My guess is the Wynoochie is going to be an experiment river to see what happens. Doubt we will see a salmon season on there anytime soon and if poaching of Coho and Chinook continues I have heard that the river may close completely from Sept 1st through Novemeber but that is all rumor and hearsay.

The lower Hump is closed because of the numbers of fish that stack up from Cabbage patch to the hole below Car Body. Snagging was prevelant in there because of this. This is what was told to me by 2 different people at WDFW Montesano. Has been that way for a while now, couple years at least. Last I heard there will be extra boat patrol on the river this year but you hear that every year.

Could see a few places on the Chehalis closing for the same reason. Fish stack up in low water and too much snagging from what I have heard from those who still fish up by the pumphouse hole and the mouth of the Satsop. Not to mention too many Chinook jacks being taken when it is closed to all Chinook. Again, hear say and reports, I haven't been up there in a couple years. Would be interesting to know how many Chinook jacks were kept in those same areas though.

Why the upper river is open earlier I don't know for sure, I do know the bait closure is supposed to help prevent deep hooked fish and having to let go bleeding fish in high temp low oxygen water. I didn't touch a Coho on bait last year anyway so doesn't matter to me.

I doubt we will even have a chance to think about a Chinook fishery in the Chehalis river basin until 2014 at the earliest. I thought I saw a 4 year moritorium in a report from a couple eyars ago but my memory is about as good as my summer run catching.