Reiter Ponds opens July 18th

Action:   Opens the Reiter Ponds section of the Skykomish River to recreational fishing.
 
Effective date:   8 a.m., July 18, 2009.

Species affected:   All game fish, including steelhead.

Location:   Skykomish River from 1,500 feet upstream to 1,000 feet downstream of the Reiter Ponds Hatchery outlet.

Reason for action:   The Reiter Ponds Hatchery has collected enough summer steelhead broodstock to meet production needs.         

Other information:   Public access through the Reiter Ponds Hatchery opens at 6 a.m.   

Information contact:   Aaron Bosworth, Region 4 Fish Manager, (425) 775-1311, ext. 101.

Fishing in SW Washington

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.

Best Regards,
Capt. Jerry Brown
Columbia River Fishing
http://www.columbia-river-fishing-guide.com
206-920-2428

Sturgeon Fishery in the Columbia Estuary Extended

OLYMPIA - Anglers will get at least six more days to catch white sturgeon in the Columbia River estuary, beginning July 10.

Fishery managers from Washington and Oregon announced the joint decision July 7 after assessing catch data for the fishery.

By the states' action, anglers will be allowed to catch and retain legal-size white sturgeon Friday through Sunday from July 10-12 and July 17-19 between the mouth of the Columbia and the Wauna powerlines near Cathlamet.

Those additional fishing days are designed to give anglers an opportunity to catch 4,100 sturgeon still available for harvest by the recreational fishery when the regularly scheduled season ended July 5, said Brad James, a fish biologist for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). The catch guideline for that season was 15,529 fish.

"The sturgeon catch was a little below average for the season," James said. "That left room for some extra fishing days."

As during the regular season, the daily catch limit is one white sturgeon, with a fork-length measurement of 41 inches to 54 inches. All green sturgeon must be released. Fishery managers will review the catch data after July 19 to determine if additional fishing opportunity is available under the catch guidelines.

Best Regards,
Capt. Jerry Brown
Columbia River Fishing
http://www.columbia-river-fishing-guide.com
206-920-2428

Fishing in SW Washington

Salmon/Steelhead

Cowlitz River – Spring Chinook continue to be caught by bank anglers at the barrier dam while boat anglers are catching steelhead around the trout hatchery.

Last week, Tacoma Power recovered 20 spring Chinook adults, 13 jacks, and 112 summer-run steelhead during five days of adult fish collection efforts at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator. During the week Tacoma Power employees released two spring Chinook adults and 12 jacks into Lake Scanewa above Cowlitz Falls Dam.

Cowlitz River flows at Mayfield Dam are approximately 6,120 cubic feet per second on Monday, June 29. Water visibility is ten feet.

Wind River and Drano Lake – Today (June 30) is the last day to fish for spring Chinook.

Lower Columbia mainstem below Bonneville Dam - Last week we sampled1,461 bank anglers with99 adult and22 jackChinook, 37 sockeye, and 47 steelhead.We alsosampled605 boat anglers (256 boats) with62adult and 6 jack Chinook, 2 sockeye, and 12 steelhead. Success was best on the opener and slowed as the week progressed.

Through June 28, an estimated 16,771 angler trips have produced 1,360 adult Chinook kept and 419 released plus 873 sockeye kept and 57 released. Adult Chinook may be retained on the lower Columbia below Bonneville Dam through July 5.

Effort was high last Saturday with 711 boats and 614 WA and 343 OR bank anglers counted

The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) met yesterday and downgraded the adult summer Chinook run size from the pre-season forecast of 70,700 to 58,000 fish. However, TAC did not change the sockeye pre-season forecast of 183,200.

John Day Pool - WDFW staffinterviewed 41 salmonid anglers in the John Day Pool. Anglers reported harvesting 3hatchery jack chinook and released 2 hatchery origin adult chinookand 1 wild adult chinook.

Bonneville Dam upstream – Adult Chinook (adipose fin clipped or not) may be retained beginning tomorrow (July 1).

Sturgeon

Lower Columbia mainstem from the mouth to the Wauna powerlines – Charter boat anglers averaged just over a legal kept per every other rod while private boaters averaged one per every 5.7 rods. Bank anglers were catching a few legals. About one-third of the fish caught were keeper size. Overall success was better earlier in the week.

Just over 500 private boats and 20 charters were counted during the Saturday June 27 flight. White sturgeon retention is scheduled to re-open July 2-5.

Best Regards,
Capt. Jerry Brown
Columbia River Fishing
http://www.columbia-river-fishing-guide.com
206-920-2428

Skykomish river salmon fishing to close

Starting Sunday (July 5), anglers will be required to release any chinook salmon they catch on the Skykomish River, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced today.

The new rule, which takes effect at 12:01 a.m. Sunday, prohibits the retention of chinook from the Lewis Street Bridge in Monroe upstream to the Wallace River, the only portion of the Skykomish River currently open to salmon fishing.

The rule change does not affect fishing for hatchery steelhead and other gamefish on the Skykomish River.

Low chinook returns to the Wallace River Hatchery prompted WDFW to close the river to chinook retention to help ensure enough salmon make it back to the hatchery to meet spawning goals, said Annette Hoffman, regional fish program manager for WDFW.

If it later appears spawning goals will be met at the hatchery, WDFW may re-open the fishery, said Hoffman.  

Anglers can check for updates on the department's website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm

Best Regards,
Capt. Jerry Brown
Columbia River Fishing
http://www.columbia-river-fishing-guide.com
206-920-2428

Save Cowlitz River Steelhead

The Washington State & Wildlife commission on friday july 10th 2009 will hold a meeting at 1:30pm to decide on public policy reguarding HATCHERY REFORM. It will affect COWLITZ RIVER STEELHEAD as it will further empower those behind the The Cowlitz river managment plan to DO AWAY WITH HATCHERY STEELHEAD on The Cowlitz river.


PLEASE ATTEND THIS MEETING IN OLYMPIA AT

Natural resourses building
1111 Washington St. SE
Olympia washington 98501

Show up by 8:00 AM and be ready to speak at the scheduled public input time of 8:30 AM. We dont belive the meeting at 1:30 will be open for publis input. THIS IS IMPORTANT!!!!

This public policy and the cowlitz river fish managment plan will significantly impact the future of the Cowlitz river summer and winter steelhead by severly restricting the number of fish raised and released. The word is summer run Steelhead will be dicontiued in less than 6 Years!

The Steelhead program has been an important part of the local communities of Centraila,Chehalis, Toledo, Salkum,Castle Rock and longveiw for generations. Its is also a signifgant contributer to Washigtons economy as people travel from all over the state and nation to fish the Cowlitz river for these fabulous sport fish.

The Hatchery Reform Policy and the cowlitz river fish managment plan must be changed so it recognizes the Cowlitz River and similar rivers which have dams that eliminate accses to critical spawning habitat and play a major role in Washintons economy are set aside for hatchery production.

WE ask that all of you get involved in this issue, write a letter or send an email to the commissioners to EXPRESS your desire to have the Cowlitz River Hatchery Steelhead preserved and improved.

Please make the following points:
the department under the prvious leadership has not listened to our concerns reguarding the Cowlitz river. We would appreciate a new look at our concern

The cowlitz river should remain a hatchery production river system because of the dams limiting access to spawning habitat. Hatchery production is part of a NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT with TACOMA POWER FOR DESTROYING THE RIVER. Economies depend on these agreements!

Cowlitz river summer and winter steelhead fishing generates millions of dollars for small local communities and the state of washington. This area depends on these hatchery programs and the state benefits significantly.

Hatchery reform should focus on the rivers that have the capacity and habitat to support wild fish runs.
Bonneville power has credible studies that wild fish passage by the the Cowlitz river dams is a losing battle. " it wont work"

The Cowlitz River can play a "KEY" role in restoring wild fish runs by creating less pressure on other rivers where we are attemting to restore wild runs. People need a place to fish and our economy needs the revenue it generates.

Idaho has demondstrated it can plant millions of hatchey reared steelhead in the clearwater and Salmon rivers and still maintain healthy wild populations. Why can Idaho have strong hatchery returns and millions of dollars in economic benefits and we cannot?

The new director should review the history of our Cowlitz River Fisheries and the philosophical managment approach the department has taken on the Cowlitz river for the last 15 years. We hope a new vision and direction can be achieved that benefits all interests and restore the economic benefits of the Cowlitz.


PLEASE CONTACT THE COMMISSION

There are several new commissioners that need to hear about the Cowlitz River.


Contact info

Washington State Fish and Wildlife Commission
600 Capitol way north
Olympia,Wa 98501-1091
Phone: 360-902-2267
Fax: 360-902-2448
Email commission@dfw.wa.gov

Find the Hatchery Reform policy and other related documents@: www.wdfw.wa.gov/commission/


Please attend or write guys this is just one river with many more to come

Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission will meet July 10-11 at 8:30 a.m. in room 172 of the Natural Resources Building, 1111 Washington St. S.E., in Olympia. The Commission establishes policies and regulations designed to preserve and protect our state's fish and wildlife, as well as our natural habitat. The Commission is also charged with monitoring the performance of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) as it implements the goals, policies and objectives established by the Commission. The public is invited to attend and provide testimony on issues of concern.

The Commission is set to take action July 10 on a new policy aimed at advancing conservation and recovery of wild salmon and steelhead populations.  The proposed policy calls for coordinated reform of the state's approach to harvest management and its hatchery operations based on the recommendations of the Hatchery Scientific Review Group. A public hearing on the draft policy was held in June.

On July 11, the Commission will review progress to date in the nationwide search for a permanent WDFW director. Public advice or comments on the candidate search will be welcomed following that discussion.

The Commission is scheduled to consider adoption of proposals to:

• Reauthorize through 2010 a pilot program that allows cougar hunting with the aid of dogs in counties that meet specified criteria.
• Allow recreational license dealers to charge 50 cents to process documentation and collect additional data associated with migratory bird hunting. 

WDFW staff will provide briefings for the Commission on several other issues, including special trapping permits; deer and elk damage claims; and regulations governing commercial crab-fishing on the Washington coast.

Three new commission members, recently appointed by Gov. Chris Gregoire to fill vacant positions, will join the nine-member panel at the July meeting.  The three new members, all appointed to terms ending Dec. 31, 2014, are:

• David Jennings, of Olympia, who works at the Washington State Department of Health in the division of environmental health.  Jennings is the past president of the Gifford Pinchot Task Force and the Black Hills Audubon Society.
• Rollie Schmitten, of Leavenworth, who works as a marine resources consultant.  Schmitten previously served as director of the Washington State Department of Fisheries, director of the National Marine Fisheries Service and as deputy assistant secretary of international affairs for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
• Brad Smith, Ph.D, of Bellingham, who serves as Dean of the Huxley College of Environmental Studies at Western Washington University.  He previously served as director of the Office of Environmental Education at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and was a research fellow for Environment Canada and the Canadian Fish and Wildlife Service. 

On July 11, ethics training and orientation sessions regarding the laws and rules governing Commission operations will be provided to Commissioners. The public is welcome to attend these presentations.

The agenda for the two-day meeting, along with additional information about these issues, is available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/meetings.html .

Best Regards,
Capt. Jerry Brown
Columbia River Fishing
http://www.columbia-river-fishing-guide.com
206-920-2428