Boats are bringing in limits of halibut on the coast

By Bob Brown | For The Olympian • Published May 08, 2008

KALAMA: Boat anglers averaged a chinook every 20.5 rods last week. Fishing from the bank was slow. Last year at this time, boat anglers were averaging 0.5 chinook per rod. Effort has been scattered throughout the river. No spring chinook had returned to the Kalama Falls Hatchery through April.

LEWIS: The North Fork has been a little more productive than the mainstem. North Fork boat anglers averaged an adult chinook every seven rods. Last year at this time, they were averaging 0.5 fish per rod. Overall, effort has been lighter than normal.

Through April, a total of 118 hatchery chinook had returned to Merwin Dam trap (100 fish shipped to Speelyia Hatchery for brood stock). Flows were 5,670 cubic feet per second Monday which was similar to the long term mean for this date. Sea lions have been active at the mouth of the river.

OLYMPIC PENINSULA: Bob Gooding of Olympic Sporting Goods in Forks said a few spring chinook are being caught here and there, but overall fishing has not been very productive in any rivers open to fishing. Angler effort also has been very light. The Hoh opens to fishing May 16 which will attract fair numbers of anglers.

WIND: Boat anglers averaged a chinook every 10 rods last week. Fishing was slow from the bank. Last year at this time boat anglers were averaging an adult chinook every 5.5 rods. River temperature has been in the low to mid 40s at Shipherd Falls. Six spring chinook had passed above the falls through Friday.

WHITE SALMON: No spring chinook are released here, but one was found last week in sampling checks. There have been some reports of success in the evenings.

KLICKITAT: Angler effort has been very light. There have been reports of spring chinook being hooked, but none was found in samplings.

DRANO LAKE: Boat anglers have been averaging an adult chinook kept/released every 8.6 rods. Bank anglers have been catching some chinook just inside the lake, but slow outside on the Columbia side. Boat anglers were averaging a chinook every three rods last year at this time. Saturday, three sea lions were observed working at the mouth of the lake.