The big news this week was the announcement of the closure of sockeye fishing on the Columbia River. This is something that is extremely disappointing to anglers. The sockeye fishery is extremely popular. There is still a chance that there will be enough sockeye returning to Lake Wenatchee for a season.
Changes are coming to planned sockeye salmon fisheries throughout the Columbia River, as early return data shows abundances are much lower than pre-season forecasts. Based on current run size information, recreational sockeye fisheries in the Upper Columbia River will not open July 1, and the Hanford Reach sockeye fishery, which opened June 16, will close on June 20.
The planned sockeye retention season in the lower Columbia River downstream of the Highway 395 Bridge at Pasco is reduced by four retention days following joint state action taken by Oregon and Washington fishery managers. The updated season is June 27 through July 5, but further modifications may be necessary as staff continue to monitor the run. Anglers can find details on the updated seasons on the emergency fishing rules webpage on the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) website. Both states jointly manage Columbia River mainstem waters downstream of the Washington-Oregon state line, and fishery management decisions consider constituents across both states.
“Sockeye returns are tracking well-below what fishery managers forecasted before the season, which means fewer fish are available to support fisheries throughout the Columbia River system,” said Quinten Daugherty, acting Columbia River fisheries manager with WDFW. “These closures and reductions reflect a precautionary, in-season adjustment designed to align fisheries with current return data while preserving flexibility if conditions change as the run develops.”
WDFW fishery managers project the return of adult sockeye salmon to Bonneville Dam to be less than half of the pre-season forecast of 275,000 based on current run size information. At this early point in the season, fishery managers noted significant uncertainty around the run, including variability around the timing of its peak. Managers expect greater certainty in the overall run size in late June, which is typically when half of the run passes Bonneville Dam.
Managers may consider opportunities in the upper Columbia River later in the season if sufficient numbers of sockeye return above spawning and conservation needs. The Lake Wenatchee sockeye fishery may open if sockeye passage at Tumwater Dam exceeds the spawner target of 23,000 adult sockeye. Managers will also consider opportunities for a sockeye fishery at Brewster Pool.
“We understand anglers in the Upper Columbia are disappointed by these closures,” said Chad Jackson, North Central Region fish program manager. “A cautious approach gives us the best chance to preserve future fishing opportunity while we learn more about the size of the sockeye return. If the run develops at harvestable levels, we expect most additional opportunity would occur in the Upper Columbia River above the Highway 395 Bridge in Pasco.”
My fishing buddy James Lebow, who lives in Moses Lake, and I were wondering where we might want to go fishing this past Thursday. Something close and quick was his preference. We had a pretty good day at Billy Clapp Lake fishing for walleye recently, so we decided to go back there. The forecast was for some wind that was to die down later in the morning, but that proved to be an issue when we started fishing. We were at the very top end of Billy Clapp, below the Powerhouse, and not only was the wind an issue, but the current was also even stronger than when we were here last. James tried to keep us in the small “bowl” where we usually get our fish, and we got a couple, but it was hard work in this very snaggy area. We moved further down the lake to get out of the current and did get a few more walleye here. Fishing was tough and we released several smaller walleye and smallmouth bass and ended up with seven fish in the live well when we headed for the dock at about 11:30. We’ll try it again later this summer. The Rufus Woods Roundup fishing contest sponsored by the Colville Tribe is still rolling along, and I wanted to remind you that there are many good reasons to sign up and enter. The contest is free and there are several ways to win gift certificates worth fifty dollars. For example, during period of June 24th to July 7th there are three different ways to win gift certificates. There will be a random draw from all fish entries for fifty dollars; there will be a random draw from a Live Release video for fifty dollars, and another fifty dollars will be awarded to the angler that turns in the most fish during that timeframe. Each two weeks the derby organizers announce another series of prizes that can be won with multiple ways to win. All you have to do is get the MyCatch app from Anglers Atlas on your phone to enter your catches—or releases. It’s free and there is still time to rack up some cash. The contest will continue through July 31st.
I had learned that the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife had removed their licensing computers from the dealer locations, and I wondered what this meant for those who still needed to get a fishing or hunting license. When I visited a store in Wenatchee I was greeted with complaints about the hassle. Okay, but people could still get a fishing or hunting license here. I live in Leavenworth, so I stopped by the local sporting goods store here. They showed me the laptop that they used to issue licenses, and said the process was much the same as when they had the department computer. Everything was printed on eight by ten sheets of regular printer paper. The could even do catch record cards. They couldn’t issue Discover Passes but said the local Safeway store had them. So, if you are frustrated with the online process, you can go to a local sporting goods store. I usually buy the Natural Investment pass that covered parking and launch fees at State Parks. The fee went from eighty dollars to one hundred and twenty dollars, so I think I will pay as I go this year.
