SMELT REPORTS FOR 2008
Scroll down for more recent reports............
Smelt 11/25/2007
Smelters(or fishers of any finny critter too small to fillet) take their turn on the river bank for one of the few freshwater cracks at these oily, little finners in these parts with the annual late November return of the �hooligan� run to the lower Nooksack.
The hoopla over hooligans is largely a thing of the past, but these smelt family members, whose name is a play on the smelt species moniker Eulachon are still sought after by a few hardcore fans.
Dipping devices are the most efficient � and by the way legal � method to plumb the muddy depths of the lower river for these fish. But there�s a twist in that the mesh or sieve material forming the bucket needs to be rigid and stay full open when you deploy it with the business-end facing downstream in the current.
Having it firmly attached to a long pole (10 to 12 feet long) also is important, since you never know how far up the embankment you�ll need to stand from the meaningful fishing water.
Hooligan fishing is almost, but not quite as simple as plunking your dipping device in the water, open end with the current, and waiting for the little fish to swim up into it.
If you dipping device resonates properly, you will know when you have some cornered when you feel their tiny noses tapping at the bottom of your dipper. But nothing is ever as easy as it looks.
The river spawning hooligans will be around for just a few weeks centering on Thanksgiving, so if you�re at all curious or interested, try the east banks of the lower Nooksack just upstream of Marine Drive.
There�s a ten pound daily limit, which most hooligan dippers say is more than enough.
And the best part of fishing these little guys is you do not need any license.
Doug Huddle, the Herald�s outdoors correspondent, works in the Wildlife Program of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and has written a weekly hunting and fishing column for the Herald since 1983 that appears Saturdays. E-mail him at doug.huddle@bellinghamherald.com.
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12/13/2007
SMELT: Christmas vacation has traditionally been the time to bundle up the kids, fill Thermoses with hot chocolate, grab rods, reels and a bucket and head out for a little family smelt jigging. Cornet Bay has been perhaps the best choice so far this winter, even though the influx of fresh water from last week's storm disrupted the fishery temporarily. Bob Ferber at Holiday Market Sports expects it to pick up again, possibly by this weekend. Neither Oak Harbor Marina, nor the La Conner Marina have produced any smelt to speak of so far this season, he said.
The most popular jigs are the number 4 or 5, white, Gamakatsu -- a seven-hook string with a half-ounce cannonball on the end.
"We sell a few colored jigs, with a bit of red or green on the hooks, but those mostly go to people looking for bait herring," Ferber said.
Chum, available at most tackle shops, is becoming more and more popular with smelt jiggers.
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12/14/2007
Smelt season on Cowlitz River again
limited to 1 day per week
OLYMPIA - Starting Jan. 5, the Cowlitz River will be open to smelt dipping from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. each Saturday through March 29, under rules adopted by Washington fishery managers. Like last year, the daily catch limit will be 10 pounds per person
All other tributaries to the Columbia River in Washington state will remain closed to smelt fishing until further notice.
As during the past two seasons, most indicators point to another year of poor smelt returns to rivers in the Pacific Northwest, said Brad James, fish biologist for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).
"Smelt populations tend to be variable, and now appear to be in a period of low abundance similar to the one we experienced in the mid-1990s," James said. "Smelt populations are also down in British Columbia, suggesting that poor ocean conditions are a likely factor in the current downturn."
Based on current projections, fishing seasons for recreational and commercial smelt fisheries on tributaries to the Columbia River are designed to be conservative, James said.
"We'll be watching the run closely, and will modify the season if it turns out to be stronger than expected or if the run size appears to be very low," he said. "Agency staff will review the results of the run in mid-February and consider any necessary changes in fishing seasons after that date."
Of less concern is the sport fishery for smelt on the lower Columbia River, where a scarcity of bank access and the dispersal of spawning locations limits catch rates, James said. That fishery opens New Year's Day and is scheduled to run seven days per week through March 31.
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12/20/2007
The Cowlitz River will open to smelt dipping Jan. 5 from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. each Saturday through March 29. The daily catch limit will be 10 pounds per person. All other tributaries to the Columbia River in Washington will remain closed to smelt fishing until further notice.
Fish and Wildlife fish biologist Brad James said most indicators point to another year of poor smelt returns to Northwest rivers. Smelt populations tend to be variable and now appear to be in a period of low abundance similar to the one experienced in the mid-1990s. Smelt populations also are down in British Columbia suggesting poor ocean conditions could be a factor in the current downturn.
Agency staff will be watching the run closely and will modify the season if it turns out to be stronger than expected or if the run size appears to be very low.
Of less concern is the smelt sport fishery in the lower Columbia where scarcity of bank access and the dispersal of spawning locations limit catch rates. That fishery opens New Years Day and is scheduled to run through March 31.
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01/10/2008
Sports dipping in the Cowlitz is allowed from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays only through March 31. The daily limit is 10 pounds per person per day.
The mainstem Columbia daily limit is 25 pounds per person per day, seven days a week, 24 hours per day.
Nine-hour fishing periods are scheduled Mondays and Thursdays for Columbia River commercial fishers and six-hour fishing periods Sundays and Wednesday nights in the Cowlitz.
Last Wednesday, there were no significant bird or marine mammal activity in the vicinity of the Cowlitz to indicate smelt presence. A small number of smelt were reported commercially caught Dec. 31 and Jan. 3 near Skamokawa (35 miles downstream of the Cowlitz) and also during the last week of December. A preliminary estimate of 126 pounds have been caught since late December.
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01/17/2008
About 222 pounds of smelt have been landed by commercial fishers in the mainstem Columbia since the beginning of December. About half were landed during the first three fishing periods in January. The temperature of the lower Columbia downstream from Cathlamet was 43 degrees Monday. Smelt prefer water of at least 40 degrees or warmer. On Jan. 10, there was no sign of significant bird or mammal activity from Puget Island upstream to the Cowlitz.
WDFW test dipping Jan. 9 produced no catch. The temperature of the Cowlitz was 43 degrees. There was a reliable report of dippers at the Gearhart ramp on Saturday with a half-bucket each. No commercial landings were reported Jan. 6 and 9.
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01/18/2008
Smelt-dipping prospects for Saturday are improving.
Commercial landings in the Columbia River picked up this week, according to the Department of Fish and Wildlife. "There appears to be a push of fish approaching the Cowlitz River, with favorable conditions for smelt movement projected through the weekend," the agency announced. "Saturday could be a good day for sports dippers to prospect for fish."
However, test dipping on Wednesday at Gerhart Gardens, Carnival Market and Lexington produced no catch. There was a report of successful dipping last Saturday at Gerhart Gardens.
Sport dipping on the Cowlitz is allowed only from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays. The daily limit is 10 pounds per person per day, the equivalent of one-quarter of a 5-gallon bucket.
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01/19/2008
With some positive reports finally, there are signs the smelt are making their way toward the Cowlitz River. That might make it worth the time and effort to make the drive south today.
Commercial landings in the Columbia River picked up this week. There also was a report of some successful dipping last week at the Gearhart ramp just upstream from the mouth.
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01/24/2008
In the lower Columbia, commercial smelt fishers caught 700 pounds of smelt Jan. 14 around Puget Island. Since late December, commercial fishers have landed 1,201 pounds of smelt. WDFW test dipping at Gearhart, Carnival Market and Lexington on Jan. 16 produced no catch.
Joe Hymer of the department's Vancouver office said there had been no signs of smelt or birds and seals between Cathlamet and Longview on Saturday. Water temperature cooled to 39.5 degrees near Skamokawa on Tuesday. Smelt prefer temperatures above 40 degrees. Based on personnel observations and Web site reports, there was no sign of smelt in the Cowlitz on Saturday.
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01/26/2008
Smelt: Last Saturday was a bust on the Cowlitz River, despite some positive signs. There are few indications things will be any better today. A test dip by the state Wednesday produced no catch. There has been little bird or seal action on the river. And the water temperature has dropped to 39 degrees. At Cornet Bay at the north end of Whidbey Island, anglers have been catching some smelt, but not in great numbers.
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01/30/2008
Smelt: Commercial landings in the Columbia River have dropped significantly from the previous week. The water temperature in the Cowlitz was 39 degrees Monday; smelt prefer 40 degrees or warmer. State officials said there were no reliable reports of smelt being caught Saturday.
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01/31/2008 Smelt
Commercial landings in the lower Columbia have dropped significantly from the previous week. On Jan. 21, 44 pounds were landed from around Puget Island (a fraction of the daily landings from the previous week). A preliminary estimate is 2,003 pounds have been landed since late December.
On Jan. 23, DFW survey crews only observed a couple of seals in the Columbia by County Line Park in Longview. Water temperature in the Skamokawa area was about 37 degrees.
Test dipping on Jan. 23 in the Cowlitz by DFW personnel produced no catch. Areas sampled were Gearhart, Kelso Bridge, Carnival Market and Lexington. There have been no commercial landings reported for Jan. 20 and 24. No fish have been reported landed since the season began Jan. 2.
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02/02/2008
Smelt: The run appears to have gone back down to the Columbia estuary in response to the cold river temperatures. No commercial landings were reported this week. A test dip by the state on Wednesday produced no catch.
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02/06/2008
Smelt: The reports remain gloomy for dippers. There were no reports of recreational catches Saturday. The water temperature remains at 39 degrees, which is below the minimum 40 degrees that smelt prefer. There were no commercial landings reported last week from the Columbia. A few are being caught at the Everett marina.
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02/07/2008
Joe Hymer, fish biologist with the state Department of Fish and Wildlife's Vancouver office, said the smelt run appears to have backed down to the estuary in response to cold river temperatures. No commercial landings were reported last week.
Fish and Wildlife survey crews observed just a couple of seals in the Columbia near Longview and none in the Cowlitz.
On Monday, the Cowlitz flow at Castle Rock was 14,600 cubic feet per second. Water temperature in the mainstem Columbia at Cathlamet increased slightly to nearly 39 degrees Monday. Last week, the Cowlitz was 39 degrees. Water temperatures are cooler than the minimum of 40 degrees that smelt prefer.
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02/09/2008
Smelt: Warming water conditions have the smelt moving back upstream in the Columbia. State survey crews observed about 40 harbor seals in the Columbia River near Oak Point, about 13 miles downstream from the mouth of the Cowlitz. The Cowlitz is back to 41 degrees. Commerical fishermen landed 396 pounds of smelt Monday.
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02/16/2008
Finally, we have some good news to report for smelt dippers.
A test dip by the state Monday confirmed smelt are present in the lower Cowlitz. Bank dipping near the Longview Bridge produced about 15 fish in a dozen dips.
Also, commercial fishermen on the Columbia landed more smelt Monday night (3,411 pounds) than the entire season to date through last week (2,444 pounds).
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02/20/2008
Smelt: There were reports of anglers dipping some smelt at Gearhart Park, located just upstream from the Highway 432 bridge in Longview.
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02/21/2008
If you like your smelt fresh caught, you might want to head to the Cowlitz River on Saturday.
There are reports that some anglers caught their 10-pound limit last Saturday.
State test dipping early this week at Longview (Gearhart Park) and at Kelso produced no fish, but birds and seals were working the east bank just below the Kelso Bridge and the riffle just upstream from the park.
Samplers got a few smelt per dip (best dip about a pound) at Lexington. Mostly mature males of assorted sizes. There were sea lions/seals and birds present upstream as well.
I'll have more in Saturday morning's fishing report.
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02/21/2008 Everett Herald
Smelt have arrived in the lower Cowlitz River, so if you're a fan of the tasty little food fish, now's the time to get thyself down there with dipnet, waders and bucket. Particularly since the forecast for this season is for a depressed run, and the opportunity may not last long.
The fish first showed in a test dipping by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife two weeks ago, and a handful of recreational dippers on Feb. 9 took a sprinkling of fish. By last Saturday, however, state biologist Joe Hymer said the word had circulated and there was a good turnout of recreationists as far upstream as Kelso, and a number were able to harvest 10-pound limits. Hymer said commercials also hit smelt, netting more than 2,000 pounds on Sunday night from the lower Cowlitz.
Sport dipping is allowed only Saturdays on the Cowlitz, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., through March 31. The 10-pound daily limit is roughly equivalent to a quarter of a 5-gallon bucket.
Carnival Market in Kelso (360-425-6622), once the unofficial recreational dipping headquarters in the area, no longer rents nets. Another outlet -- Bob's Sporting Goods in Longview does, however, for $8 per day with returnable deposit. The firm also sells nets, for $30 to $40, depending on size. Phone number there is 360-425-3870; address is 1111 Hudson.
Hymer said the near-term outlook for the fishery is positive, with state personnel reporting a lot of bird, seal and sea lion activity in the Columbia, downstream from the Cowlitz mouth. Main-stem Columbia water temperature was 41 degrees at Skamakowa on Tuesday, above the 40-degree minimum smelt need to actively move. Cowlitz flows at Castle Rock were 11,800 cubic feet per second on Tuesday morning, just under the long-term average for the date, and the water level is expected to remain relatively stable for the next week.
The La Conner Smelt Derby runs Saturday and, while it's no longer what one could call a "real" fishing derby, the list of eats, treats, events and prizes generally makes for a fun family day on the Swinomish Channel. And there is still, sometimes, some pretty good smelt jigging to be had. Call 360-466-4778, or go to www.laconnerrotary.org.
Smelt jigging at Cornet Bay, on the northeast corner of Whidbey Island, has been good at times recently, off the piers in Deception Pass State Park. Incoming and high slack tides are generally the most productive.
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02/23/2008
Smelt: There was good news from the Cowlitz a week ago � some people dipped their 10-pound limits. Test dipping at Longview (Gearhart Park) and at Kelso by the state produced no fish, but there were birds and seals working the east bank just below the Kelso Bridge and the riffle just upstream from the park. Samplers got a few smelt per dip at Lexington.
The fish were mostly mature males of assorted sizes.
Wynoochee: The river level finally dropped, the fish came into the system and the crowds hit the water. That was the scenario last weekend, and it should repeat this weekend.
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02/24/2008
Cowlitz River - Very few smelt were caught last Saturday (Feb. 23). However, some birds and seals were still present. Flows at Castle Rock were 9,800 cfs this morning (Monday Feb. 25) which is lower than the long-term mean of 12,600 cfs for this date. Lower river is fairly clear and warm (43 degrees Wednesday Feb. 20).
Mainstem Columbia - Commercial catches have tapered off with 430 pounds landed Monday Feb. 18. Nearly 7,000 pounds were landed the previous week. Water temperature at Skamokawa was nearly 43 degrees today (Monday Feb. 25).
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02/28/2008
Very few smelt were caught in the Cowlitz Saturday. Flows at Castle Rock were 9,800 cubic feet per second Monday morning which is lower than the longterm mean of 12,600 cubic feet per second for this date. The lower river was fairly clear and warm on Feb. 20. In the mainstem Columbia, commercial catches tapered off with 430 pounds landed Monday. Nearly 7,000 pounds were landed during the previous week. Water temperature at Skamokawa was nearly 43 degrees Monday.
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03/05/2008
SMELT
Brad James, Columbia River smelt biologist, said that while environmental conditions are favorable and eulachon smelt can continue to enter the Columbia River through next month, we are past the typical peak of the run.
It will become increasingly difficult to encounter smelt. Given the low preseason forecast, the prospects for successful smelt dipping this month are not good.
Sport fishers are reminded that it currently is illegal to harvest smelt from Columbia River tributaries other than the Cowlitz.
The run was expected to be small, and the decision was made to operate fisheries at Level One of the Smelt Management Plan, where fishing for smelt in other tributaries � such as Grays, Elochoman, Lewis or Kalama � is closed.
On Feb. 27, Fish and Wildlife staff test dipped at various sites between Gearhart Park and Lexington. No adult smelt were encountered. No birds or seals were present either. Fish that appeared in a spurt two to three weeks ago have spawned, based on larvae recovered Feb. 26. No reported commercial landings were reported Sunday or Wednesday last week. Since Jan. 2, approximately 5,900 pounds has been caught by commercial fishers.
In the Columbia River, there were no commercial landings for Feb. 21 or Feb. 25. Since late December, there have been 10,308 pounds cumulative landings (preliminary numbers). Water temperature in the lower Columbia Monday was 44 degrees.
Flow at Castle Rock was 2,000 cubic feet per second Feb. 27, which is below normal for this time of the year. The river was running clear, with a temperature of 44.5 degrees.
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03/08/2008
Smelt: It looks like the smelt run is over for the season. Since Feb. 16, when some dippers took some limits on the Cowlitz, few fish have been detected in the river. �Those who were there on the right Saturday got some, but that appears to be it for the year,� state biologist Joe Hymer said. Check out Susan Gordon�s story about the smelt situation online at www.thenewstribune.com/front/topphoto/story/302497.html.
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03/12/2008
Smelt: The news isn�t good. There has been no sign of smelt in the Cowlitz and lower Columbia for more than a week. No smelt were encountered during a recent test dipping. Smelt can continue to enter the Columbia River well into March, but we are past the typical peak of the run.
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3/13/2008
SMELT
There have been no sign of smelt in the Cowlitz or lower Columbia for over a week and it is unlikely any smelt will be present in the Cowlitz this coming Saturday.
Flow in the Cowlitz was 7,100 cubic feet per second at Castle Rock on Monday and is expected to rise to the long-term mean of 10,800 cubic feet per second by mid-week. Water temperature in the lower Columbia and Cowlitz was 44 degrees Monday.
Commercial fishers have not reported any landings in the Columbia since mid February. From late December, only 11,040 pounds of smelt have been caught. Cumulative commercial landings since Jan. 2 have been 5,900 pounds.
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03/21/2008
Smelt: A grand total of 3 smelt were caught near Skamokawa during the spring chinook test fishery last week. Sport dipping was "unproductive" on March 15. Sport dipping allowed in the Cowlitz only Saturday and again March 29.
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09/18/2008
Decent smelt jigging at the Cornet Bay pier. The La Conner pier is producing smelt and herring for jiggers.
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Smelt and Herring 10/02/2008
Smelt and herring at Cornet Bay pier on North Whidbey Island: "I was at the Cornet Bay pier on Sunday, and smelt fishing has been very good, with lots of people doing quite well," said Mike Chamberlain at Ted's Sports Center in Lynnwood. "Use a Gamakatsu smelt herring rig with a half-ounce to three-quarter ounce of lead. There is also some nice-sized herring mixed into the catch."
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Smelt 10/23/2008
"Good smelt jigging at Cornet Bay [on Whidbey Island]."
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Smelt 11/06/2008
SMELT: Still good jigging at Cornet Bay, incoming and high tide, white Gamakatsu jigs, off the Deception Pass State Park pier. Cheap and easy, according to Anthon Steen at Holiday Sports in Burlington (360-757-4361). No license necessary, and all you need is a jig, a bucket, and a rod/reel.
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11/20/2008
MARINE AREA 8-1: Fishing for surf smelt has been very good in Coronet Bay. Sampling taken Sunday at the Coronet Bay public ramp showed that 14 anglers caught 302 smelt.
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11/25/2008
Cornet Bay pier, North Whidbey Island — Friday: 11 anglers caught 195 smelt; Saturday: 16 anglers caught 175 smelt; Sunday: 70 anglers caught 270 smelt.
