Fall chinook retention in the popular Buoy 10 salmon season at the mouth of the Columbia River is scheduled through Labor Day, which is Sept. 7 this year.
Washington and Oregon officials have announced the summer and fall fishing regulations for the Columbia River. The seasons are linked to last week’s adoption of ocean salmon fishing rules by the Pacific Fishery Management Council.
Strong returns of 925,000 fall chinook and 540,000 coho are forecast to enter the Columbia River.
Buoy 10 is the fishery between Buoy No. 10 where the Columbia meets the ocean and a line from Tongue Point in Oregon to Rocky Point in Washington, a distance of 16 miles.
Angling at Buoy 10 will open Aug. 1. Through Labor Day, the limit will be two salmon, but only one chinook.
There were concerns voiced in March that due to the lateness of Labor Day, chinook fishing at Buoy 10 would switch to hatchery-chinook-only prior to Labor Day. That would mean releasing the vast majority of the chinook catch.
Allowing retention of any chinook through Labor Day generally is considered a full season at Buoy 10.
The main constraint on lower Columbia fall fisheries is the need to protect wild tule chinook, listed under the Endangered Species Act.
“This year, we had a little more room on allowable impact for wild tules,” said Chris Kern, a deputy administrator for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. “As a result, we estimate there will be six additional days of chinook fishing at Buoy 10 compared to 2014, extending the season through Labor Day.”
State fish managers will monitor the chinook catch at Buoy 10 and could make regulation changes.
At Buoy 10, the limit from Sept. 8 through Sept. 30 will be two hatchery coho, but no chinook.
Here are a look at other Columbia River fall fishing seasons:
Tongue Point-Lewis River — The daily limit will be two adult salmon — hatchery coho and any chinook — from Aug. 1 through Sept. 7, although only one chinook.
From Aug. 8 through 14, chinook retention is restricted to hatchery chinook only. Chinook retention will be closed Sept. 15 through Sept. 30.
On Oct. 1, anglers can retain two adult (clipped or not) chinook daily.
Lewis River-Washougal — Angling will be open Aug. 1 through Dec. 31 with a limit of two adult salmon, hatchery coho or any chinook. The upstream boundary line is Steamboat Landing in Washougal to Marker No 50 on the Oregon side.
Washougal-Bonneville Dam — Angling will be open Aug. 1 through Dec. 31 with a daily limit of three adult salmon, two of which can be hatchery coho. Any chinook can be retained.
Bonneville Dam-Highway 395 Bridge (Pasco) — Angling will be open Aug. 1 through Dec. 31, with a daily limit of three adult salmon, two of which may be coho.
Anglers must release unmarked coho downstream of the Bingen-Hood River bridge.
