A bountiful summer steelhead run prompted the state Department of Fish and Wildlife to open the season early for hatchery-raised steelhead through the Hanford Reach, and allow anglers to keep up to three fish daily.
More than 30,000 summer steelhead had been counted at Priest Rapids Dam through mid-September, compared to the 10-year average of 12,500, said Paul Hoffarth, district fish biologist.
He said the total returns to the Columbia River could break the 630,200-fish record set in 2001.
The department opened fishing for hatchery-reared steelhead on Tuesday. Anglers also are being allowed to retain up to three hatchery-reared summer steelhead per day between the blue bridge in Pasco and Priest Rapids Dam.
That area includes the upper portion of the Reach, stretching from the wooden powerline towers at the old Hanford townsite to Priest Rapids Dam, which hasn't been open to steelhead fishing since 1996.
The department also planned to open early the lower portion of the Reach -- from the wooden powerline towers downriver to the blue bridge in Pasco -- to allow anglers to catch more hatchery fish, said John Easterbrooks, regional fish manager for south central Washington.
Only hatchery fish measuring at least 20 inches that are marked for identification with a clipped adipose fin and a healed scar can be retained. All wild steelhead must be released unharmed, and may not be removed from the water.
Easterbrooks said the high number of returning summer steelhead has made it possible to expand fishing opportunities throughout the Hanford Reach.
"This is a great opportunity for anglers to catch some terrific fish under ideal early fall weather conditions, while also helping to prevent hatchery steelhead from crowding out wild fish on the spawning grounds," Easterbrooks said in a statement.
The hatchery steelhead fishery in the upper Reach is scheduled to run through Oct. 22, concurrent with salmon fishing for fall chinook and coho. In the lower section of the Reach, the steelhead fishery will continue through Oct. 31 from the blue bridge to the wooden powerline towers at the old Hanford townsite.
Because both wild and hatchery-reared summer steelhead in the Hanford Reach are listed for protection under the federal Endangered Species Act, fish and wildlife was required to obtain a permit from the National Marine Fishery Service before opening the fishery. "Under the ESA, using a selective fishery to remove excess hatchery fish is a recognized strategy in conserving wild stocks," Easterbrooks said.
He said he doesn't think the steelhead run will break the record of 2001, but could wind up between 575,000 and 580,000 steelhead.
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Chinook salmon fishery opens near Chelan
Chinook salmon fishery opens near Chelan
OLYMPIA -- The state Department of Fish and Wildlife will test whether anglers can successfully catch summer chinook salmon in the tailrace of the Chelan County PUD's hydroelectric powerhouse in Chelan.
The new fishery is scheduled to run through Oct. 15.
"This opening will test whether we can conduct a fishery in such a small area," Jeff Korth, regional fish manager for the WDFW, said in a news release Friday. "Starting this year, a lot of hatchery-reared fish will be moving through the tailrace, and we'd like to give anglers a chance to catch some."
Yakama Nation shutters Boundary Reach to anglers
Yakama Nation shutters Boundary Reach to anglers
YAKIMA -- Rule-breaking anglers certainly don't like it and even some law-abiding fishermen may not like it, but state fisheries biologists are quite pleased with the Yakama Nation's decision to close to sport fishing the stretch of the Yakima River that borders the reservation.
For years, tribal and state fisheries and enforcement officials have been alarmed about the number of winter and early-spring anglers that, while fishing for whitefish, have reeled in and in some cases illegally harvested steelhead.
"Our enforcement guys watched it, and in some cases, if people thought they could get away with it, they would keep steelhead," said John Easterbrooks, regional fish program manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Chinook season looks strong for 2012
Chinook season looks strong for 2012
It's only a matter of time before the first migrating spring chinook is hooked by a lucky angler in the Lower Columbia River.
We already know this fish will be among a strong forecast of 414,500, which could lead to the fourth-largest return of upriver spring chinook on record.
Fishing is open daily from Buoy 10 in the Lower Columbia up to I-5. The fishery expands upriver to Beacon Rock from March 1 to April 6 (closed March 20, March 27 and April 3), and possibly longer depending in the catch rate.
Area tribes begin annual fish sales
Area tribes begin annual fish sales
The Nez Perce, Umatilla, Warm Springs and Yakama tribes have begun their annual fish gill-netting and fish sales program at several locations along the Columbia River.
Salmon, steelhead and coho are available from tribal fishers now, but the chinook run should peak in the tribal fishing areas about the second week of September.
The large run of salmon and steelhead should result in ongoing sales of Columbia River fish for the next several weeks.
Commission calls for early end to sturgeon gillnet season
Commission calls for early end to sturgeon gillnet season
The Coastal Conservation Association is calling for an end to the winter sturgeon gillnet season in the lower Columbia River to reduce handling of the dwindling population.
"It is an unneeded season on fish that are in serious trouble,'' said Bruce Polley, CCA Oregon government relations committee chairman. "Because this season is unnecessary to access the commercial quota, it results in an increase in discarded sturgeon in fall salmon/sturgeon gillnet fisheries.''
Historically, the winter sturgeon season has been in January and early to mid-February.
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