Trout Planted in Wash. Lakes
Each week we round-up the latest news in fishing from the Northwest and beyond. If you have a tip, email us at news@salmonuniversity.com.
Northwest Paddle Festival Comes to Issaquah
The Northwest Paddle Festival will take place in Issaquah, Washington, May 12 and May 13 at Lake Sammamish State Park. Billed as the largest event of its kind in the Pacific Northwest, the free event will feature more than 60 paddle sports businesses offering kayaks, canoes, stand-up paddleboards, paddling equipment, accessories and gear.
Tours and on-water demos cost $10 for the day. Parking is $10 or free with a Discover Pass.
Trout planted in western Washington lakes, Sturgeon fishing ends in Columbia
Sturgeon retention in The Dalles and Bonneville pools will close March 25 due to an expectation that harvest limits for both areas will have been reached by that, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has announced. Catch-and-release fishing will remain open in both the Bonneville and The Dalles pools.
Meanwhile, the department is in the process of planting more than 60,000 in 18 year-round lakes in King, Snohomish, San Juan, Skagit, Whatcom, and Island counties, according to the Seattle Times:
“I expect some good fishing in Green, Meridian, Beaver, Ballinger and Shoecraft as those are the four larger bodies of water getting a good sizable plant of fish,” said Justin Spinelli, a state Fish and Wildlife biologist in Mill Creek. In King County, Beaver Lake was planted on Monday with 7,053 trout; Alice got 1,281 on March 6; and Rattlesnake received 3,000 on March 6. Others being planted this month are Green, 10,000, and Meridian, 8,000.
ODFW Art Competition Announced
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) has invited artists to compete in its 2018 Habitat Conservation Stamp, Waterfowl Stamp, and Upland Game Bird Stamp art competitions. Entries are selected in three categories and winners will be adapted, from the first place artwork in each category, for use in collector stamps and other ODFW promotional materials.
- Habitat Conservation Stamp – Art entries must feature a Strategy Species in the Oregon Conservation Strategy in its natural habitat. The list of eligible mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, invertebrates, and plants and algae are on the entry form. Proceeds from the program are used to restore native habitats and benefit Oregon’s native fish and wildlife.
- Upland Game Bird Stamp – Art entries must feature Blue Grouse in its natural habitat setting. The sale of upland game bird stamps funds game bird research, surveys, habitat improvement and conservation projects.
- Waterfowl Stamp – Art entries must feature one of the following species in its natural habitat setting: Ring-necked Duck, Ruddy Duck, Bufflehead, or Harlequin Duck. The sale of waterfowl stamps funds game bird research, surveys, habitat improvement and conservation projects.
Each winning artist will receive a $2,000 cash prize. Entry information is available here.