Fishing fading on some lakes

Maybe we've been blaming cormorants too much for the gradual deterioration of fishing at numerous Columbia Basin lakes. Perhaps they've been less of a problem than the increase in cattails, tules, chara, milfoil and other vegetation.

The shallow lakes in the Pillar-Widgeon and Quincy areas, which will be opened to fishing next week, are known as eutrophic lakes. They're in a long process of becoming land.

Webster's dictionary says a eutrophic lake is "characterized by an abundant accumulation of nutrients that support a dense growth of plant and animal life, the decay of which depletes oxygen in the summer."

Columbia Basin regional fish biologist Joe Foster said cormorants have been dining on small trout stocked in many Basin lakes, sometimes stuffing themselves with most of the fish. However, he said, they shouldn't be blamed entirely for the deterioration of fishing at the eutrophic lakes.

Veteran anglers know, for example, that about 25 years ago the small lakes in the Pillar-Widgeon group on the east side of the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge could be depended on to yield lots of 12- to 18-inch rainbows.

I can remember hooking and releasing as many as 20 big rainbows during a day's fishing. At that time, dense cattails and tules and other vegetation did not surround the lakes. An angler could stand on shore or wade out a few feet and cast into open water where fish were rising.

However, as time passed, tules and cattails began the process of encircling the lakes. Access became difficult. Now the lakes are choked with vegetation, making fishing difficult.

The winter months are the toughest on the trout stocked by the Fish and Wildlife Department. Foster said that when the lakes are ice- covered, the vegetation decomposes and uses up the oxygen. Deprived of oxygen, most of the trout die.

That's why Foster doesn't expect the Pillar-Widgeon lakes and some shallow lakes in the Quincy area to provide outstanding fishing when they're opened March 1. Anglers will catch some trout, but they'll have to be lucky to take home limits.

When the hot weather arrives and the lakes start to cook, more fish will turn belly up.

For some reason other than an increase in vegetation, Upper and Lower Hampton lakes south of the Pillar-Widgeon lakes haven't produced good fishing the last three or four years and fishing isn't expected to be any better this season, Foster said. Ten years or so ago, hundreds of anglers parked their vehicles in the big parking lot at Lower Hampton.

Warden and South Warden have been opened on March 1 the last several years. This year, however, they'll be opened April 28 along with many other waters in Eastern Washington. Foster said the two lakes, which are joined by a narrow waterway, didn't do well as late winter lakes.

The best fishing of the 52 lakes that will be opened March 1 is expected at Lenice and Nunnally lakes, selective gear waters. In fact, Foster said, the lakes, which were rehabbed last March, almost certainly will attract hundreds of fly and spin fishers if the weather is reasonably fair.

Lenice will be choked with anglers in float tubes, pontoon boats and canoes, and its shoreline will be lined with both fly and spin fishers.

Foster said the WDFW stocked Lenice and Nunnally with 10,000 10- inch rainbows after the lakes became non-toxic in June. The lakes also were stocked with about 1,600 brown trout up to 12 inches long.

But the frosting on the anglers' cake was the release of about 2,000 sterile (triploid) rainbows weighing 1 to 3 pounds. Kaufmann's Streamborn of Seattle bought the sterile trout from the Trout Lodge facility north of Moses Lake and gave them to the wildlife agency.

You can almost see anglers' mouths watering as they contemplate wrestling with big, high-jumping trout. No wonder the WDFW expects a slobbering mob.

Burke and Quincy, northwest of George, could be the best producers of the Quincy area, Foster said. The lakes were rehabbed two years ago and fishing should be at a peak this year. The fry will average about 10 inches and the carryover trout will be 14 to 15 inches long.

Dusty, formerly one of the top lakes in the Quincy area, will be rehabbed in late March. Anglers should catch a few big rainbows and brown trout up to 22 inches on opening weekend, Foster said.

Caliche, southwest of George, was an outstanding producer until last year, Foster said. Fishing was mediocre during the 2000 season. It may be poor this season.

Foster said he doesn't know what to expect at Martha Lake, northeast of George. The lake has been one of the better producers in past years.

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