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Lower Columbia River Spring Chinook Catch Data by Mark Yuasa Seattle Times, April 8, 2015

Longview officials say they're continuing effort to build facility to receive crude from North Dakota

Here is the latest Lower Columbia River in-season catch and angler effort estimates by state Fish and Wildlife:

During April 1-5, anglers on the lower Columbia made 21,297 trips and caught 3,994 adult Chinook (3,439 kept and 555 released) and 87 steelhead (34 kept and 53 released). Based on VSI sampling, upriver fish comprised 76% of the kept catch.

From Feb. 1-April 5, there have been an estimated 67,717 angler trips with 6,015 adult spring Chinook kept and 991 released. 4,460 (74%) of the Chinook kept were upriver origin based upon Visual Stock Identification (VSI).

Prior to the run update, allocation of upriver fish (including release mortalities) for non-Indian fisheries will be: 10,318 fish for the recreational fishery below Bonneville Dam.

According to the data provided by Joy Hymer, a state Fish and Wildlife biologist, the best fishing occurred in the Woodland area and most angler effort 1,160 boats with 2,952 anglers (2,093 with 4,550 the week before) had 616 springers kept (214 the week before) and 77 released (56); and Vancouver area 1,272 with 3,157 (2,088 with 4,868) with 501 kept (335) and 97 released (48).

Another location with good angling pressure is around the I-5 Bridge 815 with 2,184 (1,908 with 4,733) with 220 (208) caught and 39 (64) released.

The Longview area saw 1837 with 1,922 (1,600 with 3,340) with 297 (284) caught and 44 released (18); downstream from Puget Island 752 with 1,880 (1,745 with 3,741) with 491 (541) caught and 15 (16) released; the Kalama stretch 447 with 1,101 (895 with 1,975) with 207 (112) caught and 38 (17) released; and Cathlamet 291 with 711 (612 with 1,439) with 135 (158) kept and 21 (32) released.

The Bonneville Dam fish counts ramped up with 3,352 counted at the fish ladder for the season. On April 7, 387 were counted; April 6, 112; April 5, 165; April 4, 178; and April 3, 265.

Hatchery spring chinook fishing below Bonneville Dam is open through Friday April 10 with a daily limit of one hatchery-marked spring chinook. The river above Bonneville Dam is open through May 6.

A Joint State hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, April 8. There is a chance the lower river fishery could be extended.