Astoria streams open to salmon

[SailCat]

Good news:

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
Contact: Ann Snyder (503) 872-5264, Ext. 5363
Internet: www.dfw.state.or.us Fax: (503) 872-5700

For Immediate Release Wednesday, May 7, 2003

Astoria-area streams open early to spring chinook angling

PORTLAND - Thanks to good returns of hatchery spring chinook to Blind Slough
and Youngs Bay, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is opening five
adjacent streams to spring chinook angling effective Saturday, May 10. The
streams had been scheduled to open May 24.

Areas that will open May 10 for chinook salmon and adipose fin-clipped
steelhead angling will be:
· Big Creek downstream from the deadline at the hatchery;
· Gnat Creek from Aldrich Point Road Bridge upstream to Barrier Falls,
located 1/4 mile upstream from Highway 30;
· Klaskanine River, including the north up to the hatchery and south fork;
· Lewis and Clark River upstream to the fish ladder at Warrenton Reservoir
Dam; and
· Youngs River upstream to Youngs River Falls.

Chinook salmon returning to these streams are reared in net pens in Blind
Sough and Youngs Bay to provide fishing opportunities for 'select area'
sport and commercial fisheries. Select area fisheries occur off the mainstem
Columbia River in Blind Slough and Youngs Bay, and are designed to harvest
hatchery fish with little catch of non-local spring chinook.

With this year's good returns and abundant rains, some net pen spring
chinook have moved above the select area fisheries into adjacent
tributaries. The early opener provides additional harvest opportunity
without impacting other species of concern. Spring chinook returning to
select areas in 2003 are not all adipose fin-clipped, and anglers may keep
any chinook caught this year in select areas or the five tributaries.

Anglers are reminded that these five streams are small and the fish often
are visible. Anglers must release immediately any spring chinook or
steelhead not hooked in the mouth. Trout angling remains closed until the
May 24 trout opener for streams. Oregon State Police and ODFW personnel will
be monitoring closely for angling violations.

~MT
The Guide's Forecast

[ 05-08-2003, 01:18 PM: Message edited by: SailCat ]

[willametteriveroutlaw]

What are the runs like in those streams?