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The entire Oregon coast is now open to mussel harvest.
Razor clamming is now closed from Cascade Head near Lincoln City to the north jetty of the Siuslaw River in Florence.
Effective 9/19 to 12/31, Chinook and coho retention are open from Buoy 10 to the Hwy 395 bridge.
ODFW offices close to public access
Beginning March 23, all ODFW offices will be closed to visitors. ODFW staff will be available by phone and email.
ODFW hatcheries closed to public, visitors
Effective March 18, all state-owned fish hatcheries are closed to public access and visitors. Trout stocking in lakes and ponds continues for now.
Recreation Report
Columbia Zone
Regulation Updates
Regulation Updates as of October 29, 2020
These are in-season regulation changes adopted on a temporary or emergency basis. 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.
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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 through December 31: When salmonid angling is allowed, 1) wild Coho must be released, 2) retention of jack salmon allowed effective October 1 b.
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Additional regulations by date period are described below:
- October 1 – 31: Retention of adult Chinook (longer than 24-inches) and adult hatchery Coho (16-inches and longer) allowed. The daily adult bag limit is two adult salmon (Chinook and hatchery Coho). All steelhead must be released.
- November 1 – December 31: Retention of adult Chinook (longer than 24-inches), adult hatchery Coho (16-inches and longer), and hatchery steelhead allowed. The daily adult bag limit is two adult salmonids,only one may be a steelhead.
Tongue Point/Rocky Point upstream to Bonneville Dam
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 Bonneville Dam.
General regulations through December 31: When salmonid angling is allowed, 1) wild Coho must be released, 2) retention of jack salmon allowed b.
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Additional regulations by date period are described below:
- October 1 – 31: Retention of adult Chinook (longer than 24-inches) and adult hatchery Coho (longer than 20-inches) allowed. The daily adult bag limit is two adult salmon (Chinook and hatchery Coho). All steelhead must be released.
- November 1 – December 31: Retention of adult Chinook (longer than 24-inches), adult hatchery Coho (longer than 20-inches), and hatchery steelhead allowed. The daily adult bag limit is two adult salmonids, only one may be a steelhead.
Bonneville Dam upstream to The Dalles Dam a
General regulations through December 31: When salmonid angling is allowed, 1) all Coho (adults and jacks) retained downstream of the Hood River Bridge must be hatchery fish, 2) retention of jack salmon allowed b.
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Additional regulations by date period are described below:
- October 1 – 31: Retention of adult Chinook (longer than 24-inches) and adult Coho (longer than 20-inches) allowed. The daily adult bag limit is two adult salmon (Chinook and Coho). All steelhead must be released.
- November 1 – December 31: Retention of adult Chinook (longer than 24-inches), adult Coho (longer than 20-inches), and hatchery steelhead allowed. The daily adult bag limit is two adult salmonids, only one may be a steelhead.
The Dalles Dam upstream to Hwy 395 Bridge (Pasco, WA)a
General regulations through December 31: When salmonid angling is allowed, 1) retention of jack salmon allowedb.
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Additional regulations by date period are described below:
- October 1 – October 31: Retention of adult Chinook (longer than 24-inches) and adult Coho (longer than 20-inches) allowed. The daily adult bag limit is two adult salmon (Chinook or Coho). All steelhead must be released.
- November 1 – December 31: Retention of adult Chinook (longer than 24-inches) and adult Coho (longer than 20-inches), and hatchery steelhead allowed. The daily adult bag limit is two adult salmonids, only one may be a steelhead.
a Temporary rules for Thermal Angling Sanctuaries associated with Eagle Creek, Herman Creek, and the Deschutes River are described below.
b The daily bag limit for jack salmon in Oregon is five fish.
Summary of 2020 summer/fall salmon and steelhead regulations for Columbia River Thermal Angling Sanctuaries and associated Oregon tributaries*.
The sanctuary boundaries span zones so rule modifications are needed 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: Salmonid angling and retention prohibited.
- December 1 – 31: One hatchery steelhead allowed in the adult salmonid daily limit.
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.
- July 15 –November 30: Closed to angling.
- December 1 – 31: One hatchery steelhead allowed in the adult salmonid daily limit.
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.
Herman Creek Youth and Disabled Angler Angling Area (Columbia River Zone)
Area definition: West of the peninsula from the markers at the mouth to lower Herman Cr. Pond structure.
- This area remains open for salmon and steelhead consistent with regulations for Columbia mainstem from Bonneville Dam to The Dalles Dam. This area is open to youth angling (ages 17 and under) and Oregon Disabilities Hunting and Fishing Permit Holders only.
Deschutes River (Central Zone)
Area definition: From markers at lower end of Moody Rapids downstream to the mouth at Interstate 84 Bridge.
- September 16 – December 31 One hatchery steelhead allowed in the adult salmonid daily limit.
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 – October 31: closed to steelhead retention.
- November 1 – December 31: one hatchery steelhead allowed in the adult salmonid daily limit.
- Permanent regulations apply for other sections of the above tributaries
STURGEON
COLUMBIA RIVER MAINSTEM, Buoy 10 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.
COLUMBIA RIVER RESERVOIRS, between Bonneville Dam and McNary Dam (Bonneville Pool, The Dalles Pool, McNary Pool)
Closed to retention of sturgeon for the remainder of the year. Catch-and-release fishing is allowed.
COLUMBIA RIVER COMPACT ACTION NOTICES
Recreation Report
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.
Send us your fishing report
We’d love to hear about your recent fishing experience. Send us your own fishing report through ODFW Fishing Reports―the information will be forwarded to the local biologist who may use it to update various ODFW resources such as the weekly Recreation Report.
Tips to recreate responsibly
We continue to urge anglers and others recreating outside to stay close to home, keep your social distance, and travel safely. Here’s more information about how to recreate responsibly.
Current and Upcoming Fishing Opportunities:
- Fall salmon seasons are open from Buoy 10 upstream to the Hwy 395 Bridge in Pasco, WA (see Sport Fishing Regulations Updates page for additional regulation details).
- White sturgeon retention is closed from Buoy 10 upstream to the Oregon/Washington Border (upstream of McNary Dam), but remains an option for catch-and-release fishing (see Sport Fishing Regulations Updates page for additional regulation details).
Columbia River regulation updates for salmon, steelhead, shad and sturgeon can be found above.
Salmon, Steelhead and Shad
On Saturday’s (10/24) boat trip, 31 salmonid boats and three Oregon bank salmonid anglers were counted from Longview to Portland. Salmonid boat anglers fishing in the Bonneville Pool averaged 0.72 Chinook and 0.56 coho caught per boat, while anglers fishing in the gorge averaged 1.24 Chinook and 0.34 coho caught per boat. Boat anglers fishing in Troutdale averaged 0.43 Chinook caught per boat, while anglers fishing in the Portland to St. Helens area averaged 0.33 Chinook, 0.08 coho and 0.04 steelhead caught per boat. Boat anglers fishing in the Goble to Beaver area averaged 0.58 Chinook and 0.33 coho caught per boat.
Gorge Bank:
No report.
Gorge Boats:
Weekly checking showed 35 adult Chinook, 13 jack Chinook and 10 adult coho kept, plus one adult Chinook released for 29 boats (99 anglers).
Troutdale Boats:
Weekly checking showed two adult Chinook kept, plus one adult Chinook released for seven boats (12 anglers).
Portland to Westport Bank:
Weekly checking showed no catch for five bank anglers.
Portland to St. Helens Boats:
Weekly checking showed seven adult Chinook, one adult coho and one jack coho kept, plus one adult Chinook, two jack Chinook, one adult coho and one steelhead released for 24 boats (49 anglers).
Goble to Beaver (Clatskanie) Boats:
Weekly checking showed seven adult Chinook and one adult coho kept, plus three adult coho released for 12 boats (30 anglers).
Bonneville Pool (Bonneville Dam upstream to The Dalles Dam):
Weekly checking showed no catch for two bank anglers; and 13 adult Chinook and 10 adult coho kept for 18 boats (38 anglers).
The Dalles Pool (The Dalles Dam upstream to John Day Dam):
Weekly checking showed no catch for two boats (three anglers).
John Day Pool (John Day Dam upstream to McNary Dam):
No report.
STURGEON
Lower Columbia below Bonneville Dam:
Closed for retention. Weekly checking showed no catch for one boat (one angler).
Bonneville Pool (Bonneville Dam upstream to The Dalles Dam):
Closed for retention. Weekly checking showed no catch for two bank anglers; and 10 sublegal and four oversize white sturgeon released for one boat (four anglers).
The Dalles Pool (The Dalles Dam upstream to John Day Dam):
Closed for retention. No report.
John Day Pool (John Day Dam upstream to McNary Dam):
Closed for retention. Weekly checking showed three sublegal, three legal and one oversize white sturgeon released for two boats (six anglers).
WALLEYE
Lower Columbia River (below Bonneville Dam): No report.
Bonneville Pool: No report.
The Dalles Pool: No report.
John Day Pool: Weekly checking showed 26 walleye kept, and two walleye released for four boats (eight anglers).