WDFW Sport Sampling Results: January 28, 2007 Latest Southwest Washington Sport Sampling Summaries [PDF Format] Salmon/Steelhead Cowlitz River - 22 bank and 14 boat anglers had no catch. Blue Creek - 56 bank anglers kept 31 steelhead and released 2. Lower Columbia below Bonneville Dam - No report on angling success. Anglers may continue fishing for hatchery spring chinook salmon, hatchery steelhead, and shad in the lower Columbia River from the Interstate 5 Bridge downstream to Buoy 10 through April 15. The first commercially caught spring chinook (a 23 pounder) sold at $10.00/lb from the January 23-24 fishing period. Bonneville Pool - No effort for salmonids was found there last week. The Dalles Pool - Boat and bank anglers are catching steelhead. Oregon and Washington departments of fish and wildlife approved a spring chinook season above Bonneville Dam from March 16 through April 30 between the Tower Island power lines upstream to McNary Dam. The power lines are located approximately six miles below The Dalles Dam. Kalama River- Great water conditions. Nearing the end for the early hatchery steelhead return and the start of the late hatchery and wild winter return. The majority of catch are wild winter fish and downstreamers or "kelts". Last Friday, 76 "first time" and 19 "recaps" hatchery winter steelhead were recycled to the lower river. Also, 13 wild winter fish were passed upstream of the Kalama Falls Hatchery (KFH) where it is catch and release, selective gear regulations. No fish were handled on Monday due to only 2 hatchery fish trapped all weekned. To date, 173 wild winter fish have been passed above KFH. The early hatchery winter return to KFH is 1,320 fish compared to 905 fish last year. A little more than half the return came in December, marking the third time in the last four years the early steelhead return "peaked" in December instead of January. Kress Lake has slowed down from the previous weeks, due to less fish planted, however good fishing can still be found. Sturgeon Lower Columbia from the Wauna powerlines to Bonneville Dam - 14 bank anglers just below Bonneville Dam had no catch. 8 bank anglers near Longview released 5 sub-legals. Effective February 1, 2007 to July 31, 2007, sturgeon retention is allowed Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only. Daily limit one fish, minimum 42” maximum 60”. Bonneville Pool - Bank anglers are catching some legals. The Dalles Pool - Boat anglers are catching some legals. Walleye and Bass Bonneville and The Dalles pools - Boat anglers are catching some walleye. No effort was observed for bass in either pool. Trout South Lewis County Park Pond - 12 bank and 4 boat anglers had no catch. Planted with 201 Cowlitz adult winter steelhead on January 24. Sacajawea Lake in Longview - Planted with 144 five-pound and 36 ten-pound brood stock rainbows on January 23. Horseshoe Lake in Woodland - Planted with 90 Lewis adult winter steelhead on January 19 and 16 five-pound and 4 ten-pound rainbows on January 23. Battleground Lake - Planted with 100 Lewis and 11 Washougal adult winter steelhead on January 19 and January 23, respectively. Also planted with 5,000 half-pound and 30 ten-pound rainbows plus 115 one-pound cutthroat January 22-23. Klineline Pond - Planted with 1,000 half-pound rainbows on January 22. Northwestern Lake - Planted with 11 five-pound and 5 ten-pound rainbows on January 24. Rowland Lake near Lyle - Planted with 24 five-pound and 11 ten-pound rainbows on January 24. Smelt Friday January 27 report: The Cowlitz River at Castle Rock is running at 9,460 CFS (normal for this time of the year). The temperature of both the Columbia River downstream of the Cowlitz and the lower Cowlitz River is 41º F. Water temperatures are still a little cold for good smelt movement. Columbia River: Commercial: 0 lbs January 25th (0 lbs/delivery) 0 lbs January 22nd (0 lbs/delivery) 2,609 lbs Cumulative since mid-December (includes a more complete accounting from the previous report). Cowlitz River: Sport: Test dipping was performed on Saturday January 20th. No smelt were dipped. Commercial: 0 lbs January 24th (0 lbs/delivery) 0 lbs January 21st (0 lbs/delivery) 0 lbs Cumulative since January 3rd.