SW WA, Lower Columbia, Hanford Fishing Reports (11-5-21)

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

Preliminary Washington Columbia River mainstem and tributary sport sampling summary October 25-31, 2021

Mainstem Columbia River 

Salmon/Steelhead: 

Sec 1 (Bonneville) – 43 bank anglers kept three coho, two coho jacks and released one Chinook. 

Sec 2 (Camas/Washougal) – 2 boats/2 rods had no catch.

Sec 3 (I-5 area) – No report.  

Sec 4 (Vancouver) – 2 boats/3 rods had no catch. 

Sec 5 (Woodland) – 1 boat/1 rod had no catch. 

Sec 6 (Kalama) – Six bank anglers had no catch. 

Sec 7 (Cowlitz) – No report. 

Sec 8 (Longview) – No report. 

Sec 9 (Cathlamet) – No report.  

Sec 10 (Cathlamet) – No report. 

Columbia River Tributaries 

Salmon/Steelhead: 

Cowlitz River I-5 Br downstream – No report.  

Cowlitz River Above the I-5 Br – No report. 

Kalama River – No report.  

Lewis River – 13 bank rods kept two coho and released three Chinook and one coho. 

Wind River – No report. 

Drano Lake – Five bank rods released three coho. 2 boats/4 rods kept two coho and released two Chinook. 

Klickitat River below Fisher Hill Bridge – 32 bank rods kept 23 coho and released two Chinook and two  coho. 

Klickitat River above #5 Fishway – No report.

Hanford Reach Fall Salmon Fishery

An estimated 11,494 adult chinook, 957 chinook jacks, and 134 coho were harvested during 33,271 angler trips for the Hanford Reach fall salmon fishery. Harvest was down 22% compared to the 2020 fishery.

A bank only fishery for fall chinook and coho is open through November 15 at the Ringold Springs Hatchery access area. Daily limit is six salmon, only two adults. Fishery is closed at night. This is the first year of adult coho returns from Ringold Springs Hatchery production. The Ringold Springs coho are adipose clipped but anglers can harvest either hatchery or wild coho and fall chinook. Anglers have been harvesting primarily coho since this fishery opened on November 2. High flows in the Upper Columbia have limited shoreline access this past week. The fishery may be extended depending on harvest, effort, and adult returns to Ringold Springs Hatchery.   

The Hanford Reach wild fall chinook return is currently estimated at 60,593 adult chinook, well above the minimum escapement goal of 31,100 established for this population. Final return estimates for Hanford Reach wild and hatchery fall chinook populations will be generated over the next few weeks.