Spring chinook anglers close to lower Columbia allocation

Spring chinook salmon angling in the lower Columbia River will remain closed until mid-May or later, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced Tuesday.
Washington and Oregon officials are planning a joint state hearing next week to address angling between Bonneville Dam and the Washington-Oregon border east of Umatilla, Ore., which is scheduled to close May 5.
Anglers caught a projected 6,355 adult spring chinook from 26,936 trips during the four-day fishing extension in the lower Columbia, which ended on Sunday.
The total catch for 2017 is 8,947 adult spring chinook and 6,482 adult spring chinook destined for waters upstream of Bonneville Dam. The early-season catch allocation for the lower Columbia River is 6,905 adult spring chinook headed for upstream of Bonneville Dam.
“There’s not enough fish left for another extension,’’ said Ron Roler, Columbia River policy coordinator for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
A run of 160,400 adult spring chinook is forecast to enter the Columbia headed for upstream of Bonneville Dam. However, through Monday, the cumulative count is 1,732 adult chinook. The 10-year average through April 24 is 28,177 adult chinook.
High, cold and dirty streamflow in the Columbia River appears to have slowed passage of spring salmon at Bonneville Dam.
“Based on test fishing in March and early April, and the recent sport catch, we think there are a lot of fish in the lower river,’’ Roler said. “We just don’t know when they’re going to move given these water conditions. They’ll go when they’re ready.’’
Typically, the run peaks at Bonneville Dam about May 7. This year, it’s thought the peak likely will be later.
Washington and Oregon need a run forecast update from the Columbia River Technical Advisory Committee before decisions can be made on a lower Columbia angling reopening. That update is not anticipated until mid-May, or later.
Anglers between Bonneville Dam and the Washington-Oregon border have an early-season allocation of 850 adult spring chinook.
“The fishery in the Columbia Gorge hasn’t even gotten started yet,’’ Roler said. “They need an extension to allow some fish to get up to their fishing area.’’