Anglers cash in with Lake Pend Oreille walleye

From staff reports

Anglers on Lake Pend Oreille earned more than $5,000 catching walleye during May and June, according to Idaho Fish and Game.

For most fisherman, the notion of getting paid to fish is a pie-in-the-sky dream.

For five lucky anglers on Lake Pend Oreille, that dream recently became a reality. During May and June 2023, each of the five anglers caught and turned in a reward-tagged walleye from the lake, earning them each a payout of $1,000.

Chris Lewandowski from Bonners Ferry has been fishing for walleye on Lake Pend Oreille for almost a decade. His first walleye trip of 2023 yielded more than just a gallon bag of walleye fillets.

“I had a feeling I was going to win something, but when I got the call that I had won $1,000, I was in disbelief and shock, to be honest,” Lewandowski said in a news release.

Lewandowski’s winning fish was one of six he caught that day.

“I love to fish, especially with my family. When you can catch a really great tasting fish and win money on top of that, that is a pretty good deal,” he said.

Lewandowski learned about the Lake Pend Oreille angler incentive program a few years ago; he had turned in lake trout heads before, so he knew the drill.

“It’s really cool that anglers on Lake Pend Oreille get to actively be a part of managing the different fisheries in the lake, including walleye,” said Lewandowski.

He hasn’t spent his winnings yet. However, he has been considering getting a new pontoon boat, so the money will likely go toward that purchase.

More walleye heads were turned in during June than in any other month since the Lake Pend Oreille walleye angler incentive program started in March 2019.

The number of walleye heads turned in by anglers during June easily surpassed the total number of heads turned in from January to May 2023.

In the past, the highest number of heads have been turned in during July, so right now is the time to get out and chase some walleye!

Since the walleye angler incentive program started in 2019, over 50% of the reward-tagged walleye have been caught in the northern end of Lake Pend Oreille.

In fact, all five of the winning walleye caught in May and June came from the north end of the lake. So, if you’re looking to get out and fish for walleye, consider spending some time in that portion of the lake.

Hanford Reach sockeye limit raised

The updated the sockeye salmon run has been upgraded from a pre-season prediction of 234,500 to approximately 331,000 fish. With the updated run size, managers are making additional sockeye available for harvest in the Columbia River upstream of the Snake River.

Effective Thursday, the daily adult salmon limit in the Hanford Reach has been increased to four sockeye, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Game.

This new limit applies to the two open areas of the Tri-cities, Columbia Point bank fishery and I-182 upstream to Priest Rapids Dam.

Anglers can also harvest chinook jacks (chinook salmon that measure less than 24 inches in length).

All adult chinook must be released immediately. Anglers must stop fishing for salmon when the adult limit has been retained. Complete details listed in the emergency regulation below.

The areas include the Columbia River from Columbia Point (1/3 mile downstream of I-182 Bridge at Richland) to Interstate-182 Bridge at Richland. It’s open from Thursday through July 15.

It’s open only to bank fishing with hand-casted lines from shore on the west (Richland) side of the river when fishing for salmon. That area is closed to angling for salmon from a vessel and to salmon fishing from shore on the east (Pasco) side of the river.

Also open is the Columbia River from Interstate-182 Bridge at Richland upstream to 650 feet below Priest Rapids Dam. It’s open from Thursday through Aug. 15.