I was just told another version of the regs on the NF Lewis by a friend. I still think I am correct on the rules. I can keep 6 fish but no more than two adults. Hatchery coho only. I was told that I can keep 6 adult coho. Who is correct?

Matt

Call Bobs in Longview 425 3870 They will know for sure and are very helpful.Just ask for the fishing dept.I thought it changed to 6 adults sept 1 like some of the other rivers around but there is nothing in the regs about it.According to the regs you are right.

Here you go, from the WDFW webpage.

Tributaries

Grays River - Opens to fishing for hatchery coho and hatchery steelhead beginning September 1. The salmon daily limit is 6 fish, of which all may be adult hatchery coho. Release all chinook, wild coho and chum.

Deep River - Effective September 1, the salmon daily limit is 6 fish, no more than 2 adult chinook.

Elochoman River - Opens to fishing for chinook and hatchery coho effective September 1. The salmon daily limit is 6 fish, no more than 2 adult chinook.

Abernathy, Germany, and Coal creeks - Closed to all fishing in September and October.

Cowlitz River - Effective September 1, the salmon daily limit is 6 fish of which all may be adult hatchery coho. All chinook must be released.

Toutle River including North Fork and Green rivers - Effective September 1, the salmon daily limit is 6 fish of which all may be adult hatchery coho. All chinook must be released.

Kalama River - Effective September 1, the salmon daily limit is 6 fish, no more than 2 adult chinook.

Lewis River (including North Fork) - Effective September 1, the salmon daily limit is 6 fish, no more than 2 adult chinook.

Washougal River - Daily limit is 6 salmon, no more than 2 adults.

Drano Lake - Effective September 1, the salmon daily limit is 6 fish, no more than 2 adult chinook.

Klickitat River - Effective September 1, the salmon daily limit is 6 fish, no more than 2 adult chinook.

Ok, No more than two adult chinook. Thanx guys. I will be hitting the hatchery today. I'll keep you updated.

I'm lost. Chinook salmon on the North Fork Lewis River are listed as endangered. Over the past several years, possession of Chinook on the Lewis after 9/1 was prohibited. Now the limit is two? Since when were they de-listed? Since they're not clipped, how can you tell the difference between a hatchery Chinook and a wild Chinook on the Lewis? I hope nobody from NMFS reads the new regs....

Plus, the new regs say the limit on the Kalama is six fish. That's nothing new. It's always been six fish (2 adults and 4 jacks). But the regs are silent as to whether any more than two of those six fish can be adult hatchery coho, as they are for the Toutle and the Cowlitz. So, is the limit six adult coho or two adult coho plus four jack coho? I'm not sure.

I don't expect much from the WDFW but clarity of their regulations doesn't seem too much to ask. They've failed in this case.

Hey cohoangler, I was wondering the same thing as to why retention of fall chinook would be allowed in the N. Fork this year, so I emailed WDFW and asked. This is part of the reply I got...

"...Chinook may be retained in the mainstem lower Columbia plus the Lewis River,
including the North Fork, this fall. Unlike the past several years when chinook
retention was not allowed in the mainstem Columbia near the mouth of the Lewis
and within the Lewis itself because the natural spawning escapement was not
expected to be met in the North Fork Lewis, we expect sufficient numbers of wild
fall chinook will return in 2001. We expect about 17,000 wild fall chinook
will be heading back to the North Fork Lewis this year. The escapement goal is
5,700 fish. Therefore, some fish are available for harvest.

Lower Columbia fall chinook are listed as "threatened" under the Endangered
Species Act. The North Fork Lewis River wild fall chinook is the largest
component of this stock. Because the escapement goal for the North Fork Lewis
is expected to be met and probably exceeded even with a typical sport fishery,
it was decided during the North of Falcon Process this spring that sport harvest
would be allowed this fall. ..."

(from program fish management)

[ 09-07-2001: Message edited by: Krome Brite ]

KB - Thanks for the great response. It's very encouraging to hear that the return of fall Chinook on the Lewis is expected to be much higher than necessary for spawning. Fish on!!

That's why we can keep ANY chinook right? Wild or hatchery.

Matt

Rip - It's not likely that you can tell the difference. Hatchery fall Chinook are not clipped (expect a small percent that are coded wired tagged). So, if the regs say two Chinook, it's two Chinook. There is no way either you nor the warden can reliably tell wild from hatchery. It's sorta too bad since wild fall Chinook on some SW Washington rivers are as rare as wild steelhead.

This means that any wild chinook can be retained as well? But only two.

Matt

Yep.