Columbia spring chinook fishing slow

BOB BROWN, FOR THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published Friday, March 29, 2002

Anglers are zeroed in on Columbia River hatchery chinook salmon, but the results have been disappointing.

Effort was intense last weekend with more than 700 boats counted from Bonneville Dam downstream. The highest effort was in the Cathlamet and Vancouver areas, but the catch was poor.

Boaters averaged about one chinook per every 20 rods.

More than 200 anglers were counted on the Washington shore, mostly downstream from Bonneville Dam, but only about one in 70 bank fishers caught a salmon.

At Bonneville Dam, 2,145 adult spring chinook had been counted through last Sunday, about 75 percent below last year's count on that date.

"It is too early for a clear picture of what is happening to the spring run because we are dealing with some unknown factors," said Joe Hymer, a Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist in Vancouver. "The commercial fishery is running longer than last year and this could be reflective on the dam count. Water conditions are similar to last year."

Anglers can keep only hatchery chinook with adipose fins completely removed.

Saltwater

- TACOMA: Anglers averaged one-half blackmouth per rod early this week, said Art Tachell of Point Defiance Boathouse & Marina.

Just outside Quartermaster Harbor was productive for trollers. A few fish were caught in front of the boathouse, he said.

Rivers

- COWLITZ: Water levels went way up last week and boater effort has decreased since.

Boaters at Blue Creek averaged about one steelhead per rod until the water rose.

Anglers at the barrier dam continue to land some winter-run steelhead, but not much is happening at Blue Creek, said Karen Glazer of Barrier Dam Campground.

The fish have averaged 8 to 14 pounds.

- OLYMPIC COAST: The rivers are in good shape, said Bob Gooding, of Olympic Sporting Goods in Forks. The Hoh is probably the best choice.

Drifting seems to be working best, he said. The fish have averaged 12 to 17 pounds.

- LEWIS: Light effort and catches. Flows below Merwin Dam were 6,500 cubic feet per second last Monday.

- WIND: Light effort, but boat anglers are catching some spring chinook.

- CHEHALIS: Lots of anglers, but there have been few reports on success, said Ray Dean, of Monte Square Food Mart in Montesano.

The river is open until April 30 from Fuller Bridge crossing to the high bridge on the Weyerhaeuser 1000 Line.

- KALAMA: Anglers landed a few steelhead last weekend. The water level has been dropping.

- COLUMBIA: Boaters at Bonneville Pool caught some steelhead last week. The pool closes to steelhead fishing Sunday. Bonneville currently is closed to salmon fishing.

- WYNOOCHEE: Fishing is winding down, said Walt Harvey of Verle's Sports in Shelton. The river closes April 15 from the mouth to the 7400-Line bridge.

Sturgeon

Last weekend, Columbia River fishers near Sauvie Island averaged 0.6 legal-sized sturgeon per boat. Anglers in the gorge averaged 0.57 legals per boat. Most fishers in the Portland-to-Longview area were near Kelly Point.

Lakes

- THURSTON COUNTY: The Tenino area's Offut Lake recently was planted with brood trout weighing 2 1/2 pounds and more. Some of those are being caught, said Becky Pogue, of Offut Lake Resort. Anglers are also catching rainbows up to 17 inches. Try nightcrawlers or yellow Power Eggs.

- PIERCE COUNTY: Boaters still-fishing the south end of Spanaway Lake did well last weekend using worm-and-marshmallow combinations. Some fish weighed nearly 5 pounds. Bank fishers did well, too. Bruce Buckley, of Lake Tapps, caught a 3 1/2-pound rainbow off the dock.

- LEWIS COUNTY: Fishing at Riffe Lake has been pretty good at the dam and near the island, said a spokesperson at Wild Country Sporting Goods in Mossyrock.

Fishing is reported to be good at the other end of the lake, too. Try sand shrimp as bait.

At Mayfield Lake, just downstream from Riffe on the Cowlitz, fishing has been fair for both bank and boat fishers.

- MASON COUNTY: Most of the year-round lakes have been restocked and fishing is reported to be good.

Fly-fishing

- SALTWATER: South Sound is heating up, said Tom Bolender, of the Streamside Anglers store in Tumwater. Cutthroat trout reportedly are back out of the rivers.

A 20-inch cutthroat was caught off Hope Island last weekend. Use long casts and try small Clouser minnows, Sculpin patterns or chum fry imitations.

- RIVERS: The Wynoochee is still fishing well. Green Butt Skunks, egg-sucking leeches and Glo Bugs are all working. The Cowlitz catch is down. The Deschutes opens to year-round fishing May 1.

Because of high water, few anglers are fishing the river, but those who are report March Browns, little brown Stoneflies and the occasional Blue Wing Olive hatch are luring a few fish.

- River cleanup: Streamside Anglers will sponsor a Deschutes River cleanup May 19. For more information, call (360) 709-3337.

- Meeting: Streamside Anglers will have Bill Jollymore from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 20. Jollymore will talk about fly-fishing the Kamloops area lakes in British Columbia.

Bob Brown is a correspondent for The Olympian. He can be reached at 754-5432.

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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