Swift Reservoir to Open for Fishing Fourth Saturday in April in Washington
OutdoorHub 04.04.13
Action: Keeps Swift Reservoir open continuously through November. Modified landlocked salmon rules to be in effect.
Effective date: April 27 through Nov. 30, 2013
Location: Swift Reservoir from Swift Dam to Eagle Cliff Bridge
Reason for action: Under existing permanent regulations, Swift Reservoir opens for fishing the fourth Saturday in April. Under rules recently adopted by the Fish and Wildlife Commission, the reservoir would have been closed from May 1, 2013, until the first Saturday in June.
The newly adopted permanent rule was predicated on the assumption that salmon and steelhead re-introduction efforts would have progressed to the point where significant numbers of downstream smolts would be migrating through the reservoir through the month of May. However, due to delays, adult re-introduction efforts and smolt production are just getting under way, so there is no need to close the reservoir in May of this year. The fishery can proceed on the traditional opening date.
Starting April 27, however, the landlocked salmon rule will go into effect in the upper watershed to allow adult salmon released into those waters to spawn. Under that rule, all salmon longer than 15 inches in length must be released and anglers must count any other salmon caught toward their daily trout limit.
Other Information: The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will plant 53,000 catchable size rainbow trout into the reservoir for the April 27 opener. The trout daily limit is 5 fish until Sept. 1, when the limit increases to 10 fish. All bull trout must be released. Selective gear rules apply from posted markers approximately 3/8-mile below eagle Cliff Bridge to the bridge. Two poles are not allowed.
