HOOK AND FUR By Bob Brown For the first time in two decades, recreational anglers will have an opportunity to harvest hatchery sturgeon from Wanapum and Priest Rapids reservoirs. Chad Jackson, district biologist for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) said several thousand juvenile sturgeon were released into the upper Columbia in 2003, and recent surveys indicate many of those hatchery fish have grown to harvestable size. About 4,000 hatchery sturgeon are estimated to reside in Wanapum Reservoir and 2,000 in Priest Rapids Reservoir. Department fishery managers believe removing as many hatchery sturgeon possible from those reservoirs will help regional conservation efforts to recover wild sturgeon populations. Also, to reduce interaction between wild and hatchery sturgeon, the department is implementing a size restriction for this fishery designed to target hatchery sturgeon while protecting larger wild fish. Between July 1 and Sept. 30, anglers will be allowed to retain two hatchery sturgeon daily between 38 and 72 inches (fork-length) from Wanapum and Priest Rapid. Sturgeon caught in these reservoirs will not count toward an angler's annual limit for sturgeon. Also, anglers will not be required to record sturgeon harvested from either reservoir on their record cards. "We know there are thousands of these hatchery fish residing in Wanapum and Priest Rapids reservoirs. What we don't know is whether this will be a one-time opening or if there will be future opportunities. Angler participation and success will determine whether it will reopen after its closing date on Sept. 30,GÇ¥ Jackson said.
Fishing reports
" Last week, Tacoma Power employees recovered 155 spring chinook adults, 49 jacks, 158 summer steelhead adults during five days of operations at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator. Forty- eight Cowlitz bank anglers kept 15 adult chinook and four jacks, plus six summer steelhead. Fifteen boat anglers kept two spring chinook and five summer steelhead. The chinook were caught near the salmon hatchery and the steelhead near the trout hatchery. " The Nisqually River doesn't open to fishing until July 1, with night closure and anti-snagging rules in effect. Barbless hooks are also required. The Puyallup River opens Aug. 1 with the same rules in effect and required. " During June 13-18, the Bonneville Power Administration's Columbia and Snake rivers Pikeminnow Sport-Reward Fishery was close to being outstanding in both of those rivers. Three of the most productive areas during that week were in The Dalles, Columbia Point and Boyer Park areas. In The Dalles area 162 pikeminnow anglers caught 1,357 fish with three being tagged fish worth $ 500 each. Columbia Point was another hot spot where 167 anglers caught 1,442 pikes and 293 Boyer Park anglers caught 3,930 pikeminnows. During that week a total of 12,514 pikeminnoqs were caught with fifteen of those being tagged fish. " Joe Hymer of the WDFW Vancouver office reported the Columbia River sockeye count at Bonneville Dam continues at a record pace (since at least 1938). Through June 20, a total of 132,854 sockeye had been counted at the dam. The previous record through that date was 2014 when 115,761 fish had been counted. The 2016 preseason forecast was 101,600 sockeye at the mouth of the Columbia.
Bob Brown is a freelance outdoors writer. He can be contacted robertb1285@centurylink.net
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