Free fishing weekend a big draw for all anglers

With the wettest spring in the last half century dousing us fairly regularly, it has been tough to get too inspired to get out and go fishing. Of course, some of us die-hards are going to fish no matter what the weather, but those who have been discouraged by the rain and cool temperatures may be less than enthused about buying a fishing license when the weather is so crummy.

This upcoming weekend, the excuse of not wanting to buy a fishing license to fish in the rain goes away. No one really knows about the weather, but one thing’s for sure, you won’t have to put out the bucks just to go fishing. That’s because this weekend is Free Fishing Weekend in Washington.

On Saturday and Sunday, no license will be required to fish in any waters open to fishing in Washington. Also, no vehicle-use permit will be required during Free Fishing Weekend to park at any of the 500 water-access sites maintained by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

While no licenses are required on Free Fishing Weekend, other rules such as size limits, bag limits and season closures will still be in effect. Anglers will also be required to complete a catch record card for any salmon, steelhead, sturgeon or halibut they catch during the free fishing event.

Free Fishing Weekend in Washington has been an annual event for the past several years and correlates with a national program designed to help promote fishing around the country.

In an effort to help make anglers more successful during Free Fishing Weekend, the WDFW hatchery crews will be planting trout in some of the local lakes this week.

According to Eric Anderson, WDFW region 3 fish biologist, several thousand catchable-sized trout either recently have been or will be planted in lakes and ponds throughout Yakima and Kittitas Counties.

Anderson pointed to Clear Lake in Yakima County and Fio Rito in Kittitas County as good prospects for the weekend, but other lakes should be worth trying as well.

Including some 4,000 rainbows planted in the past few days, Clear Lake (near Highway 12 above Rimrock Lake) has received almost 15,000 trout since mid-May.

Other lakes in the county that have been planted in the past month are Bear Lake, Dog Lake, Lost Lake, Mud Lake, Tieton Ranger Pond and Tims Pond.

In Kittitas County, Easton Ponds, Lost Lake, Lavendar Lake and Mattoon Lake have been planted with trout recently.

Of course fishing for trout is not the only fishing option available for this weekend. The run of spring chinook salmon is still making its way up the Yakima and while the lower portion of the river near Richland is now closed to salmon fishing, the river is open from the I-82 bridge near Union Gap up to the railroad bridge just below Roza Dam.

The salmon fishing on the Yakima has been hit-and-miss in recent days for anglers working holes below Roza down to the mouth of the Naches River. The most consistent fishing recently has been in the river just below the deadline below the dam.

The Yakima remains open for salmon fishing until the end of June.

The Yakima, Naches, Tieton and other streams in the region also opened for trout fishing this past weekend, offering yet another fishing option for the Free Fishing Weekend.

Again, all other rules including gear regulations and catch limits remain in effect.  Catch record cards, which are needed if you fish for salmon and steelhead, and the official Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet are available at no charge at local sporting goods stores and other license dealers in the area. The rules pamphlet is also posted online (wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm).

Only Mother Nature knows if she is going to finally give us a break in the weather. But it is a for sure thing we all get a break in the need for a fishing license this weekend. Grab the kids and the fishing gear and get out and give it a try. Hey, it’s Free Fishing Weekend!

• Rob Phillips is a freelance outdoor writer and partner in the advertising firm of Smith, Phillips & DiPietro. He can be reached at rwphillips@spdadvertising.com.