Klickitat River fisheries return to permanent rules WSR 20-13-055 filed on June 12, 2020; Cowlitz anglers must release Chinook through July 31 WSR 20-13-049 filed on June 11, 2020; Columbia River treaty fishery above Bonneville Dam WSR 20-13-038 filed on June 10, 2020; Hoh River closed to all fishing WSR 20-13-018 filed on June 5, 2020 To say these fisheries are highly regulated is an understatement.For much more loosely regulated game fish, these reservoir areas are fantastic for non-native species of warmwater fish long ago introduced to the Columbia.Walleye fishing can be extremely good in these pools, and some people believe the next world record will come from the Columbia River.For an expert’s take on this type of fishing here, read our Smallmouth bass also are available in world-class numbers here, with fish to good size but probably not world record class. Little Klickitat River is a stream located just 11.7 miles from Goldendale, in Klickitat County, in the state of Washington, United States, near Wahkiacus, WA. Five-pounders are relatively common though, and bass fishing tournaments and club fish-ins are sore-armed, fish-catching celebrations on this mid-Columbia stretch.Other types of warmwater fishing also can be quite successful here, including largemouth bass, crappie and channel catfish.Some of these warmwater fish will be more prevalent in off-current areas, including several of the dike-created lakes listed in this article.Another non-native species, the American shad, comes up the Columbia in crazy-high numbers (millions and millions) during the late spring and early summer.For a more detailed look at the fisheries here, read Horsethief Lake is a cove of about 90 acres on the Columbia River, separated from the main river by a dike carrying railroad tracks along the Washington shoreline.Horsethief has been nicely planted with trout for many decades and tends to get some 15,000 catchable rainbows stocked during the spring months, when fishing will be best for trout.Also, the lake is likely to get a much smaller number of much larger “jumbo” trout.Horsethief also is a pretty darned good warmwater fishery, most notably for largemouth bass but also for the wide variety of other fish found in the Columbia River system, including bluegill, crappie, bullhead catfish, yellow perch and even the occasional walleye.Horsethief is located at Columbia Hills Historic State Park off State Route 14 less than three miles east of the intersection with Highway 197, which comes across the Columbia River from nearby The Dalles, Oregon.Horsethief is near Spearfish Lake, which offers some of the same types of fishing. Some tributaries also are open for trout fishing, and a couple are even stocked (see separate listings for Little Klickitat River and Spring Creek). We carry Airflo/Echo and Royal Wulff products. Fishing guide Tracy Zoller holds a nice catch of Klickitat River king salmon. (See the separate listing on this page).The Klickitat is one of the better summer steelhead rivers in the Columbia River Gorge, in its heyday pumping out thousands of these magnificent sea-run rainbows.Unfortunately, summer steelhead runs have been depressed in recent years and the catches are more in the hundreds than in the thousands.Summer steelhead start arriving at the river mouth and lower river in the spring, while catches above Fishway 5 (which opens in late May) tend to be best in the hottest months of July through September.The lower Klickitat and its mouth are also a hot spot for fall salmon fishing, with Chinook present in good numbers in September and October and coho catches generally best in October and November.Definitely give a careful read of regulations, including in-season updates, because rules for salmon and steelhead are fluid and can change quickly if returns are down.There is some decent trout fishing in the upper sections, with some limited seasonal harvest opportunities.
Chinook…spring, summer and fall, along with coho return to the Klickitat. 40″+ steelhead are hooked nearly every year. Tracy Zoller (pictured above), the owner/operator of Klickitat River Guides, has been guiding on the Klickitat since 1977. Klickitat County near Goldendale, White Salmon and other communities offers anglers a wide variety of fishing opportunities within reasonable reach of people living in Vancouver, Yakima and the Tri-Cities.The county stretches some 80-plus miles across the south-central foot of Washington State, hugging the banks of the mighty Columbia River.The area rises from the low elevations of the big river, across both arid and fertile lands, and up into the lushly forested mountains of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.For anglers, the county is just as diverse, with several excellent options for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon and trout in its rivers and lowland lakes teeming with stocked trout and brimming with bass.There are just over 20,000 people in Klickitat County, including those in the county seat of Goldendale and adjacent farming areas near the center, and in riverside communities including White Salmon, Bingen and Lyle along State Route 14 stretching across its southern boundary.Besides the Columbia River and national forest, notable attractions here include the For anglers, we’ve highlighted a generous handful of the best fishing options for you to consider, and we provide links for more information about fishing in Klickitat County and beyond.A large (about 80 acres) but shallow lake formed by a railroad crossing just west of Lyle and the Klickitat River, Chamberlain is best fished for backwater-loving species including bass, crappie and other Columbia River warmwater game fish.Chamberlain is a larger-than-average example that most backwater areas along the big river, carved out by dikes, that have opportunities for catching bass and panfish.
Chinook…spring, summer and fall, along with coho return to the Klickitat. 40″+ steelhead are hooked nearly every year. Tracy Zoller (pictured above), the owner/operator of Klickitat River Guides, has been guiding on the Klickitat since 1977. Klickitat County near Goldendale, White Salmon and other communities offers anglers a wide variety of fishing opportunities within reasonable reach of people living in Vancouver, Yakima and the Tri-Cities.The county stretches some 80-plus miles across the south-central foot of Washington State, hugging the banks of the mighty Columbia River.The area rises from the low elevations of the big river, across both arid and fertile lands, and up into the lushly forested mountains of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.For anglers, the county is just as diverse, with several excellent options for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon and trout in its rivers and lowland lakes teeming with stocked trout and brimming with bass.There are just over 20,000 people in Klickitat County, including those in the county seat of Goldendale and adjacent farming areas near the center, and in riverside communities including White Salmon, Bingen and Lyle along State Route 14 stretching across its southern boundary.Besides the Columbia River and national forest, notable attractions here include the For anglers, we’ve highlighted a generous handful of the best fishing options for you to consider, and we provide links for more information about fishing in Klickitat County and beyond.A large (about 80 acres) but shallow lake formed by a railroad crossing just west of Lyle and the Klickitat River, Chamberlain is best fished for backwater-loving species including bass, crappie and other Columbia River warmwater game fish.Chamberlain is a larger-than-average example that most backwater areas along the big river, carved out by dikes, that have opportunities for catching bass and panfish.