SW WA, Lower Columbia, Hanford Reach Fishing Report (9-23-24)

THE FOLLOWING FISHING REPORTS WERE FORWARDED BY WDFW

Preliminary Lower Columbia River and Tributary Sport Summary – Sept. 16-22, 2024

Lower Columbia River, Rocky Point/Tongue Point line upstream to Bonneville Dam – 834 salmonid boats and 172 Washington bank rods were tallied during the flight count on Saturday 9/21. 

Mainstem Columbia River 

Salmon/Steelhead: 

Sec 1 (Bonneville) – 87 bank anglers kept eight Chinook, four jacks and one coho. 66 boats/185 rods  kept 73 Chinook, 14 jacks, four coho, released one Chinook and five coho. 

Sec 2 (Camas/Washougal) – No bank effort reported. 124 boats/270 rods kept 55 Chinook, 10 jacks, 11  coho, one coho jack, released two Chinook, two jacks, three coho and one coho jack. 

Sec 3 (I-5 area) – one bank angler had no catch. 21 boats/47 rods kept four Chinook, two jacks, three  coho and released one Chinook. 

Sec 4 (Vancouver) – 67 bank anglers kept three Chinook and released one coho jack. 169 boats/382 rods  kept 124 Chinook, 37 jacks, 26 coho, two coho jacks, released seven jacks, 13 coho and two coho jacks.  

Sec 5 (Woodland) – 10 bank anglers had no catch. 10 boats/24 rods kept five Chinook, four jacks, five  coho, one coho jack, released one jack and one coho. 

Sec 6 (Kalama) – 12 bank anglers kept one Chinook and one jack. 10 boats/30 rods kept eight Chinook and two jacks. 

Sec 7 (Cowlitz) – No bank effort reported. 6 boats/15 rods kept four Chinook. 

Sec 8 (Longview) – 15 bank anglers kept one coho. 29 boats/62 rods kept seven Chinook, one jack, ten coho, released four jacks, eight coho and three coho jacks. 

Sec 9 (Cathlamet) – No bank effort reported. 1 boat/2 rods had no catch. 

Sec 10 (Cathlamet) – Three bank anglers had no catch. 4 boats/8 rods kept four Chinook and five coho. Sturgeon: 

No effort reported. 

Columbia River Tributaries 

Salmon/Steelhead: 

Cowlitz River I-5 Br downstream – 75 bank rods kept two coho, one steelhead, released five Chinook, two coho and two coho jacks. 12 boats/26 rods kept two coho, released three Chinook and fifteen coho.

Cowlitz River Above the I-5 Br – 51 bank rods kept one coho, four steelhead, released nine Chinook and  two jacks. 14 boats/33 rods kept two steelhead. 

Kalama River – 17 bank rods kept three steelhead. 

Lewis River Mainstem – 217 bank rods kept 42 coho, two coho jacks, one steelhead, released seven Chinook and 14 coho. 16 boats/24 rods kept one Chinook, six coho, one coho jack and released two  Chinook. 

Wind River – Two bank rods had no catch. 3 boats/5 rods kept nine coho. 

Drano Lake – 24 bank rods released four steelhead and one coho jack. 95 boats/296 rods kept 147 Chinook, 58 Chinook jacks, 26 coho, one coho jack, released 29 Chinook and 10 steelhead. 

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

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

2024 Hanford Reach Sport Fishery

The Hanford Reach fall salmon sport fishery from September 16 through September 22. WDFW staff interviewed anglers from 488 boats (1,509 anglers) with 506 adult Chinook. Based on sampling, an estimated 1,551 adult Chinook were harvested from 4,376 angler trips (1,515 boats) in the sixth week of the fishery. In addition,  9 steelhead were caught and released.