Hanford Reach Salmon Fishing Report (7-27-20)

THE FOLLOWING FISHING REPORT WAS FORWARDED BY PAUL HOFFARTH, WDFW

The summer salmon sport fishery in the Hanford Reach will close after this Friday, July 31. The numbers of sockeye migrating into the Upper Columbia has dropped off for the year. Boats averaged less than a salmon harvested per boat, ~13 hours per fish. The Columbia River upstream of Priest Rapids Dam will remain open under the current emergency regulation (https://fortress.wa.gov/dfw/erules/efishrules/erule.jsp?id=2533). The Hanford Reach fall salmon fishery will open August 16. See details below.

Between July 20 and July 26, WDFW staff interviewed 69 anglers from 38 boats with 21 sockeye and 1 adult hatchery chinook harvested. Based on the data collected there were 445 angler trips for salmon with 135 sockeye and 6 adult hatchery chinook harvested for the week.

To date there have been 10,924 angler trips for salmon with 6,236 sockeye, 135 adult hatchery chinook, 37 hatchery jacks, and 4 wild jacks harvested. In addition, 192 wild adult summer chinook, 21 chinook jacks, 7 sockeye, 16 hatchery steelhead, and 16 wild steelhead have been caught and released.

The Hanford Reach fall salmon fishery will open August 16 from the Highway 395 bridge upstream to Priest Rapids Dam. Biologists are predicting a return similar to last year with ~90,000 adult chinook returning to the Hanford Reach (wild + hatchery). Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained. Release all salmon other than Chinook and coho. Both wild and hatchery Coho and Chinook can be harvested. Anglers must stop fishing when they have retained their adult daily limit. Voluntary barbless hook restriction (you can use barbed hooks). Anglers can use two poles if they have the two-pole endorsement. Steelhead remains closed is this section of the Columbia River. The Yakima River is not scheduled to open for fall salmon fishing this year due to low projected returns for both fall chinook and coho. Check the Washington Sport Fishing Rules for all other regulations.