Southwest Washington Fishing Reports

2003 Report Archive
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March 4-10, 2003

Latest Southwest Washington Sport Sampling Summaries - PDF Format

Salmon/Steelhead -

Cowlitz River - From the barrier dam downstream, 19 bank anglers kept 1 winter steelhead and released 1 other fish.

Kalama River - For the week of 2/23/03-3/01/03: 173 bank anglers 7 hatchery steelhead kept and 1 hatchery and 7 wild released. 132 boat anglers 22 hatchery steelhead kept and 28 wild released.

East Fork Lewis River from mouth to top boat ramp at Lewisville Park - Closed to all fishing March 15 through April 15. Effective April 16 through May 31, hatchery steelhead may be retained. Daily limit 2. Minimum size 20 inches. Selective gear rules will be in effect.

Washougal River from mouth to Mt. Norway Bridge at Vernon Road - Effective April 16 through May 31, selective gear rules will be in effect.

For spring chinook and hatchery steelhead sport fisheries on the Wind and Klickitat rivers plus Drano Lake, the daily limit is a total of 2 salmon or hatchery steelhead. Minimum size for salmon is 12 inches and 20 inches for hatchery steelhead. Any chinook, with or without an adipose fin present, may be retained. Wild steelhead must be released. Night closures and non-buoyant lure restrictions will be in effect. The open areas and seasons are:

Wind River from buoy line/markers upstream to 400 feet below Shipherd Falls - March 15 through June 30.

Wind River from 100 feet above Shipherd Falls to 400 feet below coffer dam and 100 feet above coffer dam to 800 yards downstream from the fishway at Carson National Fish Hatchery - May 1 through June 30.

Drano Lake downstream of markers on point of land downstream and across from Little White Salmon National Fish Hatchery and upstream of the Highway 14 Bridge - March 15 through June 30 except closed Wednesdays from April 16 through May 28.

Klickitat River from mouth to Fisher Hill Bridge - Open Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays only from April 2 through May 31.

Lower Columbia below Bonneville Dam - We sampled 1,350 anglers last week. Anglers averaged a chinook kept or released for every 12.5 rods. 67% of the catch were hatchery fish. 90% of the hatchery fish sampled were of upriver origin.

Bonneville Pool - Boat anglers are catching some steelhead. No spring chinook have been sampled to date.

The Dalles Pool - Bank anglers were catching some of last year's summer run steelhead.

John Day Pool - Including fish released, bank anglers averaged about ½ summer run steelhead (last year's return) per rod.

Sturgeon -

Lower Columbia below Bonneville Dam - Sampling showed light catches last week.

Bonneville and The Dalles pools - Effort and catch were light.
Through February and estimated 320 fish had been taken Bonneville Pool and 141 from The Dalles Pool.

John Day Pool - Boat anglers were catching some legals.
No legals were caught there in January.

Walleye and Bass -

Bonneville, The Dalles, and John Day pools - Boat anglers in John Day Pool were catching some walleye and bass. Light effort in Bonneville and The Dalles pool.

Trout -

Battle Ground lake - Planted last week with 3,000 rainbows averaging 2/3 pound each.

Klineline Pond - Planted last week with 4,200 catchable size brown trout.

Merwin Reservoir - Reported to be good for kokanee, 10-14 inches in length. Fish are near the surface.

Smelt -

No reports currently available for the Cowlitz and Lewis rivers. Quite a few seagulls near the I-205 Bridge.

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