WDFW Sport Sampling Results: March 5, 2007 Latest Southwest Washington Sport Sampling Summaries [PDF Format] Salmon/Steelhead Cowlitz River - Some steelhead are being caught by bank fishers from the I-5 Bridge downstream and boat anglers at Blue Creek. More wild (148) than hatchery (86) late winter steelhead had returned to the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery through the end of February. Kalama River - Anglers in the canyon area are catching some winter steelhead. More wild (318) than hatchery (28) late winter steelhead had returned to Kalama Falls Hatchery through the end of February. Lewis River - Light effort. Under permanent regulations to protect spawning steelhead, March 15 is the last day to fish on several lower Columbia River tributaries. Those streams include: Abernathy, Cedar, Germany, Mill (Cowlitz Co.), Rock (Skamania Co.), Salmon (Clark Co.), Skamokawa creeks and Coweeman, Elochoman, Grays, E.Fk. Lewis, Washougal, Wind rivers. Lower Columbia from the I-5 Bridge downstream - Based on two fish we sampled and other reports, some spring chinook were caught from the mouth of the Willamette to the Lewis River. In the Cathlamet area, water visibility was reported to be 2-2.5 feet last Saturday (March 3). Anglers are busy preparing camps at Cathlamet. Still only 1 chinook counted at Bonneville Dam through February 27. Bonneville and The Dalles pools - Light effort and no catch was observed. Tower Islands (located approximately 6 miles below The Dalles Dam) upstream to McNary Dam opens to fishing for hatchery chinook and hatchery steelhead beginning March 16. John Day Pool - Anglers are catching some steelhead. Sturgeon Cowlitz River from I-5 Bridge downstream - Slower for legal size fish. 26 bank anglers released 11 sublegals and 10 boat anglers released 6. Lower Columbia below Bonneville Dam - Slow for legal size fish. Bonneville and John Day pools - Boat anglers are catching some legals. The Dalles Pool - Slow for legal size fish. Walleye and Bass Bonneville, The Dalles, and John Day, pools - Boat anglers averaged slightly better than a ½, 1, and 2/3 walleye kept/released per rod, respectively. Little to no effort for bass was observed. Trout South Lewis County Pond and Battle Ground Lake - 16 and 28 adult winter steelhead were released Feb. 28, respectively. One bank angler at South Lewis County Pond had no catch. Klineline Pond and Lacamas Lake - 2,000 and 7,000 half-pound browns were released Feb. 22, respectively. Smelt The Cowlitz River at Castle Rock is running at 13,400 CFS. The temperature of the Cowlitz was about 42º last Friday (March 2) which is OK for smelt movement. The Columbia River estuary water temperature was 43º. Mainstem Columbia commercial landings have slowed. On the Washington side, a total of 210 lbs. were caught between Longview and Skamokawa last week. Commercial landings picked up and then slowed in the Cowlitz. On Sunday Feb. 25, about 1,000 pounds were landed. By Wed. Feb. 28, landings decreased to slightly over 100 pounds. WDFW test dipping Friday March 2 revealed smelt still present in the Cowlitz River. Several dips produced a couple of smelt at Carnival Market. There was a strong seal and bird presence at Gearhart and Camelot. The river was clearer than the previous week making smelt stay farther from the rivers edge which could be a challenge to land many during daylight hours.