Fishery managers from Oregon and Washington added more recreational salmon fishing days in the mainstem Columbia River during a joint state hearing on Wednesday.
With the changes, the following seasons are in effect:
- Buoy 10 to west Puget Island: Chinook retention will now remain open in the Buoy 10 fishery through Sept. 30 with a daily adult bag limit of three salmon (Chinook or hatchery coho, only one may be a Chinook). From Oct. 1-31, three adult hatchery coho can be retained daily but Chinook must be released.
- West Puget Island to Warrior Rock: This area had closed to all salmon angling on Sept. 12 consistent with the preseason fishing plan but will now reopen Sept. 20-30 with a daily adult bag limit of two salmon (Chinook or hatchery coho, only one may be a Chinook).
- Warrior Rock/Bachelor Island line upstream to Bonneville Dam: Chinook and hatchery coho retention will remain open through Sept. 30 with a daily adult bag limit of two salmon (Chinook or hatchery coho, only one may be a Chinook).
- Bonneville Dam upstream to Hwy 395 Bridge at Pasco, WA: Chinook and hatchery coho retention will remain open until Sept. 30 with a bag limit of two salmon (Chinook or coho, only one may be a Chinook). Wild coho caught downstream of the Hood River Bridge must be released.
- Anglers should note that for all of the fisheries listed above, retention of coho (hatchery only downstream of the Hood River Bridge) is expected to be open through the end of the year, as planned pre-season.
Visit the Columbia River zone regulations updates page for more details.
All other permanent regulations are in effect including the use of barbless hooks when angling for salmon or steelhead in mainstem Columbia River waters from the mouth upstream to the OR/WA state line.
Today’s decision came after fishery biologists with the U.S. v. OregonTechnical Advisory Committee (TAC) met on Sept. 16 and provided another update to the expected upriver fall Chinook run. The upriver bright Chinook run, the primary limiting stock in preseason planning, was again upgraded slightly. This information, in addition to an assessment of harvest in recreational fall-season fisheries, allowed the states to consider additional salmon fishing.
