SW Washington by Terry Otto
Good fishing! Tributary Chinook heating up. Drano, Wind also improving. Trout Derby began April 25, heavy trout stockings taking place.
Best bets
Tributary spring Chinook heating up
Columbia River walleye bite still very good
Columbia tributary summer steelhead improving, winters done.
Lowland trout lakes fishing rated good, heavy stockings taking place right now.
The Trout Derby began the 25th, good prizes available.
Warm water bass, panfish waking up for spring spawn.
Weather
Spring-like weather will dominate the coming week, with warm to hot days this weekend (88 degrees on Sunday), and temperatures in the 70’s during the week. No rain is expected.
Columbia River
Spring Chinook
The springer season is over for now. Anglers must now wait for the two-state run update in mid-May to see if any additional days will be allowed. Mainstem fishing above Bonneville Dam still slow.
Walleye
The folks at the Gorge Outfitters Supply in Rufus report that the walleye bite continues to be hot, with no sign of slowing down through the spawn. All the walleye will not spawn at the same time, so the action might not slow too much as the spawn dissipates. The action is best in 12 to 30 feet of water over rocky reefs. Bottom walking worm harnesses are working very well, as are deep-diving crankbaits. In the Camas area, a few walleye are being caught along the Washougal Reef, although effort has been light. Bottom walkers are the most effective method for these schools.
walleye fishing of the year will take place.
Cowlitz River
Last week, Tacoma Power employees recovered 258 Winter-run Steelhead, 320 Spring Chinook adults, 18 Spring Chinook jacks, and 14 Summer-run Steelhead over five days of operations at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator. River flows below Mayfield Dam were 5,100 cubic feet per second on Monday, April 27, 2026. Water visibility is 7 feet and water temperature is 46.4 (F). River flows could change at any time so boaters and anglers should remain alert for this possibility.
Effort increased this week for spring Chinook, but the action was slower than in other systems, although there are plenty of fish in the river. In the latest creel surveys, 16 bank anglers had no catch. 1 boat/3 rods had no catch.
Cowlitz River gauges
You can check the river gauge at Kelso here. You can check the river gauge at Castle rock here. You can check the river gauge at the Mayfield Dam here.
Lewis River
The river has dropped this past week, and is now running at about 11 feet. It is expected to drop just a little over the next week. Catches of spring Chinook picked up considerably this week, with the latest creel surveys showing 61 bank anglers keeping six Chinook. 41 boats/99 rods kept 33 Chinook, two jacks, and two steelhead. Most of these fish are coming to hand between the town of Woodland and the hatchery. Boat anglers are mostly hover-fishing with salmon eggs in the Meat Hole, just below the hatchery. Bank anglers are gathering at the hatchery as well, and are mostly fishing bobber and salmon eggs.
You can check the river gauge near Woodland here.
Drano Lake
The springer fishing is really picking up, with the latest creel surveys finding 26 bank anglers keeping one Chinook. 83 boats/222 rods kept 43 Chinook. Most anglers are trolling with the plastic cut-plug baits behind flashers. With the water warming with the weather, the 360 flashers have been working better. Bank anglers are mostly throwing plugs and spinners. While the action has been best in the Toilet bowl, a few have been taken in the main lake.
Remember that the lake is closed for the tribal fisheries on Wednesdays.
Trout stocking
You can check the WDFW trout stocking reports here.
Battle Ground Lake was stocked with 1,500 catchable rainbows at 1.99 per pound on April 21.
Lake Sacajawea, was stocked April 26 with 30 brood rainbow trout at 0.13 per pound, and another 50 brooders at 0.33 per pound, and 3,500 catchable rainbows at 2.5 per pound. It was also stocked on April 21 with 3,640 catchable rainbows at 2.60 per pound.
Little Klickitat River, stocked with 750 catchable rainbows at 2.5 per pound on April 22.
Swift Power Canal was stocked with 3,500 catchable rainbows at 2.40 per pound on April 21.
Horseshoe Lake was stocked with 3,920 catchable rainbows at 2.80 per pound on April 16.
Kress Lake was planted with 3,120 catchable rainbows at 2.60 per pound on April 15.
Rowland Lake was planted with 3,000 catchable rainbows at 2.5 per pound on April 20.