Chinook salmon limit now 2 fish for ocean anglers

• Published June 23, 2008

If you're fishing off Westport or Ilwaco, you can now keep two chinook salmon.

The state Department of Fish and Wildlife increased the limit because catch rates have been much lower than expected during the early chinook season, which started on June 1 with a limit of one fish.

Terrible ocean weather also has limited fishing, especially earlier this month.

Starting on Sunday, anglers can keep two chinook, one chinook and one hatchery coho or two hatchery coho. I'm going to get out there pretty soon, as the coho quota is very small this year -- to protect struggling coho runs into the Columbia River -- and the season may not last very long into July.

I have been hearing of some big chinook moving into the Westport area, and there is nothing better on the table than a big, bright ocean fish.

Chester Allen