Fishing: Anglers have had some success hooking up with spring
chinook salmon on tributaries to the Columbia River and the shad
fishery opens May 16 on the mainstem Columbia from Buoy 10 up to Bonneville Dam.
But the option of fishing for hatchery steelhead on the lower Columbia
River while waiting for the summer chinook season to begin has been delayed.
With returns of upriver spring chinook falling far short of expectations,
fishery managers from Washington and Oregon have indefinitely postponed the
opening for trout - including steelhead - and jack salmon below the Interstate 5
Bridge to avoid the incidental catch of protected springers. Unless returns of
upriver chinook pick up, the steelhead opening could be delayed as late as June
16, said Cindy LeFleur, WDFW Columbia River policy coordinator.
"At this point, we need to do everything we can to conserve protected runs,"
LeFleur said. "That means some fisheries that have only an incidental impact on
upriver chinook will be affected."
The decision to delay the steelhead opener followed a decision the previous
week to close the last remaining spring chinook fisheries on the Snake and
mid-Columbia rivers a month early. Columbia River treaty tribes also agreed to
close all mainstem spring chinook fisheries, effective May 11, in response to
the run shortfall.
LeFleur said the closures were triggered by an updated spring chinook run
forecast of 180,000 - down from 269,300 fish initially projected by fishery
managers from Washington and Oregon. "Right now, the updated projection of
180,000 fish probably reflects the upper range of the run," said LeFleur, noting
that fishery managers from both states continue to monitor fish counts at
Bonneville Dam on a daily basis.
For updates on the lower Columbia River steelhead season, LeFleur recommends
that steelhead anglers check WDFW's website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/) or call the Fishing Hotline
(360-902-2500).
Meanwhile, anglers fishing the Cowlitz, Kalama and Lewis rivers were catching
a mixture of both spring chinook and steelhead during the first full week of
May. Most of those rivers were running high, but fishing improved on the Lewis
for a few days when flows dropped. Overall, catches of spring chinook have been
light, but early summer-run steelhead returns have been looking good on
the Cowlitz and Lewis. As always, anglers should check the WDFW website and
Fishing Hotline message for possible regulation changes.
The best bet for spring chinook has been Drano Lake, where boat anglers have
been averaging one keeper for every 4.7 rods. Bank angling has been slow at both
Drano and the Wind River, where boat anglers' catch rates have picked up since
the first week of May when they averaged a fish for every 11.5 rods. Fishing on
the Wind, both above and below Shipherd Falls, should continue to improve as
more fish move upstream. Creel checkers did not see any fish caught last week on
the Klickitat River and high, turbid water may continue to limit angler success.
John Weinheimer, WDFW fish biologist, has a special request for boat anglers
fishing Drano Lake. "Please stay at least 100 feet from the shore and share the
lake with the bank anglers - especially near the Highway 14 Bridge," he said.
"We also ask that boat anglers go with the traffic flow, and watch their speed
and wake. Everyone out there is there to make a memory, so let's make it a good
one."
Shad fishing, which opens May 16 on the mainstem Columbia from Buoy 10
up to Bonneville Dam, should give everyone a chance to make a good memory.
Averaging 3 to 4 pounds apiece, shad put up a good fight and make for good
eating if filleted properly. Also, there's no daily limit in Washington.
"An experienced shad angler can catch several dozen fish per day," said Joe
Hymer, another WDFW fish biologist. As of May 11, only 49 shad had passed
Bonneville Dam, but many more are soon to follow, he said. For tips on fishing
for - and preparing - shad, see http://wdfw.wa.gov/outreach/fishing/shad/shad.htm on the WDFW
website.
Sturgeon anglers have already had a chance to wet their lines fishing
from Buoy 10 to the Wauna powerlines, where the season opened May 10. Boat
anglers caught several legal-size fish - which must measure 45 to 60 inches - on
a blustery opening weekend. Boat anglers also got some keepers between the
powerlines and Marker 85, where the size limit is 42 to 60 inches.
Trout anglers should be aware that Mayfield Lake was planted with
5,990 catchable-size rainbows from the Friends of the Cowlitz net pens May 2. In
addition, Lake Sacajawea in Longview got 1,905 rainbows, Spearfish Lake near
Dallesport got 1,700 and Maryhill Pond in Klickitat County got 513 this month.
