WDFW Q & A Thread - Questions for Stacie Kelsey, WDFW

[ridgeratt]

Just found this link!
Kudo's to making this a direct answer line.

[trout-killa]

I have a question about the upcoming set of regulations in effect july 1. Is a tributary defined as a stream that flows directly into another stream? Or could a tributary be a stream that flows into one stream, then flows into the main stream. For example, the naches river tributaries have their own rules and we can therefore fish in them. So cowiche creek would be open. But would any stream flowing into cowiche, such as the north or south fork, be legal to fish? Thanks in advance.

[Diverdoyle]

Any info on warm water plants like they have for the yearly trout plants ... My main interest is swofford pond or another west side lake with a healthy catfish population

[Diverdoyle]

Second question ... Any plans to allow trout back into skate creek ... ?

[Diverdoyle]

Bump

[Stacie Kelsey]

Hi everyone!!

Sorry for the delay!

We don't have the warmwater plants online but I will look into making that available. Both Kress and Swofford were stocked in August of 2014. We are hoping to get additional fish this year but not sure if that decision has been made.

At this time there are no plans to allow stocking back into Skate Creek. I understand the frustration as it was a very popular fishery.

We changed the pamphlet with regard to what is/is not open. It's called Stream Strategy. All rivers, streams and beaver ponds are CLOSED to fishing unless they are listed as open in the pamphlet see pages 50-76.

That information will show all the waters in the drainage you can fish. All other waters in those drainages are closed.

You can find this information on page 3.

Let me know if there is anything else!

[Diverdoyle]

thank you for the reply .. i really miss skate creek good times there but also understand why they had to stop stocking . thanx for keeping us posted about your coverage area

[Diverdoyle]

thank you for the reply .. i really miss skate creek good times there but also understand why they had to stop stocking . thanx for keeping us posted about your coverage area

[Stacie Kelsey]

Yes both the Skate and the Tilton were popular.

If you like trout Mineral has still been doing good.

[Diverdoyle]

does mineral still have that bucket biologist bass issue ?

[Stacie Kelsey]

Sadly yes.

[NWrookie]

Where can I find out the opening weekend for the Westside trout in April?

[Amx]

I think it's always the 4th Sat or Sun.

'Traditional Opener'

[Toni]

Where can I find out the opening weekend for the Westside trout in April?

In the regulations. But now I can not find it. I looked a while ago to see for lowland lake opening and it is the 4th Saturday in April.

[Amx]

Ya, I looked, and also couldn't find it.

[Toni]

Ya, I looked, and also couldn't find it.

With the regulation booklet it isn't hard to miss.

edit: Found it It is in the special rule section of the westside lakes. BECAUSE on page 14 under areas/seasons Lake are open year round unless in the special rules starting on page 74.

[Amx]

Ya, I looked, and also couldn't find it.

With the regulation booklet it isn't hard to miss.

edit: Found it It is in the special rule section of the westside lakes. BECAUSE on page 14 under areas/seasons Lake are open year round unless in the special rules starting on page 74.

Yes, then you have to look up the lake you want to fish, to see if it's different than the traditional opener, or if not listed in the special rules, then it's open year around. The date of opening of the few lakes I skimmed over were all the 4th Sat in April, when stated. And years ago it use to be the 4th Sunday. Like when most lakes, if not all lakes were closed during the winter. The regs use to even mention the words 'traditional opener'.

[rivlak]

I have two questions. #1 is the updating of the boat launch that has been allowed to be swallowed up by the Green River in Kent.

. It is located at Van Doren's Landing Park in Kent. This boat launch has gone neglected for decades. We need this boat launch plus another one down around Allentown so we can access this part of the river. There is no boat access below auburn all the way to 1st ave south bridge in Seattle if you wanted to put in a drift or jet boat. There is great water from Auburn to Seattle but usually it is high bank. Boat traffic would not bother the residents who live in the area because it is mainly industrial not residential.

Question #2 has to deal with making the Cedar River from the mouth at Lake Washington up to the Landsburg Park a STEELHEAD RIVER. It has become to apparent that the sockeye runs are not working. The Cedar River used to be a wonderful steelhead river. With the shortage of good quality steelhead rivers in the Northwest, why not put in a late winter run that does not interfere with the sockeye run? The Lake Washington sockeye run is not a native run, Sockeye stock was taken from Baker Lake in the 1930s and ‘40s to establish a run through the Ballard Locks to Lake Washington, where anglers could fish for them. But the runs have been low for many years due to problems in Lake Washington. You would score big points with the outdoors population if they now had a river they could fish and keep a couple of hatchery steelhead.

Michael T. Merrill
Renton, WA.