Recreation Report
Columbia Zone
Regulation Updates
Regulation Updates as of June 16, 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.
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Summer Season (June 16-July 31)
- Also see regulations for Thermal Angling Sanctuaries for Columbia and associated tributaries (listed below) effective June 16 through the end of the year.
Astoria-Megler Bridge upstream to Bonneville Dam
- Retention of adult hatchery Chinook allowed June 16 – July 5.
- Retention of hatchery steelhead and sockeye allowed June 16-July 31. 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 June 16-July 31. 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)
- 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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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 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. 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).
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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
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.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: closures, special events, etc.
Finding garbage at your favorite spot?
Consider packing some out
During the past year, more people have been fishing and getting outdoors. And the garbage they’ve left behind proves it. Next time you head to the water, put a garbage bag in your pocket and fill it with any garbage you find. After you’re done fishing, of course.
New map shows wildfire impacts on recreation
Hunters, anglers and wildlife viewers will be living with the impacts of the 2020 wildfire season for a long time. To help you navigate the status of popular recreation sites, natural resource management agencies in Oregon have released an interagency status map that shows open, closed and reduced service areas on a single map, regardless of reason for closure.
The map now also includes an updated boat ramp status map. The Marine Board plans to update boat ramp status every month at a minimum.
Help keep ODFW fish checkers safe
ODFW samplers (aka fish checkers) will be at docks, boat ramps, and bank areas in a number of locations along the Columbia and Willamette rivers to collect information required to manage fisheries. Your cooperation in maintaining a minimum of 6 ft. distancing and providing your catch for inspection and collection of sampling data in a safe manner is appreciated.
FISHING UPDATES
Current and 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. Sturgeon spawning sanctuaries are in effect below Bonneville, The Dalles, John Day and McNary Dams during May 1-August 31. Consult the regulation pamphlet for details.
- Angling for hatchery summer Chinook and sockeye is open during June 16-July 5 from the Astoria-Megler Bridge upstream to Bonneville Dam and during June 16-July 31 from Bonneville Dam to the Oregon/Washington border above McNary Dam. The daily bag limit is two adult salmonids in combination, of which no more than one may be a sockeye and no more than one may be a hatchery summer steelhead (see Sport Fishing Regulations Updates for additional regulation details).
- Shad fishing is good below Bonneville Dam.
- Walleye fishing has been good in the John Day pool and fair in The Dalles Pool.
Columbia River regulation updates for salmon, steelhead, shad and sturgeon can be found above.
SALMON, STEELHEAD AND SHAD
Tongue Point/Rocky Point to Longview:
Weekly checking showed three adult spring Chinook and two jack Chinook kept and one sockeye released for 51 bank anglers; and four adult spring Chinook and two jack Chinook kept and three adult Chinook and one sockeye released for 21 boats (49 anglers).
Rainier to St. Helens:
Weekly checking showed nine adult and one jack spring Chinook kept and four adult spring Chinook, two sockeye and one jack Chinook released for 82 bank anglers; and seven adult spring Chinook and three jack Chinook kept and three adult Chinook and two jack Chinook released for 28 boats (64 anglers). Four shad boats (eight anglers) kept 30 shad.
Sauvie Island to Portland:
Weekly checking showed two adult spring Chinook kept for 24 bank anglers; and five adult spring Chinook and one jack Chinook kept and one adult Chinook released for 27 boats (54 anglers).
Troutdale:
Weekly checking showed three adult spring Chinook and three jack Chinook kept and two adult Chinook and one jack Chinook released for 56 boats (96 anglers). Eight shad boats (18 anglers) kept 41 shad.
Gorge:
Weekly checking showed six adult spring Chinook and two jack Chinook kept for 57 bank anglers; and 10 adult Chinook and three jack Chinook kept, plus eight adult Chinook released for 19 boats (52 anglers). Eighty-one shad bank anglers kept 705 shad and released 10 shad; and 42 shad boats (123 anglers) kept 1,157 shad and released 236 shad.
Bonneville Pool (Bonneville Dam upstream to The Dalles Dam):
Weekly checking showed no catch for four bank anglers and one boat (two anglers).
The Dalles Pool (The Dalles Dam upstream to John Day Dam):
Weekly checking showed one adult Chinook kept for two boats (eight anglers). Twenty-two shad bank anglers kept 61 shad and released 60 shad.
John Day Pool (Columbia River above John Day Dam and John Day Arm):
Weekly checking showed no catch for four boats (14 anglers). Sixty-nine shad bank anglers kept 161 shad.
STURGEON
Lower Columbia River
Buoy 10 to Wauna Powerlines:
Closed for retention: Checking on June 12 showed 120 legal sturgeon kept plus five legal, 146 sublegal, and 376 over-legal white sturgeon and one green sturgeon released for 100 boats (326) anglers.
Wauna Powerlines to Marker 82:
Closed to retention. Weekly checking showed three sublegal sturgeon released for one boat (three anglers).
Bonneville Pool:
Closed for retention. Weekly checking showed 23 sublegal, six legal and 10 over-legal sturgeon released for five boats (nine anglers).
The Dalles Pool:
Closed for retention. Weekly checking showed 43 sublegal, 18 legal and seven over-legal sturgeon released for seven boats (28 anglers).
John Day Pool:
Closed for retention. Weekly checking showed ten sublegal and nine over-legal sturgeon released for four boats (17 anglers).
WALLEYE
Lower Columbia:
Weekly checking showed no catch for one boat (two anglers).
Bonneville Pool:
Weekly checking showed two walleye kept for two boats (four anglers).
The Dalles Pool:
Weekly checking showed 77 walleye kept and three walleye released for 20 boats (46 anglers).
John Day Pool:
Weekly checking showed 160 walleye kept 31 walleye released for 27 boats (67 anglers).