Spring chinook sold commercially must be caught either by dip net, hoopnet or hook and line, rather than gill nets. Spring chinook have religious and cultural importance to the tribes because they are the first salmon of the year to return to the Columbia. The tribes catch spring chinook every year for religious ceremonies and to feed tribal members. In 1995, the worst year on record, only about 10,000 spring chinook bound for the upper Columbia Basin entered the river. This year, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is predicting an upriver spring chinook run of 165,000 fish or more, thanks in part to a cooler, more nutrient-rich Pacific Ocean caused by the La Ni a phenomenon.
Biologists expect the run to continue to fluctuate in coming years.
Most of the fish are hatchery-bred, and wild spring chinook make up a small part of the run. But where the fish are born is not a pressing concern of Sandy Whitefoot, who was taught to fish the Columbia by her father, who was taught by his father. I've worked in the rain for a week, but I don't mind it. I love this river.