Cowlitz Smelt Fishery Could Close Soon!
Olaf Langness returned my call yesterday approx. 5:00PM while I was driving down to Gearhart Gardens.
Olaf is a bio that works out of the Vancouver WDFW office.
Olaf did verify that the commercials are getting some smelt in the main stem Columbia but it is difficult to gage how many are there.
Nobody knows if they are headed here or possibly the Sandy.
They could spawn in the main stem Columbia.
Olaf said the Sandy gets a later run and being ODFW jurisdiction it might remain open even if they show in April.
The Cowlitz will probably close as scheduled on March 31rst even if they show in good numbers late.
Olaf said there has been talks about this the last week.
The reason being that you have out migrating smolt during the month of April, and the smelt run has not materialized as predicted.
Of course you want to make sure you have plenty to spawn (my .02 cents).
Talked with Will again this morning (WDFW) and his gut feeling is that the Cowlitz smelt fishery will be curtailed prior to the end of the month (anytime).
He was talking reduced hours and he might have mentioned reduced bag limits for both commercial and sport.
So keep tuned in and watch for emergency reductions or closures in the Cowlitz smelt fishery.
Also if you get some reports of decent smelt dipping now you might jump on it.
For those of you that did hit it right including myself, consider yourself lucky.
For others, hopefully they will show in numbers again before any kind of closure or curtailment.
There is still some optimism for the Sandy River and hopefully…
Dano
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