Columbia River summer Chinook salmon fishing opens June 16

OLYMPIA — Summer Chinook salmon, sockeye and steelhead fishing on sections of the Columbia River opens from June 16 through July 31 from the Astoria-Megler Bridge to Highway 395 Bridge at Pasco and from Richland to Priest Rapids Dam.

“We wanted to remind anglers of the upcoming summer salmon and steelhead fishing opportunity that begins on June 16 which is the result of the public input received during the pre-season planning process to stay within allowable harvest levels,” said Ryan Lothrop, Columbia River fishery manager with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).

The preseason forecast for upper Columbia summer Chinook at the mouth of the Columbia River is 85,400 compared to a return of 78,494 in 2022.

The summer season recreational fishery for sockeye and hatchery summer Chinook opens June 16 on the Columbia River from the Astoria-Megler Bridge to Priest Rapids Dam.

In addition, hatchery steelhead fishing re-opens downstream of the Highway 395 at Pasco on June 16.

This action applies summer fishery regulations developed through the 2023 North of Falcon season setting process and is consistent with co-manager agreements.

For full fishery details and regulations, see the emergency rule change at WDFW’s website.

Permanent regulations can be found online in the Washington Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet.

To receive regulation updates and other information via email, subscribe to Columbia River fishery notices at WDFW’s website.