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Hunting and Fishing by Alan Liere Spokesman-Review, December 30, 2011

Salmon/Steelhead

The steelhead harvest report from IDFG indicates anglers are catching steelhead from the mouth of the Clearwater to Orofino at the rate of a fish every seven hours, but most are wild, resulting in an average of one fish kept every 80 hours.

Steelhead fishing improved this past week in the John Day Arm of the Columbia. Upstream of Philippi Park, the river is iced over.

Although steelhead fishing closes Monday on most of the upper Columbia, Bob Fately at Triangle Exxon in Brewster said this weekend would be a good time to get out. Fishing near Pateros and Bridgeport has been fair to good.

At Darver Tackle in Starbuck, Wash., Verna Foley said steelhead fishing is "sporadic." Below the fish hatchery has been good at times, and the mouth of the Tucannon good more often than not. "The Wall" off Little Goose Dam, a mainstay for Snake River anglers in the area, is providing slow steelhead fishing, although long-liners below the wall are doing pretty well.

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