The 2018 salmon fishery in Pacific County was marred with closures and uncertainty caused by reduced chinook salmon returns. The entire fishery was closed for around two weeks to aid the chances of spawning for returning chinook. State officials determined that limiting angler interactions with the vulnerable numbers was the best course of action.
2019 is looking to be a far better year with some above-normal native chinook but below-normal hatchery chinook returns. Coho and chum salmon, on the other hand, are projected to have strong return numbers this year with ample opportunities for anglers in both the Willapa River and Willapa Bay.
Chinook numbers are on the decline
Chinook numbers have been on the decline for the past several years with numbers dropping to levels not seen before. The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife closed Willapa Bay and the Willapa River and surrounding tributaries to salmon fishing for a short time in 2018 to aid fish that were returning to spawn.
For 2019 just over 4,000 native origin chinook salmon are expected to make the journey back to the bay and just over 23,000 hatchery origin chinook salmon are expected to return to local waters.
"This is the first year that we will see returns from the bay-wide chinook production reduction that occurred in the brew year 2015," WDFW Policy Analyst Chad Herring stated. "So we lost about 40% of the overall hatchery production in Willapa Bay. That's why the number for hatchery chinook is much lower. Normally we were around 40,000."
Coho and Chum numbers looking strong
Coho numbers are expected to be very strong this season with around 63,000 native origin and over 94,000 hatchery origin fish returning to the bay. The forecast for coho has been increasingly strong for the past several years and offered the best opportunity in 2018 when waters reopened in a scaled back season. Chum numbers are looking to be strong also for 2019 with just over 52,000 native origin fish anticipated to return.
"We've got a good forecast for coho," Herring stated. "We've been seeing improving ocean conditions over what we've seen for coho returns for the last few years. We're expecting a good coho year. So we've got some good forecast for this season. I would also like to note that the Columbia River forecast for coho are way up also with almost a million total hatchery and wild. So there's a lot of really good forecast out there for coho. "
Proposed seasons highlights
Willapa Bay is proposed to open June 22 concurrent with Marin Area 2 with a bag limit of two adults and only one may be chinook and anglers must release wild coho. From the opening on June 22 through the month of July the Willapa Bay regulations will be consistent with Marine Area 2. Willapa Bay will go to Willapa Bay 2-1 regulations on August 1 to January 31 will be a six fish daily limit with only two allowed to be adults and anglers must release unmarked chinook.
"In terms of freshwater fishing opportunity," Herring said. "Season opening and closing dates will be very similar to what was put out in 2018. I don't think there are any changes from that. The bag limit will be the same as in the marine area with six fish daily limit, only two adults and release unmarked chinook. It will be that way everywhere in all the freshwater areas that are open."
Anglers are reminded to check the fishing pamphlet for specific rules regarding each waterway which is expected to be out by the end of June.