Columbia Zone
Table of Contents
Recreation Report
Oct. 2, 2024
If there’s not a photo, it didn’t happen
Submit your fishing photo to ODFW and we might use it here or elsewhere on MyODFW.com.
Current and upcoming fishing opportunities
- The fall salmon season is open on the Columbia River. See regulation updates for details.
Announcements
E-taggers: Update your app
ODFW's Electronic Licensing System (ELS) and the MyODFW companion app got a major update on Monday, Sept. 30. Be sure to visit the Apple App Store or Google Play Store on your phone and update your MyODFW app to version 4.0.
Fish consumption advisories
The Oregon Health Authority has issued consumption guidelines for parts of the Columbia River due to high levels of mercury and/or PCBs. Fish with these chemicals look, act, smell and taste like any other fish, so caution is important.
Sign up for the latest information on boater access
Marine Board's Opportunities and Access Report incorporates information from federal and state agencies, local facility operators and fellow boaters to provide up-to-date information so boaters can decide where to recreate and what to expect this season. Subscribe to receive email updates.
Click here to find Columbia River regulation updates for salmon, steelhead, shad and sturgeon.
Salmon, steelhead and shad
On Saturday's (9/28) flight, there were 537 salmonid boats and 16 Oregon bank anglers counted from Bonneville Dam to Tongue Point.
Gorge:
Weekly checking showed 144 Chinook, 28 jack Chinook, 11 coho, and one jack coho kept, and 11 Chinook, one jack Chinook, and three coho released for 65 boats (208 anglers); and one Chinook kept for six bank anglers.
Troutdale:
Weekly checking showed 65 Chinook, 18 jack Chinook, 15 coho, and four jack coho kept, and three jack Chinook, three coho, three jack coho, and two steelhead released for 162 boats (311 anglers).
Portland to Warrior Rock:
Weekly checking showed 35 Chinook, seven jack Chinook, 20 coho, and two jack coho kept, and one Chinook, 11 jack Chinook, seven coho, and three jack coho released for 95 boats (203 anglers); and one Chinook kept for one bank angler.
Warrior Rock to Rainier:
Weekly checking showed 96 Chinook, 22 jack Chinook, 89 coho, and nine jack coho kept, and four Chinook, three jack Chinook, 29 coho, one jack coho, and two steelhead released for 147 boats (351 anglers).
Rainier to Lower Puget Island:
No report.
Lower Puget Island to Tongue Point/Rocky Point
No report.
Buoy 10
Weekly checking showed eight Chinook and 333 coho kept, and 10 Chinook and 252 coho released for 199 boats (576 anglers).
Bonneville Pool (Bonneville Dam upstream to The Dalles Dam):
Weekly checking showed 82 Chinook, 25 jack Chinook, and eight coho kept, and three Chinook and five jack Chinook released for 62 boats (176 anglers).
The Dalles Pool (The Dalles Dam upstream to John Day Dam):
Weekly checking showed 10 Chinook, 10 jack Chinook, and 16 coho kept, and one coho and two steelhead released for 32 boats (74 anglers).
John Day Pool (Columbia River above John Day Dam and John Day Arm):
Weekly checking showed two jack Chinook kept for six boats (15 anglers).
Sturgeon
Lower Columbia River (below Bonneville Dam):
Closed for retention. No report.
Bonneville Pool:
Closed for retention. Weekly checking showed no catch for one bank angler.
The Dalles Pool:
Closed for retention. Weekly checking showed no catch for one boat (three anglers).
John Day Pool:
Closed to retention. Weekly checking showed two sub-legal sized, six legal sized, and three over-legal sized sturgeon released for one boat (two anglers).
Walleye
Lower Columbia River (below Bonneville Dam):
No report.
Bonneville Pool:
Weekly checking showed eight walleye kept for two boats (three anglers).
The Dalles Pool:
Weekly checking showed no catch for two boats (five anglers).
John Day Pool:
Weekly checking showed 45 walleye kept, and nine walleye released for eight boats (15 anglers).
Regulation Updates
Regulation updates as of July 18, 2024.
The following regulations reflect changes or additions to the permanent regulations listed in the current Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations. All other permanent regulations remain in effect. Please see e-regulations.
Salmon, steelhead, and shad
Summer Season (June 16 – July 31)
Astoria-Megler Bridge upstream to Bonneville Dam
- Retention of hatchery jack Chinook and hatchery steelhead allowed June 16 – July 31.
- The daily adult bag limit is one hatchery steelhead effective June 28 – July 31.
Bonneville Dam upstream to Oregon/Washington Border above McNary Dam
- Retention of hatchery jack Chinook and hatchery steelhead allowed June 16 – July 31.
- The daily adult bag limit is one hatchery steelhead effective July 1 – July 31.
Fall Season (August 1 – December 31)
For all mainstem fall-season salmon/steelhead fisheries between Buoy 10 and the Oregon/Washington border (upstream of McNary Dam), each legal angler aboard a vessel may continue to deploy angling gear until the daily adult salmon/steelhead bag limit for all anglers aboard has been achieved. Anglers are reminded that it is unlawful to fish in an area while in possession of fish that are not legal for that area.
Buoy 10 upstream to west Puget Island
Area definition: From the Buoy 10 line upstream to a line at the west end of Puget Island extending from green navigation marker #39 on the Washington shore to green navigation marker #41, then to red navigation marker #42, and terminating at red navigation marker #44A on the Oregon shore.
- General regulations during fall season:
- Wild coho must be released.
- All steelhead must be released August 1 – October 31.
- Permanent rules for size limits and retention of jacks are in place:
- Between Buoy 10 and the Tongue Point/Rocky Point line, adult Chinook are longer than 24-inches and adult coho are 16-inches and longer.
- Between Buoy 10 and the Tongue Point/Rocky Point line, jack retention is prohibited through September 30; Chinook jacks are not allowed if the retention of adult Chinook is closed.
- Between Tongue Point/Rocky Point and west Puget Island, adult Chinook are longer than 24-inches and adult coho are longer than 20-inches.
- Between Tongue Point/Rocky Point and west Puget Island, the retention of coho jacks (12–20-inches) and Chinook jacks (12–24-inches) is alloweda when retention of adult fish of those species is allowed.
- The Tongue Point/Rocky Point line is defined as: a line projected from Rocky Point on the Washington shore through red navigation buoy #44 to the navigation marker at Tongue Point on the Oregon shore.
- Additional regulations:
- September 12–30: Retention of Chinook and hatchery coho allowed. The daily adult bag limit is three salmon, but only one may be a Chinook.
- October 1-31: Retention of hatchery coho allowed. All Chinook must be released. The daily adult bag limit is three hatchery coho.
- November 1 – December 31: Retention of hatchery coho and hatchery steelhead allowed. All Chinook must be released. The daily adult bag limit is two hatchery salmon/steelhead (coho and steelhead only).
West Puget Island upstream to Warrior Rock/Bachelor Island
Area definition: From a line at the west end of Puget Island extending from green navigation marker #39 on the Washington shore to green navigation marker #41, then to red navigation marker #42, and terminating at red navigation marker #44A on the Oregon shore upstream to a line projected from the Warrior Rock Lighthouse on the Oregon shore to red navigation buoy #4, then to the piling dolphin on the lower end of Bachelor Island.
- General regulations during fall season:
- Wild coho must be released.
- All steelhead must be released August 1 – October 31.
- Permanent rules for size limits and jack retention regulations are in place:
- Adult Chinook are longer than 24-inches and adult coho are longer than 20-inches.
- Retention of Chinook (12–24 inches) and coho (12–20 inches) jack salmon alloweda when retention of adults of those species is allowed.
- Additional regulations by date period:
- September 12–19: Salmon/steelhead angling prohibited.
- September 20–30: Retention of Chinook and hatchery coho allowed. The daily adult bag limit is two salmon, but only one may be a Chinook.
- October 1–31: Retention of hatchery coho allowed; all Chinook must be released. The daily adult bag limit is two hatchery coho.
- November 1 – December 31: Retention of hatchery coho and hatchery steelhead allowed; all Chinook must be released. The daily adult bag limit is two hatchery salmon/steelhead (coho or steelhead only).
Warrior Rock/Bachelor Island upstream to Bonneville Dam
Area definition: From a line projected from the Warrior Rock Lighthouse on the Oregon shore to red navigation buoy #4, then to the piling dolphin on the lower end of Bachelor Island upstream to Bonneville Dam.
- General regulations during fall season:
- Wild coho must be released.
- All steelhead must be released August 1 – October 31.
- Permanent rules for size limits and jack retention regulations are in place:
- Adult Chinook are longer than 24-inches and adult coho are longer than 20-inches.
- Retention of Chinook (12–24 inches) and coho (12–20 inches) jack salmon alloweda when retention of adults of those species is allowed.
- Additional regulations by date period:
- August 1 – September 30: Retention of Chinook and hatchery coho allowed. The daily adult bag limit is two salmon, but only one may be a Chinook.
- October 1–31: Retention of hatchery coho allowed; all Chinook must be released. The daily adult bag limit is two hatchery coho.
- November 1 – December 31: Retention of hatchery coho and hatchery steelhead allowed; all Chinook must be released. The daily adult bag limit is two hatchery salmon/steelhead (coho or steelhead only).
Bonneville Dam upstream to The Dalles Damb
- General regulations during fall season:
- Only hatchery coho (adults and jacks) may be retained downstream of the Hood River Bridge.
- All steelhead must be released August 1 – October 31.
- Permanent rules for size limits and jack retention regulations are in place:
- Adult Chinook are longer than 24-inches and adult coho are longer than 20-inches.
- Retention of Chinook (12–24 inches) and coho (12–20 inches) jack salmon alloweda when retention of adults of those species is allowed.
- Additional regulations by date period:
- August 1 – September 30: Retention of Chinook and hatchery coho allowed downstream of the Hood River Bridge. Retention of Chinook and coho allowed upstream of the Hood River Bridge. The daily adult bag limit is two salmon, but only one may be a Chinook.
- October 1–31: The retention of coho is allowed; all Chinook must be released. The daily adult bag limit is two coho.
- November 1 – December 31: Retention coho and hatchery steelhead allowed; all Chinook must be released. The daily adult bag limit is two salmon/steelhead (coho or steelhead only).
The Dalles Dam upstream to the Oregon/Washington border (upstream of McNary Dam)b
- General regulations during fall season:
- All steelhead must be released September 1 – December 31.
- Permanent rules for size limits and jack retention regulations are in place:
- Adult Chinook are longer than 24-inches and adult coho are longer than 20-inches.
- Retention of Chinook (12–24 inches) and coho (12–20 inches) jack salmon alloweda when retention of adults of those species is allowed.
- Additional regulations by date period:
- September 1–30: Retention of Chinook and coho allowed. The daily adult bag limit is two salmon, but only one may be a Chinook.
- October 1 – December 31: The retention of coho is allowed; all Chinook must be released. The daily adult bag limit is two coho.
a The daily bag limit for jack salmon in Oregon is five fish.
COLUMBIA RIVER COMPACT ACTION NOTICES