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September 12, 2013
CLACKAMAS, Ore. – With a possible record number of fall chinook heading up the Columbia River, anglers may now keep two fall chinook per day under new rules adopted today by Oregon and Washington fishery managers.
Effective Sept. 13 through Dec. 31 the daily bag limit will include two adult chinook (fin-clipped and non fin-clipped) from the Warrior Rock line upstream to Bonneville Dam.
In the area from Buoy 10 to Warrior Rock, the daily bag limit for Sept. 13 through Sept. 30 is two adult hatchery (adipose fin-clipped) salmon or steelhead. Beginning, Oct. 1, the bag limit remains at two salmon or steelhead but chinook no longer need to be fin-clipped.
The states also adopted “boat limit” regulations for the main stem Columbia River from Tongue Point upstream to the Hwy. 395 Bridge in Washington, allowing each angler aboard a vessel to continue to fish for salmon and steelhead until all anglers have achieved their daily bag limit.
The increased bag limit and season extensions are in response to a revised run update that predicts the number of upriver bright fall chinook returning to the Columbia River could be 664,000 to 835,00 fish, up from the a preseason forecast of 434,600 fish.
As of Sept. 11, 573,600 adult fall chinook have passed Bonneville Dam and there have been several record-setting days at the dam, including 63,870 adult chinook passing on Sept. 9.
In other action, the states rescinded the previously adopted white sturgeon retention season scheduled for Oct. 19 – Dec. 31 in the Columbia River from Wauna power lines upstream to Bonneville Dam. The decision was based on catch data that showed harvest guidelines for the main stem Columbia were achieved earlier in the year.
In a separate action, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife announced that sturgeon retention will be allowed on the lower Willamette River on Saturday, Oct. 19, with a bag limit of one fish with a fork length of 38-54 inches. The open area for this season includes the Willamette River from Willamette Falls downstream to its confluence with the Columbia, plus Multnomah Channel and the Gilbert River. Oregon staff intends to monitor harvest and may schedule additional openings if possible within available harvest limits.
For more information, please refer to ODFW’s regulation update page on the Internet at https://myodfw.com/oregon-fishing-and-hunting-regulations. |
