Anglers have been catching coho salmon on the Wenatchee, Icicle and Methow rivers for a while now, and the run to our region has been so strong that the Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Yakima Nation have agreed to open the Yakima River to coho fishing. A record number of coho are returning to the upper Yakima River, with more than 15.000 counted passing Prosser Dam through the 20th of October. The Yakima is open to coho fishing from the I-82 Bridge at Union Gap to the closed water line 3,500 feet downstream of Roza Dam. Anglers may retain two coho a day, marked or unmarked. Barbless hooks, single point or multiple points are required. Selective Gear Rules prohibiting the use of bait and knotted nets is temporarily suspended. Fishing for steelhead remains closed and any steelhead hooked must be immediately released without removing them from the water. A Columbia River Salmon/Steelhead Endorsement is required to participate in this fishery. The season is open through November 4th. Please visit the department’s web site and read the news release for more details. This is another example of the success of the coho recovery efforts by the Yakima Tribe and the Department of Fish and Wildlife.