Fishing Report: Sockeye retention closed on Columbia River

Sockeye retention is now closed on the Columbia River downstream of the Highway 395 bridge at Pasco.

The change, which went into effect Friday, happened because the allocation of sockeye for recreational anglers had been fulfilled.

Anglers can still catch a daily limit of six salmon and steelhead. Downstream of the Bonneville Dam, no more than one hatchery steelhead may be retained and all salmon other than hatchery jack Chinook must be released.

Different rules are in effect between the Bonneville and The Dalles dams through Sunday. Two adults may be retained, one of which may be a steelhead.

The minimum size for all salmon is 12 inches and all wild steelhead must be released.

Other rule changes

• Additional recreational halibut fishing dates will be available in August and September on the Washington coast and Puget Sound. The move comes after a lower-than-expected effort this spring left 116,227 pounds left in the state’s annual quota. Marine Area 1, including the Columbia River off Ilwaco will be open Aug. 22 through Sept. 3 plus an additional 11 days in September.
• Drano Lake, Wind River and Lower Klickitat River returned to regular rules on Friday. The state had reduced the salmon daily limit to ensure that enough broodstock would be collected at the Little White Salmon National Fish Hatchery.

Fishing Reports

Lower Columbia River from Rocky Point/Tongue Point line upstream to Bonneville Dam on the June 24 flight count.

MAINSTEM COLUMBIA

Salmon/Steelhead

Sec 1. (Bonneville) — 74 bank anglers kept two Chinook, two jacks, one steelhead, 12 sockeye, and released two Chinook. 5 boats/10 rods kept two Chinook jacks, eight sockeye, and released two Chinook.

Sec 2. (Camas/Washougal) — 74 bank anglers kept one Chinook jack, one steelhead, 33 sockeye, and released two steelhead. 22 boats/46 rods kept four Chinook, one jack, two steelhead, eight sockeye, and released two Chinook.

Sec. 3 (I-5 area) — 63 bank anglers kept three steelhead and 25 sockeye. 3 boats/6 rods kept two Chinook.

Sec. 4 (Vancouver) — 110 bank anglers kept six Chinook, three steelhead, and released two Chinook, one jack, and two steelhead. 14 boats/22 rods kept one Chinook, one steelhead, and released two Chinook.

Sec. 5 (Woodland) — 46 bank anglers kept five sockeye, and released one steelhead. 6 boats/11 rods released one steelhead.

Sec. 6 (Kalama) — 154 bank anglers kept five steelhead, 55 sockeye, released one Chinook and two steelhead. 4 boats/11 rods kept one Chinook jack and one steelhead.

Sec. 7 (Cowlitz) — 3 boats/6 rods kept one steelhead.

Sec. 8 (Longview) — 26 bank anglers kept one steelhead, three sockeye, and released one Chinook. 26 boats/60 rods kept one Chinook, one jack, 11 steelhead, seven sockeye, and released two steelhead.

Sec. 9 (Cathlamet) — 19 bank anglers kept one Chinook jack, two steelhead, 7 sockeye, and released one steelhead. 14 boats/38 rods kept 10 steelhead, one sockeye, and released one Chinook jack.

Sec. 10 (Cathlamet) — 4 bank anglers had no catch. 5 boats/13 rods kept two Chinook and one sockeye.

Sturgeon

Sec. 2 (Camas/Washougal) — 1 boat/4 rods released one legal and one oversize.

Sec. 3 (I-5 area) — 1 boat/1 rod released three sub-legal, two legal, and one oversize.

Sec. 4 (Vancouver) — 1 boat/3 rods released two legal.

Shad

Sec. 1 (Bonneville) — 66 bank anglers kept 469, and released 26. 8 boats/24 rods kept 219.

Sec. 2 (Camas/Washougal) — 1 boat/2 rods,no catch.

Sec. 6 (Kalama) — 2 boats, 4 rods had no catch.

Columbia Tributaries

Salmon/Steelhead

Cowlitz River I-5 Bridge downstream — 33 bank rods kept three steelhead. 1 boat/2 rods kept one Chinook jack.

Cowlitz River Above the I-5 Bridge — 19 bank rods released one Chinook. 17 boats/58 rods kept two Chinook jacks, 29 steelhead and released one Chinook.

OREGON CREEL CHECK

Walleye

Lower Columbia — One boat/three rods with three walleye kept. Thirty-five boats/118 rods with 49 sublegal sturgeon, 196 legal and 139 oversize sturgeon released.

Bonneville pool — Two boats/three rods with 10 walleye kept. Five boats/12 rods with 17 sublegal, four legal and 12 oversize sturgeon released.

The Dalles pool — Eleven boats/25 rods with 21 walleye kept and three released. One boat/four rods with two legal and five oversize sturgeon released.

John Day pool — Twenty-seven boats/69 rods with 133 walleye kept and 28 released.