Fishing Reports

Last week, Tacoma Power recovered 172 winter-run steelhead, 17 summer-run steelhead, 43 spring chinook adults and five spring chinook jacks at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator during five days of operations.

Tacoma Power employees released 103 steelhead and two spring chinook adult into Lake Scanewa at the Day Use Site. Eight radio-tagged steelhead adults were released into the Cispus River, and eight radio-tagged steelhead adults were released into the upper Cowlitz River during the week.

Tacoma Power employees transported 40 late winter-run steelhead, and 14 summer-run steelhead to the Cowlitz Trout Hatchery for brood stock, and they released 13 winter-run steelhead into the Tilton River at Gust Backstrom Park in Morton, Washington during the week.

River flows at Mayfield Dam are approximately at 5,070 cubic feet per second on Monday, May 12. Flows may change at any time so boaters and anglers should remain alert for this possibility.

Reporter: Jeff Layton

Date of Report: 2008-04-08

Location: Cowlitz River

Fishing Report: April 7, 2008 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cowlitz Fish Report -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NEWS RELEASE Media contact: Randall Stearnes, 253-502-8224. Last week, Tacoma Power recovered 92 winter-run steelhead adults at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator during five days of operations. During the week Tacoma Power employees released seven radio-tagged winter-run steelhead into the Cispus River and they released seven radio-tagged steelhead into the upper Cowlitz River at the Franklin Bridge in Packwood, Washington. Tacoma Power employees also released a total of 45 steelhead adults into Lake Scanewa at the Day Use Site. Tacoma Power employees transported 26 steelhead to the Cowlitz Trout Hatchery for brood stock, and they released five winter-run steelhead into the Tilton River at Gust Backstrom Park in Morton, Washington during the week. The seasonal releases of catchable hatchery rainbow trout in the Cowlitz River basin began last week with the release of about 3,500 trout into Swofford Pond. River flows at Mayfield Dam are approximately at 5,070 cubic feet per second on Monday, April 7. Water visibility is over eleven feet. Flows may change at any time so boaters and anglers should remain alert for this possibility. # # # # Current river flow information on the Cowlitz, Nisqually, Wynoochee and Green rivers, plus lake levels for Riffe, Alder, Wynoochee and Cushman lakes, are available on Tacoma Power’s Fishing Line, toll free at 1-888-502-8690.

Reporter: Lost Creek Fly Shop

Date of Report: 2008-03-26

Location: Cowlitz River

Fishing Report: March 24, 2008 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cowlitz Fish Report -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NEWS RELEASE Media contact: Randall Stearnes, 253-502-8224. Last week, Tacoma Power recovered 75 winter-run steelhead and one coho salmon adult at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator during five days of operations. During the week Tacoma Power employees released 14 radio-tagged winter-run steelhead into the Cispus River, they released three steelhead into the upper Cowlitz River at the Franklin Bridge in Packwood, Washington and they released a total of 42 steelhead adults into Lake Scanewa at the Day Use Site. Tacoma Power employees also released 16 winter-run steelhead and one coho salmon into the Tilton River at Gust Backstrom Park in Morton, Washington during the week. River flows at Mayfield Dam are approximately at 5,090 cubic feet per second on Monday, March 24. Flows may change at any time so boaters and anglers should remain alert for this possibility. # # # # Current river flow information on the Cowlitz, Nisqually, Wynoochee and Green rivers, plus lake levels for Riffe, Alder, Wynoochee and Cushman lakes, are available on Tacoma Power’s Fishing Line, toll free at 1-888-502-8690.

Reporter:

Date of Report: 2008-03-20

Location: Cowlitz River

Fishing Report:

Cowlitz River Fly Fishing has picked up as spring steelhead run is coming in. This morning I caught a 12 pound Steelhead at Blue Creek on a size 6 Purple Marabou fly and had another fish on. I saw three boats at day break all have fish on at the same time.

Rod: Temple Fork Outfitters, Deer Creek 15', Reel: Teton - Tioga Fly Reel, Fly Line: Spey Skagit Deluxe Fly: L.C. Marabou Series

Cowlitz Fish Report: March 17, 2008

Discharge, cubic feet per second Most recent instantaneous value: 5,670 03-20-2008 16:00

Last week, Tacoma Power recovered 21 winter-run steelhead adults at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator during five days of operations.

During the week Tacoma Power employees released eleven radio-tagged winter-run steelhead into the Cispus River, and they released six steelhead adults into Lake Scanewa at the Day Use Site.

Tacoma Power employees also released three winter-run steelhead into the Tilton River at Gust Backstrom Park in Morton, Washington. River flows at Mayfield Dam are approximately at 5,650 cubic feet per second on Monday, March 17. River water visibility is over nine feet. Flows may change at any time so boaters and anglers should remain alert for this possibility.

Reporter: Jeff Layton

Date of Report: 2008-03-12

Location: Cowlitz River

Fishing Report:

Last week, Tacoma Power recovered 26 winter-run steelhead and seven coho salmon adults at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator during five days of operations.

During the week Tacoma Power employees released 18 winter-run steelhead and five coho adults into Lake Scanewa at the Day Use Site.

Tacoma Power employees released eight winter-run steelhead and one coho adult into the Tilton River at Gust Backstrom Park in Morton, Washington.

River flows at Mayfield Dam are approximately at 5,380 cubic feet per second on Monday, March 10. River water visibility is 10 feet. Flows can change at any time, so boaters and anglers should remain alert for this possibility.

Fishing has been very slow

3/12/08 Water flow is: 6,690 cfs

Reporter: Lost Creek Fly Shop

Date of Report: 2008-03-05

Location: Cowlitz River

Fishing Report:

Reporting for Blue Creek on the Cowlitz River. Today, Wednesday, March 5th. River levels rose to: 7,820 cfs. River is still in good shape and slight off color from the 1000 cfs increase from yesterday.

There are new Steelhead in the river but they are scattered. In the last couple of days I have seen/ reporting three boat catches, all above boat launch at Blue Creek. Fly Fishing is slow for Steelhead but the river temperature has warmed where native trout are now active for the first time in months, and fly fishermen are getting pumps.

Reporter: Jeff Layton

Date of Report: 2008-02-28

Location: Kalama River

Fishing Report:

River is in Excellent Condition (clear and low for this time of year). I fished lower river and Canyon with one strike for the day on a purple beast. I heard no reports of fish taken on 2-28-08, but did get a report of two Steelhead taken on 2-27-08, in the Canyon from a fishermen using jigs.

Kalama River

Reporter: Jeff Layton

Date of Report: 2008-02-21

Location: Cowlitz River

Fishing Report:

Fished Blue Creek this afternoon and evening. When I arrived at 2:30 pm, I was created by a fly fishing - Spey dual that had just finished their session on the river. They had one 8 pound Steelhead. Since fishing has been a bit slow on the Cowlitz, and especially for me I asked what fly won the prize. I was shown the fly - for this time of year and high but fairly clear water I was surprised as the fly looked to be a modified Purple Flash size 8. "Wow I said - small fly" The catcher - name? "My big Spey rod I broke the tip and it is being fixed so this is as big as my smaller Spey rod can cast."

The Cowlitz river is at 9,570 cfs, that small of fly is like a needle in a hay stack, so I went fishing.

Three hours later after casting the kitchen sink, I hooked and released a nice Steelhead - 50 feet downstream on a Babe Beast.

Water temp 40-42 degrees, and some fresh fish in river.

Last week, Tacoma Power recovered 429 coho salmon adults and 25 winter-run steelhead at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator during five days of operations.

During the week Tacoma Power employees released 103 coho adults and 18 winter-run steelhead into Lake Scanewa at the Day Use Site.

Tacoma Power employees released 34 coho adults and four winter-run steelhead into the Tilton River at Gust Backstrom Park in Morton, Washington.

Three steelhead were collected and transported to the Cowlitz Trout Hatchery for brood stock.

River flows at Mayfield Dam are approximately at 9,830 cubic feet per second on Tuesday, February 19. Flows may change at any time so boaters and anglers should remain alert for this possibility.

Reporter: Jeff Layton

Date of Report: 2008-02-20

Location: Sandy River

Fishing Report: River is in excellent condition, low and very clear for this time of year. I fished at Oxbow park on the Sandy. A couple wild (native) steelhead were caught. Overall conditions are outstanding but but the number of fish were sparse.

Sandy River, Oxbow Park

Reporter: Jeff

Date of Report: 2008-02-17

Location: Skagit River

Fishing Report: WDFW adjusts recreational steelhead
fisheries in Skagit River basin

OLYMPIA - With low returns of steelhead expected this year to the Skagit River basin, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is adjusting recreational fishing seasons on the Cascade, Sauk and Skagit rivers and Fisher Slough to protect wild steelhead.

Beginning Feb. 16, anglers fishing the Cascade, Sauk and Skagit rivers and Fisher Slough must follow selective gear rules. Those rules require anglers to use unscented artificial flies or lures with single-point barbless hooks and knotless nets.

Those and other selective gear rules scheduled to take effect on those waters are listed on page 26 of WDFW's Fishing in Washington regulation pamphlet, which is available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm. There will be some exceptions, however, for the use of motorized vessels on the Skagit River.

On all three rivers and the slough, anglers will have a daily limit of two hatchery steelhead.

'We're expecting a down year for wild steelhead to the Skagit River basin,' said Bob Leland, WDFW's steelhead program manager. 'These emergency changes will allow anglers to continue to harvest hatchery fish, while reducing impacts to this spring's wild steelhead return.'

Only about 5,100 wild steelhead are expected to return to the Skagit River basin this year, about 900 fish below the spawning escapement goal. The low steelhead returns are likely due to poor ocean survival, impacts of flooding in 2005 and several other factors, Leland said.

Puget Sound wild steelhead, which are identified by an intact adipose fin, were listed for protection under the federal Endangered Species Act last year. Anglers fishing the Cascade, Sauk and Skagit, as well as Fisher Slough must release any wild steelhead they intercept.

'By moving to selective gear requirements, and closing portions of the Skagit and Sauk rivers early, more wild steelhead should have an opportunity to reach the spawning grounds this spring,' Leland said.

More information on the Skagit River basin emergency rule changes can be found on WDFW's website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm.

New rules for the Skagit River:

From mouth upstream to the Memorial Highway Bridge (Highway 536 at Mt. Vernon) effective February 16 until May 31. Selective gear rules apply, internal combustion motors allowed. Release all fish except up to two hatchery steelhead may be retained per day.

From Memorial Highway Bridge (Highway 536 at Mt. Vernon) upstream to Gilligan Creek effective February 16 until March 15 (closed March 16 through May 31). Selective gear rules apply, internal combustion motors allowed. Release all fish, except up to two hatchery steelhead may be retained per day.

From Gilligan Creek to Dalles Bridge at Concrete effective February 16 until March 15 (closed March 16 through May 31). Selective gear rules apply, internal combustion motors allowed. Release all fish, except up to two hatchery steelhead may be retained per day.

From the Dalles Bridge at Concrete to the Highway 530 Bridge at Rockport effective February 16 until March 31 (closed April 1 through May 31). Selective gear rules apply, internal combustion motors allowed. Release all fish, except up to two hatchery steelhead may be retained per day.

From the Highway 530 Bridge at Rockport to the Cascade River effective February 16 until March 31 (closed April 1 through May 31). Selective gear rules apply, internal combustion motors allowed. Unlawful to fish from a floating device while under power. Release all fish except up to two hatchery steelhead may be retained per day.

From Cascade River to Gorge Powerhouse (Dam) effective February 16 until March 15 (closed March 16 through May 31). Selective gear rules apply, internal combustion motors allowed. Unlawful to fish from a floating device while under power. Release all fish except up to two hatchery steelhead may be retained per day.

New rules for the Sauk River:

From mouth to the Darrington Bridge effective February 16 until March 31 (closed April 1 through May 31). Selective gear rules apply. Release all fish except up to two hatchery steelhead may be retained per day.
From the Darrington Bridge to Whitechuck River effective February 16 until February 29 (closed March 1 through May 31). Selective gear rules apply. Release all fish except up to two hatchery steelhead may be retained per day.

New rules for the Cascade River:

From mouth upstream (entire river) effective February 16 until February 29 (closed March 1 through May 31). Selective gear rules apply. Release all fish except up to two hatchery steelhead may be retained per day.

New rules for Fisher Slough:

From mouth to Highway 530 Bridge effective February 16 until May 31. Selective gear rules apply. Release all fish except up to two hatchery steelhead may be retained per day.

Reporter:

Date of Report: 2008-02-17

Location: Cowlitz River

Fishing Report:

Fished Friday, 2-15-08, at Blue Creek afternoon/evening session. River was clear and high, but fishable at 8700 cfs. No fish. One boat reported two fish, one A run Steelhead, one B run Steelhead. I saw a couple older fish roll.

Fished Mission Bar, 02-17-08. No Fish, didn't see any Steelhead.

Reporter: Jeff Layton

Date of Report: 2008-02-14

Location: Kalama River

Fishing Report: Beautiful day, river was clear and in great shape. No Fish, saw one fish jump at the Red barn, talked to one drift boat with one catch. February run seems to be slow to enter.

Kalama River at the Red Barn

Reporter: Jeff Layton

Date of Report: 2008-02-12

Location: Cowlitz River

Fishing Report: Weather is beautiful, but river level is high: 11,300 CFS Hopefully later in the week less water will be let thru the dam. Water temps should rise a little.

Reporter: Jeff Layton