WDFW Sport Sampling Results: April 22, 2007 Latest Southwest Washington Sport Sampling Summaries [PDF Format] Salmon/Steelhead Cowlitz River - Fishing for steelhead has slowed some but fish are still being caught from the mouth of the Toutle to Blue Creek. Boat launching at Camelot is difficult because of washed out access roads. Last week Tacoma Power recovered 166 winter-run steelhead, 76 spring chinook adults and four jacks at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator during five days of operations. River flows at Mayfield Dam are approximately 7,300 cubic feet per second on Monday, April 23. On Wednesday, April 25 flows will be increased to 8,000 cubic feet per second for a 12-hour period. Currently the water visibility is over three feet. Kalama River - Anglers are catching some spring chinook and a few summer run steelhead. Catch is spread throughout the river. Drift boat traffic has been heavy at times. River flow and color has been good. Lewis River - Spring chinook and a few summer run steelhead are being caught, primarily near the salmon hatchery area. Fourteen boats were counted at the mouth on Saturday April 21. Through April 18, a total of 108 hatchery adult spring chinook and 15 hatchery summer run steelhead had returned to the Merwin Dam trap. Only 2 spring chinook and 7 steelhead had returned by this time last year. Flows at Merwin Dam were 3,900 cfs today which is slightly lower than the long-term mean for the date. Wind River - Effort and catch is increasing. 30 boats were counted here yesterday (Sunday April 22) morning. More four-year-old fish (12-14 pounds) are showing in the catch. A fish has already been sampled from the gorge. Drano Lake - Effort and catch is increasing here too. 54 boat trailers were counted Saturday April 21 morning. More four-year-olds are also appearing in the catch. Klickitat River - Effort remains light but a couple chinook were hooked on Saturday April 21. Flows at Pitt were 1,800 cfs today which is slightly lower than the long-term mean for the date. River has been clear. Bonneville Pool - Bank anglers are catching some spring chinook. The Dalles Pool - Boat and bank anglers upstream from the Maryhill Bridge are catching spring chinook. John Day Pool - Anglers are catching some steelhead. A Compact hearing has been scheduled for Wednesday April 25, 2007 at 1:00 p.m. via teleconference. One of the scheduled topics is the Bonneville Dam to McNary Dam sport fishery spring chinook catch which will be updated to determine if additional time in May is possible. Sturgeon Cowlitz River - Some sturgeon are still being caught from the lower Cowlitz. Lower Columbia below Bonneville Dam - Some legals are being caught by boat and bank anglers near Bonneville Dam. During the Saturday April 21 flight, a total of 111 boats were counted. The highest number of boats were found in the gorge and near the mouth of the Willamette. Effective May 1-11, all sturgeon must be released downstream from the Wauna power line crossing near Cathlamet. Starting May 12, sturgeon may be retained 7 days/week and the minimum size increases to 45" in this area. Maximum length remains 60 inches. Bonneville Pool - Slow for legal size fish. John Day Pool - Boat anglers are catching some legals. To provide a spawning sanctuary, the following areas are closed to fishing for sturgeon May 1-July 31: Bonneville Dam downstream to Navigation Marker 85; John Day Dam downstream 2.4 miles to the west end of the grain silo at Rufus Oregon; McNary Dam downstream 1.5 miles to the Hwy. 82 (Hwy. 395) Bridge Walleye and Bass Bonneville and The Dalles pools - Though few anglers were sampled, some walleye and bass are being caught by boaters. John Day Pool - Including fish released, boat anglers averaged over 1.5 walleye and 5 bass per rod. Trout Klineline Pond - Bank anglers averaged 2 trout per rod when including fish released. Best success was in the NW corner of the pond by anglers using green Power Bait. Planted with 4,131 catchable size and nearly 1,000 triploid rainbows weighing 1.4 pounds each April 17. Additional trout plants in year-round lakes April 16-18: South Lewis County Pond near Toledo - 4,144 catchable size browns; Sacajawea Lake in Longview - 12,054 catchable size browns; Kress Lake in Kalama - 6,560 catchable size browns, 2,000 catchable size rainbows, and 1,055 triploid rainbows averaging 1.4 pounds each; Horseshoe Lake in Woodland - 6,560 catchable size browns, 4,000 catchable size rainbows, and 1,520 triploid rainbows averaging 1.4 pounds each; Battleground - 3,000 rainbows averaging 2/3 pound each