Salmon/Steelhead
Cowlitz River – At the barrier dam, 14 bank anglers kept 2 adult Chinook and released 1 jack.
Lower Columbia below Bonneville Dam – Last week we sampled 700 bank anglers with 163 steelhead, 3 adult and 4 jack Chinook, and 4 sockeye. In addition, we sampled 143 boat anglers (65 boats) with 35 steelhead and 1 adult and 1 jack Chinook. Overall, just over half the steelhead caught were kept. Adult Chinook must be released through July.
During the Saturday July 11 flight, a total of 541 WA and 200 OR bank anglers plus just over 200 boats were counted. Over half the WA bank anglers were counted in the Longview-Cathlamet area. Boat effort was spread throughout the river.
The Dalles Pool – Some summer Chinook and steelhead are being caught by bank anglers.
John Day Pool - Angler effort for salmon continues to decline. No salmon/steelhead were observed in the catch. For the season anglers have retained 4 adult and 56 jack Chinook plus 8 sockeye.
The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) met on Monday July 13, 2009 and updated the Chinook and Sockeye run sizes. The updated summer Chinook run size is 55,000 at the river mouth. This is based on average counts from now through July 31 at Bonneville and an estimated below Bonneville harvest of 5,000 Chinook. Pre-season forecast was 70,700 fish. TAC updated the sockeye run size to 185,000 at the river mouth. This forecast is based on an average run timing curve. Pre-season forecast was 183,200 fish.
Sturgeon
Lower Columbia mainstem from the mouth to the Wauna powerlines – Nearly all of the charter boat anglers had their one-fish limit. Private boat anglers averaged a legal kept per about every 4 rods. Bank angling was slow. The average still remains about 40% of the fish caught were of legal size.
Approximately 280 private and 4 charter boats were counted during the Saturday July 11 flight.
White sturgeon may be retained July 17-19. Fishery managers will review the catch data after July 19 to determine if additional fishing opportunity is available under the 15,529 fish catch guideline for this year's fishery.
Lower Columbia mainstem from the Wauna powerlines to Marker 85 – Outside of the gorge, effort was generally light.
Capt. Jerry Brown
Columbia River Fishing
http://www.columbia-river-fishing-guide.com
206-920-2428
