Southwest Washington Fishing Reports
2003 Report Archive
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WDFW
Sport Sampling Results for
February
10-16, 2003
Sport Sampling Summaries -
PDF Format
Salmon/Steelhead
Cowlitz River - No report on angling success.
- The first spring chinook adult salmon of 2003 returned to Tacoma Power's Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator during the past week. In addition to the single spring chinook adult, Tacoma Power and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife employees recovered 234 winter-run steelhead, 67 coho salmon, three coho jacks, and one cutthroat trout.
- During the past week, Tacoma Power personnel released 101 adult steelhead, 92 coho adults and ten coho jacks in the upper Cowlitz River at the Day Use Park on Lake Scanewa .
- Tacoma Power employees released 48 adult steelhead and 15 coho adults into the Tilton River at Gust Backstrom Park in Morton during the week. The spring chinook adult, one cutthroat trout and a total of 102 steelhead were recycled downstream to the Massey Bar boat launch during the week.
- River flows at Mayfield Dam are approximately 5,850 cubic feet per second on Tuesday, February 18. Water visibility is one and a half feet.
Kalama River - Better fishing during the week of Feb. 2-8. 106 bank anglers sampled kept 4 hatchery steelhead and released 1 hatchery and 8 wild steelhead. 96 boat anglers kept 17 hatchery steelhead and released 3 hatchery and 24 wild steelhead.
- 17 hatchery steelhead were recycled downstream on Feb. 10. A 23 pound steelhead was caught last weekend. Several fish over 20 pounds have returned to the Kalama Falls Hatchery trap.
Lewis River - 5 bank anglers had no catch last week.
Lower Columbia below Bonneville Dam - No catch observed although one spring chinook was lost during checks. Reports of a few steelhead and an occasional spring chinook being caught.
- Mainstem Columbia had over 40 inches visibility at Cathlamet/Skamokawa last week. Couple spring chinook around 35 pounds each were caught in the commercial fishery yesterday (Mon. Feb. 17).
The Dalles Pool - Including fish released, boat anglers averaged a steelhead per rod while bank anglers averaged one per every 2.5 rods last week.
John Day Pool - Last week, bank anglers averaged nearly a steelhead per rod when including fish released. Boat anglers were also catching some steelhead.
Columbia River fall chinook 2003 pre-season forecasts:
This year's expected return of 622,600 Columbia River fall chinook would be the fourth largest return since 1948. An estimated 727,400 fish returned in 2002.
Sturgeon -
Lower Columbia below Bonneville - Slow for bank anglers.
Bonneville Pool - Bank and boat anglers are catching some legals.
The Dalles Pool - Boat anglers averaged a legal kept per every 4 rods last week. Bank anglers were also catching a few legals.
John Day Pool - Slow for legal sized fish.
Bass and Walleye -
Bonneville, The Dalles, and John Day pools - Counting fish released, boat anglers in John Day Pool averaged a walleye per rod while boat anglers in The Dalles Pool averaged ½ walleye per rod. No effort was observed for bass in any of the three pools.
Trout -
Klineline Pond - 79 bank anglers kept 28 rainbows and 3 brood trout plus released 2 rainbows.
Horseshoe Lake near Woodland - Planted with 80 hatchery winter steelhead last week.
Smelt -
Cowlitz River - Last week at mid-week, best dipping was at Castle Rock. At that time, limits were possible in a few dips. Fish were present from the mouth of the Cowlitz upstream.
Lewis River - Smelt reported up to the salmon hatchery. Best dipping reported near the Woodland town bridge. Fairly easy 20 pound limits reported there today (Tuesday Feb. 18).
Mainstem Columbia - Still lots of birds/seals/sealions in the Longview area.
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