Downer: Fishing by the book
Thursday, September 4, 2008 11:32 PM PDT
Printable version
E-mail this articleColumn by Chuck Downer
For The Daily News
I know I’ve written this hundreds of times over the years, but If you haven’t yet picked up a copy of the 2008 Fishing in Washington pamphlet, now would be a good time to do so. Over the next several weeks there will be ample opportunity to fish for salmon, steelhead, and harvest trout; in the ocean, the mainstem Columbia River and Columbia tributaries, but a fishing pamphlet is absolutely critical in sorting it all out.
There are several changes in salmon regulations, most offering additional opportunities to catch chinook salmon, that aren’t listed in the pamphlet, and we’ll outline those as we go along this week. We’re going to start at the ocean and move up the Columbia River to the I-5 bridge at Vancouver, summarizing regulations as we go.
Marine Area 1: Ilwaco is closed to fishing, but Marine Areas 2 and 3 (Westport and La Push) reopened on Aug. 26, as did that portion of Neah Bay (Marine Area 4) east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line. Anglers fishing areas 2 and 3 may retain two adult chinook as part of their daily limit, while anglers fishing the open section of Neah Bay may retain fin-clipped silvers only. This season is expected to run through Sept. 13, provided quotas aren’t exceeded prior to that date.
The Columbia River from Buoy 10 upriver to the Rocky Point/ Tongue Point line (Buoy 10), is closed to salmon and steelhead fishing. Because both Marine Area 1 and the Buoy 10 area are currently closed, the North Jetty is closed to salmon and steelhead fishing at this time.
Refer to page 79 of the ‘08 fishing pamphlet for regulations for the Columbia River from the Rocky Point/Tongue Point line to the I-5 bridge at Vancouver. For the Sept. 1-16 time frame, anglers may retain a daily limit of six salmon, minimum size 12 inches. Only two may be adult salmon, and only one of these an adult chinook. Release wild coho, sockeye, and chum. Be sure to read the information on the fall chinook sanctuary at the mouth of the Lewis River.
Regulations for the Naselle River and Grays River can be found in the fishing pamphlet, as can regulations for the Elochoman. Since Sept. 1, however, anglers have been allowed to retain two adult chinook salmon as part of their daily limit of six salmon, four of which may be adults, on the Elochoman. This is not listed in the pamphlet.
Mill, Abernathy, and Germany creeks, located west of Longview, are closed to fishing from Sept. 1 through Oct. 31. All will reopen on Nov. 1 for hatchery winter steelhead.
Salmon regulations for the Cowlitz River are as listed in the pamphlet - No adult chinook may be retained. From the mouth of the river to Mayfield Dam, anglers are allowed a daily limit of six salmon, minimum size 12 inches. Only fin-clipped silvers and fin-clipped chinook jacks may be retained. Anglers may retain up to six fin-clipped adult silvers.
In addition to the salmon opportunities, anglers may retain five trout daily on the Cowlitz, three of which may be hatchery steelhead, above the Cowlitz Way bridge at Kelso. Minimum size is 12 inches, and sea run cutthroat must be fin-clipped. Downstream of the bridge, the five-fish trout limit can include two fin-clipped steelhead only.
The Coweeman River, like the creeks west of town, is closed to fishing from Sept. 1 through Oct. It will reopen for fin-clipped winter steelhead on Nov. 1, at least under current regs. The DFW plans to make it a wild fish refuge.
Regulations for the Toutle River system, which includes the mainstem Toutle, North Fork Toutle, and the Green River, allow the angler six salmon daily, minimum size 12 inches. According to the fishing pamphlet and a later change, four adult fin-clipped coho and one adult chinook may be retained as part of the six fish limit. Release wild coho, non-clipped chinook jacks, and chum.
On the Kalama River, from the mouth to the fishway 1,000 feet upstream of the upper salmon hatchery, anglers are allowed a daily limit of six salmon, minimum size 12 inches. Up to four salmon may be adults, and two of these may be chinook salmon. Release wild coho, wild chinook jacks, and chum. Beginning Oct. 1, release all Chinook upstream of the natural gas pipeline. These regulations are the same as found in the fishing pamphlet.
And finally, the Lewis River system, which includes the mainstem and the North Fork. No chinook may be retained. The daily limit is six hatchery coho, minimum size 12 inches. Up to four of the six fish limit may be adults. Anglers may retain three hatchery steelhead, from the I-5 bridge upstream to the overhead power lines below Merwin Dam, in addition to the salmon limit.
It’s still essential to refer to the fishing pamphlet to understand the full scope of the regulations. Be sure to check for night closures, lure restrictions, etc. You will not be able to fish legally without frequent reference to the pamphlet. Carry it with you, in your vehicle, or better yet, tuck it away in a pocket of your fishing vest.
For the first time in several years, Bob’s Merchandise (425-3870) is not running a fall salmon derby this year, due to the shortness of the season on the Columbia River.
Anglers are limited to one fish per day per person. A 42 pound chinook was brought in over the past holiday weekend.
Mr. Chinook wrote on Sep 5, 2008 4:24 AM:
tvstad wrote on Sep 5, 2008 10:55 AM:
Keep up the "column" "
Tom Paulu wrote on Sep 5, 2008 4:01 PM:
As for Canyon Creek, you can blame me for supposedly spoiling the secrecy. Chuck didn't mention it in his column until after I had written a story and run photos. However, I suspect a few hundred or thousand anglers already knew about it.
Tom Paulu
Outdoors editor "
kelsograd wrote on Sep 5, 2008 6:11 PM:
Atrucker wrote on Sep 6, 2008 3:48 PM:
Fall chinook fishing between Tongue Point and Bonneville Dam opens Monday, with excellent catches anticipated as a result of plenty of fish in the lower Columbia and conducive water temperatures.
Why such optimism?
Catches at Buoy 10 were very good on Saturday and decent on Sunday, even as the weather was turning stormy. The preliminary catch estimate for Buoy 10 - which closed to chinook retention on Monday - was about 8,000 chinook. Biologists on Thursday projected the final catch would be about 6,000.
The gillnet fleet on Monday night, fishing from Woodland up to Beacon Rock, landed 4,600 chinook, more than anticipated.
Sunday's Bonneville Dam count of almost 15,000 chinook was a record for that date.
Chris Kern of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said it is too early to say if the fall chinook run is larger than forecast, or if it's just early.
Angling is scheduled to stay open through Sept. 16. Whether the season makes it that long will depend on dam counts, catch rates, and which stocks of chinook anglers are catching.
Anglers need to remember there is no chinook retention in an eight-mile stretch from the mouth of the Lewis River downstream.
Although Buoy 10 is closed for chinook retention, there's still coho being caught. Sampling by Washington officials was 438 anglers with 151 chinook and 128 coho on Saturday, and 514 anglers with 103 chinook and 87 coho on Sunday.
Anglers were catching fall chinook Monday in the Washougal River downstream "
Atrucker wrote on Sep 6, 2008 3:54 PM:
The county line was hot at the first of the week . From the old fisherman ,
The cutts are also showing in good numbers if you know where to look . "
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