On the Cowlitz, all right ventral fin clipped steelhead must be released in the lower river below the barrier Dam.

These fish were raised above the dams for a special sport fishery in the upper Cowlitz above the Cowlitz Falls Dam. They may be kept or taken (and yes, killed) in the daily bag limit their.

In addition, if these reportedly "genetic late stocks" are not harvested or caught during the "sport fishery", they would then be allowed to spawn and add to the natural production of the what WDFW now call "wild late Cowlitz winter steelhead stocks"

Hope this answers your question!

Cowlitzfisherman

Is the taste of the bait worth the sting of the hook????