|
The following is a brief summary of emergency and permanent sport fishing regulations for the mainstem Columbia River and its tributaries plus possible upcoming razor clam seasons.
Complete information contained in this hotline message can be found in the 2012/2013 Fishing in Washington pamphlet.
Friday, May 17, 2013
RAZOR CLAMS
Clam diggers will get one more chance to dig razor clams this season during a three-day opening at Twin Harbors, running Friday through Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. The morning dig scheduled May 24-26 got the green light after marine toxin tests showed the clams at Twin Harbors are safe to eat.
All other ocean beaches will remain closed to clam digging and digging at Twin Harbors must end each day at noon.
Low morning tides during the upcoming openings at Twin Harbors are as follows:
- May 24, Friday, 6:34 a.m., -1.7 ft.
- May 25, Saturday, 7:21 a.m., -2.2 ft.
- May 26, Sunday, 8:09 a.m., -2.4 ft.
SALMON/STEELHEAD
Mainstem Columbia River and most Washington tributaries – Barbless hooks are required to fish for salmon and steelhead. Check the new 2013-2014 Washington Sport Fishing Rules for more information.
Rocky Point/Tongue Point line upstream to I-5 Bridge – Open to fishing for hatchery steelhead and hatchery Chinook jacks. Scheduled to be open for hatchery adult summer Chinook and sockeye June 16 through June 30
I-5 Bridge to Bonneville Dam – Currently closed to fishing for salmon and steelhead. Schedule to reopen for hatchery steelhead, hatchery summer Chinook, and sockeye beginning June 16. Scheduled to be open for hatchery adult summer Chinook and sockeye through June 30.
Bonneville Dam to Washington/Oregon border – Currently closed to fishing for salmon and steelhead. Scheduled to reopen for hatchery steelhead, hatchery summer Chinook, and sockeye beginning June 16.
Green River from the mouth to 400’ below the water intake at the upper end of the hatchery and South Fork Toutle River from the mouth to the 4700 Road Bridge – The ending date for the early hatchery steelhead season that opens the last Saturday in May is incorrectly listed in the 2013-2014 Washington Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet. The correct ending date is the Friday before the first Saturday in June. This year, the ending date is May 31, 2013. Selective gear rules apply during this fishery.
Cowlitz River from mouth to 400 feet or posted markers below the barrier dam – Through July, the combined hatchery Chinook and hatchery coho daily limit is 6 fish, no more than 2 adults.
Kalama River from mouth to upstream to the upper salmon hatchery (Kalama Falls Hatchery) – Until further notice, all Chinook must be released.
Mainstem Lewis River from mouth to forks and North Fork Lewis River from mouth of forks upstream to Johnson Creek – Until further notice, all Chinook must be released.
North Fork Lewis River from Johnson Creek (located downstream from Lewis River Salmon Hatchery) upstream to overhead powerlines below Merwin Dam – Through May 31 CLOSED TO ALL FISHING. On June 1st this section will reopen to hatchery steelhead but remain closed for Chinook.
Wind River from mouth (boundary line markers) to 400 feet below Shipherd Falls –The daily limit is 1 hatchery spring Chinook or 1 hatchery steelhead. Two poles will not be allowed. However, the 2012 expanded fishing area at the mouth will be used as the lower boundary for this year’s fishery.
Wind River from 400 feet below Shipherd Falls upstream, including all tributaries – Until further notice, closed to all fishing.
Drano Lake – Open to fishing for hatchery Chinook and hatchery steelhead. Daily limit is a total of 2 hatchery salmon or hatchery steelhead or 1 of each. Closed Wednesdays through June. Through June 30, bank fishing only west of a line projected from the easternmost pillar of the Hwy. 14 Bridge to a posted marker on the north shore. Through June 30, anglers may fish with two poles with a Two-Pole Endorsement.
Klickitat River from the mouth to Fisher Hill Bridge – Through May, open to fishing for hatchery spring Chinook and hatchery steelhead Mondays, Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays only.The daily limit is two hatchery Chinook, two hatchery steelhead, or one of each.
White Salmon River from the county road bridge below the former powerhouse to Northwestern Lake Road Bridge – Until further notice, open to fishing for hatchery steelhead. Selective gear rules are in effect.
TROUT
Swift Reservoir – The trout daily limit is 5 fish until it increases to 10 fish beginning September 1. All bull trout and steelhead must be released. Landlocked rules will be in effect (salmon count towards the trout daily limit); however, all salmon larger than 15 inches must be released. Two poles are not allowed. Selective gear rules apply from posted markers approximately 3/8 mile below Eagle Cliff Bridge to the bridge.
Fishing closure for Kress Lake safety day event
Action: Closes Kress Lake to fishing by the public for two days.
Effective Dates:
- May 17– 12:01 a.m., entire lake closed to public fishing
- May 18– Lake closed to public fishing until 6:00 p.m. The lake will be open to juvenile anglers participating in the Safety Day Event from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
STURGEON
Annual limit – The annual catch limit for white sturgeon is two fish per year in Washington’s waters. Beginning Jan. 1, 2014, retention of white sturgeon will not be allowed by anglers fishing in the lower Columbia River below Bonneville Dam, the Washington coast, Puget Sound and their tributaries. Catch-and-release fishing for the species will be allowed in those areas.
Mainstem Columbia and its tributaries from Buoy 10 to the Wauna powerlines including all adjacent Washington tributaries – White sturgeon may be retained daily through June 30. Minimum size is 41” minimum fork length and maximum size 54” fork length. Catch-and-release fishing is permitted on non-retention days.
Mainstem Columbia River from the Wauna powerlines upstream to Bonneville Dam including all adjacent Washington tributaries (excluding sturgeon spawning sanctuary described below) – White sturgeon may be retained Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays only through June 15 and October 19 through December 31. Daily limit is 1 fish. Minimum fork length is 38” and maximum fork length 54”. Catch-and-release fishing is permitted on non-retention days.
All fishing for sturgeon is closed through August 31 in the sturgeon sanctuary from Bonneville Dam downstream 9 miles to a line crossing the Columbia River from navigation marker 82 on the Oregon shore westerly to the boundary marker on the Washington shore upstream of Fir Point.
Bonneville Dam to The Dalles Dam including adjoining tributaries – A summer retention period has been set for June 14-15 and June 21-22. Daily limit is 1 fish. Minimum fork length is 38” and maximum fork length 54”. Catch-and-release fishing is permitted on non-retention days.
The Dalles Dam to McNary Dam including adjoining tributaries – The daily limit is 1 fish, minimum size 43” fork length and maximum size 54” fork length. Sturgeon may be retained until the pool-specific guidelines are met. Existing sturgeon spawning sanctuaries below John Day and McNary dams are in effect through July.
EULACHON (COLUMBIA RIVER) SMELT
CLOSED STATEWIDE (including all marine and freshwater areas).
State fishing and hunting licenses are available for the new season (begins April 1, 2013) by phone (866-246-9453), online (https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/), and from licensing dealers around the state (http://wdfw.wa.gov/licensing/vendors/). A Vehicle Access Pass to lands owned by WDFW is free with most types of fishing and hunting licenses.
Two-Pole Endorsement: This endorsement allows you to use two fishing poles on most freshwater lakes, ponds, a few sections of certain rivers, and a few marine areas. You must have a fishing license in addition to the two pole endorsement.
Discover Pass
At $35, an annual pass provides access to nearly seven million acres of state-managed recreation lands, including state parks, water-access points, heritage sites, wildlife and natural areas, trails and trailheads.
New this year is the option to choose the activation date for an annual Discover Pass purchased online or from an authorized WILD licensing dealer.
Those who buy an annual Discover Pass through the WILD system can now activate the pass immediately or anytime within one year of the purchase date. On-line gift buyers can select a future start date so long as they allow 10 days to receive their Discover Pass by mail.
For details on purchasing a Discover Pass, see http://discoverpass.wa.gov/.
|
