Bank anglers in Bonneville pool of the mid-Columbia will be limited to hand-casting for salmon and steelhead from Monday through June 15, with use of a floating device to drop lines far into the river prohibited.
Guy Norman, regional director of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, announced the impending regulation change on Wednesday.
Fishing for spring chinook salmon in Bonneville pool between Bonneville Dam and the Tower Island power lines, approximately six miles downstream of The Dalles Dam, is limited to bank only, with boat fishing prohibited.
However, Washington fishermen, primarily near the mouth of Drano Lake in Skamania County, use boats to set their lines several hundred feet from the bank to improve their success. The method has become popular and successful.
Jeff Whisler of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said anglers farther up the Columbia, particularly just downstream of John Day and McNary dams, are affected because the Drano Lake-area catch counts against their allocation.
“With the later run timing, by the time good numbers of fish reach this upper area, the allocation has been met and the fishery closed,” Whisler said.
Washington also increased the possession limit of chinook between The Dalles Dam and the Washington-Oregon border east of Umatilla, Ore., to four adult fish in fresh form, although only one daily.
Whisler said The Dalles, John Day and lower McNary pools are a “destination fishery” for many in Eastern Washington, who camp and fish for several days. Washington used to allow possession of two daily limits, which was two chinook per day, or four fish total.
Washington dropped the daily limit to one per chinook per day, effectively limiting the anglers to two fish in possession. The change will again allow four fish to be caught.
