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Truck Trouble Delays Trout Stocking by Terry Otto The Columbian, May 3, 2018

There was a great turnout for the trout season opener at Rowland Lake this past Saturday (April 28).

Unfortunately, the early arrivals found a lake devoid of trout. The first truckload of trout did not arrive from the hatchery until about 11 am, after many anglers had already gone home.

Rowland Lake is just off state Highway 14 in the Columbia River Gorge east of Bingen, Wash.

According to Stacie Kelsey of the state's inland fishes program, the tank truck used to transport the fish from the hatchery broke down.

"As soon as they got it running they rushed those fish out there," she said.

There were two deliveries on Saturday and two more on Sunday, so the lake is now well stocked.

Like hooking fish in a barrel

After the first load was dropped, the fish milled around the boat launch area. That made it perfect for the kids of all ages to find easy pickings. Casting spinners and spoons proved very effective on the newly released fish.

Icehouse Lake

Anglers at this small lake at the Washington end of the Bridge of the Gods near Stevenson did very well during the trout opener last Saturday.

Anglers cycled in and out as they caught limits of trout. While bait fished near the bottom seemed the best bet, fishermen did well with spinners and bobber and bait.

Weekend opportunities

Spring Chinook angling on the Columbia is open through Monday from Tower Island powerlines upstream to the Oregon/Washington border above McNary Dam, plus the banks between Bonneville Dam and Tower Island powerlines.

White sturgeon retention is closed from Buoy 10 upstream to McNary Dam but remains an option for catch-and-release fishing.

The McNary Pool is open to the retention of legal white sturgeon through July 31.

Walleye angling is good in The Dalles and John Day Pools.

Trout angling is excellent in Southwest Washington lowland lakes.

Salmon/Steelhead

Cowlitz River -- From the I-5 Bridge downstream: 261 bank rods kept five adult spring Chinook and three steelhead and released one steelhead. Sixty-one boat rods kept four adult spring Chinook. Above the I-5 Br: 95 bank rods kept nine adult spring Chinook and six steelhead and released one steelhead. 32 boat rods kept one adult spring Chinook.

Kalama River -- 36 bank anglers kept two adult spring Chinook and released four steelhead. 72 boat anglers kept 15 adult spring Chinook and released 10 steelhead.

Mainstem Lewis River -- 37 bank rods kept one adult spring Chinook. Twenty-three boat rods kept three adult spring Chinook.

North Fork Lewis River -- 50 bank rods kept two adult spring Chinook; 58 boat rods kept nine adult spring Chinook and released five steelhead.

Wind River -- 11 bank rods had no catch; 41 boat rods kept four adult spring Chinook and released one.

Drano Lake -- 17 bank rods had no catch; 189 boat rods kept 30 adult spring Chinook and released two.

Klickitat River -- 7 bank rods had no catch.

Bonneville Pool (Bonneville Dam upstream to The Dalles Dam) -- Eight adult spring Chinook kept for 42 bank anglers.

The Dalles Pool (The Dalles Dam upstream to John Day Dam) -- Two adult spring Chinook kept for 26 bank anglers; and no catch for one boat (three anglers).

John Day Pool (John Day Dam upstream to McNary Dam) -- Weekly checking showed one adult spring Chinook kept for six bank anglers; and no catch for one boat (one angler).

. . .

Related Pages:
Fisheries Managers Forecast 'Unprecedentedly Low' Summer Steelhead by George Plaven, East Oregonian, 5/22/17