columbia

[Jooky]

why do they close the columbia for salmon and stealhead this time of year? the counts are still high. what are they trying to protect?

[Drachir]

They are trying to protect the so called Native Spring Chinook. They don't want more than a tiny percentage of mortality rate for the Wild fish. This would be caused from hooking and releasing them during a Sport Fishery. Hence forth they feel they have reached the maximum impact percentage, and have closed the fishery.
I agree with you about the counts, they are still high enough to support a fishery in my opinion, but ODFW, & Wash. Dept. of Fisheries say they know best and keep it closed. Even though there a still lots of hatchery fish still coming thru the system.
I had some friends out fishing for Steelhead in the Columbia 1 1/2 weeks ago below I-5. They couldn't find any Steelhead, but hooked 13 Springers & landed 10 of them, :shocked: 6 were Hatchery. This would have been a limit for the 3 of them, but all were returned unharmed. To me that is crying shame, since we pay good money to raise these fish, but can't keep them right now :depressed: .

[fishchaser]

They are trying to protect the wild Salmon runs of Idaho.
:cheers:
In 1994, I was stationed over at Gowen Field, in Boise. The whole spring run consisted of 1 Salmon. Yes I said One Salmon. :depressed:

The state of Idaho teamed up with Bonneville fish hatchery and was able to build their spring run back up to a size in which they have an adaquate amount of spawners to come back. :cheers:

To this day we, (the lower Columbia) always closes to help get some of the wild Salmon back up the river. The only problem is the Indians get them past the dam, the sportsman are open to catch clipped and non clipped fish above the dam. so even though we are closed down below, you can still go above the dam and catch them at the Wind River or Drano Lake. :mad: