Hatchery coho salmon are providing most of the action on the lower Columbia River, although bank anglers fishing for sturgeon immediately below Bonneville Dam also continue to find fish.
The best bet for hatchery coho has been the Cowlitz River, where anglers have been reeling in lots of bright fish weighing up to 20 pounds, said Joe Hymer, WDFW fish biologist. Recent survey crews have counted up to 300 anglers fishing just below the barrier dam, which remains the hotspot on the river.
"Sometimes coho arrive with lockjaw, but these fish are biting on everything from lures to nightcrawlers," Hymer said. "Local tackle shops report selling loads of nightcrawlers."
The daily limit on most of the Cowlitz River is six adult salmon, only one of which may be a chinook (clipped or unclipped). However, all adult chinook must be released from Blue Creek to Mill Creek and unmarked jacks must be released throughout the river. The night closure rule and non-buoyant lure restriction from Mill Creek to the barrier dam has been extended through November.
