The Dungeness River and Gray Wolf River have reopened to sport fishing, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced last week.

The Dungeness River was closed because of unseasonably dry weather and extreme low water conditions, but expected precipitation and a forecasted rise in flows will allow fish to move upstream to spawning grounds and fishing to reopen, state officials said last week.

Recreational fishing access in the lower Dungeness River is currently limited because of river restoration projects. Anglers are advised to avoid all active construction sites including: at the Old Schoolhouse, as a levee construction in progress; Towne Road, between the Schoolhouse and the Dungeness Valley Creamery, is closed; the Old Corps Dike is closed from the creamery downstream; and, a construction site off Fish Hatchery Road, just downstream of the Dungeness Hatchery.

Chinook salmon have finished spawning in the Dungeness River, but concerns remain that the eggs in the gravel are vulnerable, state officials said. Anglers are requested to avoid stepping on Chinook salmon redds, which appear as depressions in the gravel.

Anglers can be notified of in-season rule changes by downloading the FishWA app or signing up for fishery change notifications by email at dfw.wa.gov/about/lists.