The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has released its first preliminary projections of spring Chinook returns to Southwest Washington tributaries, and anglers looking for good news will be disappointed.
In most cases the runs will be well below 10-year averages.
Only a total of 3,700 spring Chinook are expected to return to the Cowlitz, Kalama, and Lewis rivers in 2020. Forecasts are also poor for the Wind, Drano Lake, and Klickitat rivers, with a total of only 8,400 adults expected back to these fisheries.
Once again, fisheries managers are pointing to poor conditions in the Pacific Ocean from 2015 through 2018 as the cause for the poor returns.
Managers will soon release spring projections for the mainstem Columbia, followed by projections for summer and fall salmon and steelhead.
Local fly fishers group to meet Dec. 18
The Clark Skamania Flyfishers will meet Wednesday, Dec. 18th at The Camas Meadows Golf Club for a fun and festive holiday meeting. The public is invited and families are welcome. “Wet Fly Hour” is from 6 to 7 p.m. The meeting begins at 7 p.m.
There will be no speaker at this meeting. Instead, it is a chance for members to make presentations of their individual exploits for the year. Members are asked to assemble photos and videos into a presentation and bring them to the meeting, ideally on a USB (Thumb) Drive. Members are asked to limit the presentation to five minutes.
Gifford Pinchot roads close for winter
The Gifford Pinchot National Forest (GPNF) has announced that Forest Road 25 is closed between Wakepish Sno-Park and Muddy River. Forest Road 99, as well as other forest roads, are also closed until late spring or early summer (weather dependent).
Please check your Motor Vehicle Use Map for more information. The maps are available at all GPNF offices.
WDFW director to hold virtual open house
Kelly Susewind, the director for the WDFW, will hold an online open house on Monday, Dec. 16. This is an opportunity for the public to ask questions of the director, and to gather information as to the departments policies.
“This is a chance to hear from those who aren’t always able to attend our in-person events and meetings,” said Susewind in a news release. “Getting this feedback is incredibly helpful. We learn about what’s on people’s minds and how we can enhance their lives through our work while participants get answers to the things that matter most to them.”
Department staff involved in fish, wildlife, habitat, and law enforcement will also be present and available for questions. The event will start with a presentation about where the department stands right now, in regard to budget challenges, conservation, collaborations with partners, and the upcoming state legislative session.
The online webinar starts at 6:30 p.m. The public can go to https://player.invintus.com/?clientID=2836755451&eventID=2019121004
