Gonna float the lower Washougal

rob allen · 11-30-2003, 10:12 AM

probably gonna be high but should be clean will report back

Big TULE · 11-30-2003, 10:45 AM

Hey rob, i know of a chum caught right above the bowling alley. I know there are fish, where are you floating from???

Lured In · 11-30-2003, 01:57 PM

There was a guy fishing above the 3rd Street bridge this morning. I haven't made it out yet, but might have to check it out soon.

BT...last year there was a rumor of several 'hundred' chums up Lacamas Creek, so I wouldn't be suprised to see them elsewhere if they are, in fact, around. [img]graemlins/eek13.gif[/img]

rob allen · 11-30-2003, 04:33 PM

Well we floated hathaway to the bowling alley. water still very high but fome fishable water. wind was a little nasty in spots. One land owner told us he saw a fish caught this morning.. but we didn't get a bump. lots of leaves made plug pulling a chore. On a side note 4 kids pelted us with handfulls of gravel off the 17th street bridge so we whipped out the cell phone and called the cops

Anyway it's early yet and the water was high so i got exactly what i expected

better than sittin at home complaining about the conditions

Silver Hilton · 12-01-2003, 09:59 AM

That would be cool if chums started returning to the creek. That's my old stomping grounds as a kid. Many crawdads from the that creek, as well as many other fish.

FishaholicAZ · 12-01-2003, 10:03 AM

Can you even fish for and keep Chums in there? It would be great to see them make a comeback. It would be real nice to see chums in all the rivers again.
Man do I miss Washington...

dawhunt · 12-01-2003, 10:41 AM

You can fish for them but you can't keep them !!!
Don't think they even want you to fish for them.
Bob

Lured In · 12-01-2003, 02:25 PM

Just got back from fishing down from the bowling alley. The water is pretty high, but near gin clear. No luck.

Cruised up to Riverbend (above 3rd street) to check it out and they have "PLEASE BE AWARE" signs!?! These signs highlighted the presence of ESA listed Chum Salmon and that they spawn in this area. It goes on to recommend caution to avoid disturbing the area. I am certainly no old timer on this river, but I have never seen these before. It kind of put me off a little, in that I certainly don't want to be fishing around ESA spawning fish or possibly wading over ESA redds. As such I decided to not fish it and headed for home. If it is really an issue why not just close that area of the river?

Any thoughts on this?

Lured In · 12-01-2003, 11:37 PM

The Washougal Salmon Hatchery is reporting 22 Chums (from Duncan Creek stock) as of 11/26)

No report and any Winter's showing at the hatchery yet.

Here is the link to the WA Hatchery Escapement Report showing YTD totals of species showing at hatcheries throughout the state.

http://www.wa.gov/wdfw/hat/escape/escape.htm