Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist Joe Hymer at the agency’s Vancouver office said the lower Columbia sturgeon fishery, which opened Jan. 1 up to McNary Dam, has been best in the Bonneville pool. The latest check there tallied 3 boats with 5 legals kept and 4 sublegals released.
The Bonneville Pool fishery has some bank opportunity, Hymer said, but is primarily a boat show. Boat anglers anchor above one of the deeper holes and plunk with smelt, squid, sand shrimp or roll-mop herring. And yes, you can use smelt for bait in the Columbia if you can find it frozen, but there will be no smelt fishery.
Hymer said the sturgeon guideline for the lower river season is 1,400 fish and biologists expect more fishing pressure this year. The season closed in late February last year, Hymer said.
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