Last week we sampled 1,890 boat anglers (864 boats) with 214 chinook and 3 steelhead plus 339 bank anglers with 6 chinook. Overall, 173 (78.6%) of the chinook caught were kept. Based on Visual Stock Identification, 141 (89.3%) of the chinook sampled were upriver stock.
Based on Oregon's sampling, the catch per unit effort for chinook is running about 70% of last year's. Effort, however, is significantly higher with 1,400 salmon boats counted on 3/21 vs 900 on 3/22 last year.
During March 1-15, an estimated 16,400 angler trips resulted in 560 Chinook kept (and 170 released).
The recreational fishery downstream of Hayden Island is open 3 days per week (Thu-Sat) and is scheduled to remain open through April 18. The recreational fishery from Hayden Island upstream to Bonneville Dam is open 4 days per week (Wed-Sat) and is scheduled to remain open through April 22. Fishing for hatchery steelhead and shad is open only on those days open to fishing for spring chinook.
Through March 22, only 63 adult spring chinook had been counted at Bonneville Dam. The recent 10-year average is 1,250 fish. Water temperature is a cool 42 degrees and flows yesterday were a low 122,800 cfs.
Capt. Jerry Brown
Columbia River Fishing
http://www.columbia-river-fishing-guide.com
206-920-2428
