Columbia Zone
Table of Contents
Recreation Report
March 28, 2024
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Current and upcoming fishing opportunities
- Retention fisheries for white sturgeon in the Bonneville Pool, The Dalles Pool, and the John Day Pool are closed for the remainder of 2024.
- Spring Chinook are making their way in into the Columbia. Now's the time to plan your trip to the lower river!
- Effective March 1 – April 5, 2024, spring Chinook angling will be open from Buoy 10 upstream to Beacon Rock (boat and bank) plus bank angling only from Beacon Rock upstream to the Bonneville Dam deadline. See regulation updates for details on open season dates, daily bag limits, and other regulations.
- Effective April 1 – May 2, 2024, spring Chinook angling will be open from the Tower Island powerlines upstream to the Oregon/Washington state line above McNary, plus bank angling only between Bonneville Dam and Tower Island powerlines. See regulation updates for details on open season dates, daily bag limits, and other regulations.
- All other permanent rules for the Columbia River Zone, as stated in the 2024 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations, remain in effect.
Announcements
Initial Columbia River spring Chinook seasons set
2024 spring-summer forecast
Fish consumption advisories
The Oregon Health Authority has issued consumption guidelines for parts of the Columbia River due to high levels of mercury and/or PCBs. Fish with these chemicals look, act, smell and taste like any other fish, so caution is important.
E-tagging tips for anglers
It's important for anglers to tag their salmon and steelhead immediately, which means you'll need to know how to navigate the MyODFW app outside of cell phone range. Here are some tips for e-tagging in the field.
Sign up for the latest information on boater access
Marine Board's Opportunities and Access Report incorporates information from federal and state agencies, local facility operators and fellow boaters to provide up-to-date information so boaters can decide where to recreate and what to expect this season. Subscribe to receive email updates.
Find Columbia River regulation updates for salmon, steelhead, shad and sturgeon by clicking the Regulation Updates button.
Salmon, steelhead and shad
On Saturday's (3/23) effort count, there were 128 salmonid boats and 165 Oregon bank anglers counted from Portland to Longview.
Gorge:
Weekly checking showed no catch for one boat (one angler); and no catch for one bank angler.
Troutdale:
Weekly checking showed no catch for 23 boats (41 anglers).
Portland to Sauvie Island:
Weekly checking showed two Chinook kept for 19 boats (41 anglers).
Sauvie Island to Rainier:
Weekly checking showed two Chinook kept for 43 boats (104 anglers); and no catch for 42 bank anglers.
Rainier to lower Puget Island:
Weekly checking showed four Chinook kept for 30 boats (70 anglers); and three steelhead kept, and five steelhead released for 68 bank anglers.
Lower Puget Island to Buoy 10:
Weekly checking showed 11 Chinook kept, and two Chinook released for 57 boats (132 anglers); and one steelhead kept for 17 bank anglers.
Bonneville Pool (Bonneville Dam upstream to The Dalles Dam):
No report.
The Dalles Pool (The Dalles Dam upstream to John Day Dam):
No report.
John Day Pool (Columbia River above John Day Dam and John Day Arm):
No report.
Sturgeon
Lower Columbia River (below Bonneville Dam):
Closed for retention. No report.
Bonneville Pool:
Closed for retention. No report.
The Dalles Pool:
Closed to retention. No report.
John Day Pool:
Closed to retention. No report.
Walleye
Lower Columbia River (below Bonneville Dam):
No report.
Bonneville Pool:
No report.
The Dalles Pool:
No report.
John Day Pool:
No report.
Regulation Updates
2024 Regulation Updates
Regulation updates as of March 13, 2024.
The following regulations reflect changes or additions to the permanent regulations listed in the 2024 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations. All other permanent regulations remain in effect. Please see e-regulations.
Salmon, steelhead, and shad
Buoy 10 upstream to the Oregon/Washington State Line
- Permanent rules are in effect during January 1 – February 29 downstream of Bonneville Dam and January 1 – March 31 upstream of Bonneville Dam.
Buoy 10 upstream to Bonneville Dam
- Effective March 1 – April 5, 2024: the following area, retention, and daily bag limits apply:
- Area definition: Buoy 10 line upstream to Beacon Rock (boat and bank) plus only bank angling from Beacon Rock upstream to the Bonneville Dam deadline.
- Legal upstream boat boundary defined as: A deadline marker on the Oregon bank (approximately four miles downstream from Bonneville Dam Powerhouse One) in a straight line through the western tip of Pierce Island to a deadline marker on the Washington bank at Beacon Rock.
- Retention allowed: open for hatchery Chinook and hatchery steelhead. Shad may also be retained.
- Daily bag limit: two adult hatchery salmonids (Chinook or steelhead) per day, but only one may be a Chinook.
- All other permanent regulations apply.
- Area definition: Buoy 10 line upstream to Beacon Rock (boat and bank) plus only bank angling from Beacon Rock upstream to the Bonneville Dam deadline.
Bonneville Dam upstream to the Oregon/Washington State Line (upstream of McNary Dam)
- Effective April 1 – May 2, 2024: the following area, retention, and daily bag limits apply:
- Area definition: Tower Island power lines (approximately six miles downstream of The Dalles Dam) upstream to Oregon/Washington state line, plus the Oregon and Washington banks between Bonneville Dam and the Tower Island power lines.
- Retention allowed: open for hatchery Chinook and hatchery steelhead.
- Daily bag limit: two adult hatchery salmonids (Chinook or steelhead) per day, but only one may be a Chinook.
- All other permanent regulations apply.
Select Area Recreational Fisheries
- Effective March 1 – June 15, 2024: On days when the mainstem Columbia River recreational fishery below Bonneville Dam is open to retention of Chinook, the salmonid daily bag limit in Oregon and Washington Select Areas will be the same as mainstem Columbia River bag limits. On days when the mainstem Columbia River recreational fishery below Bonneville Dam is closed to Chinook retention, the permanent salmonid bag limit regulations for Select Areas apply.
Sturgeon
See 2024 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations for legal size, daily and annual bag limits and sanctuary closure areas.
Columbia River Mainstem and Reservoirs, Buoy 10 to McNary Dam
- Except as listed below, retention of sturgeon is closed. Catch-and-release fishing is allowed except in the sanctuary areas downstream from Bonneville, The Dalles, John Day, and McNary dams during May 1 – August 31.
- The annual statewide bag limit is two fish, applicable to any/all 2024 retention fisheries.
BONNEVILLE POOL
Bonneville Pool is closed to sturgeon retention effective January 4, 2024.
THE DALLES POOL
The Dalles Pool is closed to sturgeon retention effective February 29, 2024.
JOHN DAY POOL
- Dates: Open seven days per week beginning Monday, January 1 through Thursday, March 14. Effective Friday March 15, the John Day Pool is closed for sturgeon retention.
- Area: Mainstem Columbia River from John Day Dam to McNary Dam, and all adjacent tributaries.
- Legal size: 43-inch minimum and 54-inch maximum fork length (fork length is measured in a straight line from the tip of the nose to the fork in the caudal fin (tail) with the fish laying on its side on a flat surface, with the tape measure/ruler positioned flat under the fish.
- Daily bag limit: One fish.