Anglers had a chance to dip for smelt during a limited-opening recreational fishery on Tuesday as a portion of the Cowlitz River was open to recreational dip netting along the shore from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. for one day only. It was the second year in a row the opportunity was offered, though this year, dippers reported catching plenty of the fish while last year many nets went empty. Each dip-netter was allowed to keep 10 pounds of smelt. Columbia River smelt, also known as Eulachon, were listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 2010. The WDFW monitors the run to ensure there are enough fish to support a recreational opening.
