Most recreational salmon, steelhead fishing on Columbia River to close Thursday
Oregon and Washington will close all recreational coho and chinook salmon and steelhead fishing at 12:01 a.m. Thursday along the Columbia River from Tongue Point in Astoria to the U.S. 395 bridge near Pasco, Washington.
Hatchery coho fishing, but not chinook, will remain open from Buoy 10 to Tongue Point through Oct. 31.
Above Bonneville Dam, the total closure was mandated through the end of the year.
Managers reached the decision Tuesday after noting high angling catch rates for chinook along the entire river and lower numbers of coho than were forecast.
They also continue to be concerned about a severe drop in the number of large steelhead returning to the Columbia. The so-called “B” run of steelhead headed to Idaho are subject to incidental mortality from both chinook and coho fisheries.
The Pacific Ocean off the mouth of the Columbia remains open to chinook and hatchery coho through the end of September.
Also, managers have allowed an all-coho (wild and hatchery) fishery off central Oregon to remain open through Sunday.
The states will meet again Wednesday to discuss commercial fishing.