'A tradition you can count on'

"It's a tradition you can count on," said Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Jeff Koenings. "Even during uncertain times, everyone can get outside with family and friends to enjoy an opportunity to catch a

fish."

As many as 300,000 people could be out on April 27 at Washington's 4,500 lowland lakes and reservoirs, 256 that open that day. They'll be hoping to land some of the nearly 22 million fish that have been or are being stocked by WDFW hatchery crews, including:

8.2 million trout fry (2- to 3-inch), now catchable size (7- to 9-inch);

9.7 million kokanee fry (2-inch when annually stocked), now catchable size (8- to 10-inch);

3.1 million yearling or catchable size (7- to 9-inch) trout;

788,300 warmwater fish species such as walleye and bass;

51,500 triploid rainbow trout (1.5-pound average);

39,670 surplus hatchery broodstock trout (2- to 5-pound).

Some of the fish are stocked in fishing waters that are open year-round or that opened March 1 in eastern Washington. But most of the catchable-size and triploid trout stocking is scheduled just before the last Saturday in April opener, which marks the traditional start of Washington's most intense fishing activity.

WDFW alone maintains more than 500 public water access sites across the state, 275 of them on lowland lakes that open April 27. These sites include boat launches, dock and shoreline fishing, and areas accessible for persons with

disabilities. Other state and federal agencies operate hundreds more.

Opening day can be very crowded at many of these sites, especially at boat launches. Koenings urged fishers to be "patient, courteous, and careful," and reminded them to use personal flotation devices for everyone in boats and for

children on shore.

Resident anglers 16 years of age and older must have a valid freshwater fishing license, available for $21.90 at hundreds of license dealers across the state, all WDFW offices, over the telephone (1-866-246-9453), or on the Internet. All resident and non-resident children 14 years of age and younger fish free; 15 year olds fish on a $5.48 license. Licenses are valid from April 1, 2002 through March 31, 2003.

Every fishing license buyer receives a free vehicle use permit, which must be on any motor vehicle parked in a WDFW fishing access parking lot. The permits are transferable between up to two vehicles. Additional permits are available to license buyers for $5 each; non-fishing or hunting users of the areas can purchase the permits for $10.

Copies of WDFW's annual Sport Fishing Rules Pamphlet, Hatchery Trout-Stocking Plan and Washington Fishing Guide ("Where To Catch Fish In the Evergreen State") are available on the agency's website at www.wa.gov/wdfw and at WDFW offices.

Lakes with public access that have been well-stocked and offer good opening-day fishing opportunities include Northwestern Reservoir (on White Salmon River) in Klickitat County and Tunnel Lake (along State Route 14 between Drano Lake and Underwood) in Skamania County.