the film forum library tutorial contact DONATE

State Fish and Wildlife Columbia River Regional Fishing Reports by Mark Yuasa Seattle Times, November 4, 2014

SALMON/STEELHEAD

Cowlitz River -- When including fish released, boat anglers averaged nearly 1.4 adult coho per rod while bank anglers averaged just over 3/4 fish per rod. Some fall Chinook (most were released), summer run steelhead, and sea-run cutthroats are also being caught. Bank anglers were doing best at the Barrier Dam; boats around the I-5 Br.

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

• 256 summer-run steelhead
• 411 fall Chinook adults and 13 jacks
• 12,528 coho adults
• 569 coho jacks
• 86 sea-run cutthroat trout

• 2,171 coho adults and 80 jacks into Lake Scanewa
• 248 coho adults and 8 jacks into the Cispus River above the mouth of Yellow Jacket Creek
• 157 fall Chinook adults, 11 jacks; 1,014 coho adults, 52 jacks and one cutthroat trout into the Tilton River at Gust Backstrom Park in Morton
• 167 fall Chinook adults and one jack; 1,820 coho adults and 102 jacks at Franklin Bridge in Packwood River flows at Mayfield Dam are approximately 10,000 cubic feet per second on Monday, October 20. River visibility is 13 feet.

Lewis River -- North Fork boat anglers averaged an adult coho per rod and bank anglers nearly 0.4 per rod when including fish released. Some fall Chinook are also being caught but most were voluntarily released. Some coho are also being caught by bank and boat anglers near the mouth.

Flows at Merwin Dam are a high 11,200 cfs today (Nov. 3).

Klickitat River -- Bank anglers on the lower river are having excellent success on adult coho averaging nearly 3 fish per rod while boat anglers averaged 2 fish per rod. Numerous 6-fish limits were observed despite the somewhat turbid conditions.

Flows at Pitt were 1,130 cfs today, nearly a third higher than the average mean of 856 cfs for the date but less than the 1,800 cfs observed on Halloween.

Lower Columbia mainstem below Bonneville Dam -- During the last 5 days of October we sampled 36 salmonid anglers (including 9 boats) with 1 adult and 1 jack fall Chinook, 8 adult coho, and no steelhead.

During October 27-31, anglers on the lower Columbia made an estimated 453 trips and caught 89 coho (70 kept and 19 released) and 33 Chinook (kept).

The 2014 lower Columbia mainstem creel sampling program has ended until February 2015.

Bonneville Pool -- Boat anglers averaged an adult coho per rod. They were also catching some adult fall Chinook.

. . .