Rain may improve salmon catches

White sturgeon retention is closed from Buoy 10 at the mouth of the Columbia River upstream to the Oregon/Washington Border above McNary Dam, but remains an option for catch-and-release fishing.

Walleye fishing is good in the John Day Pool.

Panfish, catfish and bass are still biting in local waters.

Angling for late-run coho salmon has slowed in local rivers, but forecasts for rain over the next week could mean an improved bite.

Trout fishing in high elevation lakes and streams will continue to be good until the first snows arrive.

Salmon/Steelhead

Columbia River from the Buoy 10 line upstream to the Highway 395 Bridge at Pasco is closed to angling for and retention of salmon and steelhead.

Cowlitz River — I-5 bridge downstream: 62 bank rods kept 15 coho jacks and released one chinook jack and four coho jacks. Nine boats/46 rods kept six coho, 27 coho jacks and released one chinook, six chinook jacks, and two coho jacks.

Above the I-5 bridge: 60 bank rods released 27 chinook and one coho jack. 21 boats/30 rods kept seven coho jacks, two steelhead and released 21 chinook, one chinook jack and two coho.

Kalama River — 16 bank anglers kept one coho. One boat/two rods had no catch.

Lewis River — 106 bank anglers kept five chinook, nine coho jacks and released five chinook, one chinook jack and one coho jack; 19 boats/37 rods kept one chinook, three chinook jacks, three coho, nine coho jacks, one steelhead and released three chinook and five coho jacks.

Drano Lake — Two bank anglers had no catch. Three boats/seven rods kept one coho.

Klickitat River — 80 bank anglers kept 24 chinook, seven chinook jacks, two coho, one steelhead and released two chinook and one steelhead. Two boats/three rods kept two coho.

Wind River — from the mouth to 400 feet below Shepherd Falls, closed for steelhead retention and closed to night fishing for salmon and steelhead.

Vancouver Lake

Anglers fishing the mouth of the flushing channel are catching a mixture of shad, crappie, yellow perch, and even a few largemouth bass. The shad are running from 4 to 8 inches, and most are falling for shad darts.

Anglers using homemade dough baits are catching carp from the bank just off the flushing channel mouth.

Source: https://tdn.com/lifestyles/hunting-and-fishing/rain-may-improve-salmon-catches/article_148b2189-2c93-535b-ac5f-b62e4b9be57d.html