WDFW Sport Sampling Results:
April 17-23, 2006
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Latest
Southwest Washington |
Salmon/Steelhead -
Cowlitz River - Spring chinook catches are scattered throughout the river while steelhead are being mainly caught around Blue Creek. The river is clearing below the mouth of the Toutle.
During the past week Tacoma Power’s Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator recovered 133 adult steelhead and 71 adult spring chinook salmon during four days of separator operations. Tacoma Power employees released 62 adult steelhead and 24 spring chinook adults into the upper Cowlitz River at the Day Use Park on Lake Scanewa. In addition, they released 12 steelhead into the Tilton River at Gust Backstrom Park in Morton, Washington.
A total of 174 adult spring chinook had returned to the salmon hatchery through April 19. In comparison, 500 fish had returned during each of the last two years by this time.
River flows at Mayfield Dam are approximately 5,090 cubic feet per second on Monday, April 24. Water visibility is ten feet.
Kalama River - Some spring chinook and steelhead are being caught. No spring chinook had returned to Kalama Falls Hatchery through April 19.
Lewis River - Boat anglers are catching some spring chinook. Through April 19, a total of 2 hatchery and 3 wild spring chinook had been collected at the Merwin Dam trap. In addition, 7 new summer run steelhead were also counted.
Washougal River - No report on angling success. A total of 9 new summer run steelhead had returned to Skamania Hatchery through April 19.
Wind and Klickitat rivers and Drano Lake - Effort continues to be light and no catch has been observed although 1 spring chinook was reported caught at the Wind last Monday. Wind River upstream from Shipherd Falls to Carson National Fish Hatchery (with closed waters just upstream from the falls, above and below the coffer dam, and below the hatchery) is scheduled to open for salmon and hatchery steelhead May 1. Any chinook, adipose fin clipped or not, may be retained from this area.
Through April 23, a total of 488 adult spring chinook had been counted at Bonneville Dam, the lowest count ever to date.
Bonneville, The Dalles, and John Day Pools - Bank anglers are catching some steelhead from John Day Pool. Sunday April 30 is the last day to fish for salmon and steelhead during the spring fishery. The summer fishery is scheduled to re-open June 16.
Kalama River - Moderate (ideal) flow levels, slow fishing with a few salmon a day
being landed. Some steelhead are also getting caught mostly wild winters and spawned out fish (kelts; both winter and summer), fresh summer steelhead are off to a slow start.
Handled at the Kalama Falls Hatchery-
April 21:
- 73 wild winter and 1 wild summer steelhead were passed upstream of KFH
- 24 hatchery winter brood steelhead were planted into Kress Lake.
April 24
- 55 wild winter steelhead (mostly ripe -it's peak spawn time) were passed upstream of KFH
- 24 hatchery winter brood steelhead were planted into Kress Lake.
- Still no salmon at the hatchery
Sturgeon -
Lower Columbia below Bonneville Dam - Effort is beginning to in crease in the estuary with 27 private boats and 1 charter counted from the Wauna powerlines downstream yesterday (Sunday April 23). From the mouth to the Wauna powerlines, sturgeon may not be retained (catch-and-release only) May 1-12. Beginning May 13, the minimum size will be increased to 45" and sturgeon may be retained 7 days/week through July 4 (ending date depends on when the quota has been met).
From May 1-July 31, sturgeon fishing will be closed from Bonneville Dam downriver 5.5 miles to Navigation Marker 85 on the Washington shore - almost two miles further downriver than last year’s sanctuary boundary.
Bonneville Pool - Slow for legal sized fish.
The Dalles Pool - Catch-and-release only through the rest of the year. From May 1-July 31, closed to fishing for sturgeon from John Day Dam downstream 2.4 miles to the west end of the grain silo at Rufus Oregon.
John Day Pool - Slow for legal sized fish. Closed to fishing for sturgeon from McNary Dam downstream 1.5 miles to the Hwy. 82 (Hwy. 395) Bridge beginning May 1.
Walleye and Bass -
Bonneville and John Day pools - Including fish released, boat anglers averaged 5.6 and over 3 bass per rod, respectively. Bank anglers were also catching a few bass. Walleye catches were low.
Trout -
Year-round waters recently planted with trout -
- South Lewis County Park Pond just southeast of Toledo - 4,025 catchable size browns April 19;
- Sacajawea Lake in Longview - 9,072 catchable size browns April 18-19;
- Kress Lake in Kalama - 2,080 catchable size rainbows and 9,172 browns April 18-19;
- Horseshoe Lake in Woodland - 4,000 catchable size rainbows and 8,040 browns April 18-19;
- Battleground Lake - 7,000 catchable size rainbows April 17-18;
- Klineline Pond - 10,000 rainbows and 5,000 browns averaging over one-half pound each plus 4,128 catchable size rainbows and 444 Triploid Trophy Trout weighing 1.5 pounds each from April 14-18;
New permanent rules which were adopted by the Commission to begin May 1 -
Green River (Cowlitz County) from mouth to 2800 Road Bridge - Hatchery steelhead season begins June 1; salmon August 1;
Kalama River from 1000' above fishway at upper salmon hatchery upstream to Summers Creek - Catch-and-release only for all gamefish;
Washougal River from mouth to Mt. Norway Bridge at Vernon Road - Night closures are in effect at all times.;
Mayfield Lake - Only adipose fin clipped rainbows may be kept;
Silver Lake (Cowlitz County) - 10 crappie daily limit, minimum size 9".
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