Fall chinook season on Deschutes River opens Aug. 1

THE DALLES, Ore. – The lower Deschutes River will remain open for chinook salmon fishing on through Oct. 31 under a temporary rule adopted by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The river is currently open for spring chinook fishing. The spring chinook fishing ends July 31, and the fall chinook season will open Aug. 1 under the newly-adopted rule. The river remains open for chinook from the mouth at the I-84 bridge upstream to Sherars Falls. The daily catch limit for fall chinook will be any two adults and any five jacks. (Jack salmon are chinook 15-24 inches long.)

The Deschutes River supports one of the healthiest wild fall chinook populations in the Columbia Basin; one that has never been augmented with hatchery fish.

“Nearly 11,000 fall chinook returned to the Deschutes in 2009 and we expect another strong run this season,” said Rod French, ODFW fish biologist.

The chinook salmon season will close Oct. 31.

Anglers are reminded that all wild (non adipose fin-clipped) steelhead must be released unharmed and that the use of bait is restricted to the section of the river from Sherars Falls downstream to the upper railroad trestle.

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