Wednesday April 2, 2025
The Columbian —
This year’s Cowlitz River smelt dipping season went out a lot like it started: without much happening.
The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife said Friday that no one caught any fish, and no one received any license-related citations during the season, which ran Feb. 5 to March 22.
“Smelt are naturally unpredictable, influenced by various factors including water conditions — and this season was no exception,” wildlife spokesperson Britton Ransford said. “While the tentative schedule provided structure, the fish did not cooperate by entering the Cowlitz River during the fishery.”
The 2025 season was the first with a license requirement. That move was part of a broader shift this year that focused on announcing dipping days further in advance to give cities along the river a chance to prepare for the thousands of people who come for the popular Southwest Washington tradition.