The Columbia River closed to spring Chinook fishing below Bonneville Dam today, but state fisheries managers have decided to allow two additional days of spring Chinook angling on the Columbia River this weekend.
The decision to allow fishing on April 13 and 14 comes after managers from Washington and Oregon reviewed catch data, and surmised that anglers had caught only about half of their share of the spring run.
Fishermen can try for spring Chinook in the Columbia this Saturday and Sunday, with a two-salmonid limit, of which only one can be a Chinook.
After this weekend anglers will be shifting their focus from the Columbia River to the tributaries.
However, recent heavy rains have brought a lot of local flooding, and tributaries such as the Willamette River in Oregon are now blown out and won’t be fishable for some time. Also, conditions in the Columbia have deteriorated as a result of the flooding.
The closure and the flooding have left anglers and guides with few choices, even as the numbers of returning spring Chinook are gaining steam. Several guides recently reported on their Columbia River fishing, and where they plan to fish when the Columbia is closed.
Before the rain started last weekend fishing for spring Chinook in the Columbia was fairly good for a low return year. Only 157,500 spring Chinook are expected to enter the Columbia River this year, well below the recent 10-year average.
The Willamette River fishery was producing some nice fish, too.
Guides that worked the Columbia before the closure reported that the fishing was a little better than expected.
“I would say it’s been very decent,” said Lance Fisher of Lance Fisher Fishing. “The water levels helped. The conditions were favorable versus the other years that the runs were down a lot.”
He explained that in most years the Columbia runs high and muddy in the early season. Water clarity was not an issue during this year’s fishery, and softer currents prevailed until the recent rains.
Steve Leonard of Steve’s Guided Adventures was also doing well before the closure.
“Fishing has been good, I’ve been getting fish every day,” said Leonard.
He also acknowledged that the good conditions helped the bite.
Cameron Black of Gone Catchin’ Guide Service reported good fishing until the rising waters slowed the bite.
“We got at least a couple or three fish every day,” said Black. “Some days were better. I had a seven fish day, and a six fish day, too.”
He reported spending some long days to get his fish, though, and he also said you had to be on the spot to catch the bites.
“The bites were short,” he said. “if you were there you got ’em, and if you weren’t you didn’t.”
As the river rose the last few days of the season Black’s catches got tougher. He explained that the higher flows made it difficult to troll.
“Speed is key to everything,” said Black. “Sometimes I have not been able to troll or do what like to do because the flows were too fast. The fish were there, but the presentation was too fast.”
He said that high flows often force fishermen to anchor and fish stationary baits, instead of trolling.
All the guides reported that the fishing was better in the lower sections of the Columbia, the Willamette, and the Multnomah Channel.
The Columbia was closed below Warrior Rock this year to protect weak returns to the Lewis and Cowlitz Rivers.
“The fishing was best down low near Scappoose,” offered Fisher. “Just above the deadline.”
For Black the bite was best on the Columbia just above Warrior Rock.
“I’ve been fishing Bachelor (Island) and Social Security Beach,” he said.
Late season options limited
Meanwhile, guides and fishermen are left with fewer choices, even as the numbers of returning fish are climbing.
The upper Willamette Valley was hit hard by the rains, and most of the tributaries were at flood stage. All that water will have to make its way down through the lower system, keeping the river high and un-fishable for at least a couple weeks.
Closures are keeping fishermen off the water in some local rivers, too. For instance, Leonard has in past years fished the Lewis River once the Columbia closed, but that tributary, and the Cowlitz, are closed to spring Chinook to protect a poor return of hatchery brood stock.
He said that he will fish the Kalama once it comes back into shape, at least until the bite at Drano Lake improves later in the month.
Black said he will probably be switching to other species for now. He spends a fair bit of each spring fishing Merwin Lake for kokanee.
As for Fisher, he will wait out the high water on the Willamette.
“I fish the Willamette,” said Fisher. “That’s what I do.”
Once the Willamette does clear out it will fish well through June. The river has seen some good late season bites in recent years.
About 40,000 spring Chinook adults are expected back to the Willamette this year.
Drano Lake and the Wind River will be hot areas to fish later in April and through May. However, only 177 spring Chinook had crossed over Bonneville as of April 9.
For anglers that hit the Columbia for the last two days of the season this weekend, the best chances will be above the confluence of the Willamette River, which is dumping muddy water into the Columbia.
Possible good areas to fish will include the airport, the Washougal reach, and the area from Beacon Rock to Rooster Rock.
Guides list
Gone Catchin’ guide service: Cameron Black: 360)-921-5079, http://columbiaguidedfishing.com
Lance Fisher Fishing: Lance Fisher: 866-604-9072, https://lancefisherfishing.com
Steve’s Guided Adventures: Steve Leonard: 360-609-1902, http://www.stevesguidedadventures.com/
