The big news this week was the announcement of the proposed salmon fishing seasons on the upper Columbia River. Due to the forecast of a very low return of summer-run salmon to the region, drastic measures are being taken to assure escapement. The good news is that there will be another great sockeye season again this summer.

At the local North of Falson meeting that took place on Tuesday March 18th representatives from the Department of Fish and Wildlife shared the details of what is expected for returns of salmon to the Columbia River, and what they plan for this year’s season. You may recall that there were drastic changes to the salmon fishing rules last year. Due to the thousand year flood that destroyed the spawning beds and acclimation ponds on the Okanogan River and some other areas, the return of summer run salmon was anticipated to be very low. Drastic measures are being taken to assure escapement. This year the forecast for summer runs to the upper Columbia are even lower and have trended down the past few years. The anticipated return this year has required even more drastic measures than last year. To learn what it means for the seasons on the upper Columbia, above Priest Rapids Dam, please follow this link: https://youtu.be/ol3M_5vF0pQ. The presentation from Region 2 begins 33 minutes into the presentation. This week’s photo is of opening day of salmon season at Chelan Falls.

Last year, the forecast was for 52,600 summer-runs to reach the upper Columbia River and the actual return was 42,511. This year the forecast is for just 38,000 summer-run to the upper Columbia. Adjustments will be made if the return is better than anticipated, or if the run comes in lower than expected. Although the sockeye forecast is for about half the number we got last year, it is still enough fish to allow for a four-fish limit on the main stem Columbia River and Lake Wenatchee.

The sixteenth annual Quincy Chamber of Commerce Trout Derby is almost here. Starting on Friday, March 28th anglers will be gathering at Burke and Quincy lakes in the Quincy Wildlife Area to fish for rainbow trout, with the hopes of winning some of the many prizes that will be awarded. Derby fishing begins at 6 a.m. on Friday with a mandatory weigh in at 4 p.m. when fish will have holes punched in their tails to mark them as a Friday catch. On Saturday, derby fishing ends at twelve forty five, and the winners of the adult and youth categories will be announced as soon as all the catches are tabulated. Fishing should be especially good as the Quincy Chamber adds more trout to the lakes just prior to the derby, including some whoppers. You can register for the event online by visiting the Quincy Valley Chamber of Commerce website, or at the event. Derby tickets are available at Hooked on Toys in Wenatchee, and Quincy Hardware or the Quincy Chamber office. Don’t forget to post a video on the Quincy Chamber Facebook page, and vote for your favorite. I will see you there!

I had planned on going to Moses Lake to do some perch fishing, but when I checked the forecast, I decided to scratch it. It was going to be raining all day, and the wind was going to blow twenty miles per hour. As much as I want to put some perch in the freezer, I will wait for a better day weatherwise. So, I put my time into helping do some videos for Bob Feil Boats and Motors. I did one on tips for preparing your boat for trailering. There are several steps to be taken before you hit the road, and these steps are explained in the video. I also did a segment with Curtis Ramsden, Service and Parts Manager, on some tips on how to keep your boat on the water, instead of the shop. Preventive maintenance is the key. Then I did a video with Gary Feil, who is recognized as the “go to” guy when it comes to electronics. He has years of experience with a variety of fish finders, and in the video, he demonstrated the ease of navigation of the features found in the Garmin Ecomap Touchscreen unit. After watching this video, you will see why Garmin is my favorite.

I usually store the Smoker Craft 20 X 2 OS for the winter at a place that doesn’t get as much snow as we do here in Leavenworth. However, the first real snowstorm of the year caught me off guard. I saw snow coming in the forecast and raced to Wenatchee to get a large tarp. We were leaving for Mexico the following day, and with my wife’s help, managed to get the boat covered. I wanted to do some adjustments to how the tarp fit, but it was too late. The boat remained in my driveway through the winter. Now I am tired of waiting for spring and the snow to melt around the trailer. I got a shovel out the other day and started digging. My progress was stalled because the tarp is frozen to the asphalt. I will probably melt the ice off with hot water so I can finally remove the tarp and get the boat ready for the fishing season. I am paying the price for trying to outwit winter.

The Wenatchee Sportsmen’s Association will be holding their annual fundraising dinner and auction on Saturday, March 29th, and if you haven’t attended one of these events, I suggest you get tickets and go. The menu doesn’t feature wild game, but it includes many sumptuous items and everything is prepared by great chefs. In addition to the dinner, it is a very busy evening. There will be tables full of “gotta have” items for those who hunt and fish in the silent auction, and the live auction is always fun. When you buy your ticket, it is good for the dinner and a year’s membership to the organization. The Wenatchee Sportsmen’s Association volunteers dedicate hundreds of hours every year to fish and wildlife habitat and ecological work, all right here in our area. They have participated in the Rock Island Kids Free Fishing Day for many years, helping kids catch a fish. For some of them it’s their first ever. The event will take place at the St. Joseph Catholic Church, 625 S Elliot Ave, Wenatchee, beginning at 4:30pm. You can get tickets at Hooked on Toys.