Eulachon Smelt 2022?

[Parasite]

Anyone hear any pre-release information on a 2022 eulachon smelt season? I have not seen anything posted from the WDFW yet and it's about that time.

[Bullkllr]

Yeah, haven't seen any updates from WDFW. Preseason forecast seemed to indicate decent returns.

Some discussion here: https://www.ifish.net/threads/cowlitz-smelt.1651862/

Sounds like there were some around early, but not much after that. Then somebody reported:
"Saw a feeding frenzy yesterday near county line park on the Columbia. Sea lions, gulls and even bald eagles getting in on the action. It went on for over a mile."

Cold water temps may be a factor. Could still happen...

[HillHound]

They’ve just been too busy trying to take away our spring bear season, deer baiting, and restrict our access to state lands with their new crazy 10 year recreation plan to worry about posting anything on a potential opening. they’re obviously way more focused on shutting down opportunities than letting us know if there is any going to open up

[lastmk8]

WDFW just posted minutes ago, open this Saturday, March 5th.  Funny I checked the web site this morning and nothing then, now just received notification on WDFW FB page.

I haven't been since a teenager in Michigan 45 years ago.  Saw this thread last year and got me interested.  Now if I can find a pointer or two and grab a net I might have to take my chance.  I think last year was open about four hours, but recall a guy who limited with one dip, in fact probably over limit.  Don't know if that was a lucky shot or if they were that thick that day. 

[Parasite]

Not the same species of smelt as back in Michigan.

If you can't find a net, I have an extra. I'm going Saturday.

[The Gobble-stopper]

I finally saw that they announced the opening. Somewhere it says that it is only open by emergency rule change. But when you look on the emergency rule changes, it is not posted. Someone goofed! Oh and I dont know if anyone read the small print on their announcement, but they said they are trying to keep the crowds to a minimum, so only dippers from Centralia are allowed to dip on saturdays dip. 😁

[Ghost Hunter]

WDFW NEWS RELEASE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
1111 Washington St. SE, Olympia, WA 98501
wdfw.wa.gov
 
March 2, 2022
Contact: WDFW Region 5 office, 360-696-6211
Public Affairs contact: Mark Yuasa, 360-902-2262

One-day smelt dip net fishery announced for Cowlitz River on March 5th

OLYMPIA – Anglers will have an opportunity to dip for smelt in 2022 during a limited-opening recreational fishery on Saturday, March 5.

A portion of the Cowlitz River will be open to recreational dip netting along the shore from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. for one day only.

“The fishery proved extremely popular in 2021, with thousands of dip-netters lining the Cowlitz River banks. Dip-netters caught an estimated 90,750 pounds of smelt in a single five-hour fishery opening last year,” said Laura Heironimus, WDFW’s Columbia River smelt lead.

The 2022 smelt run was predicted to be larger than the 2021 run and in-season monitoring data so far supports that increased forecast, allowing for a limited recreational dip-net fishery for the third year in a row. Commercial fishers first started catching smelt Feb. 18 and since then biologists have observed significant seal and sea lion and avian predator activity on the mainstem Columbia River. Smelt were first detected in the Cowlitz River on March 2.

[NRA4LIFE]

I'm the same as Lastmk8.  Haven't dipped since I was about 20 on the breakwater at Port Washington, WI.  They were thick back then.  Different kind of netting to.  We had large (6X6 feet or bigger) dip nets we lowered off the breakwater with a winch apparatus.  No limits either.  Brought home garbage cans full sometimes.

[Ghost Hunter]

Thought I had a conflict.  Is there a chance of borrowing a net while someone else is there?  Would like to make bait for someone who is out of the country for a few months.  Worth a shot.

[Ghost Hunter]

Not the same species of smelt as back in Michigan.

If you can't find a net, I have an extra. I'm going Saturday.

Sent you a PM.  Willing to help kids too.

[CastleRocker]

Hopefully the river comes down by Saturday.  There probably aren't many right now in the Cowlitz.   They aren't very strong swimmers, and looking at it today, it looks bad for smelt.  I dipped them commercially from '85 until the mid '90's, and when the Cowlitz would blow out like this, we'd all head for the Lewis.  The Columbia has a lot if fish though, judging by how well the Seagulls, and the "water wolves" are doing. 

[HntnFsh]

Doubt the river will come down by Saturday. Maybe the Toutle a little.

[Parasite]

Might come down enough...

[Ghost Hunter]

Lewis River was running high this morning.  Hope they all drop. 

[HntnFsh]

Might come down enough...

Figured that was mostly the Toutle but Cowlitz is dropping too
 I'm guessing it will get down to about 6400cfs.

[PointBlank]

Let’s get some reports going. Heading out in an hour or so will post how I do than on to do some plunking. Be safe and have fun

[Ghost Hunter]

Will be there with my 7/yo grandson.  Hoping he gets to net a few.

[CastleRocker]

Saw some folks getting to the river on my way to work.  River looked good yesterday on the way home.  Hope everyone has fun, and nobody goes swimming!

[3boys]

Sitting waiting. River is loaded with smelt. Should be a one dip and done

[lastmk8]

Sitting waiting. River is loaded with smelt. Should be a one dip and done

How is the crowd?  I had to cancel last minute for medical reasons, but monitoring here, upset to here it looks loaded.  Thanks...

[lastmk8]

About me being upset the river is loaded, that is upset for myself because I had to cancel.  I'm fired up for you all that made the trip, sounds like everyone will be cleaning smelt this afternoon.  Hope to see lots of pics later today.

Have fun everyone, hope next year I can join you.

[3boys]

Done. 3 limits

[Ghost Hunter]

Late & 2 limits.  Crowded.

[hhack]

What part of the River? Steep banks or muddy banks? On shore or wade out?

[Parasite]

1 scoop @ 8:00am and had a 10# limit. 50/50 mix males/females. Three times the "anglers" as last year due to it falling on a weekend instead of a weekday. People were double and triple parked blocking cars in.

[PointBlank]

Yes very crowded tough start by gearhart moved and fast limits closer to carnival

[shadowless_nite]

Pulled in quick to riverside park, 3 of us with 2 nets had limits in 15min. None of us ever dipped before. Took us 30min to leave the traffic jammed parking lot.  Wish we parked further for a easy exit and just walked it. My 11yr old son had a blast with his grandpa. Nice weather and smiles all around. Only upsetting thing was I missed getting a photo opp of the kid and his grandpa dipping together both their first times. 

[Ghost Hunter]

What part of the River? Steep banks or muddy banks? On shore or wade out?

Looked like everyone from Kelso bridge up 3 miles was limiting out.

[HntnFsh]

These 2 folks did well.  Side pockets of truck. Tool box and coolers and buckets full.

Everything on the wardens tailgate. Plus more was out of the white Dodge. That was in the little park just south of Castle Rock about 11 this morning.

[Stein]

What the heck would you do with that many smelt?  Start some sort of bootleg bait business?

[Blacklab]

Outstanding guys Haven"t dipped for 40 plus yrs

[carpsniperg2]

Horrible! I wish they would take their truck and teach them a real lesson. That's so blatant and the worst kind of people.

[MADMAX]

What the heck would you do with that many smelt?  Start some sort of bootleg bait business?

Oh limit?
What’s a limit ?
Make soup

[Ghost Hunter]

Glad they got them.  I seen a few full buckets coming over the direction as I drove by to find a spot.

[Bullkllr]

Glad they were caught. With the state of things these days we're lucky there's even a season at all.

We ate way too many when I was a kid. That said, I wouldn't turn down a properly fried-up plate of fresh smelt. Once; after that...no thanks. Smoked too; a few would be good; buckets full, no thanks.

[fowl smacker]

Didn't dip, but drove Westside hwy home from town and all the wardens looked VERY busy catching people with way over their limits.  I'm in no way racist, but they were all Asian looking.  I saw one guy packing a storage tote into his van that had probably 60+ lbs in it.  Apparently people can read that there is a season, but not well enough to read the 10lb limit.   

[tritt007]

Was a good day for smelting lots of smelt , stopped and got a little scale at walmart this morning so we didnt get in trouble or overlimit but it was very disappointing watching most everyone around us fill there bags and then send the kids / wifes and whomever to the car to dump them out and then come back empty and refill . I can only imagine how overwhelmed wdfw enforcement is up there .

[PointBlank]

Sucks when you see people blatantly breaking the rules wdfw was worked ng overtime today… fun times with everyone we met out there hope there might be another opener next week! Sure would be fun! Specially when you get that fatty scoop that limits you out

[jackelope]

What do you do with them?

[Jake Dogfish]

Wife fried em up today.  So good!
If they open it again on a weekday I’m going.

[Ghost Hunter]

I'd go again.  Prepped most of mine for sturgeon bait.  Saved a few to fry.