Columbia Zone

Regulation Updates as of September 29, 2021

All regulations may be subject to in-season modification. Please see e-regulations for permanent regulations.

SALMON, STEELHEAD, and SHAD

Barbless Hooks are required when angling for salmon, steelhead, or trout in the mainstem Columbia River under permanent regulations.

Quick Links   Thermal Angling Sanctuaries for Columbia and associated tributaries (effective June 16) Fall Seasons (August 1- December 31) STURGEON

Fall Season (August 1-December 31)

• Also see regulations for Thermal Angling Sanctuaries for Columbia and associated tributaries (listed below) effective June 16 through the end of the year.

 

For all fall salmonid fisheries, 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.

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 the navigation light at Tongue Point on the Oregon shore.

General regulations during August 1 – December 31:  1) adult Chinook are longer than 24-inches, 2) adult coho are 16-inches and longer, 3) wild coho must be released, 4) all steelhead must be released August 1 – October 31, and 5) retention of jack salmon prohibited through September 30 ^a.

• Additional regulations by date period are described below:
  • August 27-September 30:  Retention of adult hatchery coho allowed.  All Chinook must be released. The daily adult bag limit is two hatchery coho and increases to three adult hatchery coho effective September 7.
  • October 1 – October 31:  Retention of Chinook (adults and jacks) and hatchery coho (adults and jacks) allowed.  The daily adult bag limit is three salmon, but only one may be a Chinook.
  • November 1 – December 31:  Retention of hatchery coho (adults and jacks) and hatchery steelhead allowed.  All Chinook must be released.  The daily adult bag limit is three hatchery salmonids, but only two may be hatchery steelhead.

Tongue Point/Rocky Point upstream to Warrior Rock/Bachelor Island

Area definition: From 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 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 August 1 – December 31:  1) adult Chinook are longer than 24-inches, 2) adult coho are longer than 20-inches, 3) wild coho must be released, 4) all steelhead must be released August 1-October 31.

• Additional regulations by date period are described below:
  • September 17 -September 30: Retention of hatchery coho (adults and jacks) allowed.  All Chinook must be released.  The daily adult bag limit is two hatchery coho.
  • October 1 - October 31: Retention of Chinook (adults and jacks) and hatchery coho (adults and jacks) allowed.  The daily adult bag limit is two salmon, but only one may be a Chinook.
  • November 1 – December 31:  Retention of hatchery coho (adults and jacks) and hatchery steelhead allowed.  All Chinook must be released.  The daily adult bag limit is two hatchery salmonids.

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, except the Camas Slough will be closed to angling for, and retention of salmon and steelhead through September 30.

• Camas Slough: defined as the waters of the Columbia River north of Lady Island between a line projected northerly from the western (downstream) end of Lady Island to the Washington shore and the Highway 14 Bridge on the eastern (upstream) end of Lady Island.

General regulations during August 1 – December 31:  1) adult Chinook are longer than 24-inches, 2) adult coho are longer than 20-inches, 3) wild coho must be released, 4) all steelhead must be released August 1-October 31.

• Additional regulations by date period are described below:
  • Saturday, September 11 – October 31:  Retention of Chinook (adults and jacks) and hatchery coho (adults and jacks) allowed.  The daily adult bag limit is two salmon, but only one may be a Chinook.
    • Camas Slough (see area definition above) is closed to angling for, and retention of salmon and steelhead through September 30.
  • November 1 – December 31:  Retention of hatchery coho (adults and jacks) and hatchery steelhead allowed.  All Chinook must be released.  The daily adult bag limit is two hatchery salmonids.

Bonneville Dam upstream to The Dalles Dam ^b

General regulations during August 1 – December 31:  1) adult Chinook are longer than 24-inches, 2) adult coho are longer than 20-inches, 3) only hatchery coho (adults and jacks) may be retained downstream of the Hood River Bridge, 4) all steelhead must be released August 1 – October 31, and 5) retention of jack salmon allowed ^a.

• Additional regulations by date period are described below:
  • August 1 – October 31:  Retention of Chinook and coho allowed.  The daily adult bag limit is two salmon, but only one may be a Chinook. 
  • November 1 – December 31:  Retention of Chinook, coho, and hatchery steelhead allowed.  The daily adult bag limit is two salmonids, but only one may be a Chinook. 

The Dalles Dam upstream to Hwy 395 Bridge (Pasco, WA) ^b

General regulations during August 1 – December 31:  1) adult Chinook are longer than 24-inches, 2) adult coho are longer than 20-inches, 3) all steelhead must be released September 1 – December 31, and 4) retention of jack salmon allowed ^a.

• Additional regulations by date period are described below:
  • September 1 – December 31:  Retention of Chinook and coho allowed.  The daily adult bag limit is two salmonids, but only one may be a Chinook.

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

^b Temporary rules for Thermal Angling Sanctuaries associated with Eagle Creek, Herman Creek, and the Deschutes River are described below.

Columbia River Thermal Angling Sanctuaries and associated Oregon tributaries.

The sanctuary boundaries span zones so rule modifications are in both the Central and Columbia River zones.

Eagle Creek (Central Zone)

Area definition:  From the angling deadline in Eagle Creek (200 feet downstream of hatchery fishway entrance) downstream to the mouth at the mainline railroad bridge.

• September 16 – November 30:  Closed to salmon angling/retention.
• December 1 – 31:  Permanent regulations apply

Eagle Creek Mouth (Columbia River Zone)

Area definition: The mainstem Columbia River adjacent to the mouth of Eagle Creek from the mainline railroad bridge northwest to a line projecting from a marker on the Oregon shore approximately 200 feet downstream of Eagle Creek, through red navigation buoy #4, and terminating at a marker on the Oregon shore approximately 325 feet upstream of Eagle Creek.

• September 16 – December 31: See rules for Columbia mainstem Bonneville Dam to The Dalles Dam.

Herman Creek (Columbia River Zone)

Area definition: From the mainline railroad bridge downstream to markers at mouth.

• December 1 – 31:  See rules for Columbia mainstem Bonneville Dam to The Dalles Dam.

Herman Creek Lagoon (Columbia River Zone)

Area definition: Herman Creek Lagoon/Cove east of a line from the northwest tip of the jetty, south to a marker on the Oregon shore.

• September 16 – December 31: See rules for Columbia mainstem Bonneville Dam to The Dalles Dam.

Deschutes River (Central Zone)

Area definition:  From markers at lower end of Moody Rapids downstream to the mouth at Interstate 84 Bridge.

• Closed to all angling through December 31.

Deschutes River Mouth (Columbia River Zone)

Area definition:  The mainstem Columbia River adjacent to the mouth of the Deschutes River from the Interstate 84 Bridge north to a line projecting from the flashing red navigation marker #2 located approximately 1.5 miles downstream of the Deschutes River mouth on the Oregon shore, upstream to the red navigation marker #4, then to the lower South Channel Range “B” marker located on the Oregon shore approximately 0.7 mile upstream of the Deschutes River mouth.

• September 16 – December 31: See rules for Columbia mainstem from The Dalles Dam upstream to John Day Dam.

John Day River (downstream of Tumwater Falls)

• September 1 – December 31: closed to steelhead retention

*Permanent regulations apply for other sections of the above tributaries

STURGEON

See 2021 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations for sanctuary areas, daily and annual bag limits.

Buoy 10 upstream to Wauna Powerlines

• Area definition: From the Wauna powerlines (River Mile 40) downstream to the mouth at Buoy 10, including Youngs Bay; and all adjacent Washington tributaries.
• Permanent rules for sturgeon are in effect, including closed to the retention of sturgeon. Catch-and-release fishing is allowed.

Wauna Powerlines upstream to Bonneville Dam

• Area definition: From the Wauna powerlines (River Mile 40) upstream to the Bonneville Dam deadline, including the Cowlitz River (WA).
• Permanent rules for sturgeon are in effect, including closed to the retention of sturgeon, except for the following temporary modifications:
  • This area will be open to retention of white sturgeon on Saturday, September 11, Saturday September 18, Sunday September 19, Wednesday September 22, Saturday September 25, and Wednesday September 29 (six days).
  • Daily bag limit is one white sturgeon, 44-50 inches fork length (fork length is measured in a straight line from the tip of the nose to the fork in the caudal fin (tail) with the fish laying on its side on a flat surface, with the tape measure/ruler positioned flat under the fish).
  • Annual bag limit is two white sturgeon (applicable to any/all 2021 retention fisheries).
  • Retention of green sturgeon prohibited.
• Catch-and-release fishing is allowed except in sanctuary closure areas during May 1-August 31.  All other permanent rules apply.

COLUMBIA RIVER RESERVOIRS, between Bonneville Dam and McNary Dam (Bonneville Pool, The Dalles Pool, John Day Pool)

• Bonneville, The Dalles, and John Day pools, including adjacent tributaries, are closed to the retention of white sturgeon. Catch-and-release fishing is allowed except in sanctuary closure areas during May 1-August 31.

COLUMBIA RIVER COMPACT ACTION NOTICES

COLUMBIA RIVER MANAGEMENT FACT SHEETS

COLUMBIA RIVER INFORMATION

COLUMBIA RIVER DAM COUNTS