While it remains unclear just how good the Columbia River spring chinook fishery will be heading into next month, there has been some glory moments of late for sport anglers.

"Spring chinook fishing is getting better and abundance is increasing, but we still have some dry spots," said Joe Hymer, a state Fish and Wildlife biologist.

On Tuesday, a commercial spring chinook test fishery in the lower river showed signs of improvement with 44 drifts taken, and 51 chinook and 23 steelhead caught.

"That is an improvement over Sunday when the commercials took 20 drifts with four chinook and eight steelhead caught," Hymer said. "The fish counts (at Bonneville Dam) are still tracking way behind."

Through March 21, 30 spring chinook passed over Bonneville, compared to last year at the same time when 267 fish had been counted. The 10-year average through March 21, is 1,500 spring chinook. The Willamette Falls spring chinook count is 125 fish through March 18.

The count Tuesday showed more than 300 boats in Lower Columbia, which is rather high for weekday effort and about a quarter of them were fishing in Cathlamet area.

There was pretty good bank fishing effort when fishing opened Sunday from Rooster Rock to Bonneville (angling is allowed Sunday, Monday and Tuesday only), and Hymer reported a few spring chinook were caught, but it was slow on the Oregon side.

Some spring chinook were also caught from I-5 to Rooster Rock, located about 10 miles upstream of Camas, but it remains slow.

"We had some catch of spring chinook in Vancouver area, but it was scattered," Hymer said. "I also heard of a good bite in Multnomah Channel on Sunday and Monday, but it tapered off by (Tuesday)."

Sea lions continue to give anglers a big headache in the lower river with the brazen beasts snatching hooked fish right off the fishing line or in one case directly out of a half closed net.

Fishing in Wind River and Drano Lake was slow with not much fishing effort. The Klickitat and White Salmon rivers open April 1.

Hymer says sturgeon fishing was pretty slow in Lower Columbia with no legal-sized fish kept, which was a first since creel checking started in 1978.

"Even the sub-legal sturgeon catch was puny," Hymer said. "Smelt were also a no show last Saturday in Cowlitz."

Smelt dipping in Cowlitz is open on Saturdays only from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Top spots of the week

1. Trout in statewide lakes: "While I was at Green Lake last week, one of the enforcement officers mentioned that a cluster of anglers at the southwest corner were catching fairly well (two to three fish per rod in about two to three hours of fishing)," said Larry Tsunoda, a state Fish and Wildlife biologist.

Green recently received a good plant of catchable-sized trout averaging 8 to 10 inches. Other planted King County lakes include Meridian, Beaver, Angle, Echo, Morton, Twelve and Spring.

Up north South Gissburg Pond, Chain and Flowing lakes were planted with thousands of catchable-sized trout.

In Pierce County planted lakes were Spanaway, Bradley, Harts, American, Kapowsin, Wapato and Waughop. In southwest Washington planted lakes include Mayfield, Sacajawea and Lacamas.

East of the Cascades, trout fishing remains fairly good at Upper Caliche, Martha, Quincy, Burke, Dusty, Rufus Woods, Roses, Lenore, Lenice and Nunnally.

2. Lingcod off Ilwaco, Westport and La Push: "Weather permitting, (anglers) were going out every day, and lingcod and rockfish seem to be plentiful," said Larry Giese at Deep Sea Charters in Westport. "Our derby winner last week was a 24-pound lingcod, and were pretty much limiting."

3. Salmon in marine areas: "I know someone who got into some fish at Middle Bank last Friday, and it is best during the ebb tide," said Tony Floor, director of fishing affairs for Northwest Marine Trade Association.

The Frank Wilson Memorial Derby held at the King's Marine Center in Friday Harbor through March 31 has produced some big fish, although overall it is spotty. Most are fishing the north end of Orcas Island, Thatcher Pass, Presidents Channel and Middle Bank.

The derby leaders: 1. Pete Nelson, 25.96-pound chinook; 2. Jeff Dougherty, 22.27; 3. Bill Chevalier, 20.58.

The strong northerly winds this week have made it tough to fish, but it remains fair at Possession Bar, Saratoga Passage and Point No Point.

Hood Canal is fair at Dabob Bay, Jackson Cove, Pulali Point and Triton Cove are worth a try. Southcentral Puget Sound was slow in the Tacoma area.

Other fishing spots

North coastal rivers: The heavy rains last weekend boosted steelhead catches in the Bogachiel, Hoh, Calawah and Soleduck rivers, but by Sunday most were out of fishing shape. Fishing conditions should be ideal by today.

Puget Sound rivers: "Catch-and-release fishing has been decent in the Skagit and Sauk," said Bryan Nelson at Three Rivers Marine and Tackle. Anglers should check the regulation pamphlet.

Cowlitz and Lewis rivers: Slow to fair for steelhead and spring chinook.

Kalama River: "Good steelheading throughout the river with fair numbers of fresh winter run (some hatchery, mostly wild steelhead) and a couple of salmon being caught," said Chris Wagemann, a state Fish and Wildlife biologist.

Sekiu and Port Angeles: Slow for chinook off Sekiu, but fair off Port Angeles.

Columbia River: Fair in Bonneville, John Day and The Dalles pools for steelhead, sturgeon, walleye and bass. Anglers in Ringold area averaged one steelhead per rod and four hours per fish.

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