Mexican Fish Report

Action: Prohibits angling from any floating device in the northwest portion of the lake, identified by fishing boundary signs located on the north and west shorelines of Drano Lake.

Effective date: Aug. 25 through Oct. 31, 2021.

Species affected: All species.    

Location: Waters of Drano Lake located between a line projected through shoreline markers (located on north and west shores) approximately 2,000’ downstream of the Little White Salmon National Fish Hatchery, upstream to the deadline markers at the mouth of the Little White Salmon River immediately below the fish hatchery.

Rule: Bank fishing only. Fishing from any floating device prohibited. Only hand-cast lines may be used.

Reason for action: Steelhead fishing and retention in Drano Lake was closed from July through October 2021, based on low preseason forecasts of summer steelhead returning to the Columbia River. Despite this closure, creel surveys and law enforcement contacts have found that some anglers continue to target steelhead in this area, primarily from watercraft. This rule is needed to ensure that summer steelhead impacts occurring in sport fisheries remain within guidelines defined in the 2018-2027 US v. Oregon Management Agreement.

Additional information: WDFW will continue to monitor this area for anglers targeting summer steelhead and determine if further angling restrictions are necessary. Summer steelhead returns to the Columbia River are currently among the lowest on record and anglers are asked to follow fishing regulations designed to balance sport fishing opportunity with the need to meet conservation objectives.

A diagram of this area can be found at https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/styles/page_body_full_width/public/2021-08/dranofigure2.jpg

Information contact: Matt Gardner, District Fish Biologist, 360-906-6746.