Columbia River Springers!

M

Mr. Fisherman

New member
They are coming. I had one phone me yesterday and with the background flatulence I just know it was a big ol' Columbia River Springer asking that I give him a couple of months to herd he and his buddies past in safety. I don't think so.
Time to get the gear ready and polish up the anchoring techniques for the coming slaughter on the water.
I can hardly wait. I am goin fishing soon, very soon.
For the last two years the first Spring Chinook over Bonneville Dam has been the first week in January. Who wants ta?
Gonna fire up the Cozy Cabin heater, fry up some goodies, maybe heat up some breakfast burritos and maybe even catch a fish.
I like to fish 20 to 45 feet of water and use about a 38 to 48 inch dropper with a 40 to 50 inch leader going to my favorite Kwickfish (baitwrapped) with a little scent on it. Gotta be patient and like company as there is never a shortage.
Hope to see you out there.
Anyone wanting to come along let me know...

Springer, it's What's Fer Dinner :smilep
 
Count me in, Ray! The powers that be are predicting the 2nd largest springer run in recent history this year. Word is that their already catching pilot run springers already. I took the boat out the week before last and was marking a lot of steelhead/salmon type fish on the fishfinder. Let's roll! :thup
 
Hi Ray & Larry,
Count me in for the springers. I like useing the same style fishing as Ray but use a rainbow spinner with scent rubed on it. We used to try to anchor in 15 to 24 foot water up at Camas across from the boat launch. I am still not done with the Blackmouth in South Sound and hear they will be fishable all year at Tacoma.
 
I ain't going until March. Never could catch them springers, anyway.

It looks like a lot of interest shaping up for Cathlamet this spring, so when spring gets a little closer, we'll have to set something up there for sure.
 
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
Contact: Anne Pressentin Young (503) 947-6020
Internet: www.dfw.state.or.us Fax: (503) 947-6009


For Immediate Release Friday, Jan. 9, 2004

Fish and Wildlife Commission gives guidance for 2004 Columbia River
spring chinook fisheries
Wolf management plan framework adopted

SALEM - The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission Friday supported
splitting the allowable impacts to wild fish during this year's
Columbia River spring chinook fisheries 40-50 percent to the commercial
fishery and 50-60 percent to the sport fishery.

Decisions on the 2004 Columbia spring chinook sport and commercial
fisheries will be made Feb. 5 in Oregon City by the states of Oregon and
Washington meeting as the Columbia River Compact. The first harvest is
expected to begin later in February.

Biologists estimate the policy guidance could result in a total
mainstem harvest of about 50,000 spring chinook, split for sport anglers
and the commercial fishing industry. Biologists also estimate that
454,000 hatchery-bred spring chinook will enter the Columbia River this
year and be available for harvest in the mainstem Columbia and
tributaries. Of those, 96,300 hatchery spring chinook are estimated to
be destined for the Willamette River.

The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission is the policymaking body for
fish and wildlife issues in the state. The seven-member panel meets
monthly.

The Commission also supported a pilot regulation prohibiting sport
anglers from removing wild chinook and steelhead from the water in the
Columbia River between Tongue Point and McNary Dam. The goal of the
potential new rule is to reduce the unintended mortality associated with
handling and releasing fish.


Spring chinook provide tremendous economic benefit to both the
commercial and sport-fishing industries because the meat is prized for
its flavor and it is the first fresh non-farmed salmon of the season to
reach barbecues and specialty markets.

Columbia River spring chinook seasons are set to protect wild chinook
listed under the federal Endangered Species Act while allowing harvest
on adipose fin-clipped hatchery chinook. Federal law limits the
allowable impact to wild populations from unintended mortalities
associated with the non-Indian fisheries to 2.0 percent of the total
wild run.
 
I'm going to catch me one of them buggers while at the Cathlametstan gathering. We can cook um up for dinner at the dock, or, trudge up to the restaurant cuz we have no fish as usual
 
We'd be up for the Cathlamatstan trip provided we don't need visas. I didn't realize there were any significant bodies of water there let alone slamon. Has a date been established?.
 
You won't need no visa. I'm sure they take American Express, and besides, it's only six bucks a night for a slip.

I don't believe anyone has set a definite date yet. The last couple of years, we have had the first CBGT there in early April. Year before last, it snowed on the boat April 4.

And hey, the Columbia River is a pretty significant body of water! About 40 miles downstream from Cathlametstan, the river flows out into the ocean for 150 miles or so. The Cathlamet Marina is on Elochman Slough, which runs into the Columbia behind Puget Island. It's about 5 minutes from the Columbia Channel. Right across the river from Cathlamet is a paper mill. That's where I work.

If nobody comes up with a date that works for you - pick your own! Almost gauranteed that Helen O Larry will meet you there - even if he just shouts howdy from his porch.

See ya there!!
 
There won't be any shouting from the porch! I'll be down at the harbor welcoming y'all. C'mon down. I'm looking for excuses to fish or cruise. :mrgreen:
 
I've got cabin fever because I'm not in the new place yet. :cry Our new home is supposed to be completed next week. The weather set the builder back some. We're getting close though. :wink
 
NEWS RELEASE
WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, Washington 98501-1091
Internet Address: http://wdfw.wa.gov
OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE
3406 Cherry Ave NE, Salem, Oregon 97303
Internet address: http://www.dfw.state.or.us

January 30, 2004

Contact: WDFW: Cindy Le Fleur, (360) 906-6706
or Margaret Ainscough (360) 902-2408

ODFW: Steve Williams, (503) 947-6209
or Anne Pressentin, (503) 947-6020

Allocation set for Columbia River
spring chinook fisheries

Following the direction of the Washington and Oregon fish and wildlife commissions, the directors of the states' fish and wildlife departments today announced that sport anglers in the Columbia River spring chinook fishery will be allowed 60 percent of the incidental impacts to upriver fish listed under the Endangered Species Act and commercial fishers will get 40 percent.

In reaching their decision, the officials noted that fisheries managers are to approach season planning with these percentages as hard targets. Both states directed the sport and commercial fisheries to be closely held to the agreed-upon percentage allocation. However, as in any fishery, a minimal amount of flexibility will be allowed to respond to unanticipated changes in run timing, river conditions or other factors, the commissions agreed.

"These fisheries are set very conservatively to protect wild fish—while allowing harvest opportunity for healthy, hatchery stocks," said Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Director Jeff Koenings, Ph.D. "As always, conservation is paramount in conducting sustainable fisheries."

The allocation figures will be used to set fishing seasons for what is expected to be the second-largest spring chinook run on record. Those seasons will be determined Thursday, Feb. 5, in a Columbia River Compact meeting in Oregon City, Ore.

In addition to setting the upriver-impact allocation, the directors reiterated the importance of avoiding conflicts between recreational and commercial fishers when setting seasons. The directors agreed pre-season planners need to emphasize commercial fishing opportunities earlier in February and March to avoid gear conflicts, as much as possible, with anglers during recreational seasons in April.

The allocation figures reflect how the allowable impact on wild fish is shared between non-tribal sport and commercial fishers. Although all fishers target hatchery-produced chinook, some wild fish are inadvertently caught and die from handling stress. Upper Columbia and Snake River wild spring chinook are federally protected under the Endangered Species Act and the allowable "impact" on wild fish is limited to 2 percent of the wild run in non-tribal fisheries.

Koenings and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) Director Lindsay Ball stressed that pre-season planning for the spring chinook fisheries also should be based on a federally-established limit of 2 percent incidental impact to wild steelhead. This figure reflects incidental catches of wild steelhead that occur as the steelhead co-mingle with spring chinook during a portion of the fishing season.

Koenings and Ball credited past efforts to develop selective fisheries for the opportunities that await anglers this season. Noting that avoiding impacts on wild steelhead will be emphasized in setting upcoming fishing seasons, the directors called on commercial spring chinook fishers to step up efforts to avoid handling wild steelhead.

"The commercial fishery has come a long way in becoming selective, but we want to continue to work with the industry to be creative in finding ways to avoid handling steelhead," Koenings said. "In doing so, we are creating the stable, sustainable fishery so necessary to develop high-value harvests."

This year's total run of Columbia River spring chinook is predicted to be the second-highest on record since counting began in 1938 at Bonneville Dam. More than 497,000 wild and hatchery spring chinook are forecast to enter the Columbia River this year.

Koenings also credited federal funding for Columbia River hatchery operations as an important factor in providing overall fishing opportunity, but noted the federal Mitchell Act funding that mitigates negative effects of the hydropower system is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain.
# # #




Information and Education Division
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
(503) 947-6002
 
Well I think this is good news isn't it fellers? I could make a couple of smart ass comments about promises to reduce kill rates of wild kings and to reduce handling of wild steelhead but I wont. It does sound like some of the campaign promises I've been listening too on the news lately though.

Anyways, I am thankful for the opportunity and plan on hanging with some of you south end guys in the near future so you can show me the ropes. Tim
 
T.S., ya oughta pencil the Cathlamet gathering on your calander, that will be prime time springer season + Larry will have all the hot spots mapped out for us...but...like Mike said, with the B~C and the Tyboo boat on the same chunk of water, fish will be scarce
 
This year's total run of Columbia River spring chinook is predicted to be the second-highest on record since counting began in 1938 at Bonneville Dam.
Click to expand...

Oh man, this has got me drooling on my keyboard. :smilep This is the good stuff! I hope you all can make it down for the Cathlamet gathering.
Slow troll a green label herring behind 2 oz. of lead does the trick. All you have to do is drag it in front of them. :thup
 
Fish Smish! The chrome bright up river chinook are a prized comodity alright but they are not nearly as important as a dockside or river rodevue with some of the fellow C-Brat friends you share a trip to Cathlamet with. The most repeated story I keep reading on this site is shared by two of the biggest fish nuts of this group, Lyle and Ray. Thier story and memories of a breakfast shared on the Columbia has been posted more times than the TyBoo and B-C tale of cutting off a good bite. The river breakfast is of two friends sharing a beautiful moment, some good food, and a common love. All this and not a single fish put aboard.

That same week-end the crew that never fishes caught the most sought after prize in the water, a set of keys without a float.

No my friends and fellow Brats, Springers at Cathlamet are not the best of catches. A years worth of memories bringing about a desire to make that same trip again this year is the best thing to be found at Cathlamet on the Columbia. Judy, I, and the Lynn Marie will return; not to catch a fish but in hopes of catching another memory. That flavor is truley sweet and will last forever.

See you their,
 
BCK, I've been watching the Cathlametstan discussion closely the last few weeks but hesitate (read can't) commit. My first grandchilds due date is on the sixth of April and my significant other has clearly and concisely arranged my priority list during this time. I'm hoping the Doc's off by a week and I'll be there watching the wakes of them springers getting out of Tyboos way. Maybe thats what all the rock talk is about? For sure, I'd be interested should you decide to go out before then or later in the month of April. I'd even run down there for a day.
 
TST, I recon the birth of a grankid is a good excuse, whenever you get the urge to come down to these parts give a yell, somebody is always itchin to be fitchin, I'm sure we'll be going out plenty in the next few months.......good luck with the new grandcrumbsnatcher
 
NEWS RELEASE
WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, Washington 98501-1091
Internet Address: http://wdfw.wa.gov
OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE
3406 Cherry Ave NE, Salem, Oregon 97303
Internet address: http://www.dfw.state.or.us

February 5, 2004
Contacts: WDFW: Cindy LeFleur, (360) 906-6708
or Margaret Ainscough (360) 902-2408
ODFW: Steve King, (503) 657-2000 ext. 246
or Anne Pressentin, (503) 947-6020

Columbia River spring chinook seasons set for sport anglers and commercial fishers
Fisheries target 500,000 salmon run * second largest on record

OREGON CITY, OR. * The states of Washington and Oregon Thursday adopted non-Indian sport and commercial spring chinook fishing seasons in the Columbia River that provide abundant opportunities for harvesting expected large returns of hatchery-bred fish while protecting wild salmon and steelhead by significantly limiting their catch and handling.

The recreational seasons adopted Thursday allow spring chinook angling every day below the Interstate 5 Bridge now until a guideline is reached in the spring. Above the I-5 Bridge to McNary Dam, the season opens March 16. The states also adopted a new rule that prohibits anglers from totally removing a wild salmon or steelhead from the water during the mainstem Columbia River fishery. The recreational angling season will close when the allowable number of "impacts" to wild fish are reached. Fishery managers hope to keep the extremely popular fishery open through April and into May.

"Because the sport fishery will be managed on impacts, the end date of the fishery is not precisely known," said Cindy LeFleur, Columbia River fish biologist for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. "We don't have a crystal ball."

Fish biologists from the Oregon and Washington departments of fish and wildlife predict the total run of Columbia River spring chinook will be the second-highest since 1938, when counting began. About 500,000 wild and hatchery spring chinook are forecast to enter the Columbia River in 2004. Of the total run, 70-80 percent are marked by a missing adipose fin to designate them as "keepers." Biologists estimate a total mainstem harvest of about 50,000 hatchery-bred spring chinook, split between sport anglers and the commercial fishing industry.

Spring chinook provide tremendous economic benefit to both the commercial and sport-fishing industries because the meat is prized for its flavor and it is the first fresh non-farmed salmon of the season to reach barbecues and specialty markets.

The commercial seasons adopted Thursday would allow fisheries not longer than 16 hours from the mouth to Kelley Point on Tuesdays and/or Thursdays if test fishing results from Sundays and Wednesdays indicate very few wild fish present in the river. The first test fishery is scheduled for Feb. 22, with the earliest possible fleet fishery on Feb. 24. The commercial seasons were set to target spring chinook destined for Willamette River hatcheries, to reduce wild steelhead impacts, and to minimize conflicts with sport anglers.

Commercial fisheries may include a combination of tangle net and large mesh fisheries. The number of test fisheries and the required mesh size for the large mesh fisheries were increased for 2004 to decrease the number of wild steelhead handled.

For large mesh fisheries, fishers will be required to use nets not longer than 150 fathoms with mesh size between 9 and 9.75 inches and have recovery boxes on board for any wild fish caught. During the tangle net portion, fishers must use 4.25 inch maximum size mesh. In addition, on-board observers will determine the number of wild fish caught and released. Thursday's decisions established a delayed mortality rate of 40 percent for wild spring chinook and 30 percent for wild steelhead caught in large mesh commercial nets. The mortality rate for wild spring chinook and steelhead released from the tangle nets was established at 18.5 percent.

The states also adopted commercial seasons for tribal and non-tribal fishers for shad harvest, spring chinook select area fisheries, and anchovy and herring bait fisheries.

Fish managers set the Columbia River spring chinook fishery based on the number of fish expected to return from the ocean and the allowable impact to wild salmon and steelhead stocks listed under the federal Endangered Species Act. "Impacts" are the unintended mortalities associated with handling and releasing wild fish. The allowed non-Indian impacts are 2 percent of the total runs of ESA-listed Snake River spring chinook, Upper Columbia River spring chinook, and Columbia Basin winter steelhead.

Thursday's decision splits the total 2 percent allowable impact 1.2 percent to the sport fisheries and 0.8 percent to the commercial fishers for the 2004-2005 fisheries. Fishery managers will use the test fisheries, short commercial openers and early season "checkpoints" to prevent both the commercial and sport fisheries from exceeding their allowable impacts.

The directors of the Oregon and Washington fish and wildlife departments said last week that pre-season planning for the spring chinook fisheries, should be based on the federally-established limit of 2 percent allowable impacts to wild steelhead. The states' decision today complies with that direction. Adjustments may be made if NOAA Fisheries allows a higher impact rate and the fish and wildlife directors initiate a public review process before a final decision is made.

The rules adopted Thursday for sport anglers include:
* For the mainstem Columbia River from the mouth at Buoy 10 upstream to the Interstate 5 Bridge, the season for adipose fin-clipped spring chinook, adipose fin-clipped steelhead, and shad is open seven days a week now until the allowable impacts are reached or May 15, which ever occurs first. Anglers may retain two adult spring chinook or steelhead in Oregon. In Washington, anglers may retain two adult spring chinook and two steelhead. From the Rocky Point/Tongue Point line in the Columbia River estuary upstream to I-5, anglers are prohibited from totally removing from the water any salmon or steelhead required to be released from Monday, Feb. 16, through the end of the fishery.

* For the mainstem Columbia River from the Interstate 5 Bridge upstream to Bonneville Dam and from the Tower Island power lines upstream to McNary Dam and the Oregon bank between Bonneville Dam and the Tower Island power lines (about 6 miles below The Dalles Dam), the season for adipose fin-clipped spring chinook, adipose fin-clipped steelhead, and shad is open seven days a week Tuesday, March 16, until the allowable impacts are reached or May 15, which ever occurs first. Anglers may retain two adult spring chinook or steelhead in Oregon. In Washington, anglers may retain two adult spring chinook and two steelhead. Anglers are prohibited from totally removing from the water any salmon or steelhead required to be released.

* Biologists will analyze the sport harvest and the impacts to wild fish one or two days per week April 6 * May 15 to make in-season adjustments. If modifications are necessary to keep within the allowable impacts, they will be made in the following order: 1) Reduce the number of fishing days each week between the I-5 Bridge and Bonneville Dam; 2) End the fishery between the I-5 Bridge and Bonneville Dam; 3) Reduce the number of fishing days each week below the I-5 Bridge; and 4) End the fishery below the I-5 Bridge. In addition, the fishery above Bonneville Dam will be managed to provide similar fishing opportunities as those below the I-5 Bridge.
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