SW WA, Lower Columbia, Hanford Reach Fishing Reports (8-3-22)

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

Preliminary Washington Columbia River mainstem and tributary sport sampling summary July 25-31, 2022

Mainstem Columbia River 

Salmon/Steelhead

Sec 1 (Bonneville) – 113 bank anglers kept three Chinook, 15 steelhead, two sockeye and released three Chinook and 21 steelhead.  

Sec 2 (Camas/Washougal) – 11 boats/23 rods kept six Chinook, one sockeye and released two Chinook  and one steelhead. 

BUOY 10, THE FALL SALMON FISHERY AT THE MOUTH OF THE COLUMBIA WHERE JOHN WEINHEIMER CAUGHT THIS CHINOOK IN 2019, OPENED THIS WEEK. ONLY HATCHERY KINGS (AND HATCHERY COHO) CAN BE RETAINED UNTIL AUGUST 25. (COAST FISHING PHOTO CONTEST)

Sec 3 (I-5 area) – 32 bank anglers kept six steelhead, two sockeye and released three steelhead. 3 boats/6 rods had no catch.  

Sec 4 (Vancouver) – 95 bank anglers kept two Chinook, 19 steelhead and released one Chinook, 19 steelhead and two sockeye. 11 boats/21 rods kept three steelhead and released two steelhead.

Sec 5 (Woodland) – 68 bank anglers kept one Chinook, five steelhead and released six steelhead. 6 boats/12 rods kept one steelhead and released one steelhead. 

Sec 6 (Kalama) – 250 bank anglers kept two Chinook, one jack, 20 steelhead and released seven Chinook, one jack and 26 steelhead. 11 boats/16 rods kept two steelhead and released one Chinook. 

Sec 7 (Cowlitz) – 7 boats/17 rods kept five steelhead and released one Chinook and one steelhead. 

Sec 8 (Longview) – 180 bank anglers kept one Chinook, 11 steelhead, one sockeye and released 20 steelhead. 29 boats/65 rods kept two jacks, 16 steelhead and released two Chinook, one jack and five  steelhead. 

Sec 9 (Cathlamet) – 26 bank anglers kept one steelhead and released one Chinook, two jacks and four steelhead. 1 boat/2 rods kept two steelhead and released two steelhead.  

Sec 10 (Cathlamet) – Four bank anglers had no catch.  

Sturgeon: 

Sec 3 (I-5 area) – 1 boat/4 rods released two sublegal sturgeon. 

Sec 5 (Woodland) – 2 boats/6 rods released one sublegal sturgeon.  

Walleye: 

Sec 2 (Camas/Washougal) – 1 boat/1 rod had no catch. 

Columbia River Tributaries 

Salmon/Steelhead

Cowlitz River I-5 Br downstream – 18 bank rods kept two steelhead.  

Cowlitz River Above the I-5 Br – 10 bank rods kept three steelhead. 26 boats/97 rods kept 85 steelhead. 

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

Lewis River – 16 bank rods kept one steelhead. 2 boats/6 rods kept one steelhead. Drano Lake – No report. 

Klickitat River below Fisher Hill Bridge – No report. Klickitat River above #5 Fishway – No report.

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Hanford Reach Summer Chinook & Sockeye Sport Fishery

Sockeye and summer chinook counts at Bonneville and McNary have declined to less than 1,000 per day. Very few anglers were fishing for salmon in the Tri-cities area this past week.

WDFW staff interviewed 20 anglers this past week, 19 boat anglers and 1 bank angler.  For the week, 10 sockeye were harvested. Based on the data collected through July 31, there have been 13,108 angler trips for salmon in the Hanford Reach summer salmon fishery with 7,702 sockeye, 215 hatchery adult chinook, and 15 jack chinook harvested. 58 wild adult chinook have been caught and released.

The fall salmon fishery in the Hanford Reach will open August 16 with chinook counts at McNary increasing the last week of August.

Walleye

Walleye fishing has picked up in the Tri-city area. WDFW staff interviewed 10 boats (14 anglers) fishing for walleye this past week with 43 walleye.