Battle Ground Lake, Klineline Pond and Lacamas Lake all stocked with trout recently
For many anglers, opening day is synonymous with the start of the lowland lakes trout-fishing season, which gets underway April 27 this year. Hundreds of thousands of Washingtonians typically descend on trout-stocked lakes to kick off the state’s biggest outdoor event.
To prepare for the upcoming season, hatchery crews from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) have been working since last year to stock millions of fish in lakes throughout the state. Anglers can find how many went where at https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/reports/stocking.
At the same time, anglers and hunters are also looking forward to a variety of other “opening days” for outdoor adventures this month, including:
- Spring chinook fishery: Starting April 1, the popular fishery expands upstream from Bonneville Dam to the Washington/Oregon state line above McNary Dam. See https://fortress.wa.gov/dfw/erules/efishrules/erule.jsp?id=2276.
- Razor clam dig: A three-day razor clam dig is tentatively scheduled to begin April 6 and another set to start April 20. WDFW will announce if the dig gets a green light about a week before the scheduled opening. See https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfishing-regulations/razor-clams#current
- Spring turkey hunt: The general spring turkey hunt opens April 15 for hunters of all ages and runs through May 31. See WDFW’s Wild Turkey Spring Season pamphlet athttps://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/regulations/ for more information.
For most people, a valid 2019-20 fishing or hunting license will be required to participate in those activities after March 31, when all 2018-19 licenses expire. The exception is young people under age 15, who can fish for free. Licenses and permits are available online (https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/), by phone (866-246-9453) and from sporting goods stores and other retail license dealers around the state.
More information about outdoor activities coming up this month is available in the Weekender Regional Reports at https://wdfw.wa.gov/places-to-go/weekender. These reports are updated throughout the month to provide current information about recreational opportunities around the state.
Information provided by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
