Fishery managers from Oregon and Washington added 13 days of summer Chinook fishing below Bonneville Dam starting Friday, July 1 through Wednesday, July 13.
Also starting July 1, Columbia River anglers may retain sockeye as part of their adult salmon bag limit, fishery managers decided during a joint meeting today. Sockeye retention will be allowed during July 1-31 from the Astoria-Megler Bridge upstream to the Hwy. 395 Bridge in Pasco, Washington.
Through June 26, a total of 239,575 sockeye have been counted at Bonneville Dam which is the 4th highest cumulative count to date in the last ten years and 60% higher than the recent 10-year average. Based on 10-year average passage timing the run is 51% complete on June 26. The combined sockeye return to the Columbia River includes fish destined for the Snake River, which are listed as endangered under the Federal Endangered Species Act. Take is limited to one percent of the combined sockeye return for non-treaty fisheries.
Note that as sockeye salmon are almost all natural origin (not hatchery) fish, they can only be tagged on a Combined Angling tag (not a hatchery harvest card). Regulations are as follows for the areas above and below Bonneville Dam:
Below Bonneville Dam:
- Area: Astoria- Megler Bridge to Bonneville Dam
- Season: July 1-13
- Bag limit: Two adult salmonids (hatchery Chinook, hatchery steelhead, and sockeye) of which no more than one may be a steelhead. All sockeye are considered adults. The daily bag limit for jack salmon is five fish. All previously adopted regulations remain in effect.
- Area: Astoria- Megler Bridge to Bonneville Dam
- Season: July 14-31
- Bag limit: Two adult salmonids (sockeye and hatchery steelhead) of which no more than one may be a steelhead. All sockeye are considered adults. The daily bag limit for jack salmon is five fish. All previously adopted regulations remain in effect.
Above Bonneville Dam:
- Area: Bonneville Dam to Hwy 395 at Pasco, WA
- Season: July 1-31
- Bag limit: Two adult salmonids (hatchery Chinook, hatchery steelhead, and sockeye) of which no more than one may be a steelhead. All sockeye are considered adults. The daily bag limit for jack salmon is five fish. All previously adopted regulations remain in effect.
Fall Columbia River salmon seasons begin Aug. 1, see more about seasons set by visitng the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife website.
