Action: Lake Wenatchee to open for sockeye salmon fishing.
Effective date/time: Aug. 5, 2009 (one hour before official sunrise) until harvestable fish numbers have been caught.
Species affected: Sockeye salmon
Daily limit: The daily limit per angler is two sockeye 12 inches in length or longer.
Location: Lake Wenatchee (Chelan Co.).
Reason for action: The 2009 return of sockeye will be sufficient to provide for the Lake Wenatchee spawning escapement goal, and additional fish will be present to provide for sport fishing opportunity. While the sockeye run is relatively late throughout the Columbia River, a very robust Lake Wenatchee run is predicted.
Other information: Single point barbless hooks required. No more than three hooks may be used. No bait or scent may be attached to the hooks. Knotless nets are required. A night closure will be in effect. Legal angling hours are one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset. Bull trout, steelhead, and Chinook salmon must be released unharmed without removing the fish from the water.
Release sockeye with one or more holes (round, approximately 1/4" in diameter) punched in the tail of the fish (caudal fin). These fish are part of a study and have been anesthetized; the FDA requires a 21 day ban on consumption of these fish.
Information contact: Art Viola, (509) 665-3337 (Wenatchee District Office) (509) 662-0452, Jeff Korth (509) 754-4624.
