Wanapum dam closed waters?

[Larry3215]

We are planning to fish below Wanapum for the first time next week.

The regs say the closed waters below the dam start 500 ft below the west fish ladder and 750 ft below the east fish ladder. Im having a little trouble picturing exactly where those boundaries would be. I was wanting to set up a boundary line on my fish finder to be sure we didnt stray into the closed waters.

Is this picture close?

Are the boundary lines well marked?

Thanks!

[riverhunter]

Not actually. There is signs posted. The pic I uploaded isn't up to scale but will give you an idea. And obviously don't be under the spillway. If you don't mind me asking why don't you fish below priest rapids or vernita. Way more fish at the moment as the fall kings head to spawn at the reach and the majority don't go past priest rapids.

[Larry3215]

Thanks for that info! I will enter that into my plotter for starters and adjust it after we get there.

We are actually targeting sturgeon this trip. We havent fish for them in over 20 years and they have a keeper season open now on Priest Rapids and Wanapum pools until the end of the month. Pretty much all the positive reports Ive seen since it opened are from below Wanapum, so thats our target area.

We plan to have one salmon rod out at all times though - just in case If the sturgeon bite isnt happening, we will try back trolling for salmon more specifically or maybe just look for walleye and bass. Have to play it by ear after we get there and see how it goes and what the river is like.

Thanks again!

[riverhunter]

Well with all the carcasses left over by fisherman there is plenty for sturgeon to feed on. Good luck out there and stay safe.

[riverhunter]

So I drove by wananpum on my way back home to Everett today just to check it outas I went fishing near pasco for fall run kings and they were salmon jumping around. Not as many as near the Hanford reach, also I spoke with a few locals and they were sayin to target them in the deeper sections below the dam using plunking gear. Spin n glos rigged with salmon strips, squid, herring or sand shrimp have all produced but by far the most productive was brined herring strips with some sort of scent. Everybody I spoke to said to keep your bait right at the bottom and use a slip sinker directly on your mainline with out a dropper as this will keep you pretty close to bottom. Good luck and let's us know how you did

[Larry3215]

Wow! Thanks for the hot tips!

I will report back for sure!