Winthrop National Fish Hatchery

2013 Event Calendar

Passport to Fishing

Second Saturday in June, June 8, 2013 10am- 2pm - New Time
A brand new fishing pond awaits. Hey kids, when you arrive, you will get a fishing day passport. You choose the locations you want to visit, get your passport stamped, then head to the pond for some great fishing. Angler related activities and education are half the fun; the other half is the chance to catch a rainbow trout. Bring your own fishing pole or borrow one of ours. We will even have bait available. This is a fun day you and your family won’t want to miss.

Local Girls Soccer Team to provide consessions! Please support this group of outstanding young ladies by buying and experincing lunch with your family during your visit to the hatchery for this years' kid's fishing day.

Thank you Sponsors and Volunteers:
FRIENDS OF NORTHWEST HATCHERIES
JIM’S PUMPING SERVICE
METHOW ARTS ALLIANCE
METHOW CONSERVANCY
METHOW SALMON RECOVERY FOUNDATION
METHOW VALLEY FLY FISHERS
METHOW VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT
NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS
OKANOGAN CONSERVATION DISTRICT
TROUT UNLIMITED WASHINGTON WATER PROJECT
UPPER COLUMBIA SALMON RECOVERY BOARD
U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS
U.S. BUREAU OF RECLAMATION
U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
U.S. FOREST SERVICE
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
WA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE
WASHINGTON STATE ARTS COMMISSION
WASHINGTON STATE PARKS
WILD FISH CONSERVANCY
WINTHROP ACE HARDWARE
WINTHROP RED APPLE MARKET
YAKAMA NATION

New spawing building and holding pond

Spring Chinook salmon, steelhead, and coho salmon will now be arrive at the new hatchery adult holding pond and be spawned in a new spawning building recently completed. Stop by to visit this beautiful facility and feed the rainbow trout in the new kids fishing pond.

The hatchery has had significant renovations over the last year or so. The largest addition is a completely new holding facility for adult salmon and spawning building including a visitor viewing room to observe spawning operations and a salmon viewing window (below water level). Other modifications include a new pumphouse and pump to upgrade the main water supply to the adult holding facility; new entrance bridge to handle heavy trucks; rehabilitation of the hatchery electrical system, and a new computer based alarm system including security cameras.

The Yakama Nation also constructed an "isolation building" on the hatchery property for reconditioning wild summer steelhead adults that have already spawned once (kelts). This particular building will not be open to the public since it is critical to keep the fish quiet and calm during their reconditioning period. These important fish will be reconditioned through the summer months and returned to the Methow River near Pateros in the fall so they can have a chance at spawning again in the Methow Basin the following spring. The goal of this program is to increase the number of wild spawners in the Methow Basin by 10%. Many challenges exist in this program including the capture of kelts in the river system and determining the best fish culture techniques for reconditioning the fish at the facility.

453A Twin Lakes Road - PO Box 429, Winthrop, WA 98862, (509) 996-2424

Chinook Salmon
USFWS