The official word is out. Steelhead fishing has reopened on the Wenatchee River. The Department of Fish and Wildlife has reviewed their catch data and it has revealed that a sport fishery would benefit conservation goals. Sport fishing is a management tool that provides for the removal of hatchery fish from the system, enhancing the ability for wild fish to spawn.

It is important that anglers keep all hatchery steelhead and all wild fish are quickly released without removing them from the water. The whitefish season has also been reopened on the Wenatchee. No bait is allowed for either fishery. A stretch of the main stem Columbia River has also been reopened.

Anglers can now fish for steelhead from Rock Island Dam upstream to 400 feet below Wells Dam. Bait is allowed when fishing on the main stem Columbia. I also wanted to let anglers know that the boat ramp at Seaton Grove is blocked by snow and ice. Warm weather is in the forecast and it may clear soon.

Bank anglers are catching the 4- to 6-pound fish from the recent Colville Tribes release of triploids, but boaters haven't been able to reach them from the top end of the reservoir. It's a long run from Bridgeport, but anglers do it all the time.