Blue Creek & barrier dam

[Taco280AI]

What's up with the lack of fish? Two days, no steelhead. Haven't even seen any caught 

[BigGoonTuna]

Been a pretty lousy year for me, you're not alone

[Taco280AI]

Gonna have to start looking for open seats or something

[Chinook73]

This year to date, the Cowlitz has only had approximately 400 Summer Steelhead return to the hatcheries.  Last year at this time, more than 2,900 Summer Steelhead had returned the hatcheries.  Very poor returns so far. 

[fowl smacker]

That's what happens when Tacoma power wants to stop raising fish and they try to make hatchery rivers into wild gene banks.  The good days are over friends.  The only way the Cowlitz is ever going to see an abundance of fish back is if the hatcheries produce more!

[HntnFsh]

So are they responsible for the lousy runs everywhere else too? 

Fishing sucks right now. Ive only been out twice on the Cow this year. Not a bump. Wouldn't surprise me to see it get shut down before long if they don't start showing up. Which I doubt they will.

Last year at this time I was landing a half dozen a day. Fishing the Toledo Lions Derby Saturday. Don't have my hopes too high. My guestimate is 10 to 12 fish entered. Sure hope I'm wrong though. Would love to start catching a few!

[Taco280AI]

This year to date, the Cowlitz has only had approximately 400 Summer Steelhead return to the hatcheries.  Last year at this time, more than 2,900 Summer Steelhead had returned the hatcheries.  Very poor returns so far.

Damn, no wonder I'm having zero luck. Sucks and is no fun, especially compared to other years. Been trying everything

[BigGoonTuna]

i haven't even been out bank fishing anywhere for summer runs this year.  i'm saving my kitchen passes for when the local kings show up, hopefully i can burn the stale gas out of my sled when that gets going.

i used to just enjoy getting out on the water, lately things have been so bleak with steelhead that i can't even get myself worked up to go fishing.

[Taco280AI]

At least the South Hill SW had a box of 280AI brass 

[shadowless_nite]

The reports from wdfw are pretty spot on about record low summer steelhead run from the lower Columbia. Look up the Bonneville dam fish count graph with the 10year average compared to last year's poor run and this years historically low run. Its pretty much self explanatory as to why summer steelhead has been sucking everywhere. 

I have over 50hrs in this last month and have yet to get one from the bank on the Columbia. I've seen a few landed but it's definitely not what it could be.

[Chinook73]

On three drifts from Blue to Mission, I have seen only one fish put in a net.  The only positive note is that they are still recycling them down to the I-5 bridge this year.

[HntnFsh]

Theres nothing to recycle. Last I heard they only recycled 2 load. 150 fish total. They only got 186 steelhead at the separator this week. Same week last year was 800. Arent getting enough bucks for broodstock. Its pretty dismal. Sure hope I can find some tomorrow. But not too optimistic.

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Seems to me the Chinese/ Japanese drift nets got supper lucky in there drift patterns and sacked em up. Better luck for us next year??

[HntnFsh]

Fished the derby yesterday. Extremely slow. Saw 2 caught and talked to another guy that got 1. We put in a long day. Over 8 hours. 3 guys in the boat. Finally got 1 bite at 3:15. Just a few minutes before we were going to head in for the dinner and drawings. Ended up being big enough to take 2nd place for my brother in law! Doubt I'll fish again unless a big swarm comes in. Waiting for the salmon in the Columbia now I guess.

Toledo Lions put on a great derby. Lots of food. Some killer drawings and give a ways. I think everybody went home with something!

Oh, everybody else I talked to commented on how lousy the fishing was. Pretty dismal. 15 fish entered for about 65 entrants. Lots of excellent fisherman. So my prediction was off by 3. I guessed a dozen!

[SkookumHntr]

We fished hard all morning, finally hooked a fish and it had a fin! I couldn't believe it! Are only bite of the day

[cem3434]

That's what happens when Tacoma power wants to stop raising fish and they try to make hatchery rivers into wild gene banks.  The good days are over friends.  The only way the Cowlitz is ever going to see an abundance of fish back is if the hatcheries produce more!

Not sure there is any truth to this statement. Check with WDFW and ask them about the predation issues they have had at the hatchery over the last couple of years that they tried hiding from the public. Trust me, it is going to get a lot worst before it ever gets better.

[SkookumHntr]

Next year is the first summer when the missing fish should be showing up, so ya, gonna be getting much worse! I hope whoever was responsible for that got *censored* canned!

[CallMeBigPapa]

We fished from 2:30pm - 9:00 Friday night and got one, normally I would have had 8 in the box in that time. Pretty sad !!

[Taco280AI]

Yeah I was amazed at the lack of fish. Never had a problem catching steel in previous years. This year was a total bust fishing wise. No steelhead, no tuna. Did see some beautiful country on the drive out, saw a buddy, and some family. Good trip, even with nothing in the freezer coming home.

[fowl smacker]

That's what happens when Tacoma power wants to stop raising fish and they try to make hatchery rivers into wild gene banks.  The good days are over friends.  The only way the Cowlitz is ever going to see an abundance of fish back is if the hatcheries produce more!

Not sure there is any truth to this statement. Check with WDFW and ask them about the predation issues they have had at the hatchery over the last couple of years that they tried hiding from the public. Trust me, it is going to get a lot worst before it ever gets better.

What part of my statement are you referring to?  Tacoma Power has publicly admitted they don't "want" to raise fish, they'd rather focus on making power.  That statement is true, I was at the meeting.  The good days are over, that statement is true, as long as our management keeps doing what they are doing, the Cow will never be like it once was.  The Cow has dams with no fish passage, thus if the hatcheries don't produce fish, we will not see an abundance like we used to have, that statement is also true.  I guess I'm having trouble understanding what part you say is untrue!  I guarantee you that ducks were not responsible for the thousands of smolt lost!

[HntnFsh]

Tacoma Power doesn't want to raise fish. But they have to raise fish. Its part of their licensing! And actually its not TPU raising the fish. Its WDFW with TPU footing the bill! Heads rolled over last years smolt fiasco. Bet that doesn't happen again. Heres a funny 1. This year they raised a million smolts. Released 1.2 million.    Dang counters again!

[cem3434]

Tacoma Power doesn't want to raise fish. But they have to raise fish. Its part of their licensing! And actually its not TPU raising the fish. Its WDFW with TPU footing the bill! Heads rolled over last years smolt fiasco. Bet that doesn't happen again.

  The fish numbers will rebound, but it will be a few years before it's a decent fishery again. TPU will continue to follow their permit requirements, WDFW will continue raising fish and hopefully the smolt issue is a thing of the past.

[hunthard]

They either need to start shooting all the cormorants that hang out at the hatchery or turn a blind eye to someone who does.