The Fishin' Magician

I just got some disappointing news. The sockeye fishery on Lake Wenatchee is closing on Sunday, August 16.

It isn't due to overharvest of sockeye. The surprise was the number of spring Chinook that are being caught and released.

These fish are ESA listed and we are approaching the limit of spring Chinook that can be caught and released during the sockeye season. Well, it was fun while it lasted.

The good news is that the number of summer Chinook that are coming up the Columbia River is at a record high.

The early estimate of 73,000 has been bumped to 85,000. Over 50,000 of them have already passed over Wells Dam and there are more on the way.

Good fishing for summer Chinook is really just getting started in many areas of the upper Columbia. I know that I am very eager to shift gears and get out there after them. So far this season I have caught two summer salmon.

One was at Chelan Falls and the other while fishing for sockeye on the Brewster Pool.

Both were keepers. The number of hatchery being caught this year is much higher than last year, too. So break out the Super Baits and get after them!