PORTLAND - Fishery managers from Washington and Oregon today set fishing seasons for 2012 on the lower Columbia River that anticipate a strong run of spring chinook salmon but a further decline in the number of white sturgeon available for harvest.

Most new fishing regulations adopted today will take effect March 1, when fishing for spring chinook and sturgeon starts to heat up on the lower Columbia. Until then, both fisheries are open on various sections of the river under rules approved last year.
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Here is the Southwest Washington fishing section of the WDFW Weekender Report for February. To read the entire Weekender Report go to WDFW’s Web site.

Fishing: Ocean bright spring chinook salmon are beginning to move into the Columbia River, setting the stage for one of the state’s most popular fisheries. Anglers typically start landing early-returning “springers” in early February, but the fishery usually doesn’t catch fire until March.
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Last week Tacoma Power recovered 146 winter-run steelhead, 75 coho adults and three jacks during five days of operation at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator.
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Last week Tacoma Power recovered 133 coho adults, one jack and 80 winter-run steelhead during three days of operation at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator.
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CORVALLIS, Ore. – In the space of a few days, many rivers in western Oregon have gone from near-record low levels to flood stage, jeopardizing riverside homes, causing flooding and challenging Chinook salmon, steelhead and other native fishes.
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Last week Tacoma Power recovered 330 winter-run steelhead, 236 coho adults and four jacks during five days of operation at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator.
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Last week Tacoma Power recovered 801 coho adults, eleven jacks and 354 winter-run steelhead during three days of operation at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator.
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Last week Tacoma Power recovered 696 coho adults, ten jacks, 121 winter-run steelhead and three cutthroat trout during four days of operation at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator. Read More. . .

Here is the Southwest Washington fishing section of the WDFW Weekender Report for January.

Fishing: Winter steelhead are still the name of the game in the Columbia River Basin, although several other fisheries are beginning to compete for anglers’ attention.
Sturgeon fishing reopens Jan. 1 from the mouth of the Columbia to McNary Dam, and more than a dozen lakes and ponds are scheduled to receive an infusion of 38,000 catchable-size rainbow trout by the end of the month.
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