Anyone had any luck with springers on the Columbia? Planning to head down next week, maybe around Kalama?

Haven't been down there myself yet, but have been getting reports from friends in Longview. They were starting to pick up a few last week, but now the nets are in every other day 'til the end of February. Should be getting pretty decent by mid march. I do know that there were a few taken at Prescott, (between Kalama and the Cow) and also down at county line. If you head down good luck. I'll probably start hitting it around mid march at both county line and off the Sportsman Club at Kalama.

Net season has been closed. See this:

For Immediate Release Thursday, February 20, 2003

Columbia River Commercial Chinook Fishery Closes

PORTLAND - Oregon and Washington fish managers took emergency action today and rescinded the next four spring chinook commercial fishing periods in the lower Columbia River because of the unexpectedly high proportion of upper Columbia River spring chinook handled in the fishery. The wild portion of the "upriver" run is listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act.

The states will conduct test fishing in cooperation with volunteer commercial fishers Tuesday, Feb. 25 and Monday, March 3. All fish caught will be released. Test results may allow the fishery to reopen. Managers will meet Feb. 26 and March 4 to discuss the results and make a determination.

The non-Indian mainstem Columbia River sport and commercial fisheries are managed to limit unintended mortalities associated with the release of wild spring chinook to 2 percent of the total return. The February commercial season is limited to 30 percent of the total allowed impacts, which have not yet been reached.

Fishery managers set the February commercial gill-net season for spring chinook to target early-returning hatchery-bred fish destined for the Willamette River. Based on pre-season run size expectations, less than 10 percent of the chinook encountered by the commercial boats were expected to be headed above Bonneville Dam during the third week in February. This year, however, nearly 70 percent of the chinook are part of the "upriver" run.

Commercial gill-netters were slated to fish for four additional 16-hour periods on Feb. 21, Feb. 24, Feb. 26 and Feb. 28. Fish markets and seafood restaurants anxiously await the first spring chinook of the season because the meat is highly prized for its oil content and flavor.

The sport fishery for spring chinook on the Columbia remains open from the mouth at Buoy 10 upstream to Bonneville Dam and from the Tower Island power lines, about six miles below The Dalles Dam, upstream to McNary Dam. Bank fishing also is allowed between Bonneville Dam and the Tower Island power lines on the Oregon side. The season will stay open through May 15 if the non-Indian sport harvest limits are not reached. Additional information on gear and bag limits may be found in the 2003 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations.

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Information and Education Division
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife