FISHING -- Starting Saturday, upper Columbia River anglers will be able to tap a bounty of chinook and coho climbing over Priest Rapids Dam, the Washington Fish and Wildlife has announced.

• A coho keeper season is being opened from Priest Rapids to Chief Joseph Dam as well as in portions of the Wenatchee, Icicle and Methow rivers to harvest excess fish from the second largest coho run on record.
• A fall chinook fishery will open from Priest Rapids to Chief Joseph with an increased limit of six chinook, marked or unmarked,of which three may be adults.

Read on for the full details from the two media releases  WDFW posted late Wednesday, or check the rule-change website.

COHO retention fishery opening in Upper Columbia, select tributaries

Action: Open the Columbia River from Priest Rapids Dam to Chief Joseph Dam, including the Wenatchee, Icicle, and Methow Rivers for coho fishing Oct. 4 through Nov. 30, 2014.

General rules:

• Daily limit 2 coho salmon, minimum size 12 inches.
• Selective gear rules are in effect for all coho fishery areas, except bait allowed on the mainstem Columbia River.
• Night closure in effect for all coho fishery areas.  
• Release all floy (anchor) tagged coho.
• Motorized vessels are not allowed on the Wenatchee and Icicle rivers (Chelan Co. ordinance 7.20.190 Motorboat restrictions).  

Locations:

1) The Columbia River from Priest Rapids Dam to 400 feet below Chief Joseph Dam.

2) The Wenatchee River from the mouth to the Wenatchee River at the Icicle River Road Bridge, including the Icicle River from the mouth to 500 feet downstream of the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery Barrier Dam.

3) The Methow River from the mouth to the confluence with the Chewuch River in Winthrop. Fishing from a floating device is prohibited from the second powerline crossing (1 mile upstream from the mouth) to the first Hwy. 153 Bridge (4 miles upstream from the mouth).

Reason for action:  An estimated 30,000 or more coho are expected to return this year above Priest Rapids Dam and are in excess of spawning escapement and hatchery broodstock needs.  The population is not listed under the Endangered Species Act.   

Other information: Fishing rules are subject to change and that rivers can close at any time due to impacts on natural origin steelhead.

Access to Wanapum Dam Pool is closed at this time.  See Grant County PUD website for updates.

FALL CHINOOK fishery opening in Upper Columbia River; limits increased

Actions: Allow chinook salmon angling from Priest Rapids Dam to Chief Joseph Dam and increase the daily limit Oct. 4 through Nov. 30, 2014.

Locations: Mainstem Columbia River from Priest Rapids Dam to 400’ below Chief Joseph Dam..

General rules and daily limits:

• Six chinook salmon (marked or unmarked), of which only three may be adult chinook. 
• Minimum size 12 inches. 
• Selective gear rules are in effect, except bait allowed.
• Night closure is in effect.  

Reason for actions: More than 80,000 chinook primarily from the Hanford Reach fall chinook hatchery programs have returned above Priest Rapids Dam, including over 18,000 above Rock Island Dam. The intent of the fishery is removal of excess hatchery fall chinook from the Upper Columbia River Basin. The population is not listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). 

Other information: Fishing rules are subject to change and that rivers can close at any time due to impacts on natural origin steelhead.