Thursday, October 17 , 2024

Stories by Terry Otto

Columbian freelance outdoors writer

sports@columbian.com

Another limit of Drano Lake springers via Cody Luft. Drano Lake should fish well into June, but the lake closes to sport fishing every Wednesday.

Spring Chinook head down to Drano

Another limit of Drano Lake springers via Cody Luft. Drano Lake should fish well into June, but the lake closes to sport fishing every Wednesday.

May 4, 2024, 5:55am Outdoors

Spring Chinook passage over Bonneville Dam has increased during the last week, and the fishing at Drano Lake and the Wind River has picked up. Read story

On the Nahcotta Tidelands site there is an interpretative gondola that explains the ecology of the Willapa Bay. The site overlooks about 10 acres of mud flat where oysters are available for harvest.

Head to Willapa Bay fresh for oysters

On the Nahcotta Tidelands site there is an interpretative gondola that explains the ecology of the Willapa Bay. The site overlooks about 10 acres of mud flat where oysters are available for harvest.

April 6, 2024, 6:08am Clark County Life

Washington’s Willapa Bay is tucked behind Long Beach, and the shallow bay is a well-known producer of oysters. Read story

Guide Austin Moser, (left), and Buzz Ramsey with a nice lower Columbia River spring Chinook. The season for spring Chinook retention on the Columbia will close after April 5.

Slow spring picks up steam for Chinook

Guide Austin Moser, (left), and Buzz Ramsey with a nice lower Columbia River spring Chinook. The season for spring Chinook retention on the Columbia will close after April 5.

March 30, 2024, 6:01am Editor's Choice

Spring Chinook fishing on the Columbia River will close after Friday, April 5, and although fishing has been very slow, there are signs that it will improve during the last days of the fishery. Read story

The Mount St. Helens elk herd has the highest prevalence of Treponema-Associated Hoof Disease of any other herd in the west.

Getting a foothold on elk hoof disease

The Mount St. Helens elk herd has the highest prevalence of Treponema-Associated Hoof Disease of any other herd in the west.

March 16, 2024, 6:02am Latest News

Scientists that have been researching Treponema-Associated Hoof Disease (TAHD) in elk have not found any magic pill to eliminate it, although there are some promising signs emerging from the data. Read story

Fishing guide Chris Turvey with a spring Chinook taken in Drano Lake last year.

Lower spring Chinook limits on Columbia River tributaries upset anglers

Fishing guide Chris Turvey with a spring Chinook taken in Drano Lake last year.

March 9, 2024, 3:16pm Editor's Choice

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has reduced the daily limits for 2024 spring Chinook fisheries in some Region 5 Columbia River tributaries and many anglers are not happy. Read story

Mindi Eleazer, the wife of fishing guide Matt Eleazer, with a fine spring Chinook salmon she took from the Columbia River.

Shorter Spring Chinook season off and running

Mindi Eleazer, the wife of fishing guide Matt Eleazer, with a fine spring Chinook salmon she took from the Columbia River.

February 24, 2024, 6:03am Editor's Choice

Oregon and Washington state fisheries managers have finalized and announced the recreational spring Chinook salmon season on the Columbia River for 2024. Anglers will get to fish the big river for these highly prized fish through April 5. Read story

The spring goose season within the Northwest Goose Permit Zone is an excellent opportunity for waterfowlers to enjoy some late season action. If you do not have access to private lands, there are other options.

Spring permit goose season sees low-pressure hunt largely on private land

The spring goose season within the Northwest Goose Permit Zone is an excellent opportunity for waterfowlers to enjoy some late season action. If you do not have access to private lands, there are other options.

February 10, 2024, 6:05am Outdoors

Hunting the spring season in the Northwest Goose Permit Zone is a hunting opportunity that does not see anywhere near as much hunting pressure as the regular goose seasons. It is a chance to hunt un-pressured birds, but there are special rules involved with this hunt. Read story

A six-man limit of fall chinook from the Columbia River rests on the dock before being checked by state fisheries creel checkers. Anglers may be looking at a selective fishery in the Buoy Ten reach again this year.

Columbia River fall salmon outlook remains good

A six-man limit of fall chinook from the Columbia River rests on the dock before being checked by state fisheries creel checkers. Anglers may be looking at a selective fishery in the Buoy Ten reach again this year.

January 20, 2024, 6:05am Editor's Choice

Oregon and Washington have released an initial fall salmon outlook for the Columbia River, and fishery managers say runs are looking to be similar to last year. Read story

Fishing guide Camaeron Black, left, and a client hold a keeper sturgeon that bit just as the boat was being checked by the state patrol last year. The fish was taken in the Bonneville Pool.

White sturgeon up for grabs in Bonneville pool beginning New Year’s Day

Fishing guide Camaeron Black, left, and a client hold a keeper sturgeon that bit just as the boat was being checked by the state patrol last year. The fish was taken in the Bonneville Pool.

December 30, 2023, 6:05am Editor's Choice

Anglers will have a rare chance to retain white sturgeon in the Bonneville Pool of the Columbia River again this year, with the fishery starting on Monday, Jan. 1. Read story

Smallish cackling Canada geese gather at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge is within the Northwest Permit Zone for geese, which is managed very carefully so hunters do not accidently kill any dusky Canada geese, which are closed to harvest.

Recent rains boost waterfowl hunts in Southwest Washington

Smallish cackling Canada geese gather at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge is within the Northwest Permit Zone for geese, which is managed very carefully so hunters do not accidently kill any dusky Canada geese, which are closed to harvest.

December 23, 2023, 6:05am Clark County News

Waterfowl hunters across Southwest Washington have been having a fairly typical year at local refuges and wildlife areas, and with the recent heavy rains a lot of northern birds have moved down. Read story