SW WA, Lower Columbia Fishing Report (9-20-22)

THE FOLLOWING FISHING REPORT WAS FORWARDED BY BRYANT SPELLMAN, WDFW

Preliminary Washington Columbia River mainstem and tributary sport sampling summary September 12-18, 2022

Lower Columbia River east end of Reed Island upstream to Bonneville Dam – 275 salmonid boats and  104 Washington bank rods were tallied during Saturday’s (9/17) flight count. 

Mainstem Columbia River 

Salmon/Steelhead: 

Sec 1 (Bonneville) – 93 bank anglers kept 29 Chinook, 10 Chinook jacks, one coho and released one  steelhead. 130 boats/318 rods kept 180 Chinook, 40 Chinook jacks, 11 coho, one coho jack and released  34 Chinook, 12 Chinook jacks and 15 coho. 

Sturgeon: 

Sec 1 (Bonneville) – 20 bank anglers released six sublegal and kept two legal sturgeon. 7 boats/22 rods had no catch.  

Sec 2 (Camas/Washougal) – No report.  

Sec 3 (I-5 area) – 5 boats/12 rods released five sublegal and one oversize sturgeon.  

Sec 4 (Vancouver) – 15 bank anglers had no catch. 45 boats/126 rods released 45 sublegal, 16 oversize  and kept nine legal sturgeon. 

Sec 5 (Woodland) – 40 boats/105 rods released 17 sublegal, seven oversize and kept seven legal  sturgeon. 

Sec 6 (Kalama) – 12 bank anglers released one sublegal. 69 boats/182 rods released 59 sublegal, 24  oversize and kept 24 legal sturgeon. 

Sec 7 (Cowlitz) – No report. 

Sec 8 (Longview) – 29 bank anglers had no catch. 92 boats/217 rods released 16 sublegal, 14 oversize,  one legal and kept 19 sturgeon.  

Sec 9 (Cathlamet) – Two bank anglers had no catch. 8 boats/16 rods released two sublegal, one  oversize and kept two legal sturgeon. 

Columbia River Tributaries 

Salmon/Steelhead: 

Cowlitz River I-5 Br downstream – 34 bank rods kept one coho and released one Chinook. 15 boats/45  rods kept five Chinook, five coho, one coho jack, one steelhead and released 26 Chinook, one Chinook  jack and 12 coho.  

Cowlitz River Above the I-5 Br – Nine bank rod had no catch. 2 boats/8 rods kept 14 steelhead.

Kalama River – 17 bank rods kept three Chinook. 

Lewis River – 91 bank rods kept two Chinook, 22 coho, six coho jacks, 10 steelhead and released one  Chinook and four coho jacks. 23 boats/56 rods kept three Chinook, one Chinook jack, 14 coho, seven  steelhead and released five Chinook and one coho. 

Wind River – Five bank rods kept one coho and released one Chinook and one coho. 9 boats/15 rods kept two Chinook, three coho and released two Chinook and 12 coho. 

Drano Lake – Eight bank rods kept one Chinook. 31 boats/82 rods kept 14 Chinook, one Chinook jack,  three coho and released 10 Chinook, one coho and two steelhead. 

Klickitat River below Fisher Hill Bridge – 40 bank rods kept 13 Chinook and two Chinook jacks.

Klickitat River above #5 Fishway – No report.