Just thinking there might be fewer fish out there right now as compared to last year. I checked the Bonniville count from this year to last and here are the stats...... for Chinook Salmon over the dam.
March 2010 482 Chinook
March 2011 161 Chinook
April 2010 134,447 Chinook
April 2011 89 (So Far on three day count)
April 2010 554 ( on first three day count)
They always close the season on the Columbia just as the big push of fish come in. Guess that to allow a big escapement of fish to go on up river.