February 24, 2008

Latest Southwest Washington Sport Sampling Summaries [PDF Format]

Salmon/Steelhead

Coal Creek (Longview) and Lacamas and Olequa creeks (tribs to the Cowlitz) - Feb. 29 is the last day to fish for hatchery steelhead. All will re-open June 1.

Cowlitz River - 10 bank anglers from the I-5 Bridge downstream released 2 wild winter steelhead. Last week, Tacoma Power recovered 42 coho salmon adults, 12 winter-run steelhead and one cutthroat trout at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator during four days of operations.

During the week Tacoma Power employees released 17 coho adults and seven winter-run steelhead into Lake Scanewa at the Day Use Site and nine coho adults, five winter-run steelhead and one cutthroat into the Tilton River at Gust Backstrom Park in Morton, Washington.

River flows at Mayfield Dam are approximately at 7,990 cubic feet per second on Monday, February 25. River water visibility is 10 feet.

Scanewa Lake (Cowlitz Falls Reservoir) - Friday Feb. 29 is the last day to fish until the scheduled re-opening date of June 1.

North Fork Lewis River - Catch and effort is light. 4 bank anglers had no catch.

Lower Columbia from the I-5 Bridge downstream - 35 bank anglers and 11 boats/18 anglers had no catch. On the Saturday Feb. 23 flight, 100 boats and 168 Oregon and 28 Washington bank anglers were counted.

The mainstem Columbia from Buoy 10 to the I-5 Bridge is closed for salmon, steelhead, and shad through March 23 until the new regulations take effect.

Buoy 10 to the west power lines on Hayden Island - Salmon fishing will be open seven days per week from March 24 to April 4 with a daily limit of one hatchery adult chinook salmon.

West power lines on Hayden Island to Bonneville Dam - Salmon fishing will be open from March 16 through April 30 with a daily limit of one hatchery adult chinook salmon. From March 24 through April 30, the sport fishery will be closed for all species from one hour after official sunset Mondays to one hour before official sunrise Wednesdays.

The mainstem Columbia River will be open for adipose fin-clipped steelhead and shad during days and seasons open for adipose fin-clipped spring Chinook.

Bonneville Pool - No effort was observed.

The Dalles Pool - Anglers are catching some steelhead.

Bonneville Dam to McNary Dam - Salmon fishing will be open seven days per week from March 16 through May 10 with a daily limit of two hatchery adult chinook salmon. Bank fishing only from Bonneville Dam upstream to the Tower Island power lines located about six miles below The Dalles Dam.

Sturgeon

Lower Columbia from Bonneville Dam downstream - 15 bank anglers and 6 boats/16 anglers had no catch. A total of 70 boats and 26 Oregon and 21 Washington bank anglers were counted during the Saturday Feb. 23 flight. Effort was scattered throughout the river. In comparison, 359 boats were counted in the Willamette River from the falls downstream during the same flight.

Bonneville Pool - Anglers are catching some legals.

The Dalles Pool - Slow for legal size fish.

Walleye and Bass

Bonneville Pool - Boat anglers were catching some walleye but no bass.

The Dalles Pool - Bank anglers had a higher catch rate for walleye (one per every 4 rods when including fish released) than boat anglers (one fish kept for 8 anglers sampled). No effort was observed for bass.

Trout

Battleground Lake - Quite a bit of effort yesterday (Sunday Feb. 24). Boat anglers were catching some fish, including the brooders but bank angling was slow. Planted with 1,900 catchable size rainbows, 141 two-and -a half pounders, and 35 five-pounders February 19.

Carlisle, Davis, Kidney, Plummer, Rowland, Spearfish lakes, Northwestern Reservoir, and Fort Borst Park Pond - Friday Feb. 29 is the last to fish until these waters re-open April 26.

Smelt

Cowlitz River - Very few smelt were caught last Saturday (Feb. 23). However, some birds and seals were still present. Flows at Castle Rock were 9,800 cfs this morning (Monday Feb. 25) which is lower than the long-term mean of 12,600 cfs for this date. Lower river is fairly clear and warm (43 degrees Wednesday Feb. 20).

Mainstem Columbia - Commercial catches have tapered off with 430 pounds landed Monday Feb. 18. Nearly 7,000 pounds were landed the previous week. Water temperature at Skamokawa was nearly 43 degrees today (Monday Feb. 25).