Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Outdoors blog

Steelhead are showing signs of a surge at Bonneville Dam

Steelhead counts at Lower Granite Dam on 7-11-2011. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)
Steelhead counts at Lower Granite Dam on 7-11-2011. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

STEELHEAD FISHING -- Although this year's big flows have delayed the migration of this year's adult steelhead run UP the Columbia River, the surge has begun at Bonneville Dam -- the first dam the fish hit as they come inland from the ocean. 

Within a week or so, the trickle over upstream dams, including Lower Granite Dam downstream from Clarkston, should improve to more of a flow.

Last year at this time, around 200 steelhead a day were climbing over Lower Granite, the last Snake River dam before the fish head into Idaho or the Grande Ronde River.

This year, fewer than 10 a day are being counted at Lower Granite.



Rich Landers
Rich Landers joined The Spokesman-Review in 1977. He is the Outdoors editor for the Sports Department writing and photographing stories about hiking, hunting, fishing, boating, conservation, nature and wildlife and related topics.

Follow Rich online:




Go to the full Outdoors page