Lake Roosevelt Redband trout rule NOW IN EFFECT

[Ridgeratt]

WDFW NEWS RELEASE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov/

December 29, 2016

Contact: Chris Donley, 509-892-7861

New fishing rules in effect on Lake Roosevelt
to protect redband rainbow trout

SPOKANE – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) reminds Lake Roosevelt anglers that new fishing rules are in effect to protect wild native redband rainbow trout on Lake Roosevelt and the Spokane and Sanpoil Arms of the 150-mile reservoir.

Anglers must now release any trout with an intact adipose fin in Lake Roosevelt from Grand Coulee Dam to the Little Dalles power line crossing. Only hatchery-produced trout, marked with a clipped adipose fin, can be retained. The daily catch limit is still five trout, not including kokanee. But there is no longer a limit on how many of those fish can exceed 20 inches, as is currently indicated in the WDFW fishing rules pamphlet.

The same new rule is in effect on the Spokane Arm and Sanpoil Arm of Lake Roosevelt.

In addition, from the Little Dalles power line crossing to the Canadian border, the daily catch limit is now only two trout (marked hatchery or unmarked wild), with a minimum size of 18 inches.

There is also an extended closure in sections of the Sanpoil Arm (listed as Sanpoil River in the pamphlet) of Lake Roosevelt, during redband rainbow trout staging, spawning and outmigration. The Sanpoil Arm will now open to fishing June 1, instead of April 1, with a daily limit of five hatchery-marked (clipped adipose fin) trout.

For the complete rule changes, see "Corrections to the pamphlet," posted at http://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01818/2 ... errata.pdf

Chris Donley, fish program manager for WDFW's eastern region, said 20 percent of the annual rainbow trout harvest on Lake Roosevelt has been wild redband rainbow trout. WDFW and tribal co-managers were concerned that the current harvest level – and the potential for increased harvest as the trout fishery continues to grow in popularity – would not be sustainable for the redband trout population.

"This rule change is intended to help ensure the presence of a healthy population of wild redband rainbow trout in Lake Roosevelt and its tributaries," Donley said. "There will be minimal impact to the quality of the recreational trout fishing experience on the reservoir because there are 750,000 adipose-fin clipped triploid rainbow trout stocked annually. While anglers will have to release a few wild trout each season, there are plenty of harvestable fish available to make a fishing trip to Lake Roosevelt worth your while."

Donley notes that wild native trout are becoming an increasingly rare commodity across the west. The rule change is a way for anglers to actively help protect the last remaining healthy population of wild redband trout in the upper Columbia River within the United States.

[SkookumHntr]

 

[Henrydog]

I regularly fish the Spokompton River in the summer.  I always thought is was nuts the redbands were protected there but not Roosevelt.

[nwwanderer]

To the best of my knowledge, we have never caught a clipped fin rainbow from that fishery.  Is this positive or just more 'control'?

[T-Bone]

Could someone clarify the location of the Little Dalles power line crossing? I suspect it is far away to the North from Ft. Spokane and the other popular bank fishing areas?

[Ridgeratt]

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Little+Dalles/@48.8715766,-117.8713422,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x5362eaee665d64d9:0x7eb9207f6605eb8a!8m2!3d48.8715766!4d-117.8691535?hl=en


This is about 5 miles north of the China Bend boat launch. Which means the entire pool to the 1310 line is effected
This will include the Spokane arm to my guess Little Falls dam on the Spokane.
While there is no mention of the Kettle arm it could fall under the 1310 rule and that takes it to almost the Barstow bridge.

[Ridgeratt]

Some more info on the rule change.

http://nwsportsmanmag.com/editors-blog/alarms-raised-over-lake-roosevelt-fisheries-proposal/

http://nwsportsmanmag.com/headlines/tensions-rise-over-the-1310-line-on-lake-roosevelt/

This not to start another urinating contest but just information. Take it as that.

[baldopepper]

I'm a little confused, press release says two fish limit with 18" minimum but actual reg change says two fish 8" minimum.

[Ridgeratt]

I'm a little confused, press release says two fish limit with 18" minimum but actual reg change says two fish 8" minimum.

In addition, from the Little Dalles power line crossing to the Canadian border, the daily catch limit is now only two trout (marked hatchery or unmarked wild), with a minimum size of 18 inches.  That is above the power lines to the border.

Minimum size 8 inch would be for the FDR pool.

Perhaps Bigtex can weigh in on this for the clarifications.

This is also a heads up for the contestants to this event:

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,204483.0.html

[baldopepper]

Boy, I still can't get my aging brain to wrap around this. Guess my question is if I launched a boat at Hunters campground and fished in that general area, what is my actual trout possession limit and size restriction.  I read it as two marked or unmarked fish with a 8" minimum, but certainly not sure.

[Ridgeratt]

Boy, I still can't get my aging brain to wrap around this. Guess my question is if I launched a boat at Hunters campground and fished in that general area, what is my actual trout possession limit and size restriction.  I read it as two marked or unmarked fish with a 8" minimum, but certainly not sure.

5 with a 8" minimum as long as they are fin clipped. If any have the Bright Red stripe a wise choice would be to set it free, Now the question is if fishing with bait as is done this time of year does it count towards retention limit's?

That's what I hope when the boat hits the water next month looking for winter fish.   

[SkookumHntr]

I was just planning a trip for winter rainbows in 2 weeks too! Definitely not gonna go now! 

[Ridgeratt]

I was just planning a trip for winter rainbows in 2 weeks too! Definitely not gonna go now! 

Why wouldn't you still fish?
It parallels the Kokanee 6 daily limit rules to some extent and you can only retain 2 wild kokes. But the finned clip are few and far between.

[baldopepper]

Well, I usually just fish from the bank below my house near Cedonia and release most of the fish anyway.  Guess I just won't worry about it until visitors come over and they usually like to keep a few for eating.  I'll let them figure it out for sure. Probably spot a warden before then and get some clarification.

[buckcanyonlodge]

After stocking Lake Roosevelt with hatchery rainbow for 50 years WHAT THE HELL IS A NATIVE REDBAND?? You can't tell me the stocked trout did not cross breed with ANY trout in the Lake (for 50 years). I realize the last few years they only stocked trip-loids , but ANY "red-band" fish in the lake has hatchery bloodlines from years of crossbreeding. Give the Indians anything they want. Yes, it is about control . WDFW cankiss my ass good by. Coming soon will be a ban on bait fishing and barbed hooks. First step in total control of all of Lake Roosevelt by the tribes. Excuse me ---second step--first step was opening up the spawning grounds of walleye---bounties paid to tribal members for walleye----and telling the wdfw to raise the limit and cancel size restrictions on walleye.  Look at the trout with the red stripe and clipped fin in the picture. It was FULL of sperm. Can't tell me that fish would not spawn with ANY other trout thus contaminating the precious and rare RED BAND species. SFOS     PERIOD