It seems we have been talking about droughts in the past few years, but this year is different; the word flooding has been mentioned more than once and not just back in the eastern part of this great nation. A call to the Fish and Wildlife Region Two office in Ephrata confirms there are no current flooding restrictions of Fish and Wildlife areas in the Columbia Basin. Remember to have fun, but be careful out there. Read on.

From Fish and Wildlife:

Recent flooding has forced Fish and Wildlife managers to close about 25 miles of roads on three wildlife areas and restrict use of Yakima River access sites in south-central Washington.

Public safety, requires these roads to remain closed until drier conditions make them passable or until emergency funding can be secured to repair them. The affected road sections are posted with closure signs.

Tarpiscan Creek

On the Colockum Wildlife Area in Kittitas and Chelan counties, the road along the North Fork of Tarpiscan Creek and the bridge over the South Fork of Tarpiscan Creek are closed due to washouts.

L.T. Murray Wildlife Area

On the L.T. Murray Wildlife Area in Kittitas County, sections of Hutchins, Murray, and Tamarack Ridge roads are closed. The Hutchins Road closure at Yahne Canyon also restricts access to adjacent U.S. Forest Service property. The portion of Murray Road that runs north-south from Hutchins Road to Shell Rock Road is closed. The Tamarack Ridge Road closure is at the intersection with Ainsley Canyon, Joe Watt Canyon, and Page Pasture roads, directly south of the Hutchins Road closure.

Taneum and Manastash

In addition, adjacent USFS closures due to flooding in the Taneum and Manastash areas limit access to the L.T. Murray Wildlife Area. Altogether, state and federal closures effectively limit motorized access on about one third of the wildlife area. Two main access points at Joe Watt and Robinson Canyons will be open and most of the areas normally used for camping will be available.

Wenas Wildlife Area

On the Wenas Wildlife Area in Yakima and Kittitas counties, parts of Durr and Kelley Hollow roads are closed. On Durr Road, the crossing at Umtanum Creek is closed, but access up to the crossing location, from both the Selah and Ellensburg sides, remains open. The Kelley Hollow Road closure runs from the elk fence gate above North Wenas Road for approximately two miles; closure signs are posted at the intersection with Hessler Flat Road and on the Kelley Hollow Road just above the damaged section.

Yakima River

The Yakima River access site at Fitzimmons/Sawyer is closed to vehicle use because the river has undercut the roadway.  Other WDFW water-access sites on the Yakima River may have limited facilities, with some toilets flooded and some boat ramps washed out. Fish and Wildlife officials advise using caution at recreation sites on any creeks and rivers affected by the flooding.

Spring Chinook - fishing opportunities on Columbia and Snake rivers expands

Several new fishing opportunities for hatchery-reared spring chinook salmon are opening up on the Columbia and Snake rivers.

With approximately 2,700 upriver chinook still available for harvest, fishery managers from Washington and Oregon today agreed to expand or reopen fisheries in the several areas.

Below Bonneville Dam:

Starting today, May 27, boat anglers will be allowed to fish for spring chinook from Beacon Rock upstream to Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River. This four-mile area, previously open for bank fishing only, will remain open for both kinds of fishing on the lower river through June 15.

Above Bonneville Dam:

Starting tomorrow, May 28, the boat and bank fishery will reopen through June 2 from the Tower Island power lines upriver to the Washington/Oregon state line, 17 miles from McNary Dam. Bank fishing will also be allowed from Bonneville Dam upriver to the power lines, located six miles below The Dalles Dam.

Snake River:

Also starting tomorrow, May 28, the spring chinook fishery will reopen through June 2 in the Little Goose and Clarkston areas of the Snake River.

Washington and Oregon may consider granting additional fishing time if enough fish are still available for harvest under the upriver catch guideline.

According to the most recent update, 213,400 upriver spring chinook are expected to return to the Columbia River system this year. Under this year's catch guideline for recreational fisheries, 2,700 are still available for harvest.

The high water experienced in the Columbia River has slowed catch rates in many areas this season. Anglers are still catching some nice fish, and the states are glad to be able to extend that opportunity.

Fish and Wildlife noted recent catch surveys show that anglers fishing along the banks of the lower river have had higher success rates than those fishing from boats.

Bank anglers have some real advantages right now. Not only are they catching more fish, it's also safer under these high-water conditions.

Below Bonneville Dam, anglers may retain one adult spring chinook salmon marked with a clipped adipose fin as part of their daily catch limit. Above Bonneville, the daily limit can include two marked hatchery adult chinook salmon. All unmarked chinook and steelhead must be released unharmed.

Sockeye salmon and hatchery-reared steelhead also count toward anglers' daily limit.

The two areas opening to spring chinook fishing on the Snake River include:

The Little Goose area, which extends from the Railroad Bridge about one-half mile downstream from the mouth of the Tucannon River, upriver about nine miles to the Corps of Engineers boat launch, about a mile upstream of Little Goose Dam.

The Clarkston area, which extends from the intersection of Steptoe Canyon Road with Highway 193 in Whitman County, upriver about 12 miles to the Idaho state line.

In these areas of the Snake River, the daily limit is two adipose-fin-clipped spring chinook adults and four adipose-fin-clipped jacks. One exception is the shoreline area between the juvenile bypass return pipe and Little Goose Dam along the south shoreline of the facility, where the daily catch limit is one jack and one adult. Anglers must use barbless hooks when fishing in the Snake River.

Raffle permit hunts

Although there is less of a chance of winning, Dennis still purchases a few raffle permits for Washington State hunts. There is still plenty of time to research the raffles and apply, as the raffle permit hunt deadline is July 22. Stay tuned for more information about these hunts.

Wind River - The above report seems bleak, but read on for a more exciting report

The daily limit has been increased for hatchery spring chinook at Wind River, a tributary to the Columbia River.

Up to six hatchery spring chinook may be retained and up to four may be adult chinook. The increased daily limit began yesterday and is expected to continue through June 30.

Wind River from mouth, boundary line markers, to 400 feet below Shipherd Falls. Wind River from 100 feet above Shipherd Falls to 400 feet below the coffer dam. Wind River from 100 feet above the coffer dam to 800 yards downstream of Carson National Fish Hatchery.

The daily limit will be six fish. Up to four may be adults of which no more than two may be hatchery steelhead. Release all salmon other than chinook and release wild chinook downstream from Shipherd Falls. Release all trout other than hatchery steelhead. Minimum size 12 inches for salmon and 20 inches for steelhead.

Night closures will remain in effect. In addition, the anti-snagging rule remains in effect from the Burlington Northern Railroad Bridge upstream. Only fish hooked inside the mouth may be retained. 

The hatchery is expected to meet its escapement goal and surplus hatchery origin fish are available for harvest. There is insufficient time to adopt permanent rules.

And another exciting report from Drano Lake

The daily limit at Drano Lake has increased for hatchery spring chinook salmon. Up to six hatchery spring chinook may be retained. Up to four may be adult chinook. The limit increase is in effect from yesterday through July 31.

The location of this increase is Drano Lake downstream of markers on point of land downstream and across from Little White Salmon National Fish Hatchery and upstream from Hwy. 14 Bridge.

The salmonid daily limit will be six fish.  Up to four may be adults of which no more than two may be hatchery steelhead. Release all salmon other than hatchery chinook.  Release all trout other than hatchery steelhead. Minimum size 12 inches for salmon and 20 inches for steelhead.

Night closure, bank only fishing area near the outlet, and Wednesday closures will remain in effect through June.     

When the hatchery ladder was opened for a single day between May 12 and 13, a total of 1,662 spring chinook entered Little White Salmon National Fish Hatchery. The hatchery escapement goal is 1,000 fish. Surplus hatchery fish, including jacks, are available for harvest.