SW Washington Fishing Report 8-4-2008

Now that the Buoy 10 fishery is closed for the season, hundreds of Columbia River anglers have moved upriver to fish for salmon - including chinook - from Rocky Point/Tongue Point to Bonneville Dam. Fishing started fairly slow Sept. 1, but could pick up quickly in the days ahead if past years are any indication.
"The bite can pick up fast, because the run tends to move through that part of the river fairly quickly," said Wolf Dammers, a WDFW fish biologist. "Anglers who don't want to miss the peak of the run are advised to get a line in the water sooner rather than later."
Creel checks conducted during the second day of the fishery indicated catch rates of about one salmon - most of them chinook - for every one to two boats, Dammers said. Most boats, and there were plenty of them, were concentrated between Longview and Washougal, he said.
Through Sept. 16, anglers fishing between Rocky Point and Bonneville Dam may retain two adult salmon - of which only one may be a chinook - as part of their six-salmon daily limit. After Sept. 16, only hatchery coho may be retained in that part of the river.
Dammers reminds anglers that all chinook must be released this year on the mainstem Columbia River in the eight-mile fall chinook sanctuary area near the mouth of the Lewis River. That area is defined on page 79 of the Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm ).
Several tributaries to the Columbia River also opened for chinook fishing Labor Day. On the Elochoman River, anglers may now retain up to two adult chinook as part of their daily salmon catch limit. On the Toutle River System, which includes the North Fork Toutle and the Green River in Cowlitz County, anglers may retain one chinook per day.
Including hatchery coho, the daily catch limit on those rivers is six fish per day, of which four may be adults. Anglers may retain any adult chinook, but must release any chinook jacks not marked as a hatchery fish by a clipped adipose fin. Areas of those rivers open to retention of chinook are:
Elochoman River from the mouth to the West Fork.
Mainstem Toutle River from the mouth to the confluence of the North and Southfork Toutle.
North Fork Toutle River from the mouth to the deadline below the Fish Collection Facility.
Green River (Cowlitz County) from the mouth to the 2800 Bridge.
Salmon fishing also opened Sept. 1 on the Grays River (including the West Fork), but chinook caught there may be retained only if they have a clipped adipose and/or ventral fin. For more information on that fishery, check the Fishing in Washington rule pamphlet at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm .
Anglers should also be aware of new rules adopted during the North of Falcon season-setting process to conserve chinook salmon in those and several other area tributaries, including:
Lewis River: Anglers are required to release all chinook salmon intercepted on the Lewis River, where wild chinook returns are expected to reach only about half of the 5,700-fish escapement goal. The requirement to release chinook is in effect in the Lewis River, the North Fork Lewis River and in the chinook sanctuary area on the mainstem Columbia River noted above. Fishing for hatchery coho and hatchery steelhead remains open, but fishing from boats is prohibited on the North Fork Lewis from Johnson Creek upstream to Merwin Dam to minimize chinook handling.
Cowlitz River: Anglers must continue to release all chinook - except marked, hatchery-reared jacks - because hatchery returns are not expected to meet management goals. Anglers may still retain hatchery steelhead and hatchery coho caught in both rivers.
Kalama, Washougal, Wind and White Salmon rivers, plus Drano Lake: Anglers may retain any adult chinook salmon on all or part of these waters, but must release any wild, unmarked chinook jacks they encounter. For specific area boundaries, see the Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm ).
In addition, the lower portion of Mill, Abernathy, Germany, and Coal creeks and Coweeman River will be closed to all fishing in September and October to protect spawning fall chinook.