White sturgeon retention is closed from Buoy 10 upstream to John Day Dam but remains an option for catch-and-release fishing.
The John Day Pool is open to retention of white sturgeon through Sunday (see 2018 Washington Sport Fishing Regulations for size, daily, and annual bag limits). We advise that anglers check weather conditions before driving to the gorge.
Walleye angling is good in Bonneville and John Day pools.
A few winter steelhead should be available for anglers plunking from the beaches on the lower Columbia River.
Trout are available in many Southwest Washington lakes and ponds.
Salmon/Steelhead
Cowlitz River — Creel sampling data is currently unavailable.
Lower Columbia mainstem from the I-5 Bridge. downstream — 2 bank anglers in the Vancouver area had no catch.
Bonneville and John Day pools — No effort was found for steelhead.
Battle Ground Lake — This lake received 177 winter steelhead on Jan 22.
Kress Lake (Cowlitz County) — 134 winter steelhead were stocked in this lake over the course of January.
Sturgeon
Bonneville Pool — Boat anglers averaged a legal kept per every 3.6 rods. No legals were sampled from bank anglers.
Through Jan. 28, almost half of the 325 fish guideline had been taken. All sturgeon must be released until further notice.
John Day Pool — Boat anglers caught a few legals. Fishing was slow from the bank. Sturgeon may be retained through Sunday.
Walleye
Bonneville Pool — Weekly checking showed 17 walleye kept for two boats (three anglers). No effort was observed for bass.
John Day Pool — Weekly checking showed 59 walleye kept, plus 24 walleye released for 21 boats (38 anglers).
Trout
Recent plants of catchable size rainbows into Southwest Washington waters. No report on angling success.
Maryhill Pond (Klickitat County) — Jan 29: 500 rainbows at 2.45 per pound
Spearfish Lake (Klickitat County) — Jan 29: 1,920 rainbows at 2.45 per pound
Icehouse Lake (Skamania County) — Jan. 22: 1000 rainbow at 2 per pound
Klineline Pond (Clark County) — Jan 22: 1500 rainbow at 2 per pound
SW Washington Inland Fishing report
Trout fishing is really good at all the SW Washington lakes. Seasonal trout lakes in Klickitat and Cowlitz Counties will close at the end of February and will reopen the fourth Saturday in April.
Warm water fishing has been really good all winter, probably due to the mild weather. Walleye fishing has also been good below Bonneville Dam. The fish are being caught on structure and in flooded brush. Backwaters and sloughs with slow current have also been productive. (Stacie Kelsey, WDFW Inland Fishes Program, WDFW)
