Hanford Reach Sockeye Fishing Report (7-1-2020)

THE FOLLOWING FISHING REPORT WAS FORWARDED BY PAUL HOFFARTH, WDFW

Sockeye fishing continues to improve in the Hanford Reach fishery. Boats averaged 1.6 sockeye per boat, ~7 1/2 hours per fish.

The 2020 pre-season forecasts for adult salmon returns to the Columbia River is 38,300 summer chinook and 246,300 sockeye salmon. TAC met on June 29 and reviewed sockeye and summer management period chinook counts and harvest to date.  The cumulative sockeye count to date at Bonneville Dam of 159,471 is consistent with the pre-season river mouth forecast of 246,300 and TAC did not change the run expectation.  The adult chinook counts at Bonneville for the summer management period have been higher than expected and total 30,512 to date. TAC upgraded the river mouth forecast from 38,000 to 65,000.  TAC will meet again on July 6 and may provide further updates at that time.

The Columbia River from the I-182 Bridge (Richland/Pasco) upstream to Priest Rapids Dam opened to fishing for sockeye on June 16 by emergency regulation. The Washington Sport Fishing Rules went into effect on July 1 continuing the fishery through July 31. Daily limit is 2 adult sockeye (min size 12”). The fishery is closed for the retention of summer chinook. This fishery may be modified or closed by emergency regulation (https://fortress.wa.gov/dfw/erules/efishrules/).

Between June 22 and June 28, WDFW staff interviewed 529 anglers from 227 boats with 353 sockeye harvested. Based on the data collected there were 2,603 angler trips for sockeye with 1,737 fish harvested for the week. To date there have been 3,639 angler trips for sockeye with 2,162 sockeye harvested; and 101 adult summer chinook and 11 chinook jacks were caught and released.