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March 3, 2012
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The Deschutes River below Sherars Falls is popular and productive site for spring Chinook fishing.
-ODFW photo- |
THE DALLES, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has announced that the popular spring Chinook fisheries on the Deschutes and Hood rivers will open April 15.
Deschutes River
According to Rod French, ODFW fish biologist, managers are predicting that as many 13,000 hatchery fish may return to the Deschutes. This year’s run should be substantially larger than last year’s, when no spring Chinook fishing was allowed in order to protect the small number of returning fish.
“If the run comes back as predicted, Chinook salmon fishing on the Deschutes should be excellent,” he said.
“The Deschutes River fishery below Sherars Falls is extremely popular because it offers a great chance to catch a Columbia River spring Chinook from the bank,” he said. “In recent years, as many as 10,000 anglers a year have participated in the fishery.”
Here is a summary of the temporary rules for the Deschutes River adopted by ODFW:
- Open for adipose fin-clipped Chinook from April 15 through July 31 from the mouth of the I-84 bridge upstream to Sherars Falls.
- The catch limit is two adult adipose fin-clipped salmon per day, and five adipose fin-clipped jack salmon per day.
- All non-adipose fin-clipped Chinook salmon must be released unharmed.
- It is unlawful to continue to fish from Sherars Falls downstream to the upper railroad trestle after taking a daily bag limit of two adult Chinook salmon.
Hood River
Managers are also predicting a fairly strong return of spring Chinook to return to the Hood River. A return of over 1,300 hatchery fish is predicted for the Hood River, which is slightly better than last year’s return
According to French, the Hood River offers another good opportunity to catch a spring Chinook from the bank but in conditions that are much les crowded than on the Deschutes.
Here is a summary of the temporary rules for the Hood River adopted by ODFW:
- Open for adipose fin-clipped chinook from April 15 through June 30 from the mouth to mainstem confluence with the East Fork, and the West Fork from the confluence with the mainstem upstream to the angling deadline 200 feet downstream of Punchbowl Falls.
- The catch limit is two adult adipose fin-clipped salmon per day, and five adipose fin-clipped jack salmon per day.
- All non-adipose fin-clipped Chinook salmon must be released unharmed.
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