Sturgeon retention in the Bonneville pool of the Columbia River resumes on Saturday.
Officials adopted a season Wednesday that is scheduled to last through Feb. 17, but might close sooner.
The sport allocation in the pool is 1,100 sturgeon to be split roughly half between a winter season and a short summer season. Anglers kept 247 sturgeon in Bonneville pool between Jan. 1 and Jan. 19.
“It’s weather-dependent,” said John North of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. “The fishery is really driven by the wind, which controls the effort. There were several days that weren’t fishable.”
Due to the wind, it is hard to predict how long it will take sportsmen to catch another 300 to 350 sturgeon, North added. Feb. 17 is the best guess.
Sturgeon fishing in the pool is much better in the summer. It is estimated the summer season will catch the balance of the guideline in two days, he said.
