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

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

Preliminary Washington Columbia River mainstem and tributary sport sampling summary July 17-23, 2023

Lower Columbia River, Megler-Astoria Bridge upstream to Bonneville Dam – 81 salmonid boats and  231 Washington bank rods were tallied during Saturday’s (7/22) flight count. 

Mainstem Columbia River 

Salmon/Steelhead: 

Sec 1 (Bonneville) – 63 bank anglers kept five steelhead and released one Chinook and 11 steelhead. 

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

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

Sec 4 (Vancouver) – 42 bank anglers kept one steelhead and released four steelhead. 6 boats/10 rods  kept one steelhead and released one steelhead. 

Sec 5 (Woodland) – 36 bank anglers kept three steelhead and released four steelhead. 6 boats/12 rods  kept two steelhead and released one steelhead. 

Sec 6 (Kalama) – 170 bank anglers kept four steelhead, one sockeye and released two Chinook and  seven steelhead. 13 boats/28 rods released two steelhead. 

Sec 7 (Cowlitz) – 1 boat/2 rods had no catch. 

Sec 8 (Longview) – 156 bank anglers kept 14 steelhead, one sockeye and released one Chinook and five steelhead. 47 boats/111 rods kept 18 steelhead and released one Chinook and eight steelhead. 

Sec 9 (Cathlamet) – 29 bank anglers kept three steelhead and released one Chinook and three steelhead. 16 boats/32 rods kept seven steelhead and released two steelhead.  

Sec 10 (Cathlamet) – Nine bank anglers kept one steelhead and released one steelhead.  

Sturgeon: 

Sec 5 (Woodland) – 1 boat/2 rods had no catch. 

Sec 6 (Kalama) – 1 boat/2 rods released 20 sublegal and three legal sturgeon. 

Columbia River Tributaries 

Salmon/Steelhead: 

Cowlitz River I-5 Br downstream – 40 bank rods kept one steelhead. 2 boats/7 rods had no catch.  

Cowlitz River Above the I-5 Br – 37 bank rods kept one jack, one steelhead and released one Chinook  and one jack. 30 boats/97 rods kept three jacks, 53 steelhead and released two steelhead. 

Kalama River – 28 bank rods had no catch. 1 boat/2 rods had no catch. 

Lewis River – 24 bank rods kept two steelhead. 4 boats/6 rods had no catch. 

Wind River – No report. 

Drano Lake – 8 boats/15 rods kept one Chinook and released four Chinook and five steelhead.

Klickitat River below Fisher Hill Bridge – One bank rod had no catch. 

Klickitat River above #5 Fishway – No report.

Hanford Reach Summer Salmon Fishery Update

Sockeye and summer chinook runs are coming to a close for 2023. Sockeye counts at Bonneville continue to decline and are running less than 400 fish per day. Counts at McNary have now declined to less than 200 a day. Total sockeye passage at Bonneville to date is 325,842, 227,637 through McNary, and 221,320 at Priest Rapids fish ladders. Total adult summer chinook through Bonneville is 49,046.

The Hanford Reach summer salmon sport fishery is winding down. This past week, WDFW staff interviewed 10 anglers from 8 boats and  5 bank anglers with 1 sockeye kept and 1 released. Anglers averaged one salmon for every four boats,  38 angler hours per fish. The bank fishery for salmon below the Interstate 182 Bridge at Columbia Point closed July 15.

Since the opener, 1,067 sockeye, 43 hatchery adult chinook, 23 hatchery chinook jacks, and 2 wild jacks have been harvested.

Anglers are observing dead white sturgeon in the Columbia River this year likely due to elevated water temperatures. If you observe a dead sturgeon please send me an email with the location (GPS is terrific but general location is good), approximate length, and any identifying marks.