Any good news on the Eastside of the Mountains? Are the rivers a bit milky or clear? When is the best time of the Spring-Summer to wet the line for the big boys?
Are the Springers beginning to show up in the Tributaries of the Columbia or Snake Rivers?
I apologize for my rookie questions but will learn from your professional responses as well as just gettin out and beatin the waters.........Thanks for any info.

With this massive run of Columbia springers, that started over the dam fairly early, they should be showing up very soon if not already. Let us know what you find out. Thanks. - RT

Yakima has opened for springers http://www.wa.gov/wdfw/fish/regs/regchng/apr1301a.htm
You have to do most of you fishing on the Yakima Rez, so you have to get a tribal permit. I don't know why it wasn't opened lower river??? They are expecting a good return.

Ringold has a opening for springers. Around 2000 or so are expected to return, and since they are canceling the plant program, they don't need the broodstock.

hope this helps---mike

They did not open the lower Yakima to fishing because they count the fish at the Prosser dam, and they want to know exactly how many fish are returning to the Yak. This came directly from the Yakima tribe's biologist. The state is estimating 2,800 springers returning to Ringold. While this is a good return for Ringold, since they discontinued springer production at that facility, there is no need for the fish. Hopefully, they don't leave the trap open like they did last year, and give the fish in the trap to the indians Unless you're bass fishing, the Grande Ronde is off limits 'till next fall.....

Hey Mac, and others that want to explore some of the areas that will be open on the dry side for springers, here is a list of the ones that Have chinook returning, most of these are program fish from the feds or the indians, so whether they open it or not to Whitey ? we will just have to wait and see. If they do it will be a last minute annoncement as usual.
1. Yakima, they had a opening on this last year for several days to see if they could enforce it and where to open it at.
2. Naches, it is planted by the Yakima nation and could possibly be open
3. Tenaway, same as above
4.Umatilla, on the Oregon side
5. Deschutes, On the oregon side east of hood river
6. Wenatchee and Icicle, usaully a circus!!
7. Entiat, another possibility being that they had several thousand extra last year.
8. Below wells dam, the feds and natives have a hatchery there, whether whitey gets to fish it or not, I doubt it!
9. The Methow, another longshot even though they are hatery raised fish with our sporting dollars. Last year they had plenty of fish, to the tune of about 4500, but the feds clubbed all of them instead of letting us sportsman go after them. Just imagine how much money that could have brought Winthrop, Twisp, and Carlton.
10. There is also the Snake and its tribs, but I am not sure what is going to be open there either.
Peace Superfly