Southwest Washington
Fishing Reports
2003 Report Archive
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WDFW Sport Sampling Results:
April 13, 2003
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Salmon/Steelhead -
Cowlitz River - Bank anglers are catching some hatchery spring chinook scattered throughout the river. Through April 9, a total of 69 hatchery and 3 wild adult spring chinook had returned to the salmon hatchery. For late winter steelhead, 278 adult and 5 jacks had returned to the trout hatchery and 1,528 hatchery and 769 wild adults had returned to the salmon hatchery through April 9.
Flows below Mayfield Dam were 9,070 cfs this morning.
Kalama River - No report on angling success is currently available. Through April 9, a total of 2 hatchery and 1 wild adult spring chinook plus 4 hatchery, 2 hatchery/wild, and 5 wild summer run steelhead had returned to Kalama Falls Hatchery. In addition, 2,071 hatchery, 2,535 hatchery/wild, and 996 wild winter run steelhead have returned.
North Fork and mainstem Lewis River - Anglers are catching some hatchery spring chinook scattered throughout the river. Flows below Merwin Dam were 6,060 cfs which is similar to the long term mean of 5,457 cfs for this date.
East Fork Lewis River - Opens to fishing for hatchery steelhead from the top boat ramp at Lewisville Park downstream to the mouth beginning Wednesday April 16. Selective gear rules will be in effect during this season that runs through May. Flows were 1,140 cfs, slightly higher compared to the mean for this date.
Washougal River - Opens to fishing for hatchery steelhead from the Mt. Norway Bridge at Vernon Road downstream to the mouth beginning April 16. Selective gear rules will be in effect during this season that runs through May.
Wind River - Effort and catch continues to increase. 130 boats were counted there last Saturday (April 12). Last week, boat anglers averaged a chinook per every 3.3 rods. Bright four year-olds (12-15 pounds each) are appearing in the catch.
Drano Lake - Effort and catch is also increasing here. Last Saturday (April 12) at noon, 62 boats were counted. Both bank and boat anglers averaged around a fish per every 4 rods last week. Bright four year-olds (12-15 pounds each) are appearing in the catch.
Drano Lake closes to fishing each Wednesday beginning this week.
White Salmon River - Some spring chinook are being caught by bank anglers. Flows were 1,510 cfs, almost identical to the long term mean for this date.
Klickitat River - A few spring chinook are being caught on each open day (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays). Flows at Pitt were 2,360 cfs, nearly identical to the long term mean for this date.
Lower Columbia from Buoy 10 upstream to the I-5 Bridge - Last week, we sampled over 2,000 salmonid anglers with 292 chinook handled. Fishing was slower and effort less than the previous week. Including fish released, bank anglers averaged a chinook per every 21.9 rods while boat anglers averaged one per every 5.6 rods. Best fishing was for boat anglers in the Cathlamet area with a chinook per every 4.7 rods. 66% of the fish caught were hatchery fish. Based on Visual Stock Identification, 59% of the fish kept were of lower river origin.
- On Saturday April 12, nearly 1,300 boats and 1,000 bank anglers were counted from Buoy 10 upstream to the I-5 Bridge. This compares to the previous counts of 2,200 boats and 1,400 bank anglers on Saturday April 5.
- To date, 67,160 adult spring chinook have been counted at Bonneville Dam, This compares to the recent 10 year average of 23,086. The Technical Advisory Committee upgraded the run size to 158,000-190,000 fish returning to the mouth of the Columbia in 2003. The pre-season forecast was 145,300. The Oregon and Washington departments of Fish and Wildlife will have a telephone conference at 2 PM tomorrow to update stock status, review the sport fishery, and consider any modifications to the sport fishery.
- Through April 5, an estimated 103,611 angler trips on the lower Columbia below Bonneville Dam has produced 10,485 chinook kept and 6,584 released. An estimated 0.87% of the 1.11% upriver impacts (79%) allocated to the sport fishery had been taken.
Bonneville Pool - Boat anglers between the Highway 197 Bridge and the Tower Island powerlines located 6 miles downstream are beginning to catch some spring chinook.
The Dalles Pool - Effort and catches are increasing. Including fish released, boat anglers averaged a chinook per every 3.7 rods while bank anglers averaged one per every 7 rods.
John Day Pool - Effort and catches are increasing. Though last year's summer run steelhead are the primary catch, spring chinook are beginning to appear in the creel.
Sturgeon -
Lower Columbia below Bonneville Dam - Most of the effort is focused on salmonids.
Bonneville Pool - Anglers are catching some legals. Through March 31, an estimated 394 of the 1,700 fish guideline (23%) had been taken.
The Dalles Pool - Including fish released, boat anglers averaged a legal per every 2.5 rods last week. Slow for legal sized fish from the bank. Through March 31, an estimated 165 of the 400 fish guideline (41%) had been taken.
John Day Pool - Boat anglers are catching a few legals. Very slow for bank anglers. Through March 31, an estimated 20 of the 165 fish guideline (12%) had been taken.
Walleye and Bass -
Bonneville Pool - Though the number of boat anglers sampled were small, those checked averaged a legal walleye and 12 bass per rod. Bank anglers are catching some bass.
The Dalles Pool - Including fish released, boat anglers averaged nearly 3 walleye per rod last week. Bank and boat anglers were also catching some bass.
John Day Pool - Including fish released, boat anglers averaged slightly better than ½ walleye and over 3 bass per rod.
Trout -
Riffe Lake - Producing landlocked coho for bank anglers. The reservoir was reported 13.8 feet below full pool today. Mossyrock and Kosmos boat ramps were reported to be useable. Taidnapum Park is closed.
Klineline Pond - Still producing a mixture of rainbows and browns for bank anglers. Klineline will be closed to all fishing April 17-18, open only to juveniles registered for the Kids Fishing Event on April 19, and then re-opens to all anglers April 20.
Last weeks releases:
Lacamas Lake near Camas - 16,000 browns over ½ pound each;
Horseshoe Lake in Woodland - 3,000 catchable size rainbows;
Sacajawea Lake in Longview - 3,120 catchable size browns;
South Lewis County Pond in Toledo - 4,100 catchable size browns and 3,000 catchable size rainbows;
Swofford Pond in Mossyrock - 3,400 catchable size rainbows and 4,000 catchable size browns;
Mayfield Lake - 6,500 rainbows from Friends of the Cowlitz/Tacoma Power net pens. Nearly 25,000 fish have been released to date.