SW WA, Lower Columbia Fishing Report (9-29-24)

THE FOLLOWING FISHING REPORTS WERE FORWARDED BY BRYANT SPELLMAN AND TODD MILLER, WDFW

Preliminary Washington Columbia River mainstem and tributary sport sampling summary September 23-29, 2024

Lower Columbia River, Rocky Point/Tongue Point line upstream to Bonneville Dam – 537 salmonid boats and 104 Washington bank rods were tallied during Saturday’s (9/28) flight count. 

Mainstem Columbia River 

Salmon/Steelhead: 

Sec 1 (Bonneville) – 135 bank anglers kept 29 Chinook, six Chinook jacks, two coho, one coho jack and  released one Chinook jack. 37 boats/107 rods kept 59 Chinook, two Chinook jacks and two coho.  

Sec 2 (Camas/Washougal) – 72 boats/153 rods kept 35 Chinook, 10 Chinook jacks, 10 coho, two coho  jacks, released three Chinook, one coho and one coho jack. 

Sec 3 (I-5 area) – One bank angler had no catch. 24 boats/46 rods kept five Chinook, three coho and  released two coho.  

Sec 4 (Vancouver) – 28 bank anglers had no catch. 101 boats/199 rods kept 55 Chinook, six Chinook  jacks, 15 coho, released two Chinook and six coho. 

Sec 5 (Woodland) – Two bank anglers had no catch. 52 boats/107 rods kept 28 Chinook, eight Chinook  jacks, 24 coho, seven coho jacks, released one Chinook jack, four coho and one coho jack. 

Sec 6 (Kalama) – 85 bank anglers kept 10 Chinook, five coho and released two coho. 22 boats/47 rods kept nine Chinook, two Chinook jacks and four coho.  

Sec 7 (Cowlitz) – 6 boats/12 rods kept three coho.  

Sec 8 (Longview) – 27 bank anglers kept one Chinook. 73 boats/153 rods kept 22 Chinook, two Chinook  jacks, 41 coho, one coho jack, released 27 coho and one steelhead. 

Sec 9 (Cathlamet) – 17 boats/33 rods kept four Chinook, one Chinook jack, 17 coho, three coho jacks,  released one Chinook jack and three coho. 

Sec 10 (Cathlamet) – No report. 

Sturgeon: 

Sec 4 (Vancouver) – 1 boat/2 rods had no catch.

Columbia River Tributaries 

Salmon/Steelhead: 

Cowlitz River I-5 Br downstream – 67 bank rods kept four coho, two coho jacks, released four Chinook and five coho.  

Cowlitz River Above the I-5 Br – 17 bank rods kept one coho jack, two steelhead and released one  Chinook. 

Kalama River – Five bank rods had no catch.  

Lewis River – 45 bank rods kept 14 coho, one steelhead, released one coho and one coho jack. 13 boats/20 rods kept two Chinook, one coho, released three Chinook, four coho and one coho jack. 

Wind River – 1 boat/2 rods kept two coho and released four coho. 

Drano Lake – 25 bank rods kept two coho, released four coho and 11 steelhead. 77 boats/215 rods kept  90 Chinook, seven Chinook jacks, 19 coho and 22 steelhead. 

Klickitat River below Fisher Hill Bridge – 44 bank rods kept 13 Chinook, three coho and released one  Chinook. 2 boats/3 rods kept two Chinook. 

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

2024 Hanford Reach Sport Harvest

The Hanford Reach fall salmon sport fishery from September 22 through September 29. WDFW staff interviewed anglers from 549 boats (1,639 anglers) with 736 adult Chinook. Based on sampling, an estimated 1,889 adult Chinook were harvested from 4,091 angler trips (1,416 boats) in the seventh week of the fishery.