SW Washington fishing report
Best Weekend Bets
- Tributary fall salmon good for early run coho, and Chinook where open.
- Mainstem Columbia River open for coho, Chinook closed.
- Drano Lake and Wind River Chinook still biting.
- Klickitat River good for Chinook.
- Tributary steelhead fair, but slowing.
- Columbia River walleye bite stays strong.
- Merwin Reservoir kokanee good, but fish are turning dark ahead of the spawn.
- Late run coho should begin arriving soon.
Regulations and Weather
Chinook retention is closed on the mainstem Columbia River, while coho retention remains open. Check the current Washington fishing regulations before heading out.
The Woodland area expects a warm, sunny weekend with highs in the low 80s. There is a slight chance of showers Monday, but the rest of the week should stay dry and partly cloudy with highs in the upper 70s. No major rain is in the forecast.
Trout Stocking
There are no local stockings this week. A few trout are still being caught in Goose Lake, Mayfield Lake, and the high-country lakes, but lowland lake fishing is slow.
Columbia River
The WDFW flight count on Saturday, September 26 tallied 728 salmonid boats and 117 Washington bank rods from the Rocky Point/Tongue Point line up to Bonneville Dam. Anglers did very well for both Chinook and coho in all open areas, with the best results from Bonneville to Washougal.
According to Gorge Outfitters Supply, a few anglers are still targeting walleye, and the schools remain on gravel and rocky reefs.
Cowlitz River
Over five days at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator, Tacoma Power recovered 1,424 coho adults, 511 coho jacks, 266 fall Chinook adults, and 91 fall Chinook jacks, plus a handful of summer steelhead, spring Chinook, and cutthroat.
Flows below Mayfield Dam were 2,360 cfs on Monday, September 28, and should hold near that level all week. Visibility is seven feet and water temperature is 53.2 degrees.
Early coho continue to move in and anglers are doing pretty well. Chinook are also being caught but cannot be retained on the Cowlitz.
The lower river has been best. In the latest survey, 45 bank anglers kept one coho, while 9 boats with 22 rods kept five coho and three coho jacks and released four Chinook and eight coho. Few anglers are targeting steelhead.
Gauges are available at Kelso, Castle Rock, and Mayfield Dam.
Mayfield Lake
Angler numbers are dropping, partly due to weather and partly because anglers are chasing the strong salmon runs elsewhere. Boat anglers have seen the best action.
Lewis River
Fishing continues to improve, especially for coho, and the Chinook bite is still good. Most recent Chinook are from the later, brighter run. As of today, October 1, any Chinook can be retained.
The Woodland gauge reads about 8 feet and is not expected to rise this week. Fishing has been best from the Golf Course up to the Woodland Hatchery, though anglers in Woodland are scoring too.
In the latest creel, 250 bank anglers kept four Chinook, 34 coho, five coho jacks, and three steelhead. 38 boats with 81 rods kept one Chinook, one Chinook jack, 27 coho, and nine coho jacks, and released 46 Chinook.
Steelhead are still in the river in decent numbers, but few anglers are targeting them.
Merwin Reservoir
Kokanee are feeding hard ahead of the spawn, but quality is slipping as they darken. Fish are moving toward Speelyai Bay, though some schools are still in the lake. This fishery is nearly done for the year, and pressure is easing as anglers shift to the rivers.
Kalama River
The river remains very low and will stay that way with no significant rain forecast. Fishing in the upper reaches is slow. In the latest creel, 15 bank anglers kept one Chinook and two boats with three rods had no catch.
Salmon are returning in good numbers but are holding in the lowest holes below the Modrow Bridge, waiting on a freshet. The tule run is fading, so Chinook from here on should be brights. The river is still too low for drift boats, and rafts remain the best way to float it.
Drano Lake
Chinook fishing remains good, with strong numbers still crossing the dam. In the latest creel, 55 boats with 192 rods kept 113 Chinook, 24 Chinook jacks, and 23 coho. Bank anglers kept one Chinook, one jack, and two coho, and released nine steelhead. More coho are showing up here even though none are stocked.
Wind River
Coho catches are on the rise. The latest creel had 32 boats with 58 rods keeping 22 Chinook, 26 coho, and one coho jack, and releasing 22 Chinook and 20 coho.
Klickitat River
The lower river below the Fisher Hill Bridge continues to produce quite a few Chinook. Creel surveys found 49 bank anglers kept 52 Chinook, six Chinook jacks, and one coho. One boat with two rods kept two Chinook.