FISHING -- Steelheaders landed a record catch in the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River last month.

"During the month of March, anglers landed 764 steelhead and harvested 606 hatchery steelhead in the Hanford Reach sport fishery, just beating out the old record of 750 catch (2010) and 453 harvest (2009)," reports Paul Hoffarth, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife fish biologist in the Tri-Cities. 

The fishery for steelhead in the Hanford Reach and Columbia River above Bonneville Dam is closed effective March 31, BUT the shoreline along the Ringold Springs Hatchery access area will remain open to “bank fishing” from April 1-15. 

Here's the rest of Hoffarth's March report for the Reach:

WDFW estimates 1,468 anglers fished in March and 6,824 anglers since the fishery opened on October 1. 

WDFW staff interviewed 417 anglers in March, 28% of the estimated anglers fishing in the Reach during the month.  Anglers averaged a steelhead for every 9 hours of fishing, with boat anglers averaging 6 hours/fish compared to bank anglers at 16 hours/fish. 

This season, 89% of the fish caught during the fishery have been hatchery origin adipose clipped fish.  The majority of the fish harvested during this year's fishery originated from Ringold Springs Hatchery (adipose + right ventral fin clipped).  These totals include 76 hatchery steelhead donated to Ringold Springs Hatchery to use as broodstock.

An estimated 2,058 hatchery steelhead have been harvested since the fishery opened on October 1.  Total catch including fish released is 2,658 steelhead.  Ringold Springs Hatchery staff collected and transported all the hatchery steelhead captured at the trap this fall and released them back into the river in the Tri-cities to give anglers another opportunity to catch these returning adults.  These “recycled” fish are marked (caudal clipped) prior to release.  Of the 2,058 fish harvested since October 1, 395 (19%) were previously captured at the trap and released.