FISHING
‘Heading In The Right Direction’ Not only are Columbia fall Chinook and coho forecasts up, but the fish are arriving now in the eastern Gorge and Hanford Reach. By Mark Yuasa
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nquiries about the Columbia River’s late summer and early fall fisheries have been filling my inbox, and there’s no doubt the excitement is fixed on the robust fall Chinook and coho predictions. Quinten Daugherty, a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist, summed up the rosy outlook: “I expect to see some pretty good in-river fishing based on the forecasts. A forecast of about 576,200 fall Chinook in 2021 equates to a decent return, and then you’ll have coho to help fill in the gaps.” Decent fishing reports earlier this month from Buoy 10 at the Columbia River’s mouth and in the ocean off Ilwaco appear to be backing up what was seen in the crystal ball of computer-generated data. This data revealed that the 2021 adult fall Chinook forecast is 100 percent of the 2020 actual return of 574,800 (379,769 in 2019), and 80 percent of the 2011 to 2020 average return of 724,210. The bulk of the entire 2021 forecast is made up of 361,500 adult upriver bright fall Chinook – in 2020, 227,600 was forecast with an actual return of 299,031 – and represents 63 percent
Fall Chinook returns up the Columbia continue to rebound after bottoming out in 2018. The Hanford Reach, where Tegan Yuasa caught this one while fishing with guide Austin Moser, will be one of the best locations to catch some this season. (MARK YUASA) nwsportsmanmag.com | SEPTEMBER 2021
Northwest Sportsman 155
