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It’s Spring Chinook Season!

by | Mar 16, 2016 | Columbia River Gorge, Fishing

Spring chinook are back! As of today, Columbia River is open for spring chinook fishing from Buoy 10 to the OR/WA border above the McNary Dam. Make sure your fishing license is current, and then head out to the Columbia to cast a line. Read through the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Columbia zones here and read the rules and regulations for catching salmon, steelhead and shad on the Columbia River:

SALMON, STEELHEAD, and SHAD
All Permanent Regulations for salmon, steelhead, and shad apply unless modified below (see 2016 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations).
COLUMBIA RIVER MAINSTEM, Buoy 10 upstream to I-5 Bridge: 
  • Permanent regulations in effect January 1, 2016 – February 29, 2016 including open to the retention of hatchery Chinook and hatchery steelhead with a daily bag limit of two adult salmon and/or steelhead and five hatchery jacks.
  • Effective March 1, 2016 – April 9, 2016, this section of the Columbia River is open to retention of hatchery Chinook, hatchery steelhead, and shad except closed to salmon and steelhead angling on Tuesday March 29 and Tuesday April 5.
    • Daily bag limit is 2 adult salmon/steelhead in combination, of which only one may be an adult Chinook.
    • Up to 5 hatchery jacks may be retained in addition to the adult bag limit.
    • Season modifications may be required to remain within harvest guidelines.
  • Effective March 16, 2016 – May 15, 2016, this section of the Columbia River is open to retention of hatchery steelhead and shad ONLY during days and in areas open for retention of hatchery spring Chinook.

COLUMBIA RIVER MAINSTEM, I-5 Bridge upstream to Bonneville Dam:
  • Permanent regulations in effect January 1, 2016 – February 29, 2016 including open to the retention of hatchery steelhead with a daily bag limit of two fish. The retention of salmon is prohibited.
  • Effective March 1, 2016 – April 9, 2016, the area from I-5 Bridge upstream to Beacon Rock is open for boat and bank angling and the area from Beacon Rock upstream to the Bonneville Dam deadline is open to bank angling ONLY. This section of the Columbia River is open to retention of hatchery Chinook, hatchery steelhead, and shad except closed to salmon and steelhead angling on Tuesday March 29 and Tuesday April 5.
    • Daily bag limit is 2 adult salmon/steelhead in combination, of which only one may be an adult Chinook.
    • Up to 5 hatchery jacks may be retained in addition to the adult bag limit.
    • Season modifications may be required to remain within harvest guidelines.
  • Effective March 16, 2016 – May 15, 2016, this section of the Columbia River is open to retention of hatchery steelhead and shad ONLY during days and in areas open for retention of hatchery spring Chinook.

COLUMBIA RIVER MAINSTEM, Bonneville Dam upstream to the OR/WA border above McNary Dam:
  • Permanent salmon and steelhead regulations in effect January 1, 2016 – March 15, 2016 including open to the retention of hatchery steelhead with a daily bag limit of two fish. The retention of salmon is prohibited.
  • Permanent shad regulations remain in effect including retention year round.
  • Effective March 16, 2016 – May 6, 2016, the area from Tower Island powerlines (approximately 6 miles below The Dalles Dam) upstream to OR/WA border is open for boat and bank angling and the area from Bonneville Dam upstream to the Tower Island powerlines is open to bank angling ONLY.  This section of the Columbia River is open to retention of hatchery Chinook, hatchery steelhead, and shad.
    • Daily bag limit is 2 adult salmon/steelhead in combination, of which only one may be an adult Chinook.
    • Up to 5 hatchery jacks may be retained in addition to the adult bag limit.
    • Season modifications may be required to remain within harvest guidelines.
  • Effective March 16, 2016 – May 15, 2016, this area of the Columbia River is open to retention of hatchery steelhead ONLY during days and in areas open for retention of hatchery spring Chinook.

SELECT AREA RECREATIONAL FISHERIES (Youngs Bay, Blind Slough, Knappa Slough)
  • Effective March 1, 2016 – June 15, 2016, on days when the mainstem Columbia River recreational fishery below Bonneville Dam is open to retention of Chinook, the salmonid daily bag limit in Select Areas will be the same as mainstem Columbia River bag limits.
  • On days when the mainstem Columbia River recreational fishery below Bonneville Dam is closed to Chinook retention, permanent salmonid daily bag limit regulations for Select Areas will apply.

SRC: Find out more about ODFW fishing regulations here: www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/fishing/reg_changes/columbia.asp

SRC Photo: www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/bill_monroe/index.ssf/2015/04/post_165.html

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