UPDATED 9:15 a.m. with report from guide.

FISHING -- What a difference a week makes when there's a big upstream surge of fall chinook into the Columbia River

Fishing success in the Hanford Reach is mushrooming as expected, according to creel surveys taken last week and reported today by Paul Hoffarth, Washington Fish and Wildlife Department fisheries biologist in the Tri-Cities.

Here's the latest report, for Sept. 8-14:

An estimated 1,385 boats fished for salmon in the Hanford Reach (Hwy 395 and Priest Rapids Dam) this past week.  WDFW staff interviewed anglers from 543 boats (1,351 anglers:7,790 pole hours).  An estimated 972 adult chinook and 125 jacks were harvested this past week.   Boats averaged just under a chinook per boat.  Harvest in most of the mid to upstream areas is better than a fish per boat.  Aquatic vegetation in the water in the downstream areas of the Reach is making fishing difficult.

Staff also interviewed 100 bank anglers (379 hours) fishing for salmon at Ringold with seven chinook harvested.

There were an estimated 3,448 angler trips for fall Chinook in the Tri-cities this past week.  Fall Chinook counts at Bonneville Dam have been holding steady at ~ 30,000 adult chinook per day.

Compare that with last week's report, for Sept. 1-7:

An estimated 583 boats fished for salmon in the Hanford Reach (Hwy 395 and Priest Rapids Dam) this past week.  WDFW staff interviewed anglers from 216 boats (412 anglers:2,422 pole hours).  An estimated 170 adult chinook and 5 jacks were harvested this past week.   Boats averaged roughly 1/3 of a chinook per boat.  Harvest began picking up at all area launches over the weekend.

Staff also interviewed 63 bank anglers (183 hours) fishing for salmon at Ringold with one chinook harvested.

Keep in mind that the two consecutive one-day record surges over Bonneville dam were just getting settled into Hanford Reach below Priest Rapids Dam this weekend.

It's game on.

• Spokane fishing guide Dave Grove of Captain Dave's Guide Service just sent me a photo with a client holding a big chinook. Grove said it's the 27th chinook netted into his boat since he started fishing the Hanford Reach this weekend.