WDFW Sport Sampling Results: February 4, 2007 Latest Southwest Washington Sport Sampling Summaries [PDF Format] Salmon/Steelhead: Cowlitz River - Fishing is slow on the mainstem Cowlitz. 27 bank and 2 boat anglers had no catch. South Lewis County Pond - 12 bank anglers kept 1 steelhead. 1 boat angler had no catch. Kress Lake - 4 bank anglers had no catch. In an hour's time last week, the creel sampler observed 4 steelhead jumping onto the ice that ringed the lake. All the fish died. Horseshoe Lake in Woodland - 2 bank anglers had no catch. Battleground Lake - 4 bank and 1 boat angler had no catch. Bonneville Pool - No salmonid effort was observed. The Dalles Pool - Boat anglers averaged over 1.6 steelhead kept/released per rod. Bank anglers were also catching some fish. Spring chinook - A sixteen pound spring chinook was caught in the Jan. 30-31 lower Columbia commercial sturgeon fishery. Sturgeon Lower Columbia from the Wauna power lines to Bonneville Dam - 9 bank anglers at Longview and 4 just below Bonneville Dam had no catch. In January 2007, an estimated 1,648 sturgeon angler trips on the lower Columbia produced a measly 43 sturgeon kept. Bonneville and The Dalles pools - No legals were sampled. The Sturgeon Management Task Force (SMTF) meet on February 2 to discuss the Bonneville Dam to McNary Dam sturgeon fishery management guidelines for 2007. Meeting results will be presented at a future Compact Hearing. Walleye and Bass - Bonneville Pool - No effort was found for either specie. The Dalles Pool - Bank anglers caught some walleye. No boat anglers were sampled. No effort was observed for bass. Trout - Klineline Pond - 87 bank anglers kept 24 five-pound and 24 catchable size rainbows and released 40 catchable and 5 five-pound rainbows. Most of the catch was in the swimming area by anglers using lures or pink/white jigs. Lakes planted with rainbows last week include: Battleground Lake - 3,015 catchable size rainbows Klineline Pond - 1,000 half-pound and 156 five-pound rainbows Kidney Lake near North Bonneville - 1,000 half-pound rainbows. Note: Kidney Lake remains open to fishing through the end of February. Icehouse Lake near Bridge of the Gods - 800 catchable size rainbows Little Ash Lake near Stevenson - 800 catchable size rainbows Smelt - Conditions: The Cowlitz River at Castle Rock is running at 8,040 CFS (a little below normal for this time of the year). The temperature of the mainstem Columbia near Skamokawa is 38º. At the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery water temperature was 41º F late last week. Water temperatures are still a little cold for good smelt movement (prefer 42 degrees and above). General Observations: Seagulls were observed actively working (not confirmed what they were searching for though) near the Church Hole at Chinook on Saturday near high tide. Water temperatures in the estuary rise to the mid to high 40's during the incoming tides (influx of warmer ocean water). No other observations of bird/seals/sea lions concentrations on the mainstem Columbia upstream to the Cowlitz and on the Cowlitz River at Gearhart Park. Catches: Commercial: Columbia River - None have been reported landed since mid January. Cowlitz River - No have been reported landed since the season opened in January. Sport: Cowlitz River - No effort observed at Gearhart Park on the lower Cowlitz Saturday. Odds and Ends - Forecasts for Columbia coho ocean abundance in 2007 are now available. In general, early stock coho abundance is expected to be up by nearly 70% while late stock should be similar to the actual abundance in 2006. Oregon Production Index (OPI) coho preseason and postseason comparison for 2006 and prediction for 2007 (in thouands of fish). 2006 2007 PrePostPre/Post Prediction Columbia River Early 245.8251.498% 424.9 Columbia River Late 113.8156.373% 139.5 Changes to the state’s sportfishing rules were approved by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission during a meeting Feb. 2-3. The new fishing rules approved by the nine-member commission will be incorporated into the 2007-08 Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet, which will be available statewide in early May. Those changes include: Lewis River power canal from the fishing pier to the access road at Swift Dam will re-open to fishing from the last Saturday in April through Oct. 31. Prohibiting green sturgeon retention statewide. Requiring anglers fishing on the Columbia River from Bonneville Dam downstream to the Hamilton Boat Launch to stop fishing for sturgeon once they’ve retained their daily limit of one. Interesting report on the possible effects on fish and wildlife from the use of lead for fishing: http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/papers/lead_fishing_gear/index.htm WDFW will have a booth at the Pacific Northwest Sportsman Show which will be at the Portland Expo Center February 7 – 11, 2007. According to a local bait company, potential shortages of green label size herring from Puget Sound and Canada may push retail prices of $8 to $11 per dozen this season. 6 -8 smelt sell for $5.99 at some local markets (limited supply).