Recreation Report
Columbia Zone
Regulation Updates
Regulation Updates as of Sept. 20, 2018
These are in-season regulation changes adopted on a temporary or emergency basis. Please see e-regulations for permanent regulations.
SALMON, STEELHEAD, AND SHAD
All regulations may be subject to in-season modifications.
COLUMBIA RIVER, Buoy 10 upstream to OR/WA border (upstream of McNary Dam)
- Effective September 13 until further notice, angling for, and retention of, all salmon and steelhead is prohibited.
- Night angling for shad, sturgeon, trout, or whitefish prohibited from McNary Dam upstream to OR/WA border (also in Washington upstream to HWY 395 Bridge near Pasco).
SELECT AREAS, includes the Youngs Bay Select Area from the Highway 101 Bridge upstream to markers at confluence of Youngs and Klaskanine rivers, including lower Lewis and Clark River upstream to Alternate Highway 101 Bridge and lower Walluski River tidewater sections; and the Knappa/Blind Slough Select Area from markers at the west end of Minaker Island upstream to markers at the mouth of Blind Slough and continuing up Blind Slough/Gnat Creek to the Aldrich Point Road Bridge.
- The following is a correction to errors on page 26 (NW Zone) and page 72 (Columbia Zone) of the 2018 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations: The use of barbed hooks is allowed when angling for salmon, steelhead, or trout in the above Select Areas.
- Effective September 13 –September 23, angling for, and retention of, all salmon and steelhead is prohibited.
- Effective September 24 until further notice, angling and retention of Chinook and hatchery coho is allowed. Retention of steelhead remains prohibited.
- All other permanent regulations apply.
Additional Tributary Regulation Updates (see Central and Northeast Zone):
- The Deschutes River from the lower end of Moody Rapids downstream to the mouth at the Hwy 84 Bridge remains closed to all angling.
- Effective August 27 until further notice, the John Day River from Tumwater Falls downstream to the Columbia River is closed to steelhead retention.
STURGEON
COLUMBIA RIVER, Buoy 10 upstream to Wauna Powerlines
- Closed to retention of white sturgeon. Catch-and-release fishing is allowed. All other permanent rules apply.
COLUMBIA RIVER, Wauna Powerlines (RM 40) upstream to Bonneville Dam
- Closed to retention of white sturgeon except for the following modifications:
- This area will be open to retention of white sturgeon on Saturday, September 15, 2018 and Saturday, September 22, 2018 (two 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.
- Retention of green sturgeon prohibited.
- Catch-and-release fishing is allowed. All other permanent rules apply.
COLUMBIA RIVER RESERVOIRS, between Bonneville Dam and McNary Dam
Bonneville Reservoir (Bonneville Dam upstream to The Dalles Dam)
- Closed to retention of white sturgeon. Catch-and-release fishing is allowed. All other permanent rules apply.
The Dalles Reservoir (The Dalles Dam upstream to John Day Dam)
- Closed to retention of white sturgeon. Catch-and-release fishing is allowed. All other permanent rules apply.
John Day Reservoir (John Day Dam upstream to McNary Dam)
- Closed to retention of white sturgeon. Catch-and-release fishing is allowed. All other permanent rules apply.
Columbia River Information | Columbia River Dam Counts
Recreation Report
Chinook Landing Closure Information
https://www.oregonmetro.gov/parks/boat-ramps/chinook-landing-marine-park
Current & Upcoming Fishing Opportunities:
- White sturgeon retention is closed from Buoy 10 upstream to the Oregon/Washington Border above McNary Dam, but remains an option for catch-and-release fishing.
- White sturgeon retention will be open on Saturday Sept. 22 from Wauna Powerlines upstream to Bonneville Dam.
- Walleye fishing is good in the John Day Pool.
Columbia River regulation updates for salmon, steelhead, shad and sturgeon can be found above.
Salmon, Steelhead and Shad
Effective Sept. 13 until further notice, angling for, and retention of, all salmon and steelhead is prohibited.
During the last few days of the fall salmonid fishery, catch rates ranged from fair to excellent. Boat anglers fishing Buoy 10 averaged 0.10 Chinook and 0.69 coho caught per boat. Anglers fishing in the gorge averaged 1.54 Chinook and 0.01 coho caught per boat, while anglers fishing in Troutdale averaged 0.40 Chinook, 0.02 coho and 0.01 steelhead caught per boat. In the Portland to St. Helens area, boat anglers averaged 0.50 Chinook, 0.02 coho and 0.03 steelhead caught per boat, while anglers fishing in the Goble to Clatskanie area averaged 0.08 Chinook and 0.31 coho caught per boat. Bank anglers fishing the Portland to Longview area, averaged 0.14 Chinook caught per angler.
Gorge Bank:
CLOSED. Weekly checking showed no catch for 14 bank anglers.
Gorge Boats:
CLOSED. Weekly checking showed 112 adult Chinook and 12 jack Chinook kept, plus two adult Chinook and one adult coho released for 74 boats (247 anglers).
Troutdale Boats:
CLOSED. Weekend checking showed 44 adult Chinook and four jack Chinook kept, plus one jack Chinook, two adult coho and one steelhead released for 110 boats (222 anglers).
Portland to Westport Bank:
CLOSED. Weekly checking showed one adult Chinook released for seven bank anglers.
Portland to St. Helens Boats:
CLOSED. Weekly checking showed 66 adult Chinook, two jack Chinook and three adult coho kept, plus two adult Chinook, two jack Chinook and four steelhead released for 136 boats (329 anglers).
Goble to Westport Boats:
CLOSED. Weekly checking showed four adult coho kept, plus one adult Chinook released for 13 boats (30 anglers).
Westport to Tongue Point Boats:
CLOSED. No report.
Tongue Point to Buoy 10 Boats:
CLOSED. Weekly checking showed 16 adult coho kept, plus five Chinook and 17 coho released for 48 boats (134 anglers).
Bonneville Pool (Bonneville Dam upstream to The Dalles Dam):
CLOSED. Weekly checking showed 89 adult Chinook and 21 jack Chinook kept, plus one adult Chinook released for 78 boats (211 anglers).
The Dalles Pool (The Dalles Dam upstream to John Day Dam):
CLOSED. Weekly checking showed no catch for three boats (six anglers).
John Day Pool (John Day Dam upstream to McNary Dam):
CLOSED. No report.
STURGEON
On Saturday’s (9/15) flight, there were 1,390 sturgeon boats counted from Wauna Powerlines to Bonneville Dam. Boat anglers fishing in the gorge averaged 0.50 legal white sturgeon caught per boat, while anglers fishing in Troutdale averaged 0.07 legal white sturgeon caught per boat. Boat anglers fishing in the Portland area averaged 0.65 legal white sturgeon caught per boat, while anglers fishing in the St. Helens to Scappoose area averaged 0.78 legal white sturgeon caught per boat. Boat anglers fishing the Rainier to Westport area averaged 0.15 legal white sturgeon caught per boat. Bank anglers fishing in Troutdale averaged 0.04 legal white sturgeon caught per angler, while anglers fishing in Portland averaged 0.07 legal white sturgeon caught per angler. Bank anglers fishing from Prescott to Westport averaged 0.11 legal white sturgeon caught per angler.
Gorge Bank: Closed for retention.
Weekend checking showed five sublegal sturgeon released for 84 bank anglers.
Gorge Boats: Closed for retention.
Weekend checking showed 34 legal white sturgeon kept, plus 254 sublegal and 27 oversize sturgeon released for 68 boats (205 anglers).
Troutdale Bank:
Weekend checking showed one legal white sturgeon kept, plus four sublegal and one oversize sturgeon released for 26 bank anglers.
Troutdale Boats: Closed for retention.
Weekend checking showed eight legal white sturgeon kept, plus 121 sublegal and four oversize sturgeon released for 109 boats (267 anglers).
Portland Bank:
Weekend checking showed eight legal white sturgeon kept, plus 11 sublegal and two oversize sturgeon released for 121 bank anglers.
Portland Boats: Closed for retention.
Weekend checking showed 62 legal white sturgeon kept, plus 186 sublegal and 26 oversize sturgeon released for 96 boats (274 anglers).
St. Helens Bank:
No report.
St. Helens/Scappoose Boats:
Weekend checking showed 32 legal white sturgeon kept, plus 92 sublegal and nine oversize sturgeon released for 41 boats (106 anglers).
Prescott to Westport Bank:
Weekend checking showed 13 legal white sturgeon kept, plus 106 sublegal and two oversize sturgeon released for 115 bank anglers.
Rainier to Westport Boats:
Weekend checking showed five legal white sturgeon kept, plus 19 sublegal and six oversize sturgeon released for 33 boats (80 anglers).
Bonneville Pool (Bonneville Dam upstream to The Dalles Dam): Closed for retention.
No report.
The Dalles Pool (The Dalles Dam upstream to John Day Dam): Closed for retention.
Weekly checking showed 46 sublegal and six oversize sturgeon released for three boats (11 anglers).
John Day Pool (John Day Dam upstream to McNary Dam): Closed for retention.
Weekly checking showed one sublegal and two legal white sturgeon released for three boats (seven anglers).
WALLEYE
Gorge:
Weekly checking showed no catch for one boat (three anglers).
Troutdale:
No report.
Portland to Westport:
No report.
Bonneville Pool:
No report.
The Dalles Pool:
Weekly checking showed no catch for seven boats (16 anglers).
John Day Pool:
Weekly checking showed 41 walleye kept, plus eight walleye released for 17 boats (33 anglers).