Anglers line the bank of the Cowlitz River just below the Blue Creek boat launch on Wednesday morning. The group caught several steelhead by mid-morning.
A faint marbled wisp of robin’s egg blue offset an all gray sky as the fog began to fade from the river valley. Everyone pulled on their hobo gloves and zipped their jackets up a couple extra notches as the 250 horses strapped to the back of the river sled began to hit their stride.
The bow of the boat cut a clean line through the obsidian glass of the river’s surface while white-breasted ducks skittered across the surface and made professional splash-landings in the soupy side channels. As the boat reached top speed I had to pull my hands from the comfort of my pockets in order to hold onto my hat and keep it from flying away. Looking up, a bulbous gray goose cut an identical line over the river directly overhead. With lethargic and arrhythmic flaps of its heavy wings the gander steadily pulled away from the boat as our guide for the day made another run up toward the mouth of Blue Creek.
The boat was full of researchers working on a study in order to better understand what’s happening beneath the surface of the Cowlitz River in the wild world of both hatchery and native stock fish. I was along to listen and make a few ugly, if typically well-placed, casts in between interviews. Andy Coleman of Andy’s Angling Adventures was our captain for the day, and we were flanked by researchers and field biologists from Mount Hood Environmental, in addition to Thomas Buehrens, a research scientist with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Buehrens, an angler by choice and a scientist by profession, said he wishes more of his peers would join him on the river from time to time instead of simply crunching data that’s void of context.
“Our problem (at WDFW) is we don’t have enough staff who actually fish,” said Buehrens. “They can go up and make changes and cuts to fisheries without appreciating the consequences because they aren’t trying to go fishing on the river on Saturday like we are.”
The parking lot at the trout hatchery boat launch began to fill up well before daylight as anxious anglers flocked to take advantage or a rare dry day. By 7:30 a.m. a floatilla had begun to line up at the popular Blue Creek bend and bank anglers were wading in the shallows after completing their three-quarter mile trek downstream from the parking lot. Most of the head nods from nearby boats were friendly enough but more than several anglers could be seen casting a wary eye toward our boat with Buehrens standing out in his conspicuous olive drab WDFW attire and life jacket.
“Our department has taken quite a public relations beating lately… A lot of that is self-inflicted,” admitted Buehrens as he spoke of the vast barriers to bridging the gap of understanding between state fish officials and Joe Can O’Worms.
The first fish to bite on Wednesday came in hot and heavy. In the silence of the freeze frame morning the bite aroused a jolt from the crew like a river whale had just hopped on the line. As one researcher held his rod tip high the rest of us in the boat reeled furiously to get our lines out of the way. While we stowed the rods and our guide positioned himself at the ready, long-handled net in one hand, motor throttle in the other.
The first silver flash eventually appeared broadside of the boat. That’s when the lot of us broke the still of the morning with an eruption of belly laughter as the suspected Cowlitz River whale that we had thought would send us scrambling for Queequeg’s coffin turned out to be a spritely cutthroat trout with a little-fish complex.
As we drifted straight stretches of the river from outhouse to tree snag and back again without so much as a nibble on one of our five rods, Buehrens began to look toward the future. He noted that this year’s summer steelhead run will likely be smaller than normal since this year’s returners will be at least partially comprised of the infamous batch of smolts released in 2016 that came up roughly half a million fish short of original WDFW estimates. At that time the WDFW blamed the missing fish on hungry birds and a miscalculating electronic fish counter. The next year though, the counter actually tallied more smolt than had originally been stocked by WDFW staff at the Cowlitz Trout Hatchery, so the makeup of that run will likely remain a mystery until it begins to arrive in 2019.
For this year though, Buehrens is still holding an optimistic attitude in the face of such great uncertainty caused by those 500,000 missing smolts.
“I expect return to be down slightly, but survival rates should be up,” insisted Buehrens.
Just before 8 a.m. another rod tip on the boat bent into the telltale oxbow that lets an attentive angler know that a lunker has attached itself to the line. Once again all hands hit the deck in order to clear our gear from the water and create a path for the fish to be reeled in. This time around our collective efforts did not go unrewarded as a broad flanked steelhead flashed silver just below the surface. As the fight between man and fish approached the two minute mark the buck steely seemed to tire out and loafed lazily just beyond the reach of the net. Then, as Coleman reached out to scoop up the fish it made a desperate dive beneath the boat and bent the rod tip into a tight parabola with the tip buried deep beneath the water. The fish cut back and forth from bow to stern as it attempted to sever its unwanted tether, but its efforts were to no avail as the river guide and researcher combined forces to maneuver both the boat and rod in order to stymie the steel resolve of the steelhead.
Once the fish was safely secured in the net three sets of hands went to work taking fastidious measurements and documenting any and all observable findings on the fish. Perhaps most notable was its unhealed marine mammal scar that etched across its side and served as a raw reminder of how lucky the fish was to have made it all the way to the ocean and back within a few miles of its genesis.
With that fresh wound as a reminder, the topic of salmon hungry sea mammals began to take over conversation in the boat.
“Seals, sea lions, they’re both the devil,” said Coleman, who complained about the mind blowing quantity of salmon that the pinnipeds can consume. “I saw one seal on the lower Cowlitz the other day eat a sturgeon in three bits. Gulp...gulp...gulp… And it was gone. It was impressive, and terrifying to see.”
Buehrens agreed with Coleman’s assessment, noting that recent studies on the impact of seals and sea lions on salmon runs have begun to provide proof to the longstanding claims of anglers who are sick and tired of seeing struggling salmon stocks gobbled up in bulk at seal and sea lion feeding frenzies between the Lower Columbia River estuary and Bonneville Dam.
“What’s exciting is that data is starting to come out that confirms what anglers have known all along,” said Thomas. “And what surprised me is that they are eating juveniles as well.”
As Cowlitz River locals began to saunter down to the bank for a second cup of coffee and a morning cigarette, Coleman continued to navigate the river channels, expertly slipping his river sled around downed trees and over whitewater chutes. A bald eagle circled directly overhead for so long that it seemed to be an omen of good fortune. Perhaps some prize fish were directly below the boat and he was simply waiting for us to get out of the way?
As I pondered the thoughts of bald eagles and kept at least one eye on the rhythmic bouncing of my rod tip another fish slammed the line right next to mine. Fully accustomed to the drill now the rest of us scrambled to stow away our gear and then set about flinging encouragement, and a few good natured barbs, at the lucky researcher working on his third fish of the day. We teased that his hook must be hung up on the riverbottom, or perhaps he’d managed to expertly snag a submerged log.
From about 20 feet off the boat it was easy to see that the fish did indeed have a bit of size to it, and plenty of fight at is doubled over and writhed in desperation. As he cranked on the reel and brought his catch ever closer the cruel joke slowly began to materialize before the researcher’s eyes. Instead of telltale silver flashing below the water a mottled shade of algae green ripped back and forth on the end of the line. When the fish finally turned toward us and made its telltale pucker face the mystery was over for good. It was a Catostomus macrocheilus, or, a sucker fish.
As the researcher lifted his rod high so that Coleman could release the fish back to its native home, Buehrens chimed in with a scientific query of sorts.
“The real question is, did it make you feel like a sucker?”
FISHIN’
The weather may not feel like true spring but the fishing is beginning to heat up anyhow.
On the Cowlitz River, Andy Coleman of Andy’s Angling Adventures, noted that the bite has improved tremendously over the past few weeks and said that the winter steelhead run “is in peak season” right now. Coleman said he’s been averaging two or three fish per day recently, and, “They’ve all been 7 or 8 pounds. I haven’t seen one bigger than that.”
Thomas Buehrens, a research biologist for WDFW who was onboard with Coleman on Wednesday said that uniformity in steely size is not surprising given the timing of their release from the hatchery combined with subpar ocean conditions during their time in the salt brine.
Coleman added that the first “early surge” of spring Chinook have begun to hit lines up and down the river recently.
“They are top to bottom right now. There’s enough of them in there that a guy could catch one a day if he knew what he was doing. We will probably hear of one today from one of these boats as we pass by. Heck, we might even be the ones to land it,” said Coleman. “When a springer is hungry they will eat almost anything. But when they aren’t hungry you won’t catch ‘em at all.”
Creel sampling conducted by the WDFW on the Cowlitz River last week showed 65 bank rods downstream of the I-5 Bridge kept one adult spring Chinook and two steelhead while releasing three steelhead. Four downstream boats that were sampled reported just one keeper steelhead. Above the I-5 Bridge the WDFW talked to 35 bank anglers with four adult spring Chinook and six steelhead in the box. Meanwhile, 139 boat rods kept 43 steelhead and two adult springers while releasing one steelhead and cutthroat trout.
Coleman noted that when the bite on the Cowlitz slows down he prefers to try out the piscatorial prospects on the Lewis River, but last week on the mainstem the WDFW found just one bank anglers with no catch to report. Over on the North Fork 19 bank anglers kept just one adult springer and one boat angler had no catch at all. For the time being it seems the Cowlitz will be the best bet for salmonid hungry anglers.
If things get too crowded on the Cowlitz though, the Kalama River has been putting steelhead on hooks as of late. Last week the WDFW found 16 bank anglers with three steelhead tossed back and seven boat anglers reported keeping one steelhead.
On the mainstem Columbia River thing are beginning to pick up ever so slightly. On Sunday and Monday a barrage of boat anglers, including a contingent of longshoremen, were having a heyday hauling in springers next to the Lewis and Clark Bridge. However, by Tuesday those dock workers reported that the bite had fizzled out.
According to stats compiled by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife last Saturday the fishing was best between Westport and Buoy 10 where boat anglers averaged 0.28 Spring Chinook per boat and 0.03 steelhead per boat. On the bank the action was much more subdued as anglers between Portland and Rainier caught only 0.01 spring Chinook per angler. In total, the WDFW estimates that there were 10,769 angling trips to the Lower Columbia last week. Those fishing trips are estimated to have resulted in the catch of 582 adult springers (67 released) and 38 steelhead (16 released). The WDFW noted that catch rates improved last from roughly one fish for every 16 boats to one fish for every six boats, but bank angling has remained tedious.
“Fishing for spring Chinook is improving for boat anglers from Vancouver downstream. Bank angling remains SLOW!” read a report from the WDFW. The WDFW counted 637 salmonid anglers on Saturday along with 277 bank anglers in the Evergreen State. At the same time last year, when river flows were topping out at 460,000 cubic feet per second, there were just 100 bank anglers and slightly more than 100 boats tallied. This year the flow is a much more manageable 212,600 cfs and effort has increased accordingly.
In other news, it’s getting harder and harder to find a reliable report from the Chehalis River. Does anyone still fish it? Are there fish to be caught? Is there a vast conspiracy to keep all things quiet on the state’s second largest watershed?
According to Buehrens from WDFW, the Chehalis River does not get any creel report attention due to its lack of an endangered fish species.
“That’s the thing about ESA stocks,” said Buehrens. “When you’ve got an endangered species in the system there is extra funding that comes along with it so that you can keep data on the fish.”
Buehrens said that talks are currently underway within the WDFW to create a more extensive creel sampling program on every major river in the state. In the meantime, if you’ve got an anecdote from the Chehalis or one of its tributaries, please send it along so I can put your name and fish tale in print.
HUNTIN’
Washington Outdoor Women will soon be offering their annual “Introduction to Waterfowling” workshop. That event, scheduled for April 21, is only open to women 18 years of age or older and will include instruction from female experts in a broad range of fields.
The workshop will be held at a private hunt club near Monroe. Registration fee of $135 and includes all instruction, equipment, shotguns, ammunition, clays, a light breakfast, a full lunch, and a Washington Outdoor Women t-shirt.
According to a press release from WOW. “Women will learn about the tradition, techniques and ethics of hunting waterfowl from certified instructors and experienced hunters. Learn about shotgun patterning and shooting moving clays, setting decoys, duck calling, protocol in blinds, and understanding why a retriever is such an important partner in this hunting experience. The day is a hands-on learning experience and requires a lot of walking since it is held in actual duck hunting terrain. You do not need a hunting license for this event. Don’t delay – registration is limited!”
Pre-registration is required. For additional information contact WOW by phone at 425-455-1986, or send an email to www.washingtonoutdoorwomen.org.
The WDFW is currently seeking new members for their Hunter Education Instructor Advisory Committee. That committee is tasked with providing advocacy on behalf of nearly 1,000 volunteer hunter education instructors statewide and application letters will be accepted through May 15.
“The IAC’s involvement has been instrumental in making Washington’s hunter education program one of the best in the country,” said David Whipple, WDFW hunter education division manager, in a press release. “The IAC has helped shape the hunter education program and will continue to do so in the future.”
The WDFW is currently seeking to fill positions for regions 2, 3, 5, and 6, as well as an at large bid. All certified hunter education instructors are eligible to apply. According to bylaws at least two members from each region should be present on the committee.
Additional information is available online at wdfw.wa.gov/about/advisory/heiac/.
Applications for multiple-season hunting tags are due by Saturday. Hunters who meet that deadline will be entered into a drawing scheduled for mid-April. A total of 8,500 multiple season tags for deer will be handed out along with 1,000 multiple-season tags for elk. Winners will be allowed to purchase special tags to participate in archery, muzzleloader, and modern firearm general hunting seasons for deer or elk in 2018. Additionally, winners who purchase the multiple season elk tag are allowed to participate in general elk hunting seasons in both eastern and western Washington.
Once that deadline passes it will officially be time to start counting down the days to spring turkey season. A youth-only turkey hunt is slated to take place on April 7-8 as a jump start to the regular season, and all licensed hunters will be allowed to bag gobblers beginning April 15 and through the end of May.
Those turkey hunts have a combined limit of three birds for the season, of which only two may be taken from Eastern Washington, with the exception of Chelan, Kittitas, and Yakima counties where only one gobbler may be killed per person. A one turkey limit is also applicable in Western Washington, although two turkeys may be taken in Klickitat County. Only male turkeys, or those with visible beards, are legal for hunting.
Of coure, cougar hunts continue to prowl on the the backwoods. In most units cougar hunts will remain open until April 30, but hunters should check for closures in units with harvest limits before marking a mountain lion. And, according to hunting regs, coyote season never ends.
SNOWIN’
After a temporary meltdown up at White Pass during a bout of false spring last week the mountainside is beginning to make a dogged recovery. Even this late in the season, where White Pass begins offering a heap of bargain deals go keep the lifts full, the powder continues to pile up.
Wednesday the temperature ranged around 25 degrees on the mountain with partly cloudy skies in the morning. A full three inches of pow-pow fell above 5,000 feet and at least one inch accumulated below that line.
“The groomers are good and the runs out in Paradise Basin are coming out especially good!” read the White Pass snow report.
BIRDIN’
With the spring migration underway officials from WDFW are asking the public to remain vigilant for dead, sick or otherwise unwell swans in Western Washington. A press release noted that lead poisoning is one of the main threats to tundra swans and trumpeter swans.
Reports can be made 24-hours per day by calling (360) 466-4345, ext. 266 through the end of April. Reports should include a short detailed message including their name and phone number, along with the location and condition of the swans.
Swans die each year from lead poisoning that occurs due to their proficient foraging abilities. With their long necks they are able to find old lead shot that is now banned in most wet places popular with swans.
Each year more than 17,000 trumpeter swans fly through, and stop over, in Washington. WDFW waterfowl manager, Kyle Spragens, noted that most swans flock to Whatcom, Skagit, and Snohomish counties. However, he added that swans are persistently increasing their range in the area and two dead swans have been reported in Clallam and Pierce counties this week.
“We strive to respond to every report we receive,” Spragens said in a release. “Our goal is both to help individual swans and to locate sources of lead poisoning.”
Spragens added that people who observe dead, sick, or injured swans should avoid handling or collecting the birds. Puget Sound Energy and volunteers from the Northwest Swan Conservation Association assist WDFW with that task, he said.
WDFW and other organizations have been working since 2001 to locate sources of toxic lead.
