has anyone been out to lions ferry,heard the steelhead are hitting like mad,is the limit there 5 now

Not yet. Is good every year and this should be no exception.

i heard this morning that they are slamming,

Went to the mouth of the Tucannon yesterday. There were a few bank fisherman, and then about 6 boats bobber fishing. We were about the only boat who was trolling. We pulled plugs all day, and tried a spin and glo/diver with shrimp. No action in the morning, and then between noon and one thirty, we boated six, and missed one. Four natives, and two smaller hatchery hens. No action after about one thirty. Everyone who was bobber fishing seemed to be doing really well too. About to leave to head back out there this morning. Wish us luck!

i got up late it's 7a.m but i'm gathering my gear and heading up there will post when i get back

I have had great success fishing around the Lions Ferry Fish Hatchery area. Both from the bank and from the shore.

From the bank I typically fish with a float, jig, and piece of shrimp. From a boat, I pull Blue Fox #5 Spinners or Wiggle Warts.

Let us know how your fishing trip went! We would love to see pictures.

had 1 take down seen a few caught but not many lots of fish rolling around tried bobber and shrimp and pulling wiggle warts they said it's been pretty good down there.i'm gonna try to get back down there this week and try again.

Only saw two fish caught today by the mouth of the Tucannon. We boated a nice 17 lb native 'nook. Not a real productive fishing day, but a beautiful day to be on the water.

Fishing was good for these guys. For awhile anyway....

WDFW NEWS RELEASE

Kennewick men charged in salmon, steelhead
theft from state fish hatchery collection site

PASCO - Three Kennewick men have been charged in Franklin County District Court on several counts involving theft of salmon and steelhead from a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) fish hatchery collection site on the Snake River in southeast Washington.

Peter P. Robison, 50, Robert D. Bowen, 31, and William S. Lueck, 40, all of Kennewick, were charged with unlawful fishing, fishing closed waters and closed season, and several other violations in an Oct. 2 incident.

The men are accused of illegally taking 22 fish, including three wild steelhead and two wild Chinook salmon. Federal charges are pending on possession of the wild steelhead and salmon, which are listed as threatened in the Snake River under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA). The alleged ESA violations are being referred to the federal NOAA Fisheries Service for review and possible civil prosecution.

Fines for the multiple state charges range up to $5,000 per count and up to year in jail. An 18-foot boat, trailer, five fishing rods, and miscellaneous fishing and boating equipment were seized for forfeiture proceedings.

Working on an anonymous tip, WDFW Enforcement Officers Brian Fulton of Pasco and Rob McQuary of Walla Walla observed the three men fishing from a boat at night within the 400-foot area around the broodstock collection area on the Snake River adjacent to the Lyons Ferry Fish Hatchery - an area closed to all fishing, as stated in the state fishing rules pamphlet.

Fulton and McQuary reported the boat had no navigation lights. The boat made several passes inside the closed area, and the men caught and landed several fish, which were placed in a large cooler. The officers confronted the men just before 3 a.m. after they removed the boat from the river at the Lyons Ferry Marina and were attempting to leave the parking lot.

WDFW Enforcement Sergeants Mike Jewell of Pasco and Jim Nelson of Walla Walla commended their officers’ diligence in making the case, and noted that the anonymous tip instigated their nighttime watch.

"We appreciate this kind of information from citizens," Nelson said. "We need everyone’s eyes and ears out there to protect our fish and wildlife resources."

To report poaching, call toll-free to (800) 477-6224, or contact

I hope they throw the book at them........ They ruin it for everyone.

The good news is they got caught.

i read that in the paper,really how many fish is a person gonna eat i personally catch plenty that go as food fair &make me up some roe then i find i got no reason to not release a few here and there especially hens w/eggs,them are probably the type to take them around showing them off while they rot in the back of the truck.but it don't look like they will rot in there boat,ha ha to those losers,that was especially disturbing considering i wanted to fish the reach one last time this weekend and there wasn't enough fish left,

Heading out there early on Sunday. Anyone had success lately? I haven't been for a couple of weeks. Been hitting Mcnary...

Put in at the marina yesterday, and didn't get a bump all day. It was bad! Anybody else have any luck?

Think the Chinook are spawning so steelhead will be spotty for awhile. Once they are finished the hatchery should be good.