By Bob Brown If you are a fisherman and love your sport, May can be the most exciting month of the year because of the window of opportunities that are open (or soon will be) to just about any kind of preferred fishing. May also is the beginning of the short-sleeve fishing season, which is a kinder and gentler way to fish. In other words, with new fishing opportunities opening throughout the state, May is a great time to get outdoors and wet a line. Meanwhile, anglers have been reeling in nice limits of trout from area lakes, plus some decent catches of largemouth and smallmouth bass. Dock fishers at Mineral Lake have been catching trout in the 3.5 to 5-pound pound range. Boat anglers have also been racking up limits of rainbows trolling a variety of baits and lures. Larry Osborn of Eatonville recently caught two browns weighing one pound each trolling a Jack of Diamond lure. It is being reported that Tiger Muskies are on the move in Mayfield Lake. They have been spotted hanging around the docks and out in the lake. Coastal waters are opening this month to salmon fishing. Anglers can fish for hatchery chinook in marine areas 3 (La Push) and 4 (Neah Bay) during two openings May 15-16 and May 22-23. Both areas plus Marine areas 1(Ilwaco) and 2 (Westport/Ocean Shores) open daily for hatchery chinook beginning May 30. It should be noted lingcod and Pacific cod can only be kept in marine areas 5 and 6. This is a change from 2014 where anglers could keep both species in marine areas 7-10. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife made the change to protect rockfish in those areas. Black mouth fishing is presently open in marine area 13 with a two fish limit. -á Wild steelhead fishing has closed in coastal waters, but anglers are allowed a daily limit of two hatchery steelhead in the Quillayute and Sol Duc rivers. Both rivers are also open for salmon fishing with a six-fish daily limit, including two adults. Wild chinook and coho must be released. Tamera Fletcher of Tacoma Power reported last week that 1,736 spring chinook, 260 jacks, 486 winter steelhead and six summer steelhead were recovered at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery. As of May 1, a total of 4,587 spring chinook have been transported upstream, plus 6,857 winter steelhead. Sampling of 234 Cowlitz boat anglers May 4 tallied 42 chinook kept, pus four jacks. Four adults and three jacks were released. Barrier Dam Campground personnel report Cowlitz bank anglers have been catching limits of spring chinook. The average has been about one fish per every 3- 4 rods. Sand shrimp, Tuna Bellies and Loonie Toonies have been the preferred baits. Beginning May 16 through June 15 from the Tongue Point/Rocky Point line upriver to Beacon Rock spring chinook opens for boat and bank anglers. During this period bank anglers may also fish farther upriver from Bonneville Dam to the Tower Island power lines. Joe Hymer of the WDFW Vancouver office said prospects look good this month for summer-run hatchery steelhead on the Kalama, East Fork Lewis, North Fork Lewis, and Washougal rivers. Selective fishing rules will be in effect through early June on the lower East Fork Lewis and Washougal rivers. Selective gear will also be required on the lower Green and South Fork Toutle rivers when the early hatchery steelhead run gets under way the last Saturday in May. The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA)-funded 2015 Columbia and Snake River Pikeminnow Reward Fishery started May 1, paying anglers to catch northern pikeminnow. During the season, BPA will pay anglers for fish nine inches long and larger. The reward will be 4- 8 dollars for each pikeminnow caught in the lower Columbia (mouth of Priest Rapid Dam) and Snake (mouth of Hells Canyon Dam) rivers .This year's qualifying tagged fish will be worth $500. -á Bob Brown lives in Roy and is a freelance outdoors writer. He can be contacted at robertb1285@centurylink.net -á
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