Lower Columbia River Spring Chinook Sport Fishery Reopened
*Treaty Indian Columbia River Spring Chinook Fishing Extended

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
Contact: Anne Pressentin (503) 872-5264 x5356
Internet: www.dfw.state.or.us

For Immediate Release April 30, 2002

Lower Columbia River Spring Chinook Sport Fishery Reopened

PORTLAND - Oregon and Washington fishery managers reviewed the Columbia River spring chinook run and sport fishery today, and announced a reopening of the sport fishery in the lower Columbia River due to an increase in the run size.
The lower Columbia River from the mouth to Bonneville Dam reopens for four days for adipose fin-clipped hatchery spring chinook, adipose fin-clipped hatchery steelhead, and shad Sunday, May 5 through Wednesday, May 8.
The area of the mainstem Columbia from Tower Island in Upper Bonneville Pool upstream to McNary Dam remains open through May 15.
The sport fishery for spring chinook, steelhead, and shad was closed last week effective April 29 because the allowable Endangered Species Act fishery impact on wild spring chinook had been projected to be reached. Managers last week had downgraded the run size to 238,000 compared to 334,000 expected pre-season.
Counts of spring chinook soared recently at Bonneville Dam. Managers today upgraded the run size to 293,000. Because of the larger run size, there remains additional ESA fishery impact allowances for further fishing.
Managers will continue to monitor the run and ongoing sport fisheries. Further announcements could be forthcoming if the four-day lower Columbia season needs to be modified or could be extended beyond May 8.
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Can you say I told you so, I knew you could. I have been fishing these babies for over 20 years and this year is similar to other years of high sno-pack and lots of water, there will be plenty of fish coming, they are just a little late.
Peace Superfly

Nice... Sucks for me I have Mondays and Tuesdays off....
Keith

Now I'm really sick after seeing that there were 26,300 adult chinookies that went over bonneville dam 4/30/02.......
Keith

Fly, don't you just love it when one year a large early run shows up...leaving the fond memories of early plentiful fish imprinted in everyone's minds. Then the next year...which shapes up more along the lines of a twenty year norm...has everybody wondering why the fish aren't there at the same time as the previous...fluke year.

In theory...one would hope with the minimal showing of early prospects that those giving up so early would help to thin the crowds...but I don't think you are going to be so lucky on this one.

Good fishing to you Super and be warned...Big Tom will be down to rub elbows with you tommorrow.

FJ...out.
PS is it still to soon?

That's alright, Tom dosen't have as good as eggs as I do.
Besides I haven't seen him in a while so it will be good.
also it is great to have the fluke years every once in a while but it also raises expectations a little to much and people then really don't appreciate the fishery we normally have which is good too, you just have to work a little harder.
FJ, we need to hook up sometime on this thing and go together.
Peace Superfly

20,847 on May 1st...

Fly, have you sold that drift boat yet?

With these kinda numbers over the dam would it be wiser to fish above the dam this weekend. Or, is there going to be plenty of fish below still. Say around St. Helens?