SW WA Fishing Report (4-17-23)
THE FOLLOWING FISHING REPORT WAS FORWARDED BY PAUL HOFFARTH, WDFW, AND ORIGINATED WITH KEN KELLER, PSMFC
In-season spring Chinook update
Columbia River and Tributaries update. On average less than 2% of the spring chinook have passed Bonneville by April 16 (2016-2022). Counts typically pick up by the end of the upcoming week.
4/16/2023
Chinook Adults
Daily 53
YTD 830
Last Year 1,956
10 Year 3,654
Flow 143.5 KCFS
Temp 47.3 0F – 8.5 0C @ Warrendale
Last year 48.1 0F
Steelhead
Daily 4
YTD 1,583
Last Year 2,167
10 Year 2,438
Grays, Deep, and Elochoman rivers
Forecast – No forecast.
Sport: Deep River up to the town bridge is open to fishing for salmon and steelhead year round. March 1-April 11; 2 adults may be retained but only 1 may be a Chinook adult. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook. Release wild steelhead. On days when the mainstem Columbia River recreational fishery below Bonneville Dam is open to Chinook retention, the daily bag limit will be the same as the mainstem Columbia River. On days when the mainstem Columbia River recreational fishery is closed below Bonneville Dam the permanent salmonid bag limit applies – Salmon daily limit 6, up to 2 adults, release wild Chinook and wild coho. Plus 3 steelhead may be retained, release wild steelhead.
Mainstem Grays and West Fork Grays open for hatchery spring Chinook and hatchery steelhead the Saturday before Memorial Day.
The Elochoman River from the mouth upstream to the Elochoman Hatchery Bridge opens for hatchery spring Chinook and hatchery steelhead April 16.
Sport: No report.
Commercial Winter Season: Open 7 pm – 7 am, February 16 to March 17, Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday and 7 pm – 7 am, March 20 to April 14, Monday and Thursday. Modified April 4 – 7 pm Thursday April 6 to 10 am Friday April 7, 7 pm Monday April 10 to 10 am Tuesday April 11, and 7 pm Thursday April 13 to 10 am Friday April 14. Through April 14, 36 Chinook have been landed.
Commercial Spring Season: Open 7 pm – 7 am, April 17 to April 21, Monday and Thursday. 7 pm – 7 am, April 25 to April 28, Tuesday and Thursday. 7 pm – 7 am, May 1 to May 5 Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. 7 pm – 7 am, May 8 to June 9, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. 7 pm – 7 am, June 12 to June 15, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
Cowlitz River
Forecast: An estimated 8,700 adult spring Chinook are expected to return to the Cowlitz River in 2023.
Hatchery: Hatchery escapement goal is about 1,400 hatchery adults. Reported return as of 04/13/23is 11 hatchery and 2 natural origin. Hatchery escapements can be found on WDFW’s website at: https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/management/hatcheries/escapement#weekly-reports
From the mouth upstream to 400’ or the posted markers below the Barrier Dam, January 1 through July 31, daily limit 6, 2 may be adults (hatchery Chinook or hatchery coho). Anglers may fish with two poles with a Two-Pole Endorsement. The south side of the river from Mill Creek to the Barrier Dam is closed to all fishing from May 1 through June 15 per permanent regulations.
Sport: I-5 Br downstream: 40 bank anglers had no catch. 5 boats/7 rods had no catch.
I-5 Br upstream: 46 bank anglers kept 10 steelhead. 10 boats/28 rods kept 13 steelhead and released 2 steelhead.
River flow has been about 4,000 – 6,500 cubic feet per second (cfs) the past week. River flows at Mayfield Dam are approximately 4,080 cfs on Monday, April 17. (89 year median for April 17 is 5,930 cfs and compared to April 17, 2022 flow was 10,900 cfs).
Lewis River
Forecast: An estimated 4,600 adult spring Chinook are expected to return to the Lewis River in 2023.
Hatchery: The hatchery escapement goal is about 1,380 adults. Reported adult return as of 04/13/23 is 5 hatchery adults and 5 natural origin. Hatchery escapements can be found on WDFW’s website at: https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/management/hatcheries/escapement#weekly-reports
Effective January 1 through April 30 from the mouth upstream to Colvin Creek, daily limit 6, only 1 may be an adult Chinook in addition 3 steelhead may be retained. Colvin Creek to overhead power lines below Merwin Dam, salmon retention allowed through April 30, closed waters May 1-31. Johnson Creek upstream, anti-snagging rule and night closure in effect. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook. Two poles are allowed with a two-pole endorsement from the mouth to Johnson Creek year-round.
Sport: 33 bank rods released 1 steelhead. 11 boats/20 rods kept 2 Chinook.
River flow has been about 5,500 – 10,200 cfs the past week. River flows at Ariel Dam are approximately 5,510 cfs on Monday, April 17. (99 year median for April 17 is 5,030 cfs and compared to April 17, 2022 flow was 3,820 cfs).
Kalama River
Forecast: An estimated 2,400 adult spring Chinook are expected to return to the Kalama River in 2023.
Hatchery: The hatchery escapement goal is about 600 hatchery adults. Reported adult return as of 04/13/23 is 3 Kalama hatchery stock, 0 Lewis hatchery stock and 0 natural origin. Hatchery escapements can be found on WDFW’s website at: https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/management/hatcheries/escapement#weekly-reports
Mouth to 1000’ below fish way at upper salmon hatchery, January 1 through July 31, daily limit 6, 2 may be an adult (hatchery Chinook or hatchery coho). April 1 to July 31 railroad bridge below I-5 to intake at lower hatchery, night closure and anti-snagging rule in effect.
Sport: 19 bank rods had no catch. 7 boats/19 rods kept 1 Chinook and released 1 steelhead.
Wind River
Forecast: An estimated 4,400 adult spring Chinook are expected to return to Wind River in 2023.
Hatchery: Hatchery escapement goal is about 1,800 adults. Fish ladder expected to opened soon. Carson National Fish Hatchery Facebook page address is https://www.facebook.com/CarsonNationalFishHatchery
In-season update: 1 four year-old and 0 five year-old Carson National Fish Hatchery PIT tagged adults have been detected at Bonneville Dam as of April 16. For PIT tag detections at Bonneville Dam, see http://www.cbr.washington.edu/dart/query/pitadult_obsyr_detail
Wind River from mouth (boundary line markers) to 400 feet below Shipherd Falls – Effective March 16 until further notice salmon and steelhead daily limit – 6 fish, up to 1 adult salmon or 2 steelhead or 1 of each, release wild Chinook and wild steelhead. March 16 – June 30, night closure.
Wind River from 100 feet above Shipherd Falls to 800 yards downstream of Carson National Fish Hatchery (except closed waters from 400 feet below to 100 feet above Shipherd Falls and 400 feet below to 100 feet above coffer dam) – Effective March 16 until further notice salmon and steelhead daily limit – 6 fish, up to 1 adult salmon or 2 steelhead or 1 of each, release wild Chinook and wild steelhead. March 16 – June 30, night closure. https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/emergency-rules/adult-salmon-daily-limit-reduced-wind-river-2023-03
Sport: Lower Wind – 11 bank rods had no catch. 16 boats/30 rods kept 1 Chinook and released 2 Chinook.
Upper Wind – No report.
Access to Shipherd Falls on Wind River is closed at this point. WDFW trail/access from Shipherd Falls road is closed due to safety concerns. The Hot Springs Resort is not allowing access to due to trespass and property concerns. Therefore, all access to the area is closed to the public. There is no timeframe on when this could be corrected, but we are working with the Hot Springs resort owners on a possible solution.
Tribal: Fishing is allowed from the bubble area at the mouth to a marker 100 feet below Shipherd Fall and 200 feet above Shipherd Falls to a marker 25 feet below the outlet steam for the Cason National Fish Hatchery. Subsistence fishing with dipnets, set-net bags, or hook and line will be allowed below Shipherd Falls noon Wednesdays through 6 pm Saturdays, March 15 to June 24, and above Shipherd Falls noon Wednesdays through 6 pm Saturdays, May 3 to June 24.
Ceremonial and Subsistence catch; No catch.
Drano Lake
Forecast: An estimated 8,000 adult spring Chinook are expected to return to Drano Lake in 2023.
Hatchery: Hatchery escapement goal is about 1,350. Fish ladder is expected to open soon. Little White Salmon National Fish Hatchery Facebook page address is https://www.facebook.com/LittleWhiteSalmonNFH?fref=hovercard
In-season update: 1 four year-old and 0 five year-old Little White Salmon National Fish Hatchery PIT tagged adults have been detected at Bonneville Dam as of April 16. For PIT tag detections at Bonneville Dam, see http://www.cbr.washington.edu/dart/query/pitadult_obsyr_detail
Drano Lake from Hwy 14 Bridge to markers on point of land below Little White Salmon Fish Hatchery – March 16 through June 30, daily limit is 2 salmon or 2 steelhead or 1 of each. Release wild Chinook and wild steelhead. March 16 through July 31 night closure in effect. May 1 through June 30, two poles will be allowed with a two-pole endorsement and boat limits will be in effect. April 16 through June 30 – bank fishing only west of a line projected from the eastern most pillar of the Hwy. 14 Bridge to a posted marker on the north shore. Drano Lake is closed to all fishing on Wednesdays from the second Wednesday in April through June 30.
Sport: 4 bank rods had no catch. 60 boats/137 rods kept 4 Chinook and released 1 Chinook.
Tribal: Due to uncertain returns to Little White Salman NFH, no subsistence gillnet season was set for 2023. Subsistence fishing will be assessed throughout the season and a fishery may be scheduled if there are surplus fish in excess of production needs. Fishing with dipnets, set-bag nets or hook and line is closed until further notice. If a fishery occurs, it will be by permit only from 9 pm Tuesdays to noon Wednesdays. All other gear types are prohibited.
Ceremonial and Subsistence catch; No report.
White Salmon River
Forecast: Hatchery fish are no longer released here; all catch would be strays.
From the mouth (Burlington Northern Railroad Bridge) upstream to the county bridge below the former location of the powerhouse is open to fishing for hatchery steelhead and hatchery salmon April 1 through June 30, daily limit is a total of 2 hatchery Chinook or 2 hatchery steelhead or 1 of each. Closed to angling for steelhead July 1-31.
From county bridge below the former location of the powerhouse upstream to 400’ below Big Brother Falls (River Mile 16) is open to fishing for hatchery steelhead and hatchery salmon the Saturday before Memorial Day to July 31. Daily limit is 2 hatchery Chinook or 2 hatchery steelhead or 1 of each.
Sport: No report.
Tribal: Due to the removal of Condit Dam and the resulting changes and instability in movement of sediment and the unknown short-term effects on fish populations, season regulations were not adopted at this time.
River flow has been about 1,200 – 1,470 cfs the past week. Discharge near Underwood is approximately 1,200 cfs on Monday, April 17. (102 year median for April 17 is 1,470 cfs and compared to April 17, 2022 flow was 1,240 cfs).
Klickitat River
Forecast: An estimated 1,400 adult spring Chinook are expected to return to the Klickitat River in 2023.
Hatchery: Hatchery escapement goal is about 500 fish. As of April 16 the hatchery reports 0 adults on site. Once active the Klickitat Hatchery counts can be found at http://www.ykfp.org/klickitat/hatch_AdultReturns2023.htm
In-season update: 0 four year-old and 0 five year-old Klickitat Fish Hatchery PIT tagged adults have been detected at Bonneville Dam as of April 16. For PIT tag detections at Bonneville Dam, see http://www.cbr.washington.edu/dart/query/pitadult_obsyr_detail
Klickitat River from the mouth (Burlington Northern Railroad Bridge) to Fisher Hill Bridge – Effective April 1 through the Friday before Memorial Day (May 26, 2023), open to fishing for hatchery spring Chinook and hatchery steelhead Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays only, the salmon and hatchery steelhead limit is 2 fish of which only 1 may be an adult salmon. Effective May 27 until further notice the daily salmon limit is 6 fish, but only 1 can be and adult. Release wild Chinook and wild steelhead.
From 400’ above fishway #5 to boundary markers below Klickitat Salmon Hatchery, effective May 27 until further notice or through July 31, salmon CLOSED, daily limit 3 hatchery steelhead. https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/emergency-rules/adult-salmon-daily-limit-reduced-lower-klickitat-river-salmon-season-delayed-upper-river-2023-03
Sport: Below Fisher Hill Bridge – One bank rod had no catch.
Above Fishway #5 – No report.
Lyle Falls trap is operating and 0 adipose clipped Chinook, 0 unclipped Chinook and 0 clip unknown have been counted as of April 14. The Lyle Falls trap counts can be found at http://www.ykfp.org/klickitat/Data_lyleadulttrap.htm
Tribal: Fishing is allowed from the mouth to the confluence of the Big Muddy Creek, except fishing is not allowed within the posted signs at the Klickitat Hatchery. Fishing is allowed noon Wednesdays to 6 pm Saturdays, April 5 to May 27. Fishing will resume noon Tuesdays to 6 pm Saturdays no later than July 4 or sooner if the Klickitat Hatchery escapement is assured.
Ceremonial and Subsistence; No catch.
River flow has been about 2,200 – 3,200 cfs the past week. Discharge near Pitt is approximately 2,240 cfs on Monday, April 17. (96 year median for April 17 is 2,170 cfs and compared to April 17, 2022 flow was 1,830 cfs).
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