WDFW Sport Sampling Results:
January 2-8, 2006
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Latest
Southwest Washington |
Salmon/Steelhead -
Cowlitz River - 22 anglers were interviewed Jan. 2-6 on the lower Cowlitz River. They had caught 1 winter and 1 summer run steelhead. These fish were caught by bank anglers at Mission Bar and Olequa.
The first adult spring chinook of the new year returned to Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery last week. In addition, Tacoma Power employees recovered 1,067 coho salmon adults, 16 coho jacks, 156 winter-run steelhead, one summer steelhead adult, two cutthroat trout during four days of separator operations at Tacoma Power’s Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery.
Tacoma Power employees released 760 coho salmon adults, ten jacks and 13 winter-run steelhead into the upper Cowlitz River at the Lake Scanewa Day Use site above Cowlitz Falls Dam during the week. In addition, 132 coho adults and three jacks were released at Franklin Bridge in Packwood during the week.
During the week Tacoma Power employees recycled 85 winter-run steelhead, one summer steelhead adult downstream to the Interstate-5 boat launch, and they recycled 55 winter-run steelhead, one cutthroat trout and the spring chinook adult downstream to the Massey Bar boat launch.
During the week a total of 149 coho adults, three jacks, two winter-run steelhead and one cutthroat trout were released into the Tilton River at Gust Backstrom Park in Morton, Washington.
River flows at Mayfield Dam are approximately 12,300 cubic feet per second on Monday, January 9. Water visibility is over 5 feet.
The Dalles Pool - Some steelhead are being caught.
Kalama River - lots more water and numbers of early hatchery fish declining...
This past week (Friday(1/06) and Monday(1/09)), 50 "fresh" and 78 "recapture" hatchery winter steelhead were recycled to the lower river, while 13 wild winter and 3 wild summer steelhead was passed upstream of Kalama Falls Hatchery (KFH). Also 36 steelhead were planted into Kress Lake.
Sturgeon -
Lower Columbia below Bonneville Dam - No current report on angling success. In December, an estimated 2,369 angler trips produced just 87 legals kept.
Bonneville Pool - Boat anglers averaged a legal kept per every 6 rods. Slow for legal sized fish from the bank.
The Dalles Pool - Boat and bank anglers are catching some legals.
John Day Pool - No report on angling success.
Walleye and Bass -
Bonneville Pool - No effort observed for either specie.
The Dalles Pool - Boat anglers are catching some walleye. No effort observed for bass.
John Day Pool - No report on angling success.
Trout -
Plants of broodstock rainbows Jan. 3 and 4:
- Sacajawea Lake in Longview - 123 five pounders and 36 ten pounders
- Horseshoe Lake in Woodland - 16 five pounders and 4 ten pounders
- Rowland Lake near Lyle - 100 five pounders and 75 ten pounders
- Spearfish Lake near Dallesport - 90 five pounders and 25 ten pounders
Smelt -
Mainstem Columbia - Commercial fishers near Cathlamet landed 399 pounds on Jan. 5. Water temperature is 44 degrees near Skamokawa. Smelt prefer temperatures 41 degrees and above. Fresh/frozen smelt are being sold retail for nearly a dollar per fish.
Cowlitz River - No report of any smelt landed. Lower river was high, turbid, and had lots of debris late last week. Flows at Castle Rock are 21,200 cfs today. The 78 year mean for this date is 14,280 cfs.