Jun 28

Jun 28 News Fishing Report: Jun 28th

By Terry Otto, Columbian staff writer

Salmonid angling on the Columbia River is currently open for Chinook jacks and steelhead from the Astoria-Megler Bridge upstream to Bonneville Dam. Also, adult summer Chinook may be kept until July 4.

Chinook and steelhead retention is open from Bonneville Dam upstream to the Oregon-Washington Border

Angling for shad is open from Buoy 10 upstream to Bonneville Dam.

The McNary Pool is open to the retention of legal white sturgeon through July 31. Anglers are reminded that spawning sanctuaries are in effect (see special regulations details).

Walleye angling is good in The Dalles and John Day pools.

Trout angling continues to be good in Southwest Washington lakes, although warm weather is slowing the bite.

Salmon/Steelhead

The Technical Advisory (TAC) upgraded the sockeye forecast to 209,000. If accurate, it would be the 7th largest run since at least 1980 (record are the 651,100 fish that returned to the mouth of the Columbia in 2014).

The nearly 91,000 sockeye counted at Bonneville Dam through June 24 have almost met the pre-season forecast of 99,000 fish for 2018. That’s the seventh highest on record thru June 24.

Sockeye retention is currently prohibited in the Columbia River; however, fisheries managers may meet this week to discuss a possible opening. If so, a decision could be made later this week.

Summer Chinook

The TAC did not update the summer Chinook forecast, but early indicators suggest the run is coming in below forecast (67,300 adults). TAC intends to update the summer Chinook forecast next week, and staff will monitor harvest and passage this week.

Elochoman River — 15 bank anglers kept six steelhead.

Cowlitz River — I-5 Bridge downstream: Six bank rods had no catch. Above the I-5 Bridge: Five bank rods had no catch; 51 boat rods kept 26 steelhead.

Kalama River — 8 bank anglers had no catch.

Lewis River (mainstem) — Three boat anglers kept one steelhead.

Wind River — Three boat rods had no catch.

Drano Lake — Nine boat rods kept two adult spring Chinook and one steelhead.

Wind River and Drano Lake — At Wind River, Saturday is the last day to fish for spring Chinook above Shipherd Falls. It is also the last day for the two-poles, boat limits, and barbed hooks for both Wind River and Drano Lake.

Drano Lake will be open seven days per week beginning July 1 and the bank only area near the mouth will be open for boats.

Klickitat River — two bank anglers had no catch.

Lower Columbia mainstem from the Megler-Astoria Bridge upstream to Bonneville Dam — Since the hatchery adult summer Chinook opener on June 22, bank anglers from Kalama upstream are catching some fish; boat anglers are catching fish more spread throughout the lower river. Almost equal numbers of summer steelhead are also being handled.

Shad

Lower Columbia mainstem below Bonneville Dam — Based on mainly incomplete trips, bank anglers just below the dam averaged four shad per rod while boat anglers averaged nearly 14 shad per rod based on completed trips the past few days.

The 4.9 million shad counted at Bonneville Dam through June 24th are the second highest on record. The record are the 5.06 million fish counted through June 24, 2004. However, this year’s run still remains strong with 262,000-380,000 shad counted daily at the dam this past week. The record total of nearly 5.4 million fish counted in 2004 could fall in the next couple days.