Columbia River, WA Fishing Report

Fishing:  The sport fishery for spring chinook salmon on the lower Columbia River has been extended through April 12 under an agreement reached by fishery managers from Washington and Oregon. During that period, the recreational fishery will be closed April 9 to accommodate a possible commercial fishery.

With harvest levels running well below expectations, the two states added six days to the recreational fishing season previously set to continue through April 5.

Through March, anglers had caught just 1,500 adult spring chinook salmon, about 25 percent of the 6,100-fish harvest expected by this point in fishery, said Ron Roler, Columbia River Policy coordinator for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). 

“The season definitely got off to a slow start, but the bulk of the run is starting to move in,” Roler said. “River conditions are excellent – low and warm – so we will be monitoring the fishery closely to make sure the catch doesn’t exceed the established guideline.”

Guy Norman, WDFW southwest regional director, said fishery managers from both states will watch the catch throughout the extension period and close the fishery earlier if necessary. “We want to keep the fishery open through April 12 – and perhaps even longer – but we have to hold the catch within the guideline,” Norman said. “The situation can change very quickly in April when the fish start moving upriver in large numbers.”

Norman noted that fishery managers will also meet in May to consider whether potential changes in the runsize will allow a late-season opening.

After three years of strong spring chinook returns, this year’s fishery is based on a projected run of 141,400 upriver fish, about 25 percent below the 10-year average. By comparison, approximately 203,000 fish destined for areas above Bonneville Dam returned to the Columbia River last year.

Upriver fish make up the bulk of the catch, although spring chinook returning to the Willamette, Cowlitz and other rivers below Bonneville Dam also contribute to the fishery.

Sport fishing for salmon and steelhead is scheduled through April 12 on the lower Columbia River from the mouth upriver to Beacon Rock, and to bank anglers up to the fishing boundary below Bonneville Dam. The daily limit below Bonneville Dam is two adult hatchery-raised fish and no more than one adult chinook.

Anglers fishing the mainstem Columbia River are required to use barbless hooks and release any wild, unmarked salmon, steelhead or cutthroat trout they intercept.

Above Bonneville Dam, the fishery is open to boat and bank anglers on a daily basis through May 5 between the Tower Island powerlines six miles below The Dalles Dam and the Washington/Oregon state line, 17 miles upriver from McNary Dam. Bank anglers can also fish from Bonneville Dam upriver to the Tower Island powerlines during that time. The daily limit above the dam is two adult chinook salmon.

Barbless hooks are not currently required on Columbia River tributaries, although that issue will likely be considered during this year’s North of Falcon season-setting process.

Fishing for salmon and steelhead remains open on the Cowlitz River and at Drano Lake, consistent with standing rules described in the Fish Washington rules pamphlet. The Klickitat River will open April 1 under the same rules and limits as last year. 

However, fishing on several other tributaries to the Columbia River will be closed or curtailed in several of those rivers this year to meet spawning goals at area hatcheries. Rivers affected by emergency rules are:

• Lewis River: All chinook must be released from the mouth upstream to the mouth of the East Fork until further notice. The mainstem Lewis remains open for hatchery steelhead.

• North Fork Lewis River: All chinook must be released from the mouth of the East Fork upstream to Merwin Dam until further notice. Through May 31, fishing is closed for all species from Johnson Creek (located downstream from the Lewis River Salmon Hatchery) upstream to Merwin Dam. The North Fork Lewis from Johnson Creek downstream remains open to fishing for hatchery steelhead,
• Kalama River: All chinook must be released from the boundary markers at the mouth upstream to the upper salmon hatchery (Kalama Falls Hatchery). The Kalama River remains open to fishing for hatchery steelhead.

• Wind River: From April 1 through July 31, anglers will be limited to one hatchery chinook or one hatchery steelhead per day from the mouth (boundary line/markers) upstream to 400 feet below Shipherd Falls. Wild chinook and wild steelhead must be released. All fishing is closed until further notice from 400 feet below Shipherd Falls upstream, including all tributaries.

For additional information, see the rule change notices on the WDFW website.

Meanwhile, anglers can catch and keep white sturgeon from Buoy 10 upstream to Bonneville Dam, and in The Dalles and John Day pools. Fishing has been slow, but anglers have been landing a few legal-size fish, particularly in the Dalles and John Day pools.

Effective April, the annual statewide retention limit for sturgeon is two legal-size fish under a measure recently approved by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission. The daily limit remains at one legal-sized fish. The change in the annual limit, also adopted by Oregon, is designed to help address the decline of legal-size sturgeon in the lower Columbia River in recent years.
Fishing seasons approved for 2013 in the lower Columbia River are as follows:

• Buoy 10 to the Wauna powerlines:  Retention of white sturgeon is allowed daily through April 30 and from May 11 through June 30. Through April 30, sturgeon must measure between 38 inches and 54 inches (fork length) to be retained. From May 11 through the end of the season they must measure between 41 inches to 54 inches (fork length) to be retained. Catch-and-release fishing is allowed on days when retention is prohibited.

• Wauna powerlines to Bonneville Dam: Retention of white sturgeon is allowed three days per week (Thursday through Saturday) through June 15 and from Oct. 19 through Dec. 31. Sturgeon must measure between 38 inches and 54 inches (fork length) to be retained. Catch-and-release fishing is allowed on days when retention is prohibited. Effective through April 30, angling is prohibited from a line between the upstream end of Sand Island, located east of Rooster Rock State Park, to a marker on the Oregon shore downstream to a line between the lower end of Sand Island and a marker on the Oregon shore.

• Pools above Bonneville Dam: Retention fishing closed Feb. 10 in Bonneville Pool, but additional days are possible in June. Retention fisheries in the two reservoirs between The Dalles and McNary dams will remain open until their respective 300-fish and 500-fish guidelines are met.

Rather catch some trout? Hundreds of lowland lakes open for trout fishing April 27 throughout the state, drawing tens of thousands of anglers out for their first cast of the year. While most lakes in southwest Washington are open year-round, “opening day” does mark the start of trout fishing in such perennial favorites as Mineral Lake, Fort Borst Park Pond, Carlisle Lake, Davis Lake, and Plummer lake (Lewis County), Swift Reservoir, Swift Power Canal, and Kidney Lake (Skamania County) and the Rowland Lakes, Spearfish and Horsethief Lake (Klickitat County).

For news on razor clam openings, see WDFW’s razor clam website.

Hunting: The general spring wild turkey season runs April 15 through May 31 around the state, with a youth only hunt set for April 6-7. For information about these hunts, see the Wild Turkey Spring Season pamphlet on the department’s website.

Watchable wildlife:  A recent glut of smelt in the lower Columbia River has prompted a feeding frenzy by birds, salmon and sea lions in the river. In late March, WDFW biologists observed more than a dozen bald and golden eagles feeding on spawned-out smelt floating on the surface of the water in the Columbia and Cowlitz rivers. Gulls, terns, and sea lions were also seen feasting on smelt in a number of areas.

The main run of smelt is probably over for the year, but the dead forage fish will likely be a focus of attention for predators in early April as well, said Joe Hymer, a WDFW fish biologist. Good spots to observe the spectacle are along the river at Kalama, the Woodland area, Willow Grove near Longview, and County Line Park along the Columbia at the Wahkiakum/Cowlitz County line.

Meanwhile, spring chinook salmon are moving past the fish-viewing window at Bonneville Dam in increasing numbers. To check daily fish counts from home, check the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers website. Or stop by the Washington Shore Visitor Complex and see the annual parade of fish for yourself. To get there, take Washington State Highway 14 east to Milepost 40 (about 5 miles from Stevenson) and turn into the Bonneville Dam visitor center. The visitor center is the glass building at the end of the powerhouse.

Dismal possibilities here as the water is too high and murky for my taste.

In all waters, only hatchery-reared steelhead with a clipped adipose fin may be retained. All wild, unmarked fish must be released unharmed.

Major destinations for hatchery-reared steelhead include the Cowlitz, Kalama, Lewis (east and north forks), Washougal, Elochoman and Grays rivers, along with Salmon Creek in Clark County, Hymer said. Other waters opening for steelhead fishing Nov. 1 are Abernathy, Coal and Germany creeks, the Coweeman River and Cedar Creek in Clark County and Mill Creek in Cowlitz County. Thus fishing the areas below these creeks and smaller rivers is of importance.

Get ready for the beginning of the winter run steelies as the rians increase and tidal flows gain power during the full and new moons.

Based on the record numbers of sockeye salmon coming over Bonneville Dam and heading this way, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) fish biologists are expecting excellent fishing during the season that opens July 1 within the mainstem Columbia River and selected tributaries above Priest Rapids Dam. 

In late June few summer Chinook and sockeye had made their way above Priest Rapids, but by mid-July biologists expect the fisheries to really kick in and provide good action. Check the status of incoming adult fish through the interagency interagency Columbia River Data Access in Real Time (DART) website.

The daily limit is six chinook salmon, minimum size 12 inches.  Up to three adult chinook may be retained, of which only one may be a wild adult.  Anglers are also allowed to keep six sockeye salmon, minimum size 12 inches.  All salmon with a colored floy (anchor) tag and/or tail (caudal) punch must be released as these fish are part of ongoing studies being conducted by the Yakama Nation, Colville Confederated Tribes and WDFW.  Anglers may fish with two poles in areas open to salmon fishing, as long as they have purchased the Two-Pole Endorsement. All salmon fishing on the Columbia requires the Columbia River Salmon and Steelhead Endorsement.

In addition, from Hwy 173 Bridge in Brewster to 400 feet below Chief Joseph Dam, anglers can fish for and retain trout through August 15.  Daily limit is 10 fish with a minimum size of 12 inches.

“The Methow River is currently running high,” said Bob Jateff, WDFW Okanogan district fish biologist in Twisp. “Serious trout fishing is probably delayed until the first or second week of July.”
  
Jateff reminds anglers the Methow and selected tributaries are only open for catch-and-release fishing under selective gear rules.  Anglers will need to consult current regulations, since a number of tributaries are closed to all fishing.  Any bull trout caught must be released unharmed and can’t be taken out of the water.

Jateff suggests trying some smaller tributaries in the Methow area, such as Beaver Creek (Methow River tributary) and Boulder Creek (Chewuch River tributary).  Eastern brook trout are the main species in both of these small streams and liberal catch limits are provided.  In Beaver Creek, it’s five brook trout per day, no minimum size, and in Boulder Creek, it’s 10 brook trout per day, no minimum size.

“Trout production lakes to try are Alta, Wannacut, Pearrygin, Spectacle, and both Conconully reservoir and lake,” Jateff said.  “Rainbow trout are the main species in these waters and anglers can expect to catch fish in the 11- to 13-inch range, with larger carryover fish up to 15 inches.  There are private resorts and/or state parks on most of these lakes, with boat launching facilities available.”

Jateff says yellow perch anglers should try Patterson, Palmer, or Spectacle lakes for fish in the six- to 10-inch range.  Palmer Lake also has a good population of kokanee in the 11- to 13-inch range; Patterson Lakes has kokanee in the 10- to 11-inch range.

Travis Maitland, WDFW Chelan District fish biologist, reports the Icicle River spring chinook salmon fishery, that opened June 2 and continues through July 31, has been consistently producing a few fish each day.

“We’ve seen the occasional ‘hot day’ when most everyone is getting them to bite,” Maitland said. “As groups of salmon move out of the Wenatchee River into the Icicle, that action will continue.  It seems to occur with water temperature and river discharge fluctuations, so it’s a timing game, and not exact science.”

Maitland also notes that although the Lake Chelan kokanee fishery has slowed down a bit from earlier in June, “anglers still continue to catch some of the nicest kokanee that Lake Chelan has offered in recent memory.”  Many of the fish have been in the 14- to 16-inch range and occasionally larger.

Chad Jackson, WDFW Columbia Basin district fish biologist, said warmwater fishing is finally heating up after a slow start to traditional summer weather. “The Basin’s big three for good walleye and largemouth and smallmouth bass fishing are Moses Lake, Banks Lake, and Potholes Reservoir,” Jackson said.

All three year-round-open waters also have varying populations of bluegill, crappie and yellow perch that can produce good catches through the summer. With late run-off this year, these big waterways are still at or near high pool, which has slowed normal shoreline or dockside action at some, like Potholes.

Evergreen Reservoir on the Quincy Wildlife Area in Grant County is another good July fishery in the Basin, with walleye, largemouth bass, bluegill and other species. 
Lower Goose Lake, one of the Seep lakes south of Potholes Reservoir, has a good crappie and bluegill fishery. Lower Goose has a minimum size of nine inches and a daily catch limit of 10 for crappie. It also has a restriction that only five bluegill over six inches can be kept, although there is no daily limit.

Hutchinson and Shiner lakes, on the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge, which is seven miles north of Othello in Adams County, should be heating up this month for largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie and perch.

From July through September, anglers making weekend outings of their fishing trips in forested areas of the region need to keep in mind that campfires are only allowed in approved fire pits within designated state, county, municipal or other campgrounds.

That’s under orders of the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the state’s wildfire fighters who protect lands, including WDFW’s. The use of gas and propane self-contained stoves and barbeques is allowed under the ban. For more information, see DNR fire safety news.

Anglers who fish the lower Columbia River are gearing up for hatchery steelhead now that most salmon-fishing opportunities are moving upstream. Steelhead fishing is expected to heat up in the weeks ahead after the summer salmon fishery below Bonneville Dam closes at the end of the day July 1.

Approximately 364,000 upriver steelhead are expected to enter the Columbia this year, along with thousands more bound for lower-river tributaries, said Joe Hymer, a fish biologist for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). Those fish, bound for the upper Columbia and Snake rivers, tend to run four to eight pounds apiece.

“This year’s return is expected to be about the same as last year’s,” Hymer said. “Steelhead tend to run close to shore, so bank anglers will likely have the advantage in the weeks ahead, especially with the river running high and cold.”

Anglers fishing downriver from Bonneville can take up to two hatchery steelhead per day as part of their six-fish catch limit, which can also include hatchery jack chinook salmon. All wild fish with an intact adipose fin must be released.

Hymer said fishery managers had hoped to extend the salmon fishery beyond July 1, but bumped into two obstacles. On one hand, only about 54,000 summer chinook returned this year, compared to the pre-season projection of 91,200. That reduced the allowable catch, although anglers fishing the lower river are still expected to take home 2,850 adult hatchery summer chinook by the end of the season. 

On the other hand, anglers caught 4,000 sockeye this year, shattering last year’s record of 1,300 fish and pushing up against the impact guideline for the lower river. “Those fish were a welcome addition to this year’s fishery,” Hymer said.

Anglers gearing up for hatchery steelhead should consider fishing area tributaries as well as the mainstem Columbia River, he said. As Hymer sees it, the best bet is probably the Cowlitz River, where fish start arriving in larger numbers early in the month.

Other options include the Lewis (North and East forks), Kalama, Washougal, South Fork Toutle, Green, and Elochoman rivers. Anglers should check the Fishing in Washington rule pamphlet for regulations specific to those rivers.

Above Bonneville Dam, fishing seasons remain open for adult hatchery chinook and sockeye salmon, as well as hatchery steelhead. For adult fish, the daily limit remains two salmon, two steelhead, or one of each. Anglers should note, however, that sockeye salmon retention in the mainstem Columbia River from Bonneville Dam upstream to the Highway 395 Bridge in Pasco closes July 9. For more information, check theemergency rule change. 

Anglers might also want to try fishing Drano Lake, the lower Wind River or the White Salmon River, where salmon and steelhead have historically dipped in to beat the heat. Just how many enter the White Salmon remains a question, however, since the process of removing Condit Dam filled the mouth of the river with sediment.

“All three of those waters are open for fishing, and we encourage anglers to give them a try,” Hymer said. “We planted the White Salmon with hatchery steelhead, and we’re very interested to see how anglers do in those waters.”

Rather catch a sturgeon? Fishing remains open in The Dalles Pool seven days a week, with a daily limit of one fish measuring 43-54 inches (fork length). From Marker 82 approximately 9 miles below Bonneville Dam down to the Wauna powerlines, anglers can retain sturgeon measuring 38- 54 inches (fork length) Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays through July. After a strong finish, the sturgeon fishery in the estuary below Wauna is set to close at the end of the day July 4, four days earlier than previously scheduled.  That area will remain open to catch-and-release fishing.

“Catch rates improved significantly in recent weeks, which cut the fishery short by a few days, said Cindy Le Fleur, WDFW’s Columbia River policy manager. “Our goal was to keep the estuary fishery open to anglers through the Fourth of July, and we hit that mark.”

As the snow recedes, trout fishing is gearing up in the region’s many high lakes.  Access to these lakes will improve quickly as the weather continues to heat up, said John Weinheimer, another WDFW fish biologist.

Goose Lake, a forest lake in Skamania County, was recently planted with thousands of good-sized brown and cutthroat trout, Weinheimer said. Meanwhile, kokanee fishing is still going strong at Merwin Reservoir and fishing for rainbows has been good at Swift Reservoir. Riffe Reservoir on the Cowlitz River has also been good for landlocked coho.

Bass, walleye, and tiger musky fishing are in full swing, too, Weinheimer said. For bass and walleye, head to the Columbia River. Tiger musky are biting in the Merwin and Mayfield reservoirs. 

Wildlife viewing:  July is a great time to watch the parade of salmonids – summer chinook, sockeye salmon and steelhead – past the fish-viewing windows at the Bonneville Dam Visitor Center. Thousands of fish are now on display every day as they move up the fish ladders to continue their journey upriver.

To get there, take Washington State Highway 14 east to Milepost 40 (about 5 miles from Stevenson) and park in front of the glass building at the end of the powerhouse. To check on the number of fish passing the dam each day, go to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers website.

Meanwhile, state land managers are urging Washingtonians to avoid doing anything that might spark a wildfire. Unattended campfires, fireworks, faulty vehicle or motorcycle mufflers, careless disposal of cigarettes, and outdoor burning are among the common sources of wildfire starts in the state.

General rules for lands owned or managed by WDFW are described in the department’s public conduct rules. Fireworks are prohibited and campfires are limited to three feet in diameter and three feet high under those rules.

Fireworks are also prohibited on forestlands owned by the Washington Department of Natural Resource (DNR), which has imposed a burn ban from July 1 through Sept. 30. Despite rain and cool weather, DNR has already suppressed approximately 143 fires that have burned nearly 872 acres on state lands.

 “The major wildfires in Colorado and New Mexico remind us how destructive they can be to our homes and lives,” said Peter Goldmark, Commissioner of Public Lands. “We urge everyone to exercise caution with any fire-related activities this holiday weekend.”

The clomubia is red hot right now. Good numbers of fish are being caught. The bank guys are even getting into good size fish. If you are not fishing the columbia right now you should!