use WDFW water access areas or Washington State Park lands.

Trout Derby

What’s better than fishing for free? Winning a prize for doing it! During Free Fishing Weekend, and going through October, you can win a prize for catching a tagged fish in WDFW’s Trout Derby The free statewide event features more than 100 stocked lakes and over 100 participating businesses. There are more than 1,000 prizes valued at over $40,000 up for grabs. Check out the derby website page for details.

Lake Roosevelt sturgeon season change

A reminder that the sturgeon season won’t open on Lake Roosevelt in June as it has the past several years. In 2023, it will transition to a fall fishery to take advantage of cooler water temperatures which reduce stress on wild adult sturgeon caught by anglers. Changes to the harvest slot (the size of fish legal to harvest) will also change over the next five to seven years to ensure the population is not negatively impacted. For more information on the changes to this season, and the reasons behind them, watch this video.

Other fishing

Roosevelt has a lot of other fishing to offer this time of year, including great kokanee, walleye, smallmouth bass and rainbow trout. WDFW, in partnership with area tribes, stocks the reservoir with hundreds of thousands of rainbows every spring so catching will be pretty good as the water continues to warm up a little. 

Rainbow trout fishing at Curlew Lake in Ferry County has also been excellent over the past few weeks and perch have moved into the shallows with the warming temperatures. Fishing a jig tipped with a chunk of worm or night crawler under a slip-bobber 12 to 18 inches off the bottom in 6 to 10 feet of water can be a great way to catch a stringer-full. 

In nearby Stevens and Pend Oreille county lakes, trout fishing should also be good.  Cedar, Rocky, Big Meadow, and Pierre lakes offer good trout and enough options that most don’t get overly crowded.

Sprague Lake, on the Lincoln-Adams county line, has lots of good-sized rainbow trout and largemouth bass, as does Eloika Lake in north Spokane County, and Liberty Lake southeast of Spokane Valley. Liberty also has crappie, perch, and brown trout.

On the south end of the region, people are catching fish from the lakes in the W.T. Wooten Wildlife Area – Blue, Deer, Spring, Watson, and Rainbow lakes. Curl Lake, also on the wildlife area, opened the Saturday before Memorial Day.

The Tucannon River, which feeds those lakes, is still running high and is very cold, so a reminder to wear your life jacket when on any river and stay out until water levels recede and water temps warm up.

Tiger muskie stocking

A handful of Washington lakes were stocked with tiger muskie in late May. While the stocked fish are small now, holdovers from previous years should be getting pretty

big. Called the “fish of a thousand casts,” tiger muskie are challenging but fun to fish for and put up a fight when hooked. Information on what lakes they are in in eastern Washington and how to fish for them is on the WDFW website.  

Lead free lakes

A reminder that 12 Washington lakes have restrictions on lead usage, including in WDFW’s Region 1. These rules are to protect loons and prohibit the use of lead weights and jigs that measure an inch and a half or less along the longest axis. Ingestion of small lead fishing tackle is the leading cause of known mortalities of the common loon. The lakes with these restrictions are:

• Ferry and Swan lakes in Ferry County
• Calligan and Hancock lakes in King County
• Bonaparte, Blue, and Lost lakes in Okanogan County
• Big Meadow, South Skookum, and Yocum lakes in Pend Oreille County
• Pierre Lake in Stevens County
• Hozomeen Lake in Whatcom County

In addition, the use of artificial flies containing lead at Long Lake (fly gear only) in Ferry County is prohibited. Information on lead-free alternatives, including manufacturers and retailers, is provided by LoonWatch.

Invasive Species Check Station

Whether you’re fishing, skiing, kayaking, or paddleboarding, if you take a watercraft of any kind out on the water this summer be sure to stop if you pass a boat check station. Zebra and quagga mussels, milfoil and other invasive species can be transferred from one water body to another on boats and equipment if you don’t clean, drain, and dry every time after leaving the water.

Properly decontaminating boats can prevent hundreds of millions of dollars in environmental damage by organisms that invade ecosystems and can negatively impact water quality, power and irrigation systems, native wildlife, and recreation opportunities.

There are four WDFW boat check stations in Washington: on I-90 just west of the state line with Idaho, on I-90 near Cle Elum, at 1420 W. Port Drive in Clarkston, and on U.S. 395 near the Tri Cities. State law requires you to stop for a quick external inspection if you are transporting a watercraft and pass one of these stations.   

Spring turkey reports

Spring wild turkey season ended May 31, so it’s time to submit your spring turkey report, even if you plan to hunt turkeys again this fall. Reports are required before January

31, 2023, whether or not you were successful in harvesting a turkey. Hunters can file reports on the Licensing System webpage.

This information is used to help monitor hunter effort, distribution, harvest, and trends. Although the reporting period is open until Jan. 31 for both spring and fall seasons, WDFW recommends completing your spring report while your memory is fresh. Hunters who do not fulfill their tag in the spring must submit reports for both spring and fall by the Jan. 31 deadline.   

Special permit results

Drawing results will be available in late June for hunters who applied for special big-game hunting permits for upcoming fall seasons. Drawing results will be posted in your WILD account at WDFW’s Licensing System webpage. Winners will also be notified by mail or email.

Be bear aware

It’s camping season so a reminder to keep a clean camp. Bears have extremely sensitive noses and can smell food or trash from a long distance. If available where you are camping, use the bear-proof trash containers to stash your trash. If they are full, double bag your trash and lock it in your trunk. Never leave trash outside.

Store food, beverages, and toiletries in bear proof food lockers. If not an option, leave these items in your trunk or vehicle. Don’t bring anything with an odor into your tent, including food, beverages, scented products, gum, toothpaste, sunscreen, or insect repellent. And always carry your bear spray when out in the woods.

Urban bears

In some communities, you don’t even have to leave your home to see bears. Each spring, WDFW receives many calls about bears too close to human homes for

comfort. It is important to take down bird feeders, secure trash, and protect chickens and other small livestock until more natural sources of food are available to bears, such as berries. If you have a garbage pickup service, put garbage out shortly before the truck arrives—not the night before. If you’re leaving several days before pickup, haul your garbage to a dump. If necessary, frequently haul your garbage to a dumpsite to avoid odors.

Keep garbage cans with tight-fitting lids in a shed, garage, or fenced area. Spray garbage cans and dumpsters regularly with disinfectants to reduce odors. Keep fish parts and meat waste in your freezer until they can be disposed of properly. If bears are common in your area, consider investing in a commercially available bear-proof garbage container. Many solid waste companies offer them now.

Moose in town

Spokane in particular has had several moose visiting in very populated areas lately, such as shopping centers and schools. Most of the time moose will wander back to more appropriate habitat but sometimes if they are fed by humans or just get too comfortable being close to humans, WDFW will relocated them to less urban areas. If you encounter a moose in your neighborhood or other area that doesn’t seem like appropriate moose habitat, please give them plenty of space and do not feed them. If the moose hangs around for more than a day, please call the WDFW regional office at 509-892-1001.

Leave wild babies in the wild

A reminder to leave deer fawns, baby birds, and other young wildlife alone if you find them. Many people think that animals found alone have been abandoned, but most of the time the parents are nearby. Deer, for instance, leave their young for hours at a time to forage and to avoid attracting predators with their own body scent. The best thing you can do if you find an animal is to leave it alone. For more information, see When NOT to "Rescue" a Wild Animal at WDFW's Living with Wildlife webpage.  

Invasive Species Check Station

Whether you’re fishing, skiing, kayaking, or paddleboarding, if you take a watercraft of any kind out on the water this summer be sure to stop if you pass a boat check

station. Zebra and quagga mussels, milfoil and other invasive species can be transferred from one water body to another on boats and equipment if you don’t clean, drain, and dry every time after leaving the water. Properly decontaminating boats can prevent hundreds of millions of dollars in environmental damage by organisms that invade ecosystems and can negatively impact water quality, power and irrigation systems, native wildlife, and recreation opportunities.

There are four WDFW boat check stations in Washington: on I-90 just west of the state line with Idaho, on I-90 near Cle Elum, at 1420 W. Port Drive in Clarkston, and on U.S. 395 near the Tri Cities. State law requires you to stop for a quick external inspection if you are transporting a watercraft and pass one of these stations.   

Wildfire prevention and campfire safety

Despite recent rains, there is still a wildfire risk to eastern Washington lands. Please be vigilant about putting out campfires and observing all posted rules pertaining to fire prevention on public lands.

Habitat at home

What’s better than watching the sunset on a warm summer evening? Counting bats for community science … while watching the sunset on a warm summer evening!  

This year, WDFW is partnering with Woodland Park Zoo and Bats Northwest to bring the Bat Activity Trends community science program to everyone in Washington. Bats are amazing at pest control and an important part of our ecosystem, but we need your help to learn more about where bats are active in our state. To get involved, go outside in June, July, or August and watch the skies for 30 minutes, starting right after sunset. Count each bat you see as it passes by, record the total number after 30 minutes, and submit the number to us online. That’s all it takes to make a difference in bat conservation!  

All the resources you need to participate are available online. This activity is open to all ages. We have online trainings available on You Tube, or you can attend our free Q&A session on Tuesday, June 6. We hope you’ll take part! 

Biodiversity

Did you know that snags and logs make excellent wildlife habitats that support increases in local biodiversity? 

Biodiversity, simply put, is a variety of life. It is the term we use to describe the variety of species in an area, the variety of the populations within that species type, and the different ecosystems that exist within an area. The higher the biodiversity (or the more variety), the more resilient species and ecosystems are to external forces such as climate change, habitat loss, disease, invasive species, overexploitation, and pollution. Supporting biodiversity supports a better environment for us all. 

Other Spring-Cleaning Tips for Biodiversity: 

• Trim limbs that could damage property but leave trees standing when possible. 
• Leave snags and fallen trees to support biodiversity.  
• Incorporate logs into your landscaping. 
• Choose native plants to best support local good chains for wildlife.  
• Leave the leaves and other yard debris until after our first full week of 50-degree weather, this allows overwintering insects to hatch or awaken. 

A snag, which is sometimes called a wildlife tree, is a dead tree that is left upright to decompose naturally for as long as it is safe. Snags and logs release heat as they decompose which makes them ideal habitats for entire ecosystems of plants, insects, and animals. They also provide perches, roost, nest and den sites for many species.  

Learn more about supporting wildlife habitat where you are with Habitat at Home.   

To read reports published prior to 2023, visit the Biweekly Wildlife Program activity reports page.

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.