CLACKAMAS, Ore. – The daily bag limit on fall chinook salmon in the Columbia River between Warrior Rock and Bonneville dam will increase to two adult fish, effective Thursday, Sept. 25 through the remainder of the year.

Fishery managers from Oregon and Washington moved to raise the bag limit Tuesday in response to continued improvement in the projected upriver bright fall chinook return. The action follows a decision last week to reopen the fall chinook season from just above the Lewis River to Bonneville Dam.

“The continued strong showing of upriver bright fall chinook this year has given us a chance to provide some additional opportunities for anglers,” said Chris Kern, assistant manager of Columbia River fisheries for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. “We still have some stocks of concern in the lower river that aren’t doing as well as the upriver brights, though, and we’ve had to restrict these additional opportunities to the area above the mouth of the Lewis River in order to protect those stocks.”

The extended season and increased bag limit only apply to the Columbia River from the Warrior Rock-Bachelor Island line above the mouth of the Lewis River upstream to Bonneville Dam. As a result of the changes, anglers may now keep up to two adult chinook, coho, and steelhead per day in combination in this area. Bag limits for jacks remain unchanged and retained chinook do not have to be fin-clipped. Coho and steelhead must be adipose fin-clipped under permanent fishing regulations. Adipose fin-clipped coho and steelhead may also be kept in the Columbia River between Tongue Point and the Lewis River, but chinook (including jacks) must be released in this area.

Since rules can change based on run size and other factors, anglers should be prepared check for the latest information, which is available on the ODFW website at COLUMBIA ZONE: 2008 Regulation Changes, or through the ODFW telephone hotline at 1-503-947-6000. In-season fishery modifications by the states of Oregon and Washington are also posted at Columbia River Action Notices.

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