Columbia Zone

Regulation Updates as of  May 25, 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   Spring Seasons (through June 15) Spring Salmonid Boat Angling Area Closure Map Summer Seasons (June 16-July 31) Fall Seasons (August 1- December 31) Thermal Angling Sanctuaries STURGEON

Spring Seasons (through June 15)

Buoy 10 upstream to Tongue Point/Rocky Point line

• Permanent regulations in effect (see e-regulations).

Tongue Point/Rocky Point line upstream to Bonneville Dam:

• Permanent regulations are in effect (see e-regulations), except for the following temporary modifications:
• Permanent regulations are in effect (see e-regulations), except for the following temporary modifications:
• Effective Tuesday June 1 – Tuesday June 15, the area from the Tongue Point/Rocky Point line upstream to the Bonneville Dam deadline is open for hatchery Chinook (adults and jacks) and hatchery steelhead, except salmon and steelhead angling from a boat is prohibited in the spring salmonid boat angling closure area adjacent to the Cowlitz River mouth (see detailed definition below).
  • Spring Salmonid Boat Angling Closure Area (see Map): Defined as the area of the mainstem Columbia River between boundary lines as described and includes all of Carrolls Channel (from the upstream end of Cottonwood Island downstream to the Cowlitz and Columbia River confluence). Downstream boundary – From a point on the Washington shore projected through Dolphin Marker J (near Shipping Terminal 9), southerly across the Columbia River to Columbia Park Boat Ramp in Rainier, Oregon. Upstream boundary – From a point on the Washington shore projected through Cottonwood Island Dike Light “31”, southerly across the Columbia River to a deadline marker on the Oregon shore.
  • Through Friday June 11, the daily adult bag limit is two hatchery fish (Chinook and steelhead), but only one may be a Chinook and only one may be a steelhead.
  • From Saturday June 12 – Tuesday June 15, the daily adult bag limit is two hatchery fish (Chinook and steelhead), but only one may be a steelhead
  • All other permanent rules apply, including open for shad retention and bag limits for hatchery Chinook jacks.

Bonneville Dam upstream to OR/WA Border (upstream of McNary Dam)

• Permanent regulations in effect (see e-regulations), except for the following temporary modifications:
  • Effective Saturday June 12 – Tuesday June 15 (4 days), the area as defined below, will be open for hatchery Chinook (adults and jacks) and hatchery steelhead.  The daily adult bag limit is two hatchery fish (Chinook and steelhead), but only one may be a steelhead.
  • Area definition:  Tower Island powerlines (approximately 6 miles below The Dalles Dam) upstream to Oregon/Washington border (boat and bank) plus bank angling only from Bonneville Dam upstream to Tower Island powerlines.
  • All other permanent rules apply, including open for shad retention and bag limits for hatchery Chinook jacks.

Select Area Recreational Salmon Fisheries

• Permanent regulations in effect (see e-regulations), except for the following temporary modifications:
  • Effective through June 15, 2021: on days when the mainstem Columbia River recreational fishery below Bonneville Dam is open to retention of Chinook, the salmonid daily bag limit in Oregon and Washington Select Areas will be the same as the mainstem Columbia River bag limits.
  • On days when the mainstem Columbia River recreational fishery below Bonneville Dam is closed to Chinook retention, the permanent salmonid bag limit regulations for Select Areas apply.

Summer Season (June 16-July 31)

Astoria-Megler Bridge upstream to Bonneville Dam

• Retention of adult hatchery Chinook allowed June 16 – July 5.
• Retention of hatchery steelhead and sockeye allowed.  The daily adult bag limit is two adult salmonids, but only one may be a hatchery steelhead and only one may be a sockeye.  All sockeye are considered adults.
• Retention of hatchery jack Chinook allowed ^a.

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

• Retention of hatchery Chinook (adults and jacks ^a), hatchery steelhead, and sockeye allowed.  The daily adult bag limit is two adult salmonids, but only one may be a hatchery steelhead and only one may be a sockeye.  All sockeye are considered adults.

Fall Season (August 1-December 31)

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 1 – 10: Retention of adult hatchery Chinook and adult hatchery coho allowed.  The daily adult bag limit is two hatchery salmon, but only one may be a Chinook.
  • August 11 – September 6:  Retention of adult Chinook and adult hatchery coho allowed.  The daily adult bag limit is two salmon, but only one may be a Chinook.
  • September 7 – 30:  Retention of adult hatchery coho allowed.  All Chinook must be released.  The daily adult bag limit is three hatchery coho.
  • October 1 – 31:  Retention of hatchery coho (adults and jacks) allowed.  All Chinook must be released.  The daily adult bag limit is three hatchery coho.
  • 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, and 5) retention of jack coho salmon allowed ^a.

• Additional regulations by date period are described below:
  • August 1 – September 9:  Retention of Chinook (adults and jacks) and hatchery coho allowed.  The daily adult bag limit is two salmon, but only one may be a Chinook.
  • September 10 – October 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 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.

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, and 5) retention of jack coho salmon allowed ^a.

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

• June 16 – July 14:  One hatchery steelhead allowed in the adult salmonid daily limit.
• July 15 – September 15:  Closed to angling.
• 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.

• June 16 – July 14:  See rules for Columbia mainstem Bonneville Dam to The Dalles Dam.
• July 15 – September 15:  Closed to angling.
• 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.

• June 16 – July 14:  See rules for Columbia mainstem Bonneville Dam to The Dalles Dam.
• July 15 – November 30:  Closed to angling.
• 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.

• June 16 – July 14:  See rules for Columbia mainstem Bonneville Dam to The Dalles Dam.
• July 15 – September 15:  Closed to angling.
• 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.

• June 16 – December 31:  One hatchery steelhead allowed in the adult salmonid daily limit except closed to angling July 15-September 15.

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.

• June 16 – July 14:  See rules for Columbia mainstem from The Dalles Dam upstream to John Day Dam.
• July 15 – September 15:  Closed to angling.
• 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)

• June 16 – August 31:  One hatchery steelhead allowed in the adult salmonid daily limit
• 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, except for the following temporary modifications:
  • This area will be open to retention of white sturgeon on Saturday June 12.
  • On days open to white sturgeon retention, angling for sturgeon is prohibited after 2 PM, including catch and release.
  • 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.

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 and Saturday September 18 (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 (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