I have been fishing in Astoria for about fifteen years now and the sea lions seem to be getting worse. I have been told by some of the guides in the area that is why they have cut the sturgeon fishing back so much. Does anyone have any idea if any thing is being done about trying to control them. I here it is a touchy subject in that area just like the wolfs a touchy subject here in Idaho.
Sea lions astoria
- Thread starter IDELKFVR
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wa-hunter
Active Member
- Apr 24, 2014
- 235
- 7
yep we fish right below Bonneville dam on the Columbia and the sea lions swim all the way up there. they are terrible!!!!! they will swim up and take a salmon right off you line 10ft from the bank. not to many fisherman will say anything good about one. and yes they are hammering the sturgeon too.
they are killing a hand full of problem ones at Bonneville (last couple years haven't herd this year) but not sure about else where
they are killing a hand full of problem ones at Bonneville (last couple years haven't herd this year) but not sure about else where
Just talked with the fishing guide we use over there ( Astoria ) and he said there talking about allowing only one salmon per person this year. Have you heard anything about that.
That is an idea the fisheries folks floated. They are worried about catch and release mortality on endangered Chinook from folks with their one chinook releasing more chinook trying for a silver. As you know, the past several seasons the limit has been two salmon, only one of which can be a chinook.
I believe the meetings for public input were just done or about to be, so we should know more soon when the final rules are published.
Umpqua Hunter
Veteran member
This would be great, the tribes usually have one of the best chances at changing much that would help out our fish. Salmon especially. The sturgeon is the really sad issue though. No replacement for a breeding age fish like that. I believe that will be one of the biggest deciding factors when odfw and whoever else it takes finally get to take care of our sea lion problems
Going to need a bigger boat around Sea Lions. We've had fishermen netting salmon pulled overboard, now this jet ski tipping incident. As they get bolder, loss of life is a real possibility. This was pretty much in Portland, about 120 river miles up stream from Astoria.
http://www.oregonlive.com/oregon-city/index.ssf/2016/04/sea_lions_willamette_falls.html
http://www.oregonlive.com/oregon-city/index.ssf/2016/04/sea_lions_willamette_falls.html
Not sure it would be worth the trip over there for one fish.Over the years there seems to be more and more of them.It is going to be an issue sooner or later that someone is going to have to deal with for sure.
You may want to watch the seasons and limits, often the lower river limit will be one chinook, then up river two chinook. I think there is an endangered tulie stock down low they are trying to protect. Most years, by early to mid-Sept, the chinook fishing further up is pretty good, you may want to visit with your guide about that.
Two seasons ago the Silver fishing was off the hook and as I recall opened to 3 Silvers in Sept. By mid Sept, silvers averaged 7-10 lbs, a few 3-4 pounders and several 15-18lb fish in most boat limits. We had great silver fishing into Nov that season, with legit 18-22lb hatchery silvers on occasion. That was a blast and worth a trip, limits were the norm.
A few years back the limit below Bonneville was 3 chinook, so it pays to watch it. Heck, last year they opened it for Chinook 7/1, with a specific boundary at Astoria, the fishing was quite good but limited to one chinook, no one was there. If you want to follow it, sign up for the email updates for the Columbia zone on the ODFW site, if you have not already. I'm pretty plugged in to the lower river fishery, so if you see a season change and want a report, just holler. I'll tell you what I know.
Tim is right about fishing above Astoria. Last year guys fished pretty late compared to normal and did well. I live in st.helens and new of fish into October. But this isn't always the norm. But I am sure your guide knows about it,there was a lot of them around.
Thanks tim the guide we have been fishing did mention the chinook fishing in the bonniville area and said the limit would be three fish in september he had dates open for fishing so that might be a better option in deed.