Chinook Come Back

Fishing

Although forecasts for the fall chinook run in the Columbia indicated a continued general decline, fish managers say sufficient numbers of upriver brights are expected to return above Bonneville Dam to allow a sport fishery beginning in August.

The strongest part of the fall chinook run will be in the Hanford Reach area, said Hugh Fiscus, state biologist in charge of Columbia River salmon management.

“It’s not all doom and gloom like for spring chinook, even though the overall return estimates for fall chinook kind of look like the bottom of the barrel,” Fiscus said. “We’re expecting another bad year for the lower river hatcheries.

This fall’s return forecast for upriver brights above Bonneville Dam is 103,700, down from last year’s run of 134,400.

Overall forecast for fall chinook entering the mouth of the Columbia is a record-low 194,300, down significantly from 250,200 last year, marking the first time in history the run has dipped below 200,000.

“It’s still questionable as to what main stem fisheries may occur this fall,” Fiscus said.

Spring chinook figures continue to look discouraging. At a recent meeting of the technical advisory committee, the estimated record-low return of 12,000 adult salmon going over Bonneville was downgraded to a meager 9,500.

, DataTimes