SW WA, Lower Columbia, Hanford Fishing Report (10-18-22)

THE FOLLOWING FISHING REPORTS WERE FORWARDED BY BRYANT SPELLMAN AND PAUL HOFFARTH, WDFW

Preliminary Washington Columbia River mainstem and tributary sport sampling summary October 10-16, 2022

Mainstem Columbia River 

Salmon/Steelhead

Sec 1 (Bonneville) – 23 bank anglers kept two coho.  

Sec 2 (Camas/Washougal) – 16 boats/32 rods kept seven coho and released one Chinook and one coho. 

JOHN WEINHEIMER, FORMER SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON FISHERIES BIOLOGIST, HOLDS A COWLITZ COHO FROM A COUPLE SEASONS BACK. WDFW INCREASED THE DAILY LIMIT TO FOUR ADULT HATCHERY SILVERS ON THE SYSTEM AND THE MAINSTEM LEWIS AND ITS NORTH FORK. (COAST FISHING PHOTO CONTEST)

Sec 3 (I-5 area) – 1 boat/2 rods had no catch. 

Sec 4 (Vancouver) – Three bank anglers had no catch. 17 boats/31 rods kept four coho and released  two Chinook jacks and one coho. 

Sec 5 (Woodland) – Two bank anglers had no catch. 10 boats/30 rods kept 12 coho, six coho jacks and  released one coho. 

Sec 6 (Kalama) – Seven bank anglers had no catch. 5 boats/13 rods kept one coho and released one Chinook. 

Sec 7 (Cowlitz) – 3 boats/8 rods kept one coho. 

Sec 8 (Longview) – Six bank anglers had no catch. 1 boat/3 rods had no catch. 

Sec 9 (Cathlamet) – No report.  

Sec 10 (Cathlamet) – No report. 

Sturgeon: 

Sec 3 (I-5 area) – 1 boat/2 rods had no catch. 

Columbia River Tributaries 

Salmon/Steelhead

Cowlitz River I-5 Br downstream – 24 bank rods kept two coho, one coho jack and released two coho  and one coho jack. 7 boats/14 rods kept eight coho and released 12 coho.  

Cowlitz River Above the I-5 Br – 24 bank rods kept two coho and released five coho. 

Kalama River – 20 bank rods released one steelhead.  

Lewis River – 123 bank rods kept 48 coho, 18 coho jacks and released seven Chinook, one Chinook jack,  51 coho, one coho jack and one steelhead. 14 boats/25 rods kept 10 coho and released one coho. 

Wind River – No report.

Drano Lake – 70 bank rods kept three Chinook, five coho and released 20 Chinook and three coho. 57 boats/156 rods kept 10 Chinook, one Chinook jack, 75 coho, six steelhead and released 26 Chinook,  three Chinook jacks, 10 coho and five steelhead. 

Klickitat River below Fisher Hill Bridge – 25 bank rods kept three Chinook, two coho and released one coho jack.  

Klickitat River above #5 Fishway – Seven bank rods had no catch.

Hanford Reach Fall Salmon Sport Fishery Update

Adult fall chinook returns to the Columbia River are almost complete for 2022. The Bonneville count of 505,112 is the highest in the past seven years. McNary passage will wrap up near the six-year average.

The upper section of the Hanford Reach, Hanford townsite powerline crossing to Priest Rapids Dam closed on October 16. The lower section of the Reach is scheduled to remain open through December 31 this year to provide anglers some additional days to target on the late run coho expected to return to Ringold Springs Hatchery.

This past week, WDFW staff interviewed anglers from 301 boats (748 anglers) and 103 bank anglers with 374 adult chinook, 39 jacks, and 1 coho harvested. Based on sampling information collected, the total harvest in the Reach was 1,047 adult chinook, 108 chinook jacks, and 3 coho were harvested from 2,263 angler trips.  Boat anglers averaged just under fish and half per boat (1.4), 10 hours per fish. Bank anglers fishing at the Ringold access area averaged 31 hours per salmon.

For the fishery, August 16-October 16, there have been 27,797 angler trips with 10,293 adult chinook, 938 chinook jacks, and 97 coho harvested. In addition, 153 adult chinook, 85 chinook jacks, 235 steelhead, and 17 sockeye have been caught and released.

Steelhead

The lower section of the Hanford Reach (Interstate 182 bridge upstream to the old Hanford townsite powerlines) opened for Ringold Springs Hatchery origin steelhead on October 1. Steelhead must be a minimum of 20 inches in length and must be adipose clipped and ventral fin clipped to be harvested in this area of the Columbia River. Steelhead are trickling into the hatchery in relatively low numbers. Only one Ringold Spring steelhead was reported harvested over the weekend. Fishing for steelhead and coho doesn’t typically improve until November. Ringold Springs origin coho are late run returning in late October through December.

Hatchery steelhead returns to the volunteer trap at Ringold Springs Hatchery have been relatively low to date. The first in-season return estimate should be completed by mid- November. At this time continuation of the fishery after November looks doubtful. Only one Ringold Spring Hatchery steelhead has been harvested to date from 358 bank anglers interviewed.