The following report was submitted by Bryant Spielman, WDFW
Preliminary sampling summary of the Washington-Columbia River and its tributaries for September 11-17, 2023.
Lower Columbia River, Rocky Point/Tong Point line upstream to Bonneville Dam – There were 967 salmon boats and 272 Washington Bank rods counted during Saturday’s (9/16) trip count.
Main Columbia River
Salmon/Steelhead:
1 second (Bonneville) – 74 bank anglers kept 11 chinook, two chinook, and released three chinook. The 11 boats/24 rods kept eight chinook, one plug chinook, and one released chinook.
Second 2 (Camas/Washougal) – 123 boats/295 rods Retained 129 Chinook, nine Chinook Jacks, and seven Coho Jacks, released 11 Chinook, one Chinook Jack, and five Coho Jacks.
Second 3 (I-5 area) – 14 Boats/31 Rods Retained nine Chinook, two Chinook, three Coho, and released four Chinook and one Coho.
Second 4 (Vancouver) – 132 bank anglers kept 26 Chinook. 83 Boats/182 Rods Retained 99 chinook, six chinook and 10 coho and released seven chinook and four coho.
sec 5 (forest) – One boat/2 rods without fishing.
Second 6 (speech) – 77 bank anglers kept 16 chinook, 1 coho, and released 2 chinook. The 12 boats/31 rods kept five chinook and released one coho.
sec 7 (coletes) – 9 boats/20 rods I kept six Chinook and released one Coho.
Second 8 (Longview) – 14 bank fishermen had no catch. 16 boats/37 rods kept seven chinook and one coho.
Second 9 (Cathlamite) – Six bank fishermen had no catch. 35 Boats/72 Rods I retained seven Chinook, one Jack Chinook, and six Coho, and released three Coho and one Jack Coho.
Tributaries of the Columbia River
Salmon/Steelhead:
Cowlitz River I-5 Br downstream – 47 Bank Rods kept two coho and a jack coho and released two chinook, one coho and one steelhead. 5 boats/13 rods and three coho were released.
Cowlitz River above I-5 Br – 25 banked rod I kept two steelhead and launched two Chinook and one plug Chinook. 1 boat/3 rod Chinook launched.
Kalama River – There is no report.
Lewis River – Seven bank rods released three Chinook. 7 boats/13 rods held three coho and two coho and released three chinook and three coho.
Wind River – Three bank rods had no catch. 7 boats/17 rods kept one chinook and four coho and released four chinook and two coho.
Lake Drano – There was not a single bank rod. 49 Boats/148 Rods Retained 57 chinook, two chinook, and three coho, and released 29 chinook, three coho, and one steelhead.
Klickitat River below Fisher Hill Bridge – 13 bank bars held three chinook.
Klickitat River above Fish Pass No. 5 – There is no report.