HOOK AND FUR By Bob Brown The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has re-authorized the states of Washington, Oregon and Idaho to continue lethal removal of California sea lions at Bonneville Dam for another five years. While the decision isn't expected to sit well with animal rights organizations, through May 31 this year, California and Steller sea lions consumed approximately 9,000 spring chinook, or nearly 3 percent of returning adult fish. It was estimated California sea lions consumed 6,267 of those fish and 2,459 by Steller sea lions. NOAA said because of their significant impact on endangered salmon and steelhead, predator control is justified to prevent those stocks from becoming further depressed. Biologists estimated that from Astoria, Ore. to Bonneville Dam, as many as 3,300 sea lions resided in the Columbia River this past spring and could have taken as much as 20 percent of the entire spring chinook run.
Fishing news
" The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife reports a number of salmon regulation changes will begin Aug. 1. Of note is the change to coho daily limits. Anglers will be limited to two hatchery adult coho (was previously 6 fish) on all tributaries to the lower Columbia River . Also, on those same tributaries when hatchery steelhead seasons are in progress, hatchery chinook and coho may be retained. Buoy 10 will open Aug. 1 with a two-fish daily limit of which one may be a chinook through Sept. 5 (Labor Day). Chinook retention on Sundays and Mondays during this timeframe will be limited to hatchery fish with an adipose fin clip. " Since June 15, Tacoma Power employees have floy-tagged and recycled 1,050 summer steelhead to the I-5 Bridge boat launch. Of that total 245 steelhead have either been reported harvested or returned back to the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator. Last week the hatchery recovered 391 spring chinook adults, 91 jacks, 64 mini-jacks, 763 summer steelhead and three cutthroat trout. Flows were 2,450 cubic feet per second July 15 with a visibility of about 13 feet. " Swofford Pond anglers have been catching some large trout and a few catfish. Bluegill catches have also been good. Riffe Lake has been producing some decent catches of silvers plus a few bass. Harts Lake is fishing well for channel catfish. Best bites have been during late-evening hours with night crawlers and chicken livers the preferred baits.
Bob Brown lives in Roy and is a freelance outdoors writer. he can be contacted at robertb1285@centurylink.net
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