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Ecology and salmon related articles

Fishing Report, February 22

by Terry Otto
The Columbian, February 22, 2017

(Dick Borneman) A spring chinook caught in early March 2009 near the upper end of Bachelor Island States set seasons for spring Chinook

Oregon and Washington have set the spring Chinook seasons for the lower Columbia River for 2018.

The Joint State Compact meeting was held on Feb. 21 at the Airport Shilo Inn in Portland. The states adopted the option favored by the bi-state Columbia River Advisory Group on Feb. 13.

Fishermen below Bonneville Dam will get to fish for Columbia River spring Chinook until April 7 unless the run does not come in as expected. Above the I-5 Bridge the season will start on March 1 and run until April 7 with a two ad-clipped hatchery adult salmon/steelhead limit, only one of which may be a Chinook.

Boat anglers may fish from the I-5 Bridge to Beacon Rock. Bank anglers can fish from the I-5 Bridge to at Bonneville Dam.

Below the I-5 Bridge the season has been open since Jan. 1, with a two adult limit, and anglers could retain two Chinook. On March 1 that will change to a two-fish limit, but only one of which can be a Chinook. This section of the river will also close on April 7.

Steelhead, shad retention restricted

Effective March 16 to May 15, the Columbia River will be open for retention of hatchery steelhead from Buoy 10 to the Highway 395 Bridge, and for shad from Buoy 10 to the Bonneville Dam only during days and in areas that are open for retention of hatchery spring Chinook.

Weekend fishing opportunities

Salmon/Steelhead

Many creel surveys were curtailed by inclement weather.

A handful of spring Chinook have been caught in the Willamette and the Columbia rivers, but catches and effort should improve in March.

Steelhead angling in Southwest Washington tributaries continues to be slow, but should improve in the coming weeks.

. . .

Related Pages:
Fisheries Managers Forecast 'Unprecedentedly Low' Summer Steelhead by George Plaven, East Oregonian, 5/22/17


Terry Otto
Fishing Report, February 22
The Columbian, February 22, 2017

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