Columbia chinook bag limit increased to two fish

CLACKAMAS, Ore. – Effective Wednesday, Sept. 22, anglers will be permitted to keep up to two adult chinook salmon per day on the Columbia River between Warrior Rock and Bonneville Dam under revised rules adopted Monday by Oregon and Washington.

Prior to the action, the daily bag limit in this section of the river was two adult salmon and steelhead in combination, but only one could be a chinook.  The change will mean that anglers can now keep two adult salmon and steelhead in combination, and both fish may now be chinook in this area.

“Our latest projections indicate that we have some additional upriver bright chinook that we can offer to recreational fishermen,” said Chris Kern, assistant fisheries manager for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Ocean Salmon and Columbia River Program.

The rule change will apply through the end of the year.

Warrior Rock is located near the north end of Sauvie Island, about 58 miles downstream of Bonneville. Downstream of that point, chinook fishing closed as planned on Sept. 12. Fishery managers left that closure in place to protect wild tule chinook salmon bound for lower river tributaries.  Coho and steelhead may still be retained in this area. Exact boundary descriptions are published in the 2010 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations.

Coho and steelhead must be adipose fin-clipped fish in order to be retained. Chinook are not subject to this requirement and may be retained regardless of whether their adipose fin has been clipped or not.

Anglers are reminded that fishing regulations can change at any time based on changes in fish population estimates, catch rates and other factors. To see the latest regulations, visit ODFW’s website.

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