Last Saturday Fish and Wildlife reopened the sockeye fishing.

Remember a couple of weeks ago the fishery was opened for two days

and closed again. The 2010 return of sockeye is sufficient to

provide for the Lake Wenatchee spawning escapement goal and provide

additional sport fishing opportunities.

Last Saturday Fish and Wildlife reopened the sockeye fishing. Remember a couple of weeks ago the fishery was opened for two days and closed again. The 2010 return of sockeye is sufficient to provide for the Lake Wenatchee spawning escapement goal and provide additional sport fishing opportunities.

Bad weather was the cause for a poor catch rate during the last season. Therefore Fish and Wildlife have reopened the season, but for how long? No one knows.

This is a great opportunity and we didn't want to miss bringing you the information. But be sure and call 360-902-2500 and press 2 on the voice message. If they decide to close the season again, the info will be on this telephone message.

So the season is open until further notice. The daily limit per angler is two sockeye 12 inches in length or greater.

Anglers are reminded that selective gear rules and night closure will be in effect. Additionally, anglers are required to possess a Columbia River Salmon/Steelhead Endorsement as part of their valid fishing license. Legal angling hours are one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset. Bull trout, steelhead, chinook, and tagged sockeye must be released unharmed without removing the fish from the water.

Tagged sockeye will have one or more holes, round, approximately one quarter inch diameter, punched in the tail of the fish. These fish are part of a study and have been anesthetized; the FDA requires a 21-day ban on consumption of these fish.

From Rod Hammons of R&R Guide Service in Brewster:

Fishing remains pretty slow at Brewster and I would go so far as to say fishing at the mouth of the Okanogan is just about over for the year.

The fish are starting to move around both below Wells Dam and here at Brewster, so don't be afraid to move around a little.

The Brewster Salmon Derby had over 100 boats fishing for three days and only 112 fish were caught and this is including sockeye.

The fishing will pick up again mid to late September.

Contact Rod at 509-689-2849.

Gee Rod, 100 boats net 112 fish? This isn't good. Wonder how many chinook and how many sockeye were caught.

Now here's one we can hardly believe

Biologists of the federal nature are considering four options having to do with salmon hatchery programs feeding the Columbia River and rivers feeding into it. One option is to reduce or completely cut monies for the programs.

The problem seems to be the hatchery fish inbreeding with wild fish. We contend there are no more wild fish.

The feds also say hatchery sometimes eat wild fish. We thought hatchery fish were supposed to be inferior. If so wouldn't the wild fish be eating the hatchery fish?

Just when we are seeing record runs of salmon and steelhead, the feds want to cut production. What? We'll let this one go for now, but stay tuned for the next step.

Tribes keep Colville Fish Hatchery producing

For a second year, the Colville Confederated Tribes are funding fish production at the Fish and Wildlife's Colville Fish Hatchery, a state facility in northeast Washington that was slated for closure under last year's budget cuts.

Under an agreement that runs through June 30, 2011, the tribes are providing $114,000 to produce 4,542 pounds of trout and kokanee salmon fry. The funding pays hatchery staff and fish-production expenses.

The Colville Hatchery annually provides about 409,000 trout and kokanee salmon fry to support recreational fishing in about 72 lakes in Ferry, Stevens and Pend Oreille counties.

The hatchery functions as the incubation and early-rearing facility for native westslope cutthroat trout collected at the Kings Lake broodstock collection facility in Pend Oreille County, and for native red-band rainbow trout collected at the Phalon Lake broodstock collection facility in Stevens County.

Okanogan County limited-entry deer hunt applications due Aug. 18

Hunters have through Aug. 18 to apply for an opportunity to hunt deer this fall on the 6,000-acre Charles and Mary Eder unit of the Scotch Creek Wildlife Area in northeastern Okanogan County.

Applications for the "limited-entry" deer hunt can be submitted on the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Web site at http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/permits/scotchcreek/ or by contacting the WDFW northcentral region office at (509) 754-4624 or WDFW's Olympia headquarters at (360) 902-2515.

Eighteen applicants will be chosen for the hunt opportunity during a random drawing scheduled Aug. 19. Winners of the drawing will receive access permits to the Charles and Mary Eder Unit of the Scotch Creek Wildlife Area near Oroville. The results of the drawing will be posted on Fish and Wildlife's Web site the last week of August. Hunters who are drawn will receive an access permit and a boundary map in the mail.

This is part of Fish and Wildlife's effort to provide quality hunting opportunities in Washington. The drawing is open to the general public without any additional fees beyond the cost of a hunting license and the standard tags.

Of the 18 access permits available this year, six will be reserved for bowhunters, six for muzzleloaders and six for hunters using modern firearms. Each hunter will be allowed to take only one deer, as authorized by their general hunting license.

Deer-hunting seasons for the area are Sept. 1 through 24 for bowhunters, Sept. 25 through Oct. 3 for muzzleloaders, and Oct. 16 through 24 for hunters using modern firearms.

Well there ya go, hunters. Must be some trophy animals on the property.