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Spokane County’S Silver Lake Access Site Closed June 22-24
OLYMPIA -(FishNLand.com)- The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) water access site on Silver Lake in southwest Spokane County will be closed June 22- 24 for installation of a boat dock and fishing pier.

The gate to the access site, on the northeast shore of the 472-acre lake, will be locked to all entry 7:30 a.m. Monday, June 22, and will not be re-opened until 7:30 a.m. Thursday, June 25. Signs about the temporary closure will be posted at the site.

The new dock is being installed between two boat ramps to facilitate boat launching and retrieval. The fishing pier, which will be accessible by disabled persons, will provide safe shoreline access for anglers without boats and serve as a wildlife viewing platform. The work is the final phase of a Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) grant-funded project that began last year.

Silver Lake is located one mile east of the town of Medical Lake on the south side of the Medical Lake-Four Lakes Road. Open year-round, it is especially popular in spring and summer with anglers looking for tiger muskie, largemouth bass, black crappie, bluegill, and brown and rainbow trout. A private resort on the north shore also provides access to the lake.

About:
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is dedicated to preserving, protecting and perpetuating the state’s fish and wildlife resources. The department operates under a dual mandate from the Washington Legislature to:

* Protect and enhance fish and wildlife and their habitats.
* Provide sustainable, fish- and wildlife-related recreational and commercial opportunities.

Department policy is guided by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission composed of nine citizen members appointed by the Governor. Department operations are led by a Director and an Executive Management Team. The Director is appointed by the Fish and Wildlife Commission.

The department is headquartered in Olympia and operates six regional offices throughout the state.

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Record Weigh-In Characterizes Lower Keys Dolphin Tournament
Big Pine Key, Florida Keys -(FishNLand.com)- Steve McKenna of Cudjoe Key, Fla., took first place in the 16th annual Big Pine and Lower Keys Dolphin Tournament that ended June 14.

McKenna, who fished aboard Cudjoe Cuda with Captain Glenn Taylor, earned the top spot and $5,000 for a dolphin weighing 36.70 pounds.

Anglers weighed in a tournament record of 131 dolphin during the challenge’s two fishing days, said event co-director Carole Stevens, as well as five tuna and a wahoo that tipped the scales at 57.55 pounds.

Keith Wilkinson of Macclenny, Fla., took second place honors for bringing in a 36.2-pound dolphin while fishing on the General Quarters guided by Captain Keith Collins.

Ted Yoho of Gainesville, Fla., placed third with a dolphin weighing 36.05 pounds. He fished on the Salt Shaker and also captained the boat.

The tournament’s top female angler was Juliane Renner of Big Pine. She caught a 29.65-pound dolphin while fishing on Captain Hartnut Renner’s Sea U.

In the junior division, 14-year-old Mike Malvasio Jr. of Southwest Ranches, Fla., took first place. Malvasio caught a 27.45-pound dolphin fishing on Swallow the Leader, skippered by his father, Mike Malvasio Sr.

Additional prizes were awarded to the anglers who caught the largest tuna and wahoo. Bill O’Quinn of Immokalee, Fla., was recognized for a 17.7-pound tuna, while Big Pine angler Steve Rudolph, who caught the 57.55-pound wahoo on the first fishing day, took top wahoo honors.

“It was so big that no one else even bothered to bring a wahoo in,” said Stevens.

The tournament drew 226 participants fishing on 97 boats.

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Florida Keys Lure Fish And Anglers Alike For Exciting Fishing

Florida Keys -(FishNLand.com)- Heralded as one of the world’s premier saltwater sportfishing destinations, the Florida Keys & Key West offers sensational year-round fishing opportunities. Ideal geographical location, beautiful weather, spectacular scenery and flourishing fisheries combine for exceptional fishing.

Warm, nutrient-rich waters from the Caribbean Basin pour into the Straits of Florida, combining with water flowing out of the shallow-water nurseries of the Everglades and Florida Bay to create a profuse food chain. That in turn sustains massive amounts of bait fish which attract abundant stocks of game fish to the Keys.

The close proximity of the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and Florida Bay provide anglers with the opportunity to fish more than one body of water within the same day of fishing to capitalize on the wide variety of fisheries. It is not uncommon for captains out of Key West to fish the Gulf of Mexico in the morning and the Atlantic Ocean in the afternoon. Further up the island chain, anglers can fish for sailfish and dolphin offshore during the day and bonefish or tarpon inshore during the late afternoon and early evening.

Uniquely situated between the Atlantic and the Gulf, the Keys benefit from ocean breezes that keep temperatures moderate year-round. Key West’s average daytime high is 81.9 degrees Fahrenheit, with similar readings throughout the islands. The short-sleeve weather and clear blue skies of winter, and the brief summer showers, permit anglers to fish on a daily basis.

Conservation efforts designed to enhance fish stocks have been in the forefront of sportfishing in the Keys for decades. Catch-and-release fishing, followed by size and bag limits, and more recently bans on gill nets and fish traps in state waters, have enabled stocks to stabilize and grow.

Pelagic, (migratory ocean fish), flats and reef species are plentiful throughout the Keys, and world records attest to healthy and productive fisheries. According to the International Game Fish Association, the Keys are home to more sportfishing records than any other destination in the world. During recent years, the waters surrounding the Keys have produced an annual average of nearly 15 percent of all IGFA saltwater world records.

Sailfish and dolphin (the fish, not the mammal) are two of the most popular offshore species pursued in the Keys. Prime sailfish season is during the winter months, while dolphin is the focus of the summer months.

Flats fishing, or hunting in shallow water, focuses on the “big three” - tarpon, bonefish and permit. Top season for tarpon is April through June, while permit and bonefish are most active from spring through fall, although many flats species can be targeted year-round.

Anglers looking to wrestle monster denizens up from Keys reefs and deep-water structures continue to be surprised by excellent catches. Primary targets in this fishery are snapper and grouper which are available year-round.

Abundant and healthy fish stocks are only one advantage available to anglers fishing the Keys. The region also is home to the world’s best fishing captains and guides, who practice their trade 365 days a year. Offshore, inshore, backcountry and flats charters are available throughout the island chain with skippers who know how to catch fish regardless of the conditions.

Year-round, there’s always something to catch in the Florida Keys. For more information on fishing in the Keys, call 1-888-FISH-KEYS (888-347-4539). For lodging information call 1-800-FLA-KEYS (800-275-5397), or visit the Web site at www.fla-keys.com.

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