Fishing report, May 31

Spring Chinook angling on the Columbia River is open through Wednesday to both boat and bank anglers from Tongue Point upstream to Beacon Rock. Beacon Rock to Bonneville Dam is open to bank angling only.

Spring Chinook angling is open through June 15 from Tower Island Power Lines upstream to the Oregon-Washington border above McNary Dam, plus the banks between Bonneville Dam and Tower Island Power Lines.

Angling for shad is open from Buoy 10 upstream to Bonneville Dam.

White sturgeon retention is open from Buoy 10 upstream to Wauna powerlines on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays until June 4.

The McNary Pool is open to the retention of legal white sturgeon through July 31. Anglers are reminded that spawning sanctuaries are in effect.

Walleye angling is good in The Dalles and John Day pools.

Trout fishing continues to be good to excellent in Southwest Washington lakes. Some high-elevation lakes have now been stocked, including Goose Lake near the city of Trout Lake.

Salmon, Steelhead and Shad

Columbia River flows continue to be very high and preliminary reports indicate river conditions have been suboptimal. Use caution when boating.

Salmonid angler success was fair during the reopening weekend for spring Chinook retention. On Saturday’s flight, 282 salmonid boats and 245 Oregon bank anglers were counted from Tongue Point to Bonneville Dam.

Boat anglers fishing in the Portland to St. Helens area, averaged 0.15 spring Chinook caught per boat, while anglers fishing in the Goble to Beaver area averaged 0.29 spring Chinook caught per boat. Boat anglers fishing in the estuary averaged 0.09 spring Chinook caught per boat. Bank anglers fishing in the Portland to Westport area averaged 0.05 spring Chinook and 0.03 steelhead caught per bank angler, while anglers fishing in the estuary averaged 0.09 spring Chinook caught per bank angler.(ODFW)

Cowlitz River – (I-5 Br downstream) – 7 bank rods and 1 boat rod had no catch. Above the I-5 Br. – 64 bank rods kept 12 adult and 1 jack spring Chinook. 12 boat rods kept 2 adult spring Chinook and 1 steelhead.

From the Lexington (Sparks) Road Bridge upstream to 400 feet or boundary markers below the barrier dam – From June 1 through July 31, barbed hooks will be allowed for salmon, steelhead, and cutthroats.

Starting June 1, the area that is closed to fishing below the Cowlitz River barrier dam will expand from 100 feet to 400 feet to help increase the number of spring Chinook arriving at the salmon hatchery.

East Fork Lewis River from the mouth to 400 feet below Horseshoe Falls (except closures around various falls) and the Washougal River from the mouth to Salmon Falls Bridge – Under permanent rules these areas will be open to fishing with bait for hatchery steelhead beginning the first Saturday in June.

Kalama River – 9 bank and 3 boat anglers had no catch.

Lewis River (mainstem) – 5 bank rods had no catch. 11 boat rods kept 1 adult spring Chinook.

Lewis River (North Fork) – 33 bank rods kept 7 adult spring Chinook and 1 steelhead. 8 boat rods had no catch.

Wind River (mouth) – 3 bank rods kept 1 adult spring Chinook. 96 boat rods kept 32 adult and 2 jack spring Chinook and released 1 adult spring Chinook.

Drano Lake – 145 boat rods kept 53 adult and 2 jack spring Chinook and released 7 adult spring Chinook.

Klickitat River from the mouth (Burlington Northern Railroad Bridge) upstream to the Fisher Hill Bridge and from 400 feet upstream from #5 fishway upstream to the boundary markers below the salmon hatchery – Effective June 1, the salmon daily limit is 6 hatchery Chinook of which no more than two may be adults. In addition, up to 3 hatchery steelhead may be retained. Wild chinook must be released. Open 7 days per week. (WDFW)

Gorge Bank:

Weekend checking showed one jack Chinook released for seven salmonid anglers; and 185 shad kept for 52 shad anglers.

Troutdale Boats:

Weekend checking showed no catch for nine salmonid boats (17 anglers); and 20 shad kept for one shad boat (two anglers).

Portland to Westport Bank:

Weekend checking showed eight adult Chinook and four steelhead kept, plus one steelhead released for 152 salmonid bank anglers.

Portland to St. Helens Boats:

Weekend checking showed one adult Chinook kept, plus two adult Chinook released for 20 salmonid boats (38 anglers); and 25 shad kept, plus 21 shad released for five shad boats (16 anglers).

Goble to Beaver (Clatskanie) Boats:

Weekend checking showed two adult Chinook kept for seven salmonid boats (23 anglers); and 12 shad kept, plus 40 shad released for three shad boats (six anglers).

Wauna Powerlines to Clatsop Spit Bank:

Weekend checking showed one adult Chinook kept for 11 bank anglers.

Westport to Buoy 10 Boats:

Weekend checking showed one adult Chinook kept for 11 boats (28 anglers).

Bonneville Pool (Bonneville Dam upstream to The Dalles Dam):

Weekly checking showed five adult Chinook and one jack Chinook kept for 14 bank anglers.

Trout

Recent stockings: no report on angler success

Goose Lake (Skamania County)

May 21: 3,259 cutthroat stocked at 1.88 fish per pound, and 1,500 rainbow trout stocked at 1.3 fish per pound.

May 22: 3,237 cutthroat stocked at 2.26 fish per pound, and 1,700 rainbows stocked at 1.3 fish per pound

Horsethief Lake, (Klickitat County)

May 22: 4,000 rainbow trout stocked at 2,5 fish per pound.

Battle Ground Lake, (Clark County)

May 23: 1,835 rainbows stocked out at 2.26 per pound.

Sturgeon

Over the Memorial Day Weekend, sturgeon anglers in the estuary made 3,609 trips and kept 466 white sturgeon

Lower Columbia River (Wauna Powerlines upstream to Bonneville Dam): Closed for retention.

Weekend checking showed one sublegal, two legal and three oversize sturgeon released for one boat (two anglers).

Wauna Powerlines to Clatsop Spit Bank:

Weekend checking showed two legal white sturgeon kept, plus two oversize sturgeon released for 18 bank anglers.

Buoy 10 to Wauna Powerlines Boats:

Weekend checking showed 43 legal white sturgeon kept, plus four legal, 100 sublegal, 70 oversize and one green sturgeon released for 94 boats (321 anglers).

Walleye

The Dalles Pool:

Weekly checking showed one walleye kept for one bank angler; and 39 walleye kept for four boats (11 anglers).

John Day Pool:

Weekly checking showed 95 walleye kept, plus seven walleye released for 18 boats (41 anglers).