Male kokanee from Speelyai Bay, Merwin Reservoir.

Creel Survey
February 8, 2010
Contributed by Joe Hymer

Latest Southwest Washington Sport Sampling Summaries [PDF Format]

Salmon/Steelhead

Cowlitz River – 33 bank anglers kept 5 steelhead and released 2. Sixteen boat anglers kept 4 steelhead and released 1. The steelhead were caught at Blue Creek. The anglers who permanently use a wheelchair are doing really well at the outfall structure at the Cowlitz Trout Hatchery.

Last week Tacoma Power recovered 42 winter-run steelhead and two coho adults during five days of operation at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator. During the week Tacoma Power employees released six winter-run steelhead into the Tilton River at Gust Backstrom Park in Morton and eleven winter-run steelhead into Lake Scanewa behind Cowlitz Falls Dam.

River flows at Mayfield Dam are approximately 5,850 cubic feet per second on Monday, February 8. Water visibility is ten feet.

Lower Columbia from the mouth to the I-5 Bridge – Near Kalama 6 bank anglers as well as 3 boats/5 anglers had no catch. With the spring like weather and reports of a few spring Chinook being caught, effort increased last weekend with 53 boats and nearly 100 bank anglers counted during the Saturday Feb. 6 flight.

Bonneville Pool – No effort observed for steelhead.

The Dalles Pool – Boat anglers averaged over 2 steelhead per rod while bank anglers averaged one per every 2 rods. However, over three-quarters of the fish caught were wild and had to be released.

John Day Pool – Boat anglers averaged over a steelhead per rod. Bank anglers were also catching some fish. Nearly two-thirds of the fish caught were hatchery fish.

Sturgeon

Lower Columbia from the Wauna powerlines to Bonneville Dam – 5 boats/10 anglers near Kalama kept 2 legals and released 11 sublegals. Near Woodland 3 boats/7 anglers had no catch. During the Saturday Feb. 6 flight, sixty six boats and 27 bank anglers were counted.

Lower Columbia from the mouth to Bonneville Dam – In January 2010, an estimated 1,750 angler trips produced a measly 25 keepers.

Bonneville Pool – Including fish released, boat anglers averaged just under a legal per rod. Bank anglers are also catching some legals. Through January 2010, an estimated 390 (28%) of the 1,400 fish guideline had been taken.

The Dalles Pool – Boat anglers caught some legals; fishing from the bank was slow. An estimated 87 (29%) of the 300 fish guideline had been taken through January 2010.

John Day Pool – Boat anglers averaged a legal per every 9 anglers when including fish released. Fishing from the bank was slow. Through January 2010, an estimated 41 (25%) of the 165 fish guideline had been taken.

Walleye and Bass

Bonneville Pool – No effort was observed for either species.

The Dalles and John Day pools – Boat anglers in both pools averaged better than a walleye kept/released per every 3 rods. No effort was observed for bass.

Trout

Mayfield Lake – Good catches of trout.

Silver Lake near Castle Rock – No report on angling success. Planted with 1,811 catchable size rainbows Feb. 1.

Kress Lake near Kalama – High effort and good catches.

Horseshoe Lake near Woodland – Low effort but excellent catches. Some anglers were catching their limits in under an hour. Planted with 2,150 catchable size rainbows Feb. 2.

Battleground Lake – Average effort but low catch. Only a few of the steelhead were reported caught. Planted with 35 cutthroats averaging 1.5 pounds each Feb. 3.

Lacamas and Vancouver lakes – No effort.

Smelt

Cowlitz sport – Last Saturday was a bust with no smelt observed caught. No smelt were reported caught during last Wednesday’s or last night’s commercial fisheries.