Willamette stays open ?

H
HANKIII
CLACKAMAS, Ore. – Oregon and Washington fishery managers announced today the closure of sturgeon retention in the Columbia River and tributaries from Bonneville Dam to The Dalles Dam, effective 12:01 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 21.

The closure was approved in response to creel surveys that indicated catch rates in Bonneville reservoir have been much higher than expected since the beginning of the year.

Relatively mild weather, good river conditions, and recent increases in the number of legal-sized fish contributed to unusually high catch rates, according to Chris Kern, assistant manager of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Columbia River Fisheries Program.

Earlier this year, fishery managers doubled the harvest guideline in Bonneville reservoir from 700 to 1,400 fish, based on population estimates that showed the number of legal-sized sturgeon in that section of the Columbia had increased substantially from prior years.

“Apparently word got out that sturgeon fishing above Bonneville has been exceptional because we’re seeing very high effort and catch rates,” said Kern.

In January, ODFW counted a total of 1,400 angler trips in Bonneville reservoir, with 390 sturgeon kept. That compares to only 400 trips and 20 sturgeon kept during the same period in 2009. Through Feb. 7, anglers had harvested an estimated 790 sturgeon. Biologists calculate if catch rates continue to be high anglers will reach the harvest guideline as early as Feb. 21 with a projected catch of 1,382 fish.

Sturgeon fisheries in The Dalles and John Day reservoirs and below Bonneville are not affected by this closure. Those fisheries will be evaluated during a scheduled Oregon-Washington Joint State Hearing on Feb. 18 in Oregon City. That meeting will take place at the Clackamas County Historical Society building, located at 211 Tumwater Drive, beginning at 10 a.m.
 
B
beaverfan
So the lower Columbia stays open? This seems to be just for Bonneville to the The Dalles Dam.
 
F
Fishtopher
They will decide the season for lower C including the Willy downstream from Willy Falls sometime this month.
 
H
HANKIII
No change for above the fall in sight ?
 
F
Fishtopher
Not that I've read about.
 
S
SailCat
Decisions will be made Thursday this week but it seems certain that the stretch from the Falls to the I-205 Bridge will be closed (no C&R) from May 1st through the ens of August and the three-day-per-week retention will remain in place. An annual cap of 3,600 keeper-sized sturgeon will likely be implemented which means the lower Willamette will close to retention when the quota is filled.

Michael
The Guide's Forecast
 
B
beaverfan
What about above the falls? Still 7 day a week retention?
 
F
Fish Fight
Detour alert

SailCat said:
Michael
The Guide's Forecast

Michael, did you buy out The Guides Forecast from Bob?
 
S
SailCat
Fish Fight said:
Detour alert

Michael, did you buy out The Guides Forecast from Bob?

No, Fish Fight, no Detour ....

Bob Rees and I have co-written TGF for years. He writes North Coast and Columbia, I write Willamette Valley, Southwest and Eastern. That said, we both contribute to each other's sections occasionally and even get to fish together every so often. Bob's a great guy as well as someone who genuinely 'knows his stuff' about fishing.

Clarification and disclosure: Bob is a professional fishing guide. I'm a recreational fisherman. Bob approached me about writing for TGF because I had a fishing column in the News Register (McMinnville) and put out my own newsletter at the time.

Them's the facts ....

Michael

Edit: The avatar pic is me hanging on to a jumping sturgeon during a trip I made with Bob to the estuary last year. Gotta love that shallow water sturgie fishing.
 
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