Hanford Reach Fishing Report (7-13-20)

THE FOLLOWING FISHING REPORT WAS FORWARDED BY PAUL HOFFARTH, WDFW

Hanford Reach Summer Salmon Fishery [week of July 6-12]

This past week was likely the peak of the sockeye fishery in the Hanford Reach. Although the numbers of sockeye migrating into the Upper Columbia are still strong they will decline as we move through the upcoming week. Boats averaged 1.5 salmon harvested per boat this past week, ~7.3 hours per fish. Both sockeye and summer chinook continue to track well above the forecast.

The Hanford Reach remains at a two (2) adult daily limit. All wild adult chinook must be immediately released. The two adult limit can be either sockeye, hatchery chinook, or one of each. Anglers can keep either hatchery or wild chinook jacks as part of their 6 salmon daily limit. All chinook 24 inches or larger are considered adult chinook. All sockeye 12 inches or larger are considered adult sockeye. Anglers must stop fishing for the day after retaining their adult daily limit. Anglers are permitted to use 2 poles if they have the two-pole endorsement. Barbless hooks are voluntary (you can use barbed hooks). The Columbia River upstream of the Hwy 395 bridge remains closed to fishing for steelhead. These stated regulations apply only to the Hanford Reach fishery. Regulations vary by location and this fishery is subject to additional emergency regulations based on run updates and harvest.

Between July 6 and July 12, WDFW staff interviewed 749 anglers from 333 boats with 485 sockeye and 17 adult hatchery chinook harvested. Based on the data collected there were 3,004 angler trips for salmon with 1,945 sockeye and 68 adult hatchery chinook harvested for the week.

To date there have been 9,025 angler trips for salmon with 5,560 sockeye, 113 adult hatchery chinook, 16 hatchery jacks, and 4 wild jacks harvested. In addition, 175 adult summer chinook, 14 chinook jacks, 7 sockeye, 12 hatchery steelhead, and 4 wild steelhead have been caught and released.

An emergency regulation was posted on July 1 allowing the harvest of adult summer chinook and summer chinook jacks in several sections of the Columbia River.

The opening dates and daily limits for the Columbia River are as follows:  

·       From the Rocky Point/Tongue Point line upstream to the Highway 395 bridge at Pasco: July 4 through July 8, 2020. Daily limit 6 salmon. Up to 2 may be adult hatchery Chinook. Minimum size 12”.Anglers must release all steelhead and salmon except hatchery Chinook.  

·       From the Interstate-182 bridge to Priest Rapids Dam: July 4 through July 31, 2020. Daily limit 6 salmon. Up to 2 adults may be retained (either sockeye or hatchery chinook or one of each). Minimum size 12”. Release wild adult Chinook and coho.  

·       From Priest Rapids Dam to Rock Island Dam: July 4 through Aug. 31, 2020. Daily limit 6 salmon. Up to 2 may be adult hatchery Chinook and up to 2 may be sockeye. Minimum size 12”. Release wild adult Chinook and coho. 

·       From Rock Island Dam to Wells Dam: July 4 through Oct. 15, 2020. Daily limit 6 salmon. Up to 2 may be adult hatchery Chinook and up to 2 may be sockeye. Minimum size 12”. Release wild adult Chinook and coho. 

·       From Wells Dam to the Highway 173 Bridge at Brewster: July 16 through Sept. 15, 2020. Daily limit 6 salmon. Up to 2 may be adult hatchery Chinook and up to 2 may be sockeye. Minimum size 12”. Release wild adult Chinook and coho. 

·       From the Highway 173 Bridge at Brewster to the rock jetty at the upstream shoreline of Foster Creek (Douglas County side): July 4 through Oct. 15, 2020. Daily limit 6 salmon. Up to 2 may be adult hatchery Chinook and up to 2 may be sockeye. Minimum size 12”. Release wild adult Chinook and coho. 

TAC statement – 13 July 2020

TAC met on July 13 and reviewed sockeye and summer management period chinook counts and harvest to date.   TAC did not change our projections for these runs which include a sockeye run expectation of 343,400 at the Columbia River mouth with an expectation of 340,000 at Bonneville and an adult chinook expectation for the summer management period of 65,000 fish at the Columbia River mouth.  TAC will meet again on July 20 and may provide further updates at that time.