SW WA, Lower Columbia, Hanford Reach Fishing Report (10-3-23)

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

Preliminary Washington Columbia River mainstem and tributary sport sampling summary September 25-October 1, 2023

Lower Columbia River, Rocky Point/Tongue Point line upstream to Bonneville Dam – 435 salmonid boats and 106 Washington bank rods were tallied during Saturday’s (9/30) flight count. 

Mainstem Columbia River 

Salmon/Steelhead: 

Sec 1 (Bonneville) – 33 bank anglers kept 12 Chinook, two Chinook jacks, four coho, two coho jacks and  released two coho. 9 boats/19 rods kept eight Chinook, four coho and released one Chinook and two coho.  

Sec 2 (Camas/Washougal) – 48 boats/105 rods kept 18 Chinook, three Chinook jacks, 13 coho and  released four Chinook, one Chinook jack and six coho. 

Sec 3 (I-5 area) – No report.  

Sec 4 (Vancouver) – Two bank anglers had no catch. 33 boats/63 rods kept six Chinook, three Chinook  jacks, six coho and released three Chinook jacks and one coho. 

Sec 5 (Woodland) – Five bank anglers had no catch. 16 boats/33 rods kept two Chinook and four coho. Sec 6 (Kalama) – 7 boats/13 rods kept two Chinook and one Chinook jack. 

Sec 7 (Cowlitz) – 3 boats/6 rods kept one Chinook and one coho. 

Sec 8 (Longview) – Three bank anglers had no catch. 4 boats/8 rods had no catch.

Sec 9 (Cathlamet) – Three bank angler had no catch.  

Columbia River Tributaries 

Salmon/Steelhead: 

Cowlitz River I-5 Br downstream – 64 bank rods kept six coho, four coho jacks and released one Chinook, one coho jack and one pink. 10 boats/22 rods kept five coho, two coho jacks and released four coho.  

Cowlitz River Above the I-5 Br – 74 bank rods released nine Chinook, two Chinook jacks, three coho and  four coho jacks. 3 boats/6 rods kept three coho, two steelhead and released one Chinook. 

Kalama River – No report. 

Lewis River – No report.  

Wind River – Two bank rods had no catch. 11 boats/23 rods kept 13 coho. 

Drano Lake – Eight bank rods had no catch. 45 boats/127 rods kept 62 Chinook, six Chinook jacks, 33 coho and released nine Chinook and one coho. 

Klickitat River below Fisher Hill Bridge – 24 bank rods kept nine Chinook.

Klickitat River above #5 Fishway – No report.

2023 Hanford Reach Sport Fishery

The Hanford Reach fall salmon sport fishery from September 25 through October 1. WDFW staff interviewed anglers from 511 boats (1,552 anglers) with 638 adult Chinook. Based on sampling, an estimated 2,003 adult Chinook were harvested from 4,730 angler trips (1,607 boats) in the seventh week of the fishery.