Current & 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.
White sturgeon retention will be open on Saturday, Sept. 22 from the Wauna Powerlines upstream to Bonneville Dam.
Walleye fishing is good in the John Day Pool, poor in The Dalles Pool.
While the fall salmon season is still open in many southwest Washington tributaries, some of them are closed to the retention of Chinook. Check the regulations before you fish.
High elevation lakes continue to produce good catches of trout.
Salmon, steelhead
Effective Sept. 13 until further notice, angling for, and retention of, all salmon and steelhead is prohibited in the mainstem Columbia River.
Washougal River to close to the retention of chinook salmon — The Washougal River from the mouth to the bridge at Salmon Falls, and Camas Slough, will close to retention of Chinook salmon as of Sept. 22.
The Washougal River fall chinook salmon run is tracking far below the pre-season forecast and is currently projected not to meet the hatchery broodstock goal. Closing the river to chinook retention will increase the number of hatchery fish available for broodstock and help ensure fishing opportunities in future years.
The Chinook closure includes the Camas Slough.
The Washougal River remains open for retention of hatchery steelhead and hatchery coho salmon until further notice. All other permanent rules remain in effect. (WDFW)
Chinook salmon retention to close on the lower Cowlitz River — Chinook salmon retention closes on the lower Cowlitz River and tributaries (except the Toutle River), on Sept. 22, 2018 until further notice.
The Cowlitz River fall chinook salmon run is tracking far below the pre-season forecast and is currently projected not to meet the hatchery broodstock goal. Closing the lower Cowlitz River to Chinook salmon retention will increase the number of hatchery fish available for broodstock and help ensure fishing opportunities in future years.
The lower Cowlitz River remains open to harvest of hatchery coho salmon and hatchery steelhead until further notice. The closed waters section below the Barrier Dam will remain 400 feet, at the posted markers, until further notice. All other permanent rules remain in effect. (WDFW)
Cowlitz River, I-5 Bridge downstream: 20 anglers/24 bank rods kept 5 Chinook, 4 jacks, 1 steelhead, 7 coho jacks and released 25 Chinook, 18 jacks, 2 coho and 1 coho jack.
Cowlitz River, I-5 Bridge downstream: 57 boats / 168 rods kept 19 chinook, 6 jacks, 4 coho, 10 coho jacks and released 75 Chinook, 42 jacks, 4 steelhead, 3 coho and 9 coho jacks, 3 cuttthroat.
Cowlitz River, above the I-5 Bridge: 7 bank rods released 3 Chinook.
Elochoman River — No anglers sampled. (WDFW)
Sturgeon
On Sept. 15 flight, there were 1,390 sturgeon boats counted from Wauna Powerlines to Bonneville Dam.
Gorge Bank: Closed for retention. Weekend checking showed five sublegal sturgeon released for 84 bank anglers.
Gorge Boats: Closed for retention. Weekend checking showed 34 legal white sturgeon kept, plus 254 sublegal and 27 oversize sturgeon released for 68 boats (205 anglers).
Troutdale Bank: Weekend checking showed one legal white sturgeon kept, plus four sublegal and one oversize sturgeon released for 26 bank anglers.
Troutdale Boats: Closed for retention. Weekend checking showed eight legal white sturgeon kept, plus 121 sublegal and four oversize sturgeon released for 109 boats (267 anglers).
Portland Bank: Weekend checking showed eight legal white sturgeon kept, plus 11 sublegal and two oversize sturgeon released for 121 bank anglers.
Portland Boats: Closed for retention. Weekend checking showed 62 legal white sturgeon kept, plus 186 sublegal and 26 oversize sturgeon released for 96 boats (274 anglers).
St. Helens/Scappoose Boats: Weekend checking showed 32 legal white sturgeon kept, plus 92 sublegal and nine oversize sturgeon released for 41 boats (106 anglers).
Prescott to Westport Bank: Weekend checking showed 13 legal white sturgeon kept, plus 106 sublegal and two oversize sturgeon released for 115 bank anglers.
Rainier to Westport Boats: Weekend checking showed five legal white sturgeon kept, plus 19 sublegal and six oversize sturgeon released for 33 boats (80 anglers).
The Dalles Pool (The Dalles Dam upstream to John Day Dam): Closed for retention. Weekly checking showed 46 sublegal and six oversize sturgeon released for three boats (11 anglers).
John Day Pool (John Day Dam upstream to McNary Dam): Closed for retention. Weekly checking showed one sublegal and two legal white sturgeon released for three boats (seven anglers). (ODFW)
Walleye
Gorge: Weekly checking showed no catch for one boat (three anglers).
The Dalles Pool: Weekly checking showed no catch for seven boats (16 anglers).
John Day Pool: Weekly checking showed 41 walleye kept, plus eight walleye released for 17 boats (33 anglers). (ODFW)
