Hanford Reach Fishing Report (Fall 2020 Salmon Wrapup)

THE FOLLOWING FISHING REPORT WAS FORWARDED BY PAUL HOFFARTH, WDFW

The Hanford Reach fall salmon fishery wrapped up on October 31.

For the fishery, there were  38,434 angler trips harvesting 14,515 adult chinook, 1,388 chinook jacks, and 104 coho. This was a 23% increase in harvest compared to the 2019 fishery. A total of 188 sockeye, 106 wild steelhead, and 29 hatchery steelhead were caught and released during the fishery.

The final in-season return estimate was completed on October 15 for the Hanford Reach wild (natural origin) fall chinook population. Current prediction is 76,858 adults, well above the minimum escapement goal of 31,100. The return is up 18% from the pre-season forecast of 65,359 adults.

Hanford Reach Steelhead Fishery

The lower Hanford Reach, Interstate 182 at Richland upstream to the old Hanford townsite powerline crossing, is open for Ringold Springs Hatchery (RSH) steelhead. Anglers are limited to one RSH steelhead daily. Ringold Springs steelhead are adipose clipped and right ventral fin clipped.  All other hatchery and wild steelhead must be immediately released. The fishery is off to a very slow start but should improve now that the salmon fishery has wrapped up.