Other sports

Those who enjoyed spring chinook fishing in Columbia River tributaries above Bonneville Dam last year will like what's in store this coming season.

"We saw some pretty good fish returns last spring, and it should be strong again," said Joe Hymer, a state Fish and Wildlife biologist.

The forecast for the Wind River is 8,400 spring chinook compared to an actual return of 7,800 last year under a forecast of 4,900.

Another strong return of 9,500 spring chinook is expected to the Little White Salmon River also known as Drano Lake. The return last spring was 12,200 with a forecast of 12,600, and a recent 10-year average of 11,600.

The Klickitat River forecast is 2,100, compared to an actual return of 1,400 last year and a forecast of 2,100.

The Yakima River forecast calls for 12,000, down from 13,400 last spring.

"Everything was delayed last spring by (late) fish passage over Bonneville, but once they got over they were right on track," Hymer said.

Washington and Oregon Fish and Wildlife managers are forecasting 314,200 upriver spring chinook, which would be the fourth highest return since 1980. Of those 277,400 are expected to be four-year-old fish, and 36,400 will be larger-sized five-year-olds.

The largest on record occurred in 2001 when 440,300 returned.

Another 83,400 are destined for the Willamette River in Oregon. Last year, the forecast was 104,100 with an actual return of 80,254.

The 2012 spring chinook returns for the Cowlitz, Kalama and Lewis — tributaries of the Lower Columbia — look slightly better than last year with a forecast of 12,100 compared an actual return of 6,300 under a forecast of 10,600.

The Cowlitz forecast is 8,700 (4,100 returned last year); Kalama, 700 (800); and Lewis, 2,700 (1,400). The spawning goals in the Cowlitz and Lewis are 1,250 each; and the Kalama is 500. Spring chinook fishing restrictions could happen in the Kalama and Lewis.

Salmon stocks are taking advantage of La Nina's colder water upwelling conditions in the ocean that produces good survival rates.

A total of 154,895 angler trips were taken on the Lower Columbia last year with 11,694 spring chinook kept.

Last year, sport fishing for spring chinook in the Lower Columbia River was open Jan. 1 to April 4, and reopened April 8-19 and May 15 to June 15.

Fishing seasons in the Lower Columbia River will be decided by state, federal and tribal fishery managers in Portland on Thursday at 10 a.m. Fisheries above Bonneville will be decided some time next month.

Word on razor clams

The coastal razor clam digs on this past Friday and Saturday were good for some and lousy for others with the southern beach goers faring the best.

"It was a mixed bag of success, and clam digging at Long Beach was the best and Mocrocks was good too," said Dan Ayres, the head state Fish and Wildlife coastal shellfish biologist. "It was pretty tough overall, and it seemed like many weren't willing to stick it out on the beaches in the driving rain, avoiding the snow and bad weather, and others were simply hunkered down at home with no power."

A total of 6,800 people turned out with the biggest crowds on Saturday at 4,900. Last Friday's coast wide average was 7.5 clams per digger, and improved to 12 clams by Saturday. The most consistent digging was at Mocrocks.

"I was out at Copalis, and we saw some people with limits, others with nothing and a few diggers in between," Ayres said. "Crowds were generally light on all beaches, and the biggest turnout was at Long Beach where they had no snow at all."

Ayres says they were still tabulating the total figures on turnout and how many clams were dug.

"The good news is we know there are still plenty of clams on beaches, because we've had fewer clams harvested, and that will mean more digging opportunity down the road," Ayres said.

The next coastal razor clam digs are Feb. 18-19.

Mark Yuasa: 206-464-8780 or myuasa@seattletimes.com