Lower Columbia River fisheries announced
Columbia River sport fishing seasons for sturgeon and spring chinook announced this week exemplify the yin and yang nature of these fish stocks.
While a decent, though not stellar, return of almost 200,000 spring chinook is expected with the promise of more openings if the run is bigger, continued declines in sturgeon abundance below Bonneville Dam prompted more stringent regulations in the lower river.
And though the numbers of bigger brood female sturgeon are dropping in the lower river, anglers have been told to expect a spate of larger spring chinook (in the 18- to 30-pound range) as a result of good survival in the five-year old age class of the run.
FISHERY FOR SPRING SALMON
Building on the current boat and bank opening from Buoy 10 near the mouth of the Columbia River upstream to the Interstate 5 bridge, opportunities will be open March 1 through April 14 in another 22 miles upriver to Rooster Rock.
Bank anglers also will have access to fish from Rooster Rock up to the fishing boundary below Bonneville Dam at the same time.
Above Bonneville Dam, the fishery will be open to boat and bank anglers daily from March 16 through April 24 between the Tower Island power-lines six miles below The Dalles Dam and the Washington/Oregon state line, 17 miles upriver from McNary Dam. Bank anglers can also fish from Bonneville Dam upriver to the powerlines during that time.
All unmarked wild spring chinook must be released unharmed.
STURGEON OPTIONS
Sport fisheries for white sturgeon in the lower Columbia River will unfold as follows:
Buoy 10 to the Wauna powerlines: White sturgeon within size restrictions may be kept from Jan. 1 to April 30; May 14 through June 26; and July 1-4.
From Jan. 1 to April 30, sturgeon must measure between 38 inches and 54 inches (fork length) to be retained. From May 14 through the end of the season they must measure 41 inches to 54 inches (fork length) to be retained.
Catch-and-release fishing is allowed on days when retention is prohibited.
Wauna powerlines to Bonneville Dam: Retention of white sturgeon is allowed three days per week (Thursday through Saturday) from Jan. 1 through July 31 and from Oct. 8 until Dec. 31.
Sturgeon must measure between 38 inches and 54 inches (fork length) to be retained. Catch-and-release fishing is allowed on days when retention is prohibited.
The sturgeon sanctuary downriver from Bonneville Dam described in the Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet will be closed from May 1 through Aug. 31 to all sturgeon fishing.
Quotas will govern sturgeon sport harvests in all management zones of the lower Columbia, but anglers should note that while catch caps have been reduced below Bonneville Dam, they have been boosted in the Bonneville, Dalles and John Dam pools above those dams reflecting actual increases in sturgeon numbers in those areas.
RAZOR CLAM DIGS GREENLIGHTED
The next round of evening razor-clam digs will start Thursday, Feb. 17 on Twin Harbors beach and expand to the four other management sectors - Copalis, Mocrocks, Long Beach and Kalaloch - for Feb. 18-19.
Digging is closed during morning hours before noon on all razor-clam beaches.
Evening low tides during the upcoming dig will be at 5:53 p.m. (minus .9 feet) Feb. 17, 6:33 p.m. (minus .9 feet) Feb. 18, and 7:13 p.m. (minus .5 feet) Feb. 19. Diggers should arrive about one-half hour before the low tides.
Doug Huddle, The Bellingham Herald's outdoors correspondent, has since 1983 has written a weekly fishing and hunting column that appears Fridays. Read his blog and contact him at http://pblogs.bellinghamherald.com/outdoors.
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