05/18/2015
Lower Green and South Fork Toutle rivers to open early to fishing for hatchery steelhead
Action: Lower Green and South Fork Toutle rivers will open two weeks early to fishing for hatchery steelhead.
Species affected: Steelhead
Effective dates: May 23 through June 5, 2015
Location:
Daily bag limit: The daily limit is 2 hatchery steelhead. Wild steelhead must be released. Release all fish except hatchery steelhead.
Other information: Selective gear rules will be in effect during this early fishery. A Columbia River Salmon and Steelhead Endorsement is required.
Green River from the mouth upstream to the 2800 Road Bridge and South Toutle River from the mouth upstream will open to fishing for hatchery steelhead as scheduled on the first Saturday in June (which occurs on June 6 this year). Bait may be used during these seasons.
Under the recently adopted permanent regulations, effective July 1, the hatchery steelhead daily limit will be 3 fish. All hatchery steelhead must be retained – no catch-and-release. Barbed hooks may be used during the month of July.
Reason for action: This will implement new permanent rules recently adopted during the gamefish regulation processes. Under the new permanent rules, the early fishery will start the last Saturday in May. Because the Memorial Day weekend is early this year, this emergency regulation will allow anglers to fish during the upcoming holiday weekend.
Hatchery summer run steelhead are released into SF Toutle. The summer steelhead program in the Green River has been discontinued, but there are still fish returning from past releases. These fish are not needed for broodstock. Opening the lower Green River and South Fork Toutle River two weeks early will allow additional opportunity to harvest surplus hatchery steelhead. Selective gear rules will be in effect to aid in the release of any remaining juvenile salmonid outmigrants.
Information contact: (360) 696-6211. For latest information, press *1010.
This concludes our 2015 Cowlitz River Fishing Report.
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