Fishing for spring Chinook salmon on the lower Columbia River is going great guns, and good news for anglers is that the Middle Reach of the Yakima River will soon be open for springer fishing, too. The department of Fish and Wildlife is expecting somewhere between 10,00 and 16,000 spring Chinook to return to the Yakima River this year, and over half of them are expected to be hatchery salmon returning to Cle Elum. The river will be open to fishing from the I-82 Bridge to the railroad Bridge 500 feet below Roza Dam. The daily limit for spring salmon will be two and there are special gear rules. Only one, single barbless hook may be used, with a gap of ¾ inch, and bait will be allowed. No fishing is allowed at night for the special season and the river remains closed to the taking of steelhead. To see all the details on these and other regulations for the Yakima River, refer to the department’s web site, which can be found on the Links Page of my web site: FishingMagician.com. I also expect to hear about the season on the Icicle River very soon.