4:30 A.M. was very early today. I arrived at the boat launch on the Columbia at 5:30 and 30 boats were ahead of me. I launched a little after 6:00 and there were 40 to 50 boats waiting to launch. My fishing partners for today were Doug and Devin. By 7:30, there were boats (200 to 300) everywhere between the I-5 Bridge and the I-205 bridges (about 2 miles) We did not see many fish caught today (2) and about 9:00, Devon hooked a wild Chinook. Remember wild fish are released - hatchery raised fish make it to the table. For the technical difference between wild and hatchery is whether the fish has an adipose fin on the dorsal side of the fish just ahead of the tail (look at the picture and you will see a small fin just in front of the tail). The hatchery people will clip that fin before they are released. Today was fun, but no dinner.
