The Columbia River is currently closed to Chinook salmon retention up to the Oregon/Washington border. A Joint State hearing was held Wednesday May 8 to consider Columbia River recreational salmon fisheries. Check the WDFW website for updates.
White sturgeon retention is closed from Buoy 10 upstream to McNary Dam but remains an option for catch-and-release fishing. Anglers are reminded that spawning sanctuaries took effect May 1.
White sturgeon retention will be open from Buoy 10 at the mouth of the Columbia upstream to Wauna powerlines on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays May 13 through June 5.
Spring Chinook are crossing the Bonneville Dam in good numbers, and fishing is improving in Drano Lake and the Wind River.
Trout fishing is good in most local lakes.
Warm water fisheries in local lakes are heating up.
Walleye angling is good in the John Day Pool.
Salmon/Steelhead
Regulation updates
Lewis River — During May, the river section from Johnson Creek to the overhead power lines below Merwin Dam is closed to fishing.
Wind River — From the mouth to 400 feet downstream of Shipherd Falls fish ladder, the adult daily limit is one hatchery spring Chinook or two hatchery steelhead or one of each. From 100 feet above Shipherd Falls to 800 yards downstream of Carson National Fish Hatchery, the adult daily limit is one spring Chinook or two hatchery steelhead or one of each.
Drano Lake — Daily limit is two hatchery spring Chinook or two hatchery steelhead or one of each. Release all wild chinook and wild steelhead. Closed to angling on Wednesdays.
Klickitat River — From the mouth to Fisher Hill Bridge: the adult salmon daily limit is one fish. From 400 feet upstream from No. 5 fishway to boundary markers below Klickitat Salmon hatchery, the daily salmon limit is six fish, of which only one may be an adult.
Columbia River Tributaries
Elochoman River — One bank angler released one steelhead.
Cowlitz River — I-5 Bridge downstream: 26 bank rods kept three steelhead. One boat/four rods released one Chinook. Above the I-5 Bridge: 14 bank rods had no catch. Five boats/13 rods had no catch.
Kalama River — 67 bank anglers released four Chinook and three steelhead; 13 boats/23 rods kept one Chinook jack and released seven steelhead.
Lewis River — Eight bank anglers had no catch.
Wind River — 65 boats/172 rods kept 46 Chinook and released two Chinook.
Drano Lake — 20 bank rods had no catch; 215 boats/594 rods kept 148 Chinook and released 12 Chinook.
Bonneville Dam fish count — 20,118 spring Chinook adults had passed over the dam as of May 7.
Willamette Falls fish count — 3,633 spring Chinook adults had passed the falls as of May 7.
Sturgeon
Beginning Monday, from the mouth of the Columbia at Buoy 10, upstream to Wauna powerlines, including adjacent Washington tributaries — White Sturgeon is open for retention fishing Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays only through June 5. Minimum size 44 inch fork length, maximum size 50 inch fork length. Daily limit is one. The fishery closes at 2 p.m. each of those days, including catch and release.
Recent trout plants
Battle Ground Lake — Planted with 3,000 cutthroat trout at 2.5 per pound on April 24.
Klineline Pond — Planted with 2,100 cutthroat trout at 2.5 per pound on April 24.
Horseshoe Lake — Planted with 3,000 rainbow trout at 2.1 per pound on April 22.
Warm Water Report
Lacamas Lake — Bass fishing is very good.
Kress Lake — Bluegill fishing is very good.
Rowland Lake — Anglers are catching yellow perch.
Walleye
The Dalles Pool — Weekly checking showed no catch for seven bank anglers.
John Day Pool — Weekly checking showed one walleye kept for four bank anglers; and 51 walleye kept, plus 24 walleye released for 22 boats (50 anglers).
