Possible Re Opening of Columbia?

[Tanner]

One of my Employee's father in law works for ODFW. This employee told me today that on Friday the ODFW is going to decide if they are going to ReOpen the Columbia for Sports Anglers. Has anyone else heard this?

[Jennie@ifish]

I was speaking with Steve King of the ODFW (big guy, don't know his exact title, do you?) yesterday and I posted a note about it.. It's on page two on the board.
I'll take a snip from it.
<snip>
I was speaking with Steve King on the phone today. He was informing me about the new 'tooth entanglement' fishery coming up April 23rd to May 18th.
He also told me there would be a news release out on Friday to re evaluate the catch to date and run size estimates. He said that it would take a sizable run upgrade to open up the lower Columbia again. He did state, however, that the run size MAY be larger than predicted. Let's cross our fingers and toes.
<snip>
Bow your head and pray.
Jen

[orsturgeon]

Steve King

Title: Program Leader, Interjurisdictional Fisheries Management Program

Duties: Oversee Columbia River fish runs and fisheries, Columbia River research investigations, ocean salmon fisheries management, coordinate Willamette and coastal rivers salmon fishery regulations.

Great guy, knows his stuff.

[Moleman]

Sounds like there is a good chance of re-opening. We are 10 times the 10yr average. Would it help if we went to a one fish daily limit?

[KarenLee]

Check this out. The Springer totals over Boneville In Mid-July of last year were near the 200,000 mark. This is only April and the current total is at 198,000 or so.

Sure gets my hopes up that they reopen the lower Columbia.
http://www.fishinginoregon.com

[NorthRiverS]

Trouble is that by the time the ODFW gets around to re-opening the Columbia, the fish are all way up river. [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]