Columbia Zone

Regulation Updates as of  August 9, 2019

These are in-season regulation changes adopted on a temporary or emergency basis. Please see e-regulations for permanent regulations.

Quick Links:

SALMON, STEELHEAD, and SHAD

• Hook Regulation Update
• Columbia River, Buoy 10
• Columbia River, Tongue Pt. to W. Puget Is.
• Columbia River, W. Puget Is. to Warrior Rock
• Columbia River, Warrior Rock to Bonneville Dam
• Columbia River, Bonneville to McNary Dam
  • Deschutes Mouth Sanctuary closure
•  Columbia River, McNary Dam to OR/WA Border

*   Night angling closure

** Jack bag limit

STURGEON

All regulations may be subject to in-season modifications.

SALMON, STEELHEAD, and SHAD

Hook regulation update:

Effective June 1, 2019 through November 28, 2019, the use of barbed hooks is allowed when angling for salmon, steelhead, or trout in the mainstem Columbia River from Buoy 10 upstream to the Oregon-Washington border located upstream of McNary Dam (RM 309.5).

SALMON, STEELHEAD, and SHAD

• Fall Season (August 1-December 31 timeframe)

COLUMBIA RIVER, Buoy 10

• Area definition:  From the Buoy 10 line upstream to a line projected from Rocky Point on the Washington shore through red navigation buoy #44 to red navigation marker #2 at Tongue Point on the Oregon shore.
• August 1 – December 31:  Retention of adult hatchery coho (16-inches or longer) and hatchery steelhead allowed except all steelhead (hatchery and wild) must be released August 1-31.  Night angling closure in effect*.  All other permanent rules apply.  Daily bag limits by time period are described below:
• August 1 – August 20:  Retention of adult Chinook (longer than 24-inches) allowed.  The daily bag limit is two adult salmonids (Chinook and hatchery coho only), and may include up to one Chinook.  All steelhead must be released.
• August 21 – August 31:  Retention of all Chinook and all steelhead prohibited.  The daily bag limit is two adult hatchery coho. 
• September 1 – September 30:  Retention of all Chinook prohibited.  The daily bag limit is two adult hatchery salmonids (coho and steelhead only), and may include up to one hatchery steelhead.
• October 1 – December 31:  Retention of all Chinook prohibited.  The daily adult bag limit is two hatchery salmonids (coho and steelhead only), and may include up to one hatchery steelhead.  Hatchery coho jacks may be retained**. 

COLUMBIA RIVER, Tongue Point/Rocky Point upstream to west Puget Island

• Area definition: From a line projected from Rocky Point on the Washington shore through red navigation buoy #44 to the red navigation marker #2 at Tongue Point on the Oregon shore 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.
• August 1 – December 31:  Retention of adult hatchery coho (longer than 20-inches), and hatchery steelhead allowed except all steelhead (hatchery and wild) must be released August 1-31.  Hatchery coho jacks may be retained.  Each legal angler aboard a vessel may continue to deploy angling gear until the daily adult salmonid bag limit for all anglers aboard has been achieved.  Night angling closure in effect*. All other permanent rules apply.  Daily adult bag limits by time period are described below:
• August 1 – August 20:  Retention of adult (longer than 24-inches) and jack Chinook allowed.  The daily adult bag limit is one salmonid (Chinook and hatchery coho only).  All steelhead must be released.
• August 21 – August 31:  Retention of all Chinook and all steelhead prohibited.  The daily adult bag limit is two hatchery coho.
• September 1 – December 31:   Retention of all Chinook prohibited.  The daily adult bag limit is two hatchery salmonids (coho and steelhead only) and may include up to one hatchery steelhead

COLUMBIA RIVER, 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.
• August 1 – December 31:  Retention of adult hatchery coho (longer than 20-inches), and hatchery steelhead allowed except all steelhead (hatchery and wild) must be released August 1-31.  Hatchery coho jacks may be retained.    Each legal angler aboard a vessel may continue to deploy angling gear until the daily adult salmonid bag limit for all anglers aboard has been achieved.  Night angling closure in effect*.  All other permanent rules apply.  Daily adult bag limits by time period are described below:
• August 1 – August 27:  Retention of adult (longer than 24-inches) and jack Chinook allowed.  The daily adult bag limit is one salmonid (Chinook and hatchery coho only).  All steelhead must be released.
• August 28 – August 31:  Retention of all Chinook and all steelhead prohibited.  The daily adult bag limit is two hatchery coho. 
• September 1 – December 31:  Retention of all Chinook prohibited.  The daily adult bag limit is two hatchery salmonids (coho and steelhead only) and may include up to one hatchery steelhead.

COLUMBIA RIVER, 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.
• August 1 – December 31:  Retention of adult hatchery coho (longer than 20-inches), and hatchery steelhead allowed except all steelhead (hatchery and wild) must be released August 1-31.  Hatchery coho jacks may be retained.  Each legal angler aboard a vessel may continue to deploy angling gear until the daily adult salmonid bag limit for all anglers aboard has been achieved.  Night angling closure in effect*.  All other permanent rules apply.  Daily adult bag limits by time period are described below:
• August 1 – August 31:  Retention of adult (longer than 24-inches) and jack Chinook allowed.  The daily adult bag limit is one salmonid (Chinook and hatchery coho only).  All steelhead must be released.
• September 1 – September 8:  Retention of adult (longer than 24-inches) and jack Chinook allowed.  The daily adult bag limit is one salmonid (Chinook, hatchery coho, and hatchery steelhead).
• September 9 – December 31:  Retention of all Chinook prohibited.  The daily adult bag limit is two hatchery salmonids (coho and steelhead only) and may include up to one hatchery steelhead.

COLUMBIA RIVER, Bonneville Dam upstream to McNary Dam

• August 1 – December 31:  Retention of adult (longer than 20-inches) and jack coho allowed.  All coho (adults and jacks) retained downstream of the Hood River Bridge must be hatchery fish.  Each legal angler aboard a vessel may continue to deploy angling gear until the daily adult salmonid bag limit for all anglers aboard has been achieved.  Night angling closure in effect*.  All other permanent rules apply.  Daily adult bag limits by time period are described below:

• Effective August 1, retention of adult Chinook (longer than 24-inches) and Chinook jacks allowed but will be managed in-season based on actual catches and the upriver bright fall Chinook run-size.  The daily adult bag limit is one salmonid (Chinook, coho, and hatchery steelhead), except:
  • Bonneville Dam to The Dalles Dam: Release all steelhead (hatchery and wild) from August 1 – 31.
  • The Dalles Dam to John Day Dam: Release all steelhead (hatchery and wild) from August 1 – September 30.
  • John Day Dam to McNary Dam: Release all steelhead (hatchery and wild) from September 1 – October 31.
  • 
    Deschutes mouth sanctuary: Effective August 12 through September 15, angling for all species is prohibited in the mainstem Columbia River adjacent to the mouth of the Deschutes River south of a line projecting from the flashing red USCG light #2 located on the Oregon shore, upstream to the red USCG dolphin #4, then to the lower South Channel Range “B” marker located on the Oregon shore approximately 0.7 mile upstream of the Deschutes (see map). (This closure also includes the Deschutes River below Moody Rapids. Check for other planned closures in the Deschutes.)

COLUMBIA RIVER, McNary Dam upstream to the OR/WA Border (upstream of McNary Dam)

• August 1 – December 31:  Retention of any adult (longer than 20-inches) and jack coho allowed.  Each legal angler aboard a vessel may continue to deploy angling gear until the daily adult salmonid bag limit for all anglers aboard has been achieved.  Night angling closure in effect*.  All other permanent rules apply.  Daily adult bag limits by time period are described below:
• Effective August 1, retention of adult Chinook (longer than 24-inches) and Chinook jacks allowed but will be managed in-season based on actual catches and the upriver bright fall Chinook run-size.  The daily adult bag limit is one salmonid (Chinook, coho, and hatchery steelhead), except release all steelhead (hatchery and wild) October 1 – November 30.

*       Night angling closure: Unlawful to angle for or take salmon, shad, steelhead, sturgeon, trout, or whitefish except during daylight hours (one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset).

**    The daily bag limit for jack salmon in Oregon is five fish.

STURGEON

All permanent regulations for sturgeon apply unless noted below (see e-regulations).

COLUMBIA RIVER MAINSTEM, Buoy 10 to Wauna Powerlines

• Permanent rules for sturgeon are in effect, including closed to the retention of sturgeon (see e-regulations). Catch-and-release fishing is allowed the remainder of the year.

COLUMBIA RIVER MAINSTEM, Wauna Powerlines to Bonneville Dam

• Permanent rules for sturgeon are in effect, including closed to the retention of sturgeon (see e-regulations). Catch-and-release fishing is allowed except in sanctuary closure areas during May 1-August 31.

COLUMBIA RIVER RESERVOIRS, between Bonneville Dam and McNary Dam

Bonneville Reservoir (Bonneville Dam upstream to The Dalles Dam)

• Closed to retention of sturgeon. Catch-and-release fishing is allowed except in sanctuary closure areas during May 1-July 31. (see e-regulations)

The Dalles Reservoir (The Dalles Dam upstream to John Day Dam)

• Closed to retention of sturgeon. Catch-and-release fishing is allowed except in sanctuary closure areas during May 1-July 31.

John Day Reservoir (John Day Dam upstream to McNary Dam)

• Closed to retention of sturgeon. Catch-and-release fishing is allowed except in sanctuary closure areas during May 1-July 31.

Columbia River Information | Columbia River Dam Counts