Weekend fishing opportunities in the Columbia River, as announced by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife:
• Sturgeon retention is allowed three days a week (Thursday through Saturday) from Bonneville Dam downstream to Wauna Powerlines, and seven days a week from Wauna Powerlines downstream to Buoy 10, with a 38-inch minimum and 54-inch maximum fork length restriction in effect.
• Anglers are catching a few steelhead and early spring Chinook on the lower Columbia River.
• Walleye angling is good in The Dalles and John Day Pools.
Salmon, steelhead, shad
The following modifications are now in effect for the mainstem Columbia River from Buoy 10 upstream to the Oregon/Washington border above McNary Dam:
• COLUMBIA RIVER MAINSTEM, BUOY 10 LINE UPSTREAM TO THE I-5 BRIDGE: Effective Thursday through Friday, April 6 (or until the catch guideline of 12,700 upriver spring Chinook has been reached), this section of the Columbia River will be open to the retention of adipose fin-clipped spring Chinook, adipose fin-clipped steelhead, and shad with a daily bag limit of two adult salmonids, only one of which may be a Chinook (24 inches or longer), and five adipose fin-clipped jacks.
However, the season will be closed on March 20, 27, and April 3 to allow for possible commercial fishing days. The retention of chum and sockeye salmon is prohibited. All other permanent rules apply.
• COLUMBIA RIVER MAINSTEM, I-5 BRIDGE UPSTREAM TO BONNEVILLE DAM: Effective Thursday, the mainstem Columbia River from the I-5 Bridge upstream to Beacon Rock plus the Oregon and Washington banks from Beacon Rock upstream to Bonneville Dam will be open to the retention of adipose fin-clipped spring Chinook, adipose fin-clipped steelhead and shad through April 6 (or until the catch guideline of 12,700 upriver spring Chinook has been reached).
However, the season will be closed on March 20, 27 and April 3 to allow for possible commercial fishing days.
The daily bag limit will be two adipose fin-clipped adult salmonids, of which only one may be a Chinook (24 inches or longer), plus five adipose fin-clipped Chinook jacks. The retention of chum and sockeye salmon is prohibited.
All other permanent rules remain in effect.
• COLUMBIA RIVER MAINSTEM, BONNEVILLE DAM UPSTREAM TO THE OREGON/WASHINGTON BORDER: This section of the Columbia River is open through March 15 to the retention of adipose fin-clipped steelhead with a daily bag limit of two fish. The retention of spring Chinook is prohibited as per permanent regulations.
Effective March 16 through May 2 (or until the catch guideline of 1,700 fish has been reached), this area will be open to the retention of adipose fin-clipped spring Chinook and adipose fin-clipped steelhead with a daily bag limit of two adipose fin-clipped adult Chinook (24 inches or longer) or steelhead in combination, plus five adipose fin-clipped Chinook jacks. Angling for salmon and steelhead from a floating device between Bonneville Dam and the Tower Island Powerlines (located approximately 6 miles downstream from The Dalles Dam) is prohibited.
Salmonid catch report
Salmonid boat and bank anglers are beginning to catch a few spring Chinook in the lower Columbia River.
• Portland to Longview Bank: Three adipose fin-clipped steelhead kept, plus one unclipped spring Chinook and three unclipped steelhead released for 161 bank anglers.
• Portland to Longview boats: One adipose fin-clipped spring Chinook kept for 25 boats (61 anglers).
• Estuary Bank (Clatsop Spit to Wauna Powerlines): Two adipose fin-clipped steelhead kept, plus one unclipped steelhead released for 31 bank anglers.
• Estuary Boats (Tongue Point to Wauna Powerlines): No catch for six boats (13 anglers).
• The Dalles Pool: Two unclipped steelhead released for eight bank anglers; and no catch for two boats (four anglers).
• John Day Pool: No catch for one bank angler; and one adipose fin-clipped steelhead kept for three boats (10 anglers).
Sturgeon catch report
Sturgeon anglers caught a few legal white sturgeon on the lower Columbia this past week. Anglers are also catching a few keepers in the John Day Pool.
• Gorge Bank: No catch for six bank anglers.
• Gorge Boats: No catch for one boat (two anglers).
• Portland to Longview Bank: No catch for 19 bank anglers.
• Portland to Longview Boats: Two legal white sturgeon kept, plus 22 sublegal sturgeon released for 17 boats (43 anglers).
• The Dalles Pool: Two sublegal sturgeon released for 16 bank anglers; and no catch for one boat (two anglers).
• John Day Pool: Three legal white sturgeon kept, plus eight sublegal sturgeon released for 22 bank anglers; and one legal white sturgeon kept, plus one legal, and five sublegal sturgeon released for 11 boats (25 anglers).
