Briefs: Columbia River salmon fishing reopens

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has reopened the following areas to spring chinook fishing, according to a Thursday news release.

The changes followed an update by the Technical Advisory Committee, which determined that a minimum-return expectation of 139,000 chinook salmon compared to the preseason forecast of 198,600 on Monday. “Sufficient recreational allocation” of upriver chinook remains available for the fishery.

• Columbia River from Rocky Point/Tongue Point upstream to Beacon Rock (approximately 4 miles downstream of Bonneville Dam’s Powerhouse One) in a straight line through the western tip of Pierce Island to a deadline marker on the Washington bank at Beacon Rock; including Deep River in Wahkiakum County.

That season runs until Wednesday for salmon and steelhead. The daily limit is six. Of those, up to two adults may be retained and only one may be an adult chinook salmon. All wild salmon and steelhead must be released. The minimum size for salmon is 12 inches.

• Columbia River from Beacon Rock to Bonneville Dam

That season runs until Wednesday for salmon and steelhead. The daily limit is six. Of those, two adults may be retained but only one may be an adult chinook salmon. All wild salmon and steelhead must be released.

Fishing from a vessel is prohibited. Bank angling is allowed with hand-cast lines only.

• Columbia River, from Bonneville Dam upstream to the Tower Island power lines (approximately 6 miles below The Dalles Dam):

Fishing from a vessel is prohibited. Anglers must fish from the banks with hand-cast lines until Wednesday. The same daily limit and release restrictions apply.

• From the Tower Island power lines to The Dalles Dam

That season runs to Wednesday. The same daily limit and release restrictions apply.

• From a line starting from a fishing boundary sign on the Washington north shore located approximately 1,300 feet upstream of The Dalles Dam and Lock boat ramp projected easterly across the Columbia River to a boundary sign on the Washington southern shore located approximately 200 feet above the fish ladder exit upstream to Highway 730 at the Washington/Oregon border

That season runs through Friday. The same daily limit and release restrictions apply.

Idaho salmon update

The Idaho Fish and Game Commission met Thursday and lowered the daily limit to one adult chinook salmon for the Rapid River run fishery (lower Salmon and Little Salmon rivers) which will take effect on Monday.

For the first time in nine days, chinook counts at Bonneville Dam dropped below 4,500 fish.

Chinook counts at Lower Granite Dam are starting to increase.

As a result, harvest should pick up in the Clearwater, said Joe Dupont, regional manager of fisheries at the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.

Flows are holding steady at around 50,000 cfs in the lower Clearwater and are forecast to stay around that level for the next few days. Although these flows are higher than average, this will concentrate fish more toward the shoreline which often increases success rates.

Washington, Idaho hunter deadlines looming

Hunters hoping to score a coveted moose tag, special elk hunt or extra deer tag are reminded to purchase their special hunt permits before the deadline expires on Wednesday.

Hunters may submit the special hunt permit applications for 2023 deer, elk, mountain goat, moose, bighorn sheep and fall turkey seasons.

Hunters with a special hunt permit gain the opportunity to hunt at special times or places authorized by that permit.

Idaho hunters hoping for a controlled hunt permit for deer, elk, pronghorn, fall bear, turkey or swan, must submit their applications by June 5.