Complex Columbia River fall salmon regulations start Saturday
What might be the most complicated set of Columbia River fall salmon sportfishing regulations in history begins Saturday.
Managers in Oregon and Washington are hoping recent surges in summer chinook and sockeye salmon will play out as well for fall chinook and summer steelhead (already off to a good start).
“In general, runs so far this year have me feeling optimistic about the fall,” said Tucker Jones, Columbia River and ocean salmon program manager for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Following are the rules for salmon and steelhead seasons on the river’s jointly shared border through the end of the year.
The caveats:
• Only one adult fish may be kept per day in all areas when fishing is allowed.
• The minimum sizes for adult fish are 24 inches for chinook, 20 inches for coho (except 16 inches from Buoy 10 to Tongue Point) and 20 inches for steelhead.
• Minimum size for jack salmon is 12 inches in the Columbia River. Jack salmon may be kept in all areas at all times except Buoy 10 to Tongue Point before Oct. 1.
• The reopening of fishing on Sept. 23 in all zones depends on a run projection of more than 200,000 upriver bright chinook at Bonneville Dam. The run will be updated prior to Sept. 23. The current forecast is 233,400.
Buoy 10 to Tongue Point Aug. 1-13: No fishing.
Aug. 14-27: Adult chinook (longer than 24 inches) and adult hatchery coho (16 inches and longer) allowed. Release all steelhead.
Aug. 28 to Sept. 22: Adult hatchery coho only. Release chinook and steelhead.
Sept. 23 to Oct. 31: Adult chinook and adult hatchery coho. Release steelhead.
Nov. 1 to Dec. 31: Adult chinook, adult hatchery coho and hatchery steelhead.
Tongue Point to West Puget Island
Aug 1-13: No fishing.
Aug.14-27: Adult chinook (longer than 24 inches) and adult hatchery coho (longer than 20 inches). Release all steelhead.
Aug. 28-Sept. 22: No fishing.
Sept. 23-Oct. 31: Adult chinook and adult hatchery coho. Release steelhead.
Nov. 1-Dec. 31: Adult chinook, hatchery coho and hatchery steelhead.
West Puget Island to Warrior Rock/Bachelor Island
Aug. 1-31: Adult chinook (longer than 24 inches) and adult hatchery coho (longer than 20 inches). Release all steelhead.
Sept. 1-22: No fishing.
Sept. 23-Oct. 31: Adult chinook (longer than 24 inches) and adult hatchery coho (longer than 20 inches). Release all steelhead.
Nov. 1-Dec. 31: Adult chinook (longer than 24 inches), adult hatchery coho (longer than 20 inches), and adult hatchery steelhead.
Warrior Rock/Bachelor Island to Bonneville Dam
Aug. 1-6: No fishing.
Aug. 7-Sept. 6: Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays only, Aug. 7-9, 14-16, 21-23, 28-30 and Sept. 4-6): Adult chinook (longer than 24 inches) and adult hatchery coho (longer than 20 inches). Release all steelhead. No fishing on other days.
Sept. 7-22: No fishing.
Sept. 23-Oct. 31: Adult chinook (longer than 24 inches) and adult hatchery coho (longer than 20 inches). Release all steelhead.
Nov. 1-Dec. 31: Adult chinook (longer than 24 inches), adult hatchery coho (longer than 20 inches), and hatchery steelhead.
Bonneville Dam to The Dalles Dam
(Release all wild coho downriver from the Hood River Bridge. Any coho can be kept upriver from the bridge.)
(A thermal refuge/no fishing area is in effect near the mouths of Eagle and Herman creeks until Sept. 15.)
Aug. 1-Sept. 8: Adult chinook (longer than 24 inches) and adult coho (longer than 20 inches). Release all steelhead.
Sept. 9-22: No fishing.
Sept. 23-Oct. 31: Adult chinook (longer than 24 inches) and adult coho (longer than 20 inches). Release all steelhead.
Nov. 1-Dec. 31: Adult chinook (longer than 24 inches), adult coho (longer than 20 inches) and hatchery steelhead.
The Dalles Dam to John Day Dam
(A thermal refuge/no fishing area is in effect off the mouth of the Deschutes River until Sept. 15.)
Aug. 1-Sept. 8: Adult chinook (longer than 24 inches) and adult coho (longer than 20 inches).
Sept. 9-22: No fishing.
Sept. 23-Dec. 31: Adult chinook (longer than 24 inches) and adult coho (longer than 20 inches).