Discover South Central Washington

Sunrise on hillside at the Quilomene Wildlife Area Unit

South Central - Region 3

Counties served
Benton, Franklin, Kittitas, Yakima
Office hours
Monday - Friday 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. excluding legal holidays
Phone
509-575-2740
Email
TeamYakima@dfw.wa.gov

1701 South 24th Avenue
Yakima, WA 98902-5720
United States

Director
Mike Livingston

Fishing tips and news

Salmon and steelhead fishing 

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Fisherman holding two very large Chinook salmon, one in each hand
Photo by AJ Porter

The 2024 forecast for upriver spring Chinook salmon is 121,000 fish, slightly less than the 141,179 that returned to the Columbia River in 2023, and slightly higher than the 10-year average of 152,289 fish. Salmon fishing is now open daily from the mouth of the Columbia River to the Interstate 5 bridge under permanent regulations, but spring Chinook usually don't arrive in large numbers until late March and April.

The river will open for the following dates and locations in 2024:

  • March 1 through April 5: Buoy 10 line upstream to Beacon Rock (boat and bank), plus bank angling only by hand-cast from Beacon Rock upstream to the Bonneville Dam deadline.
  • The daily limit is six, including no more than two adults, of which no more than one may be an adult Chinook. Anglers must release all wild steelhead and all salmon other than hatchery Chinook. The salmon must be 12 inches minimum to keep. Shad retention is also permitted, with no minimum size or daily limit.
  • April 1 through May 2: From the Tower Island power lines (approximately six miles below The Dalles Dam) upstream to the Washington/Oregon border, plus bank angling by hand-cast only between Bonneville Dam and the Tower Island power lines.
  • The daily limit is six, including no more than two adults, of which no more than one may be an adult Chinook. Anglers must release all wild steelhead and all salmon other than hatchery Chinook. Salmon must be 12 inches minimum to keep.
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Chinook salmon fishing in Puget Sound
Photo by WDFW

In 2024, recreational anglers are projected to harvest approximately 4,400 adult Chinook below Bonneville Dam, and 500 from Bonneville Dam to the Washington/Oregon state line.

Managers will monitor the fisheries, dam counts, and hatchery returns during the season and adjust as necessary. The run-size update typically occurs in mid-May.

Check the Washington Sport Fishing Rules and see the WDFW website for additional information including emergency regulations.

The preseason Yakima River spring Chinook forecast is for 2,370 adult Chinook, including 1,490 Cle Elum Hatchery fish. Based on low forecast returns, it is unlikely that there will be sufficient numbers to support a fishery in 2024. If actual returns to the Yakima River significantly exceed the forecast, a limited fishery could open by emergency regulation.

Bass and walleye fishing

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Man with fish.
Photo by Joseph Tucker

Some of the year’s biggest walleye are caught in the Columbia River in the late winter/early spring. These fish are now preparing to spawn and are nearing their highest weight of the year. Walleye are usually caught this time of year in Lake Wallula, Lake Umatilla, Lake Herbert G West, and Scooteney Reservoir. Spots to try for walleye in the Tri-Cities area are the Snake River downstream to Badger Island and from McNary Dam downstream to Boardman. Reeling your line in slowly has the most success in colder water.

As the water warms in backwater areas of the Columbia River, smallmouth bass, channel catfish, and yellow perch will become more active along with walleye near Paterson and Crow Butte. Jigging or slow trolling with natural baits like worms tipped on lures is effective. While walleye tend to get most of the attention, yellow perch are generally less finicky to catch and taste just as good. They are a great fish to start young anglers with as they tend to provide steady action once a school is found.

Trout fishing

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Trout
Photo by Michael Lockleer

Trout opener: More than two dozen Eastern Washington lakes open March 1 for trout fishing. Depending upon the severity of late winter weather, some lakes east of the Cascade Crest may still be iced over, although warmer weather conditions should provide some trout fishing opportunities. Ice conditions aren’t monitored by WDFW so use caution before stepping on an ice-covered waterway. Check out this news release for more information.

Many of the lakes in southcentral Washington are open year-round, so catchable trout plants begin earlier in southcentral Washington than in many other areas of the state. Yakima/Ellensburg area lowland lakes to try are Myron, Rotary, Sarge Hubbard Park Pond, Fio Rito, Mattoon, and the I-82 ponds. WDFW stocked 2,000 rainbows in late November at North Elton Pond.

It is not too early to enjoy catch and release fishing for rainbow trout on the upper Yakima River near Ellensburg. The catch-and-release trout fishery is open year-round on the Yakima River from Roza Dam to Easton Dam under selective gear rules. Fishing is closed above Easton Dam until the Saturday before Memorial Day.

Trout lakes in the Tri-Cities area scheduled to be planted in March include Columbia Park Pond, Dalton Lake, Hood Park Pond, Fishhook Park Pond, Marmes Pond, and Quarry Pond. There are other numerous year-round lakes and ponds within a short drive of the southcentral area with planted rainbow trout. Check the Weekly Trout Plant Reports to see what’s happening in area lakes.

White sturgeon fishing

Sturgeon fishing is open for catch-and-release in the Columbia and Snake Rivers. Limited retention opportunities are still available in the John Day pool. Current harvest reports and guidelines are available on this website: Columbia River white sturgeon.

Lake Wallula (McNary Reservoir) is open year-round for sturgeon, except for a winter closure from the Hanford townsite to Vernita Bridge but is limited to catch-and-release only. Remember you must use one single point barbless hook when fishing for sturgeon and fishing at night is not allowed. Favorite baits are roll mop herring, salmon bellies, shad, and squid. Please review the Washington Sport Fishing Rules for additional restrictions on sturgeon fishing including the upstream section of the Hanford Reach.

New license reminder

With spring fast approaching, Washingtonians should consider purchasing 2024-2025 recreational hunting and fishing licenses before current licenses expire after March 31. Those age 15 or older must have an applicable fishing and/or shellfish license.

Boating safety

With fishing season openers in March and April, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission Boating Program reminds you to take a boater safety education course, if you haven’t already, to be prepared for the season. In Washington, boaters who operate a vessel with a 15-horsepower engine or greater must carry a Boater Education Card to prove they passed an accredited boating safety education course.

Hunting opportunities and news

Small game hunting

The statewide cottontail and snowshoe hare season is open through March 15. For more information, visit the Small Game regulation webpage.

Spring Turkey

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Spring turkey.
Photo by Tanner Baumgartner

Spring turkey season is a favorite with many hunters and is coming right up. While the general season doesn’t open until April 15, now is a great time to start practicing your turkey calling and research the best places to hunt in your area. WDFW has programs available to hunt private property or tips on hunting public lands. If you have a young person who plans to hunt this year, good news- there is a youth-only spring turkey season that runs April 1-7, 2024.

Hunter education

Hunting seasons are wrapping up for the most part (besides spring turkey), so now is a good time to prepare for future seasons by taking a hunter education course if you haven’t already. These courses reinforce important firearm and hunting safety principles, hunting ethics, basic survival and first aid, wildlife identification and conservation. For more information, visit the Hunter Education webpage.

Wildlife watching and recreation

Sandhill Crane Festival

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Two cranes flying.
Photo by Jim Cummins

The Othello Sandhill Crane Festival is March 22-24 This event celebrates the annual migratory stopover of nearly 35,000 sandhill cranes in the Columbia Basin, along with lots of other early spring wildlife activity. Sandhill cranes are large, prehistoric-looking birds that migrate through the Pacific Flyway, stopping to feed and rest in the Columbia Basin on their way to nesting sites in Alaska. Snively Road in West Richland is also a great place to view cranes near Tri-cities March through April.

 

Annual closures to protect wintering elk

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A bull elk running through a dry field
Photo by WDFW

During winter and spring, elk are concentrated in large numbers near winter feed sites and on their winter range. Human disturbance can cause unnecessary stress on elk during their winter recovery period, which can result in increased damage to neighboring agricultural areas and costly repairs to elk fencing. Trespassers caught within closed areas of public lands including WDFW wildlife areas may be subject to civil and criminal penalties. Read the full news release on Wildlife Area closures.

Don’t feed wildlife

While WDFW conducts winter feeding under certain conditions, we generally discourage citizens from feeding deer, elk, and other wildlife species any time of year because of the potential for harm. Winter feeding of elk at the Oak Creek Wildlife Area is a special situation to keep the animals from causing damage to agricultural crops and private property. This video talks more about how the feeding of these elk came about and why it is important to both the elk and the community of people living near them.

Many well-meaning Washington residents enjoy feeding deer and other wildlife in their yards. However, this is a danger to wildlife health. Feeding wildlife concentrates animals where they can spread disease to one another, be hit by vehicles, become habituated to humans, increase their vulnerability to predators, or be physically harmed by foods they wouldn’t normally eat in the wild. You can help wildlife by NOT feeding them. Learn more by visiting our wildlife feeding page.

Shed antlers

The period of March through April is an especially vulnerable time for wintering deer and elk, and we recommend that shed hunters collecting naturally shed deer and elk antlers postpone activities where wintering animals are present. Winter closures are in effect Dec. 15 – May 1 in areas surrounding feed sites at the Oak CreekWenas, and L.T. Murray wildlife areas. This includes strict closures for all access including shed hunting. The easiest antler hunting is, of course, where deer or elk concentrate in the winter. But if many antler hunters descend on that area before wintering animals have left, the disturbance can threaten their survival. Please keep in mind that many public lands across the state may have unique local rules in place, so antler hunters should do their homework before going afield. Additionally, it is expected that users secure permission from private landowners before entering their properties.

Conserving species and habitats

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Desert shooting star wildflower
Photo by WDFW

Habitat at Home

Planning a spring-cleaning of an outdoor space? Here’s a few tips to support the wildlife!

Where possible, leave snags and fallen trees to provide habitat, incorporate logs into your landscaping for wildlife shelter, and save cleaning up the leaves and other yard debris until after our first full week of 50° weather – this allows beneficial overwintering insects to hatch or awaken.

Meet your Regional Director - Mike Livingston

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Photograph of South Central Region Director, Mike Livingston
Photo by WDFW
Mike Livingston, South
Central Region Director

Mike Livingston, the South Central Regional Director (Region 3) grew up fishing, hunting and playing in the forests of southeast Michigan. He received a bachelor’s degree in Conservation from Northern Michigan University, a bachelor’s degree in Fish and Wildlife Management from Michigan State University and a master’s in Wildlife Science from New Mexico State University.

Since 1996 Mike has worked in eastern Washington and held wildlife biologist positions with the Army’s Yakima Training Center, the Yakama Nation, and WDFW as District Wildlife Biologist in the Tri-Cities. In 2012, he was promoted to his current position as WDFW’s Region 3 Director. As Regional Director, he oversees operations in the region and gets to work on big collaborative conservation projects such as the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan. When not working, you can often find him outside with his: family, friends, dog, shotgun, fishing rod, and/or backpack.