Spring chinook angling in the lower Columbia River is projected to last through about April 9 before the early season closes and sportsmen wait until a May update of the salmon forecast.
Under the state, federal and tribal management agreements, guidelines and catch buffers, sport fishermen downstream of Bonneville Dam have an initial allocation of 7,515 upper Columbia-Snake spring chinook, according to Ron Roler, Columbia River policy coordinator for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Assuming fishing regulations are similar to the past five seasons, and that catch rates and fishing effort is similar to 2014 and 2015, that allocation would provide for spring chinook retention through April 9, a Saturday.
Washington and Oregon officials shared the projection Wednesday with the bistate Columbia River Recreational Advisor Group in Vancouver.
The states will adopt the 2016 spring chinook fishing regulations at a hearing beginning at 10 a.m. Jan. 27 at the Washington State School for the Blind, 2214 E. 13th St.
Fishing is anticipated to be open for boaters from Tongue Point, east of Astoria, to Beacon Rock in the Columbia Gorge, and for bank rods from Tongue Point to Bonneville Dam.
Closures are likely on March 29 and April 5 to accommodate commercial fishing. The early gillnet allocation is 1,222 upper Columbia chinook, probably one day of fishing.
Jeff Whisler of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said the projected sport catch of upper Columbia-Snake spring chinook would be 7,130, leaving a balance of 385.
The overall spring chinook kept catch through April 9 is projected to be 9,100 adding in salmon headed for the Willamette, Sandy, Cowlitz, Lewis and Kalama rivers.
A run of 188,800 spring chinook is forecast to enter the Columbia River destined for waters upstream of Bonneville Dam. Predictions are for another 70,100 to head for the Willamette River in Oregon.
For the Washington lower Columbia tributaries, the predictions are 25,100 to the Cowlitz, 4,900 to the Kalama and 1,000 to the Lewis.
Jack Glass, a Troutdale, Ore., guide, predicted it will take until about April 14 to catch the allocation.
“I think we can bank on high water this year,’’ Glass said. “Canada has a big snowpack. Trollers don’t do as well in those conditions and you’ve got to anchor. I think it will last about five days longer than expected.’’
