Salem, Ore. – The summer steelhead season on the Columbia River above the Tongue Point/Rocky Point line opens Monday, June 16.

The river will be open for adipose fin-clipped summer steelhead from June 16 to December 31 with an aggregate daily bag limit of two adult salmonids.

Oregon and Washington fishery managers had delayed the start of the summer steelhead season below the I-5 Bridge, initially scheduled to open May 16, in order to reduce incidental impacts on returning spring chinook salmon.

“Normally we don’t have to worry much about impacts from the steelhead fishery on spring chinook,” said Chris Kern, fish biologist with Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. “But with this year’s spring chinook return coming in later than normal and lower than expected, we needed to delay the start of the steelhead season until the spring management period was over.”

Managers announced today that this steelhead fishery on the lower river will open on Monday, along with steelhead fisheries in rest of the mainstem Columbia above Tongue Point.

The recreational steelhead fishery is one of several fisheries scheduled to occur during the summer management period (June 16 – July 31). The remaining summer seasons are described in detail on ODFW’s website and are summarized below.

Buoy 10 upstream to Tongue Point

• Open for shad May 16 – December 31.
• Closed for salmon and steelhead until August 1.

Mainstem Columbia River from Tongue Point upstream to Bonneville Dam

• Open for shad May 16 – December 31.
• Open for adipose fin-clipped steelhead June 16 – December 31.  Daily bag limit is two adult salmonids.
• Open for chinook salmon adults June 21 – June 28, and for chinook jacks June 16 – July  31.  Daily bag limit is two adult salmonids and five jacks.  Chinook adults and jacks may be fin-clipped or not.
• Additional modifications will apply to fall season Chinook fisheries (August 1 – December 31).

Mainstem Columbia River above Bonneville Dam 

• Open for shad year round
• Open for adipose fin-clipped steelhead June 16 – December 31. Daily bag limit is two adult salmonids.
• Open for chinook salmon adults and jacks June 16 – July 31, or until guideline is met.  Daily bag limit is two adult salmonids and five jacks.  Chinook adults and jacks may be fin-clipped or not.
•  Additional modifications will apply to fall season Chinook fisheries (August 1 – December 31).

As in all Columbia River salmon seasons, anglers should be aware that emergency action may be taken to alter any of the above seasons on relatively short notice. Anglers are advised to keep up to date with the latest regulations by going to ODFW’s regulations website (https://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/fishing/reg_changes/columbia.asp), or by calling (503) 647-6000. 

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