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FISHING
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Spring Chinook
-Oregon Fish and Wildlife- |
Weekend Fishing Opportunities:
- Fishing for summer steelhead, spring chinook jacks and sockeye opens Wednesday, May 16 between Tongue Point and the I-5 Bridge.
- Shad angling opens Wednesday, May 16 between Buoy 10 and Bonneville Dam.
- The estuary sturgeon season reopens seven days per week during Saturday May 12 through Sunday July 8 (or catch guideline) below the Wauna power lines with a 41-inch minimum and 54-inch maximum size limit (fork length).
- Sturgeon retention is allowed three days per week (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday) from Marker 82 downstream to Wauna Powerlines through July 31with a 38-inch minimum and 54-inch maximum fork length restriction in effect.
Salmon, Steelhead and 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 TONGUE POINT/ROCKY POINT LINE:
Effective Wednesday May 16, this section of the Columbia River is closed to angling for salmon and steelhead, but is open to angling for shad.
COLUMBIA RIVER MAINSTEM, TONGUE POINT/ROCKY POINT LINE UPSTREAM TO THE I-5 BRIDGE:
Effective Wednesday May 16, this section of the Columbia River is open to angling for adipose fin-clipped steelhead, adipose fin-clipped chinook jacks (between 12 and 24 inches), sockeye (fin-clipped or not) and shad. The daily bag limit is two sockeye/steelhead in combination plus five adipose fin-clipped chinook jacks. All sockeye count toward the adult daily limit, regardless of size.
COLUMBIA RIVER MAINSTEM, I-5 BRIDGE UPSTREAM TO BONNEVILLE DAM:
Effective Wednesday May 16, this section of the Columbia River is closed to angling for salmon and steelhead, but is open to angling for shad.
COLUMBIA RIVER MAINSTEM, BONNEVILLE DAM UPSTREAM TO THE OREGON/WASHINGTON BORDER:
This section of the Columbia River is currently closed to angling for salmon and steelhead, but is open to angling for shad. Effective Wednesday May 16 through Tuesday July 31, 2012 only single point hooks are allowed when angling at Cascade Locks in the area between the boat ramp at the lower end of the locks upstream to the east (upstream) end of the lock wall.
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Sturgeon
- Photo by Matt Framl- |
STURGEON:
The following modifications are now in effect for the mainstem Columbia River from Buoy 10 upstream to the Oregon/Washington border above McNary Dam:
BUOY 10 UPSTREAM TO WAUNA POWERLINES:
Effective Saturday, May 12 through Sunday, July 8 (or until guideline is reached) this section of the Columbia River is open to the retention of sturgeon seven days per week with a daily bag limit of one sturgeon between 41 – 54 inches fork length.
The following modifications were adopted at the Jan. 26 Compact/Joint State Hearing for the 2012 mainstem Columbia River sturgeon fishery from Wauna Powerlines (River Mile 40) downstream to the mouth at Buoy 10, including Youngs Bay and all adjacent Washington tributaries. The modifications include:
- Allow the retention of sturgeon seven days per week effective Saturday, May 12 through Sunday, July 8, 2012 (or until the harvest guideline of 4,160 legal white sturgeon has been reached) with a daily bag limit of one fish between 41 – 54 inches fork length in effect.
- Prohibit the retention of sturgeon seven days per week during Monday July 9 through Monday, Dec. 31, 2012.
- Retention of green sturgeon is prohibited as per permanent regulations.
- Catch and release of sturgeon may continue during retention closures.
WAUNA POWERLINES UPSTREAM TO BONNEVILLE DAM:
Effective Jan. 1 through Tuesday, July 31, 2012, this section of the Columbia River is open to the retention of sturgeon on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays with a daily bag limit of one fish between 38 – 54 inches fork length and an annual limit of five fish.
The following modifications were adopted at the Jan. 26 Compact/Joint State Hearing for the 2012 mainstem Columbia River sturgeon fishery from the Wauna Powerlines (River Mile 40) upstream to Bonneville Dam, all adjacent Washington tributaries, excluding the lower Willamette River upstream to Willamette Falls, Multnomah Channel, and Gilbert River. The modifications include:
- Allow the retention of white sturgeon three days per week on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and prohibit the retention of sturgeon four days per week on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday beginning Jan. 1 through Tuesday, July 31, 2012.
- Prohibit the retention of sturgeon seven days per week during Wednesday, Aug. 1 through Friday, Oct. 19, 2012.
- Allow the retention of sturgeon three days per week on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday and prohibit the retention of sturgeon four days per week on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday beginning Saturday, Oct. 20 through Dec. 31, 2012 or until the catch guideline of 2,080 legal white sturgeon has been met.
- Retention of green sturgeon is prohibited as per permanent regulations.
- Catch and release of sturgeon may continue during sturgeon retention closures, except all sturgeon angling is prohibited between Marker 82 and Bonneville Dam during May 1-August 31, 2012.
BONNEVILLE DAM UPSTREAM TO THE OREGON/WASHINGTON BORDER:
Regulations for the 2012 sturgeon sport fishery from Bonneville Dam upstream to the Oregon/Washington border are currently as follows:
Sturgeon creel sampling summaries and catch estimates for Bonneville, The Dalles, and John Day pools can be found at the following link:
WDFW Mid-Columbia River mainstem sport sampling summary
BONNEVILLE DAM UPSTREAM TO THE DALLES DAM:
The Bonneville Pool is currently closed for sturgeon retention. Catch and release is allowed during the retention closure.
The following modifications were adopted at the April 30 Joint State Hearing for the Columbia River Mainstem from Bonneville Dam upstream to The Dalles Dam:
- Allow the retention of white sturgeon Friday June 15 through Saturday June 16, 2012.
- Allow the retention of white sturgeon Friday June 22 through Saturday June 23, 2012.
- The daily bag limit will be one sturgeon between 38-54 inches fork length and an annual limit of five fish. The use of more than one single point barbless hook is prohibited.
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White Sturgeon
- Oregon Fish and Wildlife - |
THE DALLES DAM UPSTREAM TO JOHN DAY DAM:
Effective January 1, 2012 this section of the Columbia River is open to the retention of sturgeon seven days per week until the catch guidelines are reached. The daily bag limit is one sturgeon between 43-54 inches fork length and an annual limit of five fish. The use of more than one single point barbless hook is prohibited.
JOHN DAY DAM UPSTREAM TO MCNARY DAM:
This section of the Columbia River is currently open to the retention of sturgeon seven days per week. The daily bag limit is one sturgeon between 43-54 inches fork length and an annual limit of five fish. The use of more than one single point barbless hook is prohibited. Effective Monday May 21 – December 31, 2012, the retention of sturgeon will be prohibited. Catch and release will be allowed during the retention closure.
MCNARY DAM UPSTREAM TO THE OREGON/WASHINGTON BORDER:
Effective Wednesday February 1 through Tuesday July 31, 2012 this section of the Columbia River is open to the retention of sturgeon seven days per week with a daily bag limit of one sturgeon between 43-54 inches fork length and an annual limit of five fish. The use of more than one single point barbless hook is prohibited.
On Saturday’s (5/12) flight, 119 sturgeon boats and 35 Oregon bank anglers were counted.
Gorge Bank:
No report.
Gorge Boats:
Weekly checking showed no catch for one boat (three anglers).
Troutdale Bank:
No report.
Troutdale Boats:
Weekly checking showed one sublegal sturgeon released for two boats (three anglers).
Portland to Longview Bank:
Weekly checking showed one legal white sturgeon kept, plus one sublegal sturgeon released for 15 bank anglers.
Portland to Longview Boats:
Weekly checking showed six legal white sturgeon kept, plus one oversize and 88 sublegal sturgeon released for 45 boats (102 anglers).
Estuary Boats (Puget Island to Buoy 10):
Weekend checking showed one legal white sturgeon kept, plus one sublegal sturgeon released for one boat (four anglers).
The Dalles Pool:
Weekly checking showed one legal white sturgeon kept, plus one oversize and 19 sublegal sturgeon released for 37 bank anglers; and 13 sublegal sturgeon released for three boats (seven anglers).
John Day Pool:
Weekly checking showed no catch for six bank anglers; and one legal white sturgeon kept, plus 15 sublegal sturgeon released for nine boats (15 anglers).
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| Walleye |
WARMWATER:
Walleye Creel:
The Dalles Pool:
No report.
John Day Pool:
Weekly checking showed two walleye kept for four boats (six anglers).
Bass and walleye:
Bonneville and The Dalles Pools: smallmouth bass, walleye
Walleye fishing has been good so far this spring between Hood River and John Day Dam. Boat anglers are reporting lots of large walleye caught between fifteen and thirty feet deep on humps and channels using jigs and worms. As water temperatures continue to increase, both walleye and bass will move into more shallow water near gravel bars and shorelines. Anglers can target these fish by trolling a worm harness or diving plugs.
John Day and McNary Pools: smallmouth bass, walleye, yellow perch
Walleye catches have been fair to good for anglers willing to brave the weather, anglers are targeting the Boardman, Irrigon and Umatilla areas for best results. Anglers find walleye in deeper water 20 to 40 feet, a slow vertical presentation is essential with jigs/night crawlers, spinners and night crawlers and blade baits.
Smallmouth fishing should take off with a few days of warm temperatures to get fish moving towards the shallows.
Yellow perch provide a more reliable opportunity in early spring, fish can be found in shallow back water areas 5 to 20 feet deep, best bait is a small piece of night crawler fished on the bottom. Good starting locations are marinas, sloughs and shallow bays. |
