Fishermen out in force on Columbia, more records set
FISHING -- Steelhead anglers have set records for catch on the Lower Columbia this year, and the records continue to fall with a half million chinook salmon forecast into the river during late-summer and fall.
A big slug of those fish are bound for the Snake River system.
Today’s factoids from Joe Hymer of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlfie:
Since at least 1980:
- The estimated angler trips thru September 11 are the second highest for the entire fall season. The highest was 117,975 angler trips in 2009 so we’ve already set a new record.
- The estimated adult fall chinook catch is the 3rd largest. The record is 26,195 fish caught in 2003.
Last week on the lower Columbia, anglers made 22,985 trips and kept 7,278 adult fall chinook, 394 coho and 271 summer steelhead. Effort in the area below Warrior Rock declined by 93% after the Chinook closure on 9/9: however, about half of those trips transferred upriver. Catch rates are highest in the Bonneville area, where boat anglers averaged 0.74 chinook kept per rod yesterday.
