The Vancouver Wildlife League will hold its monthly members meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 4. It will be held at the WDFW Region 5 office in Ridgefield. The public is invited to attend.
Bill Woods will discuss some new fishing techniques.
Free fishing in Oregon, fresh stockings in Washington
Anglers can skip the stores this Friday and catch fish instead. The Black Friday trout opener will take place this weekend in Washington, with many lakes stocked well with large trout. Also, anglers can fish for free this Friday and Saturday in Oregon.
The public can fish without a license both days in Oregon. Lowland lakes will provide trout, rivers will provide opportunities for warm water fish and trout, and anglers can fish off the beaches for surf perch.
Crabbing and other shellfish can also be taken without a license, and there will be good evening clamming tides on both days. All other rules and regulations are still in effect.
In Washington, anglers can target the extra-large trout planted in local lakes. Battle Ground Lake and Klineline Pond in Clark County have each received plantings of 2,000 rainbow trout in the 15-inch range. Kress Lake in Cowlitz County, and Rowland Lake in Klickitat County have also been stocked with 2,000 fish apiece.
For more information on Black Friday trout: https://wdfw.wa.gov/news/fish-black-friday-big-rainbow-trout-3
For more information on free fishing in Oregon: https://myodfw.com/articles/2019-free-fishing-days-and-events
State barbless rules diverge
Anglers fishing for salmon or steelhead on the Columbia River after Thanksgiving will have to pay close attention to which side of the state line they are on, or they will have to stick to using barbless hooks.
The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission voted earlier this year to approve the use of barbed hooks on the Columbia River and many of its tributaries for salmon and steelhead.
“It’s a permanent rule, and it will run through 2020,” said Ryan Lothrop, the Columbia River Fishery Manager.
However, the Oregon commission refused a staff recommendation to do the same, and when the current temporary rule on voluntary barbless expires on Thursday, Oregon will revert to mandatory barbless hooks for salmon and steelhead fishing in the Columbia, and many of its tributary waters.
That means Columbia River anglers must either fish barbless everywhere or stay on the Washington side of the state’s dividing line if they fish with barbed hooks. Or, they can carry gear rigged with both barbed and barbless hooks and use the gear that is legal on either side of the line.
The conflicting rules could make law enforcement difficult.
According to ODFW’s Chris Kern, the assistant fish division administrator, the state hopes to take up the issue and clarify the rules before the spring salmon season begins, and fishermen take to the Columbia in big numbers.
However, the issue has not been listed on the agenda of any upcoming commission meetings yet.
Currently there is little, if any, salmon fishing on the Columbia. That will change by February of next year, if spring Chinook fishing is allowed.
