Columbia River salmon fishing reopens from Tongue Point/Rocky Point to Warrior Rock on Sept. 17; four additional sturgeon retention days add

Columbia River

Photo Credit: Courtesy of ODFW

by OR Department of Fish & Wildlife Staff
9-16-2021
Website

CLACKAMAS, Ore.—Effective Sept. 17, the Columbia River will reopen to hatchery coho retention from the Tongue Point/Rocky Point line upstream to the Warrior Rock/Bachelor Island line, fishery managers from Oregon and Washington decided today.

The adult bag limit is two hatchery coho. All Chinook must be released and steelhead may not retained until Nov. 1. All other previously adopted regulations remain in effect.

Salmon fishing from Tongue Point/Rocky Point upstream to Bonneville Dam closed earlier this month due to higher-than-expected impacts on lower Columbia River natural origin tule fall Chinook which are listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Based on a review of available information which included impacts accrued in ocean fisheries, fishery managers reopened the area from Warrior Rock to Bonneville Dam on Sept. 11 to Chinook and hatchery coho.  Although ESA-listed Snake River fall Chinook have become constraining, managers are comfortable reopening this river section to coho retention, which are returning in good numbers.

Also today, four additional sturgeon retention days were added in the mainstem Columbia from the Wauna Powerlines upstream to Bonneville Dam, including the Cowlitz River. Anglers can now retain white sturgeon in this area on Saturday, Sept. 18, Sunday Sept. 19, Wednesday Sept. 22, Saturday Sept. 25, and Wednesday Sept. 29.

Last Saturday, anglers harvested an estimated 347 legal-sized sturgeon which is less than expected, allowing additional days to be added. The harvest guideline for this fishery is 1,230 white sturgeon.

The daily bag limit is one legal-sized white sturgeon, with a statewide annual bag limit of two fish. Legal-size white sturgeon are those measuring a minimum of 44 inches and a maximum of 50 inches fork length, which is measured in a straight line under the fish from the tip of the nose to the fork in the caudal (tail) fin with the fish laying on a flat surface. Retention of green sturgeon is prohibited and single point barbless hooks are required when angling for sturgeon.

Always check the latest Columbia River regulations before fishing by visiting https://myodfw.com/recreation-report/fishing-report/columbia-zone.




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OR Department of Fish & Wildlife Reports
for Thursday, September 9th, 2021

Beulah Reservoir: Beulah Reservoir is Now Dry
Blitzen River: Carp Fishing Open One More Week
Campbell Reservoir: Water levels are extremely low
Chickahominy Reservoir: Chickahominy Reservoir is now dry
Gerber Reservoir: Targeting yellow perch continues to be your best bet
John C Boyle Reservoir: A few largemouth bass and crappie are being caught
Upper Klamath Lake: The lake is 4.7 feet below full pool and 32 percent full
Krumbo Reservoir: There may be cyanobacteria present so avoid swimming
Lake Of The Woods: This is a good time to chase largemouth bass in the lake
Warm Springs Reservoir: Warm Springs reservoir is now dry.
Williamson River: Fishing has been good
Wood River: Wood River Fishing Report
Applegate Reservoir: The only useable boat ramp at Applegate Reservoir is the French Gulch Boat Ramp
Applegate River: The river is open to trout fishing
Ben Irving Reservoir: Ben Irving hasn’t been stocked with trout in a while
Chetco River: A few anglers are starting to troll the estuary for salmon
Cooper Creek Reservoir: Cooler nights should get the bite to come on
Eel Lake: Anglers are still catching a few trout this past weekend
Elk River: Temporary rule changes for Chinook are now in place
Emigrant Reservoir: The best success out here will be targeting warmwater fish
Fish Lake : The current lake level is 15 percent full and is slowly filling
Floras Lake: Anglers should try fishing early or late in the day
Galesville Reservoir: The reservoir is about 10 feet above the lowest height on record
Lemolo Lake: Anglers have also reported catching tiger trout
Rogue River- Lower: The Rogue Bay has been busy with anglers
Rogue River - Middle: ODFW has lifted the 2 p.m. fishing closure between Lobster and Hog creeks
Rogue River- Upper: Chinook fishing is closed from Fishers Ferry upstream to Cole Rivers Hatchery through the end of the year
Sixes River: Temporary low water fishing closure will start Oct. 1
Nehalem River: “Summer” Chinook fishing continues to be fair
Trask River: Trask River Fishing Report
Clackamas River: Summer steelhead are currently being caught
Eagle Creek: The creek remains too low and clear to offer much fishing opportunity
Fern Ridge Reservoir: There is good bank access at several rest stops and campgrounds
Foster Reservoir: This reservoir is now full and all three boat ramps are currently available
Green Peter Reservoir: The water level in the reservoir continues to drop and will continue to do so through the fall
North Fork Reservoir: Trout fishing has been good in the North Fork Reservoir
Quartzville Creek: The road closure along most of Quartzville Creek was lifted last weekend
Sandy River: Summer steelhead fishing has been slow on the Sandy
Santiam River ( North Fork) : Santiam River North Fork Report
Santiam River ( North Fork) Above Detroit Lake: The highway along the upper North Santiam has re-opened
Santiam River (South Fork): Fishing for smallmouth bass can be very good during the warm months below Lebanon
Umatilla River: Trout fishing on the Umatilla River remains open until Oct. 31
Walla Walla River: Walla Walla Steelhead Closure