The sockeye return to the Columbia River is generating a lot of excitement. Chinook are on their way, but nothing gets anglers in our region more pumped than the prospect of a good sockeye season. It looks like the 2024 season is going to me more than good, it is shaping up to be spectacular. Looking at the graph for the fish passage over Bonneville Dam the run may have peaked with over 33,000 sockeye going over the dam on June 21st. That’s three times more than last year at this time. On this reach of the Columbia, we watch the counts over Priest Rapids. Sockeye are starting to arrive. On June 20th almost three thousand sockeye went over the dam. That’s three times the number for this date a year ago. The opener is coming up fast, so better get out your sockeye gear. I will have the Summer issue of my E-Letter out prior to the opener, with lots of good information on how to rig for sockeye trolling and even some places to get them from shore and how to set up to do it. You can get a free copy of the Summer E-Letter by going to my website at www.fishingmagician.com, and clicking on the graphic at the top left of the Home Page.