[cosmo]

Thought everyone would like to know when the nets would be in the Lower Columbia- Buoy 10 to Lewis. The August 11 date is unfortunate, one of the latest net openings in the area in years. They used to make it a point to keep the nets in the first week.

Columbia River Fishery Notice
Compact Action
Oregon State Action
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife July 30, 2003
The Columbia River Compact agencies of Oregon and Washington met today to
review chinook salmon stock status and consider non-Indian commercial fishing
options for the mainstem Columbia River and Select Areas. The Compact took the
following actions:
Non-Indian Fisheries
Commercial Mainstem Salmon Fishery
" Adopted a non-Indian commercial salmon season as follows:
Season: 7 PM Monday August 4 to 7 AM Tuesday August 5 (12 hrs)
7 PM Wednesday August 6 to 7 AM Thursday August 7 (12 hrs)
7 PM Monday August 11 to 7 AM Tuesday August 12 (12 hrs)
Area: Mouth upstream to the lower Zone 4 fishing boundary extending from
Warrior Rock on the Oregon shore to the Lewis River on the Washington shore
(Zones 1-3).
Sanctuaries: Grays River, Elokomin-A, Cowlitz River, Kalama-A, and Lewis-A
sanctuaries are in effect.
Gear: 8" minimum and 9<=" maximum mesh size restrictions.
Allowable Sales: Salmon and sturgeon.

For some reason the rest of the release would not post. They can only have seven sturgeon per week and there are some reporting guidelines for buyers.

 

[Killertraylor]

Wow! That is bad news. They will get 3x the number of Chinooks on August 11 that they usually get on August 6 or 7. The oldtime gillnetters always say that if they let them in a week later like they used to in the 60's, that they'd fill the boat up with Chinook. I know a gillnetter that usually gets 30-50 big chinooks on the August 7 opener. I'll bet he gets 200 on the August 11 opener. That's way too late!

 

[finclipped]

Has anyone had experience with fishing the day after a gillnet set? Is it worth it to fish the day after? I was planning on fishing the 5th, but now I don't know.

 

[Killertraylor]

I've never had any problem with the sturgeon, finclipped, but August 4 is a little early to expect to catch a chinook in the river even without the nets. The fish the gillnetters catch are moving on the night-time tides and they mainly get chinooks over 25 lbs. in that 9" mesh. I've never fished for salmon in the river the morning after a gillnet opener, but I've limited on sturgeon several times the morning after they took 5000 keepers out of the river.

The silvers just swim right through the 9" mesh, so if there are silvers in the river, the gillnets won't effect it, but don't count on catching a big chinook the next morning. What really sucks is the Aug. 11 opener - you can usually expect to catch a chinook by August 12 and that might screw it up good.

 

[cosmo]

I've been out at 6:30 on a morning when they fished until 7-- not pretty. There are some chinooks that stage in the area and my unscientific thought is they get those. Head for the Buoy and try to catch fish moving in on a new tide.

 

[finclipped]

I really like that 7:00 morning high tide. I know that they get pulled up the river with the night time flood. Although there are fewer chinooks than later in the month, these tides usually are good for the bridge and a lot of big fish are taken earlier in the month. I'm always looking for one slightly bigger than the last.

I don't really care about fishing the zoo at B10. Luckily, I can go to the ocean if I want coho. :grin:

Thanks for the input, I will probably cancel the trip. They are probably tule's anyway.

 

[freespool]

An early gillnet season? We the sportsman are only allowed one chinook per day and they open it up to gillnets? Am I the only one confused here? Is this the perfect example of the tail wagging the dog?

 

[fishchaser]

BAN ALL NETS!!!

 

[boater]

FACT SHEET
WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091

Columbia River Action Notice
Compact Action
Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife

July 30, 2003

THE FOLLOWING COLUMBIA RIVER SEASONS WERE SET:

Non-Indian Commercial Fishery:

Adopted a salmon fishing season as follows:


DATES: 7 PM Monday August 4 to 7AM Tuesday August 5 (12 hrs)
7 PM Wednesday August 6 to 7AM Thursday Aug. 7 (12 hrs)
7 PM Monday August 11 to 7 AM Tuesday August 12 (12 hrs)
AREA: Zone 1-3.
SANCTUARIES: Grays River, Elochoman-A, Cowlitz River, Kalama-A and Lewis-A.
GEAR: 8" minimum and 9 ¾" maximum mesh size restrictions.
ALLOWABLE SALES: Salmon and sturgeon. A maximum of seven sturgeon may be possessed or sold by each participating vessel during each calendar week (Sunday through Saturday) that the fishery is open. The seven sturgeon possession and sales limit includes both mainstem and Select Area fisheries during August 3-16.
MISCELLANEOUS RULES:
Quick Reporting Rule for Washington Buyers
WDFW has adopted rules that require commercial purchasers to report their landings by a specified time. This rule can be attached to any commercial season that is adopted, but is not in place unless specified. WDFW staff recommends that the "quick reporting required" clause be in place for this fishery. Washington buyers would be required to send a report of their landings to WDFW by 10AM on the day after the purchase date by either:
a) FAX transmission to (360) 906-6776 or (360) 906-6777
b) E-mail to [email protected]
c) Telephone to 1-866-791-1281



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Scheduled Compact Hearings

A Columbia River Compact hearing has been scheduled for 10 AM Tuesday, August 12, 2003 at the Water Resources Education Center located at 4600 SE Columbia Way, Vancouver, Washington for the purposes of reviewing salmon, steelhead, and sturgeon stock status and considering August 2S commercial fishing seasons in the mainstem Columbia River.

A Columbia River Compact hearing has been scheduled for 10 AM Friday, August 22, 2003 at the Water Resources Education Center located at 4600 SE Columbia Way, Vancouver, Washington for the purposes of reviewing salmon, steelhead, and sturgeon stock status and considering August 2S and treaty Indian commercial fishing seasons in the mainstem Columbia River.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THE FOLLOWING SEASONS WERE SET:

Non-Indian Select Areas Commercial Fisheries:

TONGUE POINT/SOUTH CHANNEL COMMERCIAL FISHERY


DATES: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights from September 2 through October 31 (35 nights).
Open 7 PM -7 AM (12 hours) through September 26 and open 6 PM - 8 AM (14 hours) thereafter.

AREA: Tongue Point area only open through September 12 and Tongue Point and South Channel area open thereafter.
GEAR: In the Tongue Point fishing area gear restricted to 6-inch maximum mesh size, maximum length of 250 fathoms, and weight not to exceed two pounds on any one fathom.
In the South Channel fishing area gear restricted to 6-inch maximum mesh size, maximum net length of 100 fathoms, and no weight restriction on leadline.

Participants in the Tongue Point fishery may have stored onboard their boats, gill nets with leadline in excess of two pounds per any one fathom.

ALLOWABLE SALES: Salmon and sturgeon.
MISCELLANEOUS RULES: Special transportation permits are not required to take fish outside the fishing area. Permanent transportation rules are in effect.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THE FOLLOWING SEASONS WERE SET:

Non-Indian Select Areas Commercial Fisheries:

BLIND SLOUGH/KNAPPA SLOUGH SELECT AREA COMMERCIAL FISHERY


DATES: 7 PM Monday August 25 -7 PM August 28 (3 days)
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights from September 2 through October 31 (35 nights).

Open 7 PM - 7 AM (12 hours) September 2 through September 26 and open 6 PM - 8 AM thereafter.

AREA: Blind Slough and Knappa Slough areas.
GEAR: In both fishing areas gear restricted to 9 ¾-inch maximum mesh size prior to September 16 and to 6-inch maximum mesh size thereafter, maximum net length of 100 fathoms, and no weight restriction on leadline.
ALLOWABLE SALES: Salmon and sturgeon.
MISCELLANEOUS RULES: Special transportation permits are not required to take fish outside the fishing area. Permanent transportation rules are in effect.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THE FOLLOWING SEASONS WERE SET:

Non-Indian Select Areas Commercial Fisheries:

DEEP RIVER SELECT AREA COMMERCIAL FISHERY


DATES: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights from September 2 through October 31 (35 nights).
Open 7 PM - 7 AM (12 hours) through September 26 and open 6 PM - 8 AM (14 hours) through October 31.

AREA: Deep River fishing area. Concurrent waters from mouth to Hwy 4 bridge, either WA or OR commercial license valid. WA commercial license required from Hwy 4 Bridge to town of Deep River.
GEAR: Gear restricted to 6-inch maximum mesh size, maximum net length of 100 fathoms, and no weight restriction on leadline.
ALLOWABLE SALES: Salmon and sturgeon.
MISCELLANEOUS RULES: Special transportation permits are not required to take fish outside the fishing area. Permanent transportation rules are in effect.

Quick Reporting Rule for Washington Buyers
WDFW has adopted rules that require commercial purchasers to report their landings by a specified time. This rule can be attached to any commercial season that is adopted, but is not in place unless specified. WDFW staff recommends that the "quick reporting required" clause be in place for this fishery. Washington buyers would be required to send a report of their landings to WDFW by 10AM on the day after the purchase date by either:
a) FAX transmission to (360) 906-6776 or (360) 906-6777
b) E-mail to [email protected]
c) Telephone to 1-866-791-1281



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THE FOLLOWING SEASONS WERE SET:

Non-Indian Select Areas Commercial Fisheries:

STEAMBOAT SLOUGH FISHERY


DATES: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights from September 2 through October 31 (35 nights).
Open 7 PM - 7 AM (12 hours) through September 26 and open 6 PM - 8 AM (14 hours) through October 31.

AREA: Steamboat Slough fishing area.
GEAR: Gear restricted to 6-inch maximum mesh size, maximum net length of 100 fathoms, and no weight restriction on leadline.
ALLOWABLE SALES: Salmon and sturgeon.
MISCELLANEOUS RULES: Transportation or possession of fish outside the fishing area is unlawful unless by licensed buyer. An exception to the rule allows fishers to transport their catch out of the fishing area with a permit issued by an authorized agency employee after examining the catch.

Quick Reporting Rule for Washington Buyers
WDFW has adopted rules that require commercial purchasers to report their landings by a specified time. This rule can be attached to any commercial season that is adopted, but is not in place unless specified. WDFW staff recommends that the "quick reporting required" clause be in place for this fishery. Washington buyers would be required to send a report of their landings to WDFW by 10AM on the day after the purchase date by either:
a) FAX transmission to (360) 906-6776 or (360) 906-6777
b) E-mail to [email protected]
c) Telephone to 1-866-791-1281



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THE FOLLOWING SEASONS WERE SET:

Non-Indian Select Areas Commercial Fisheries:

YOUNGS BAY FISHERY


DATES: Noon Wednesday Aug. 6 to 6 PM Thursday, Aug. 7 (30 hrs)
Noon Wednesday Aug. 13 to 6 PM Thursday, Aug. 14 (30 hrs)
Noon Wednesday Aug. 20 to 6 PM Thursday, Aug. 21 (30 hrs)
Noon Wednesday Aug. 27 to 6 PM Thursday, Aug. 28 (30 hrs)
6 PM Friday August 29 to 6 AM Saturday, Aug. 30 (12 hrs)
Noon Tuesday September 2 - 6 PM Thursday Oct. 31 (59 days)
AREA: Youngs Bay fishing area with upper boundary at Battle Creek Slough.
GEAR: 8-inch maximum mesh size restriction through August 28 and 6-inch maximum mesh size restriction thereafter.
Net restricted to maximum length of 250 fathoms and weight on leadline not to exceed two pounds in any one fathom.

ALLOWABLE SALES: Salmon and sturgeon. A maximum of seven sturgeon may be possessed or sold by each vessel participating each calendar week (Sunday through Saturday), during August 3-16. The seven sturgeon possession and sales limit includes mainstem and Select Area fisheries.
MISCELLANEOUS RULES: Special permit is not required to take fish outside the fishing area. Permanent transportation rules are in effect.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NOTICE TO FISHERMAN

WDFW is conducting research on green sturgeon migration. These fish are being tagged in various areas along the west coast. WDFW is requesting fishers to provide the following information on any tagged green sturgeon that are released:

Date caught
Tag number
Tag color
Tag type
Please do not remove the tag from the fish.

This information can be provided to WDFW in Vancouver at (360) 906-6741.

Thank you.


Back to Columbia River Compact Index


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Find a bug or error in the system? Let us know about it!
© 2000-2003 Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
E-mail <[email protected]>

 

[chynook]

hmmmm........So if I were to call in before 10am and report buying 1000 chinook and 100 sturgeon, and 5 to 10 other concerned fishermen were to do the same............maybe there would be a one day season?????????

 

[Bendman]

I’m sure that I’m way behind and I know that everyone has already talked about this a thousand times. But I remember a couple of years ago they ( I think N.M.F.S.) almost didn’t even let us fish because they were so scared of the impact on the upriver fish. What’s changed. A couple of years of good returns and everything is all better?? :shrug: Did anyone else notice all the net marks in the fish this year??
:shrug:

 

[Killertraylor]

Finclipped - you're right, there are some big fish cought around the 5th-12th, just not very many of them. I didn't know you were a hog hunter or I'd probably have phrased my post a little different. Last year after the August 6 or 7 gillnet opener, I surveyed the carnage of chinooks at the cannery in Chinook and it was about 70/30 URB's to Tules. I think the Tules tend to be better biters though which is why we see more of them sportfishing. There's definitely some pigs in the river late the first week of August based on what I've seen on the gillnet boats.