Droves of smelt dippers headed to the lower Sandy River on Thursday for a rare seven-hour season to capture the oily fish — the first opportunity in eight years.
Oregon Fish & Wildlife managers opened up smelt dipping on the lower Sandy from the Columbia River to the Stark Street Bridge for seven hours on Thursday.
The fishing opportunity, which has a long tradition, attracted hundreds of people along the riverbanks near the confluence where the Sandy River meets the Columbia River. To catch the smelt, people used large dipping nets and 5-gallon bucks. wed 10 pounds of smelt.
Biologists are now waiting to see dip reports in the Sandy River to see whether they can allow more dipping.
Each person with a 2023 angling license was allowed 10 pounds. Eulachon smelt, silvery fish about 6-9 inches long, return to the Columbia River each year but only once in a while to the Sandy River. This was the first time they were found in any numbers since 2015, leading managers to allow the limited dipping season.
Tucker Jones, Columbia River program manager for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, said, “Initially we were concerned that the timing of the smelt return would overlap with releases of hatchery spring Chinook smolts which would make a fishery impossible, but after consulting with district fish biologists, we’ve determined that we are actually in a sweet spot between releases.”
Smelt dipping was allowed from noon to 7 p.m. Thursday.
