WDFW Sport Sampling Results:
July 3, 2005
 |
Latest
Southwest Washington |
Salmon/Steelhead
Cowlitz River - No report on angling success. During the past week, Tacoma Power and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife employees recovered 257 spring chinook adults, 41 spring chinook jacks, two mini-jacks and 55 steelhead during separator operations at Tacoma Power's Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery.
Tacoma Power employees released 251 spring chinook adults and 34 jacks into the upper Cowlitz River at the Lake Scanewa Day Use area above Cowlitz Falls Dam during the week.
During the week Tacoma Power employees recycled 55 steelhead adults downstream to the Massey Bar boat launch.
River flows at Mayfield Dam are currently at 2,760 cubic feet per second on Tuesday, July 5. Water visibility at Mayfield Dam is over 13 feet.
Kalama and Lewis rivers - Hatchery summer run steelhead are being caught from both rivers.
Wind River - Closed to fishing for salmon until August. The section from Shipherd Falls upstream is closed to all fishing.
Drano Lake - Closed to fishing for salmon until August.
Lower Columbia from the Rocky Point/Tongue Point line upstream to the I-5 Bridge - Including fish released, boat anglers averaged a summer Chinook/steelhead per every 4 rods (completed trips) while bank anglers averaged one per every 6 rods (mainly incomplete trips). Highest catch rates for Chinook were in the Kalama area; steelhead from Longview downstream. Over 300 bank rods were counted during the Saturday July 2 nd flight. Largest concentration of boats (58) was found at the mouth of the Cowlitz River.
Lower Columbia from the I-5 Bridge upstream to Bonneville Dam - Generally light effort and catch.
John Day Pool - Light effort and no catch observed.
Rocky Point/Tongue Point line upstream to the Hwy. 395 Bridge at Pasco - Any Chinook, adipose fin clipped or not, may be retained.
The Technical Advisory Committee met June 27 and believes the Chinook and sockeye runs are tracking at or just below the preseason forecasts. The preseason forecast for summer Chinook is 62,400 fish; sockeye 70,700.
Sturgeon
Mainstem Columbia and its tributaries from the Wauna powerlines downstream - Nearly 400 private and 22 charter boats were counted during the Saturday July 2nd flight. Sturgeon may be retained through July 10 and July 15-17.
Ports of Chinook and Ilwaco - Charter boat anglers averaged 0.53 legal white sturgeon per rod while private boaters averaged 0.20 per rod.
Deep River and Knappton ramps - Boat anglers averaged a legal kept per every 3 rods.
Wauna powerlines upstream to Beacon Rock - Boat anglers are catching some legals in the Kalama area.
John Day Pool - Boat anglers are catching some legals. Open for sturgeon retention through July 10.
Walleye and Bass
John Day Pool - Boat anglers are catching some bass and walleye. Light effort and catches from the bank.
Trout
Mayfield Lake - Anglers are catching some rainbows. Planted with 1,820 catchable size rainbows last week.
Riffe Lake - Anglers are primarily catching landlocked coho along with some other salmonids and warm water species.
Klineline Pond - Bank anglers are catching some rainbows.
Shad
Lower Columbia below Bonneville Dam - Effort and dam counts are waning. 19 bank anglers and 2 boats were counted near Bonneville on the Saturday July 2nd flight. Bonneville Dam counts are down to 20,000 fish per day.
New All-Time Record Dam Count - Nearly 6 million shad have been counted at The Dalles Dam through July 4. The previous record was 5.5 million counted there last year.