SW WA, Lower Columbia, Hanford Reach Fishing Report (7-23-24)

THE FOLLOWING FISHING REPORTS WERE FORWARDED BY JERRY PRUIETT AND TODD MILLER, WDFW

Preliminary Washington Columbia River mainstem and tributary sport sampling summary July 15-21, 2024

Lower Columbia River, Rocky Point/Tongue Point line upstream to Bonneville Dam – 92 salmonid boats and 240 Washington bank rods were tallied during the flight count on Saturday (7/20). 

Mainstem Columbia River 

Salmon/Steelhead: 

Sec 1 (Bonneville) – 48 bank anglers kept three steelhead and released 19 steelhead. 

Sec 2 (Camas/Washougal) – 10 bank anglers released one steelhead. 8 boats/14 rods kept five  steelhead and released three Chinook. 

Sec 3 (I-5 area) – 10 bank anglers kept one steelhead, and released one Chinook. 5 boats/9 rods  released two steelhead. 

Sec 4 (Vancouver) – 45 bank anglers kept three steelhead, released three steelhead and one sockeye. 3 boats/5 rods kept one steelhead and released one steelhead.

Sec 5 (Woodland) – Nine bank anglers had no catch. 2 boats/3 rods had no catch.

Sec 6 (Kalama) – 118 bank anglers kept seven steelhead, released 18 steelhead and four sockeye.

Sec 7 (Cowlitz) – 1 boat/3 rods kept one steelhead. 

Sec 8 (Longview) – 121 bank anglers kept 13 steelhead, released 11 steelhead and one sockeye. 7 boats/17 rods kept six steelhead. 

Sec 9 (Cathlamet) – Two bank anglers released three steelhead. 

Sec 10 (Cathlamet) – Three bank anglers released three steelhead. 

Sturgeon: 

Sec 2 (Camas/Washougal) – Two bank anglers had no catch. 

Sec 7 (Cowlitz) – 1 boat/2 rods released seven sub-legal sturgeon. 

Sec 8 (Longview) – 1 boat/3 rods released one legal sturgeon. 

Walleye: 

Sec 2 (Camas/Washougal) – 1 boat/1 rod released two walleye. 

Columbia River Tributaries 

Salmon/Steelhead: 

Cowlitz River I-5 Br downstream – 10 bank rods kept two steelhead. 1 boat/2 rods released one  sublegal sturgeon.  

Cowlitz River Above the I-5 Br – 16 bank rods kept one Jack and seven steelhead. 3 boats/9 rods kept  nine steelhead. 

Kalama River – No report. 

Lewis River – Two bank rods had no catch. 15 boats/44 rods kept eight Chinook, three steelhead, and  released three Chinook and one steelhead. 

Wind River – No report. 

Drano Lake – Two bank rods had no catch. 15 boats/36 rods kept three Chinook, two jacks, released five Chinook and 16 steelhead. 

Klickitat River below Fisher Hill Bridge – Two bank anglers had no catch. 

Klickitat River above #5 Fishway – No report.

Hanford Reach Summer Salmon Fishery

The Hanford Reach summer salmon sport fishery is slowing down. This past week, WDFW staff interviewed 89 anglers from 47 boats and 28 bank anglers with 41 sockeye kept and 1 hatchery jack Chinook kept. Anglers averaged 16 angler hours per fish. The bank fishery for salmon below the Interstate 182 Bridge at Columbia Point closed July 15.

Since the opener, 7,372 sockeye, 94 hatchery adult chinook, and 18 hatchery chinook jacks have been harvested.