Adult salmon catch limit on Klickitat, Wind rivers will be reduced to 1 fish per day

RIDGEFIELD - Starting April 1, anglers fishing the lower sections of the Klickitat and Wind Rivers will be limited to retaining one adult salmon as part of their daily limit.

The catch limit will also switch to one adult salmon per day in the upper portions of the Wind River on May 1 and in the upper Klickitat beginning May 25.

State fishery managers said the lower limit - down from two adult salmon per day - is necessary to ensure that hatchery broodstock goals for spring chinook salmon are met. Preseason forecasts project a return of 1,100 adult spring chinook to the Klickitat River and 2,800 to the Wind River this year - both well below the 10-year average for actual returns.

"Based on past fishery performance, we anticipate that hatchery broodstock collection may not be achieved if standard fishery seasons and bag limits are implemented, said Matt Gardner, a WDFW district fish biologist.

For now, however, Gardner said the two-chinook daily limit will remain in place at Drano Lake, where 5,600 adult spring chinook are forecast to return this year.

"At this time, we don't believe there's a need to change the spring chinook rules in Drano Lake," Gardner said. 

Areas of the Klickitat and Wind rivers where the adult salmon daily limit is being reduced to one fish are as follows:

Klickitat River

• From the mouth (Burlington Northern Railroad Bridge) to Fisher Hill Bridge:  effective April 1, 2019 until further notice.
• From 400 feet upstream of #5 fishway to boundary markers below Klickitat Salmon Hatchery: Effective May 25, 2019 until further notice.

Wind River

• From the mouth to 400 feet downstream of Shipherd Falls fish ladder: Effective April 1, 2019 until further notice.
• From 100 feet above Shipherd Falls to 800 yards below Carson National Fish Hatchery: Effective May 1, 2019 until further notice.

Anglers are reminded to check for emergency rule changes throughout the season as spring chinook returns develop.