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State Fish and Wildlife Columbia River Regional Fishing Reports by Mark Yuasa Seattle Times, April 15, 2015

Salmon/Steelhead

Cowlitz River -- 35 boat anglers kept 14 hatchery steelhead and released 5 hatchery fish. 125 bank anglers kept 34 adult spring Chinook and 10 steelhead plus released 3 wild and 2 hatchery steelhead. Most of the Chinook were caught at the barrier dam and steelhead at the trout hatchery though some fish were also caught in the lower river. Over 200 bank anglers were counted at the barrier dam last Sunday.

Through April 12, a total of 566 hatchery and 9 wild adult spring Chinook had returned to the salmon hatchery. The recent 18 year average is 126 fish by this time.

During five days of operations at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator, last week Tacoma Power recovered:

During the past week Tacoma Power employees released:

35 winter-run steelhead and one cutthroat trout into the Tilton River at Gust Backstrom Park in Morton

14 steelhead adults into the Cispus River above Yellow Jacket Creek

Nine steelhead adults and 419 spring Chinook into Lake Scanewa above Cowlitz Falls Dam.

River flows at Mayfield Dam are approximately 4,120 cubic feet per second on Monday April 13. Water visibility is 11 feet.

Kalama River -- 54 bank anglers with 4 hatchery steelhead and 1 spring Chinook kept and 6 wild steelhead released. 44 boat anglers with 5 spring Chinook kept and 2 wild steelhead released.

No spring Chinook had returned to the hatchery through April 12, which isn't really all that unusual at this time of year.

East Fork Lewis from mouth to top boat ramp at Lewisville Park and Washougal River from mouth to Mt. Norway

Bridge -- Open to fishing for hatchery steelhead Thursday April 16. Through the first Friday in June, selective gear rules are in effect; no bait may be used.

Lewis River -- On the mainstem Lewis, 2 bank anglers released a wild steelhead. On the North Fork, 4 bank anglers had no catch.

Through April 12, a total of 9 hatchery and 1 wild spring Chinook had returned to the Merwin Dam trap.

Wind River -- At the mouth 1 bank angler had no catch. 41 boat anglers kept 4 spring Chinook. In the gorge, 4 bank anglers had no catch.

26 four year-old and 4 five year-old Carson National Fish Hatchery (CARS) PIT tagged adults have been detected at Bonneville Dam as of April 14. Applying the respective juvenile tag rates (2.55% for four year-olds and 2.00% for five year-olds) produces an estimate of 1,020 four year- olds and 148 five year-olds (total 1,168 adults) over Bonneville.

Over the weekend, 27 spring Chinook were passed above the Shipherd Falls trap.

Drano Lake -- 25 boat and 2 bank anglers had no catch.

Closed to all fishing on Wednesdays through June. Effective April 16 through June 30, bank fishing only west of a line projected from the easternmost pillar of the Hwy. 14 Bridge to a posted marker on the north shore.

In-season update: 5 four year-old and 0 five year-old Little White Salmon National Fish Hatchery (LWSH) PIT tagged adults have been detected at Bonneville Dam as of April 14. Applying the respective juvenile tag rates (1.45% for four year-olds and 1.58% for five year-olds) produces an estimate of 345 four year-olds and 0 five year-olds (total 345 adults) over Bonneville.

There have been 2 four year-old and 1 five year-old Willard National Fish Hatchery (WILL) PIT tagged adults detected at Bonneville Dam as of April 14. Applying the respective juvenile tag rates (1.01% for four year-olds and 1.18% for five year-olds) produces an estimate of 198 four year-olds and 85 five year-olds (total 283 adults) over Bonneville.

Grand total: Little White Salmon + Willard hatcheries = 628 adults.

Klickitat River -- No report on angling success.

In-season update: 1 four year-old and 1 five year-old Klickitat Fish Hatchery (KLIH) PIT tagged adults have been detected at Bonneville Dam as of April 14. Applying the respective juvenile tag rates (3.01% for four year-olds and 3.37% for five year-olds) produces an estimate of 33 four year-olds and 30 five year-olds (total 63 adults) over Bonneville.

5 adipose clipped adults have been counted at the Lyle Falls trap. The Lyle Falls trap counts can be found at http://www.ykfp.org/klickitat/Data_lyleadulttrap.htm

For PIT tag detections at Bonneville Dam, see www.cbr.washington.edu/dart/query/pitadult_obsyr_detail.

Lower Columbia mainstem below Bonneville Dam -- Fishing from the Washington shore just below Bonneville Dam came on strong with anglers averaging over ½ fish kept per rod last week.

Nearly 1,700 boats and 900 bank anglers were counted on the lower Columbia mainstem below Bonneville Dam last Saturday.

From last Wed.-Fri. we sampled 3,026 salmonid anglers (including 955 boats) with 775 adult and 3 jack spring Chinook and 11 steelhead. 695 (90%) of the adult Chinook were kept. We sampled 558 (80%) of the adult Chinook kept. 478 (86%) of the adult Chinook were upriver origin based on Visual Stock Identification (VSI).

8 (73%) of the steelhead caught were kept.

From Feb. 1-April 11, there have been an estimated 90,474 angler trips with 11,213 adult spring Chinook kept and 1,660 released. 8,643 (77%) 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.

Thursday April 16 is the last day to fish until the run size update, typically performed in early May. Based on the recent ten-year average, Bonneville Dam passage is usually 50% complete by May 8.

Bonneville Pool -- 10 bank anglers had no catch though a couple spring Chinook have been reported caught.

The Dalles Pool -- No spring Chinook were sampled.

John Day Pool -- Bank anglers are catching some spring Chinook.

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