Oregon Fish And Wildlife - Regulation Changes


by OR Department of Fish & Wildlife Staff
6-10-2013
Website

Beginning Jan. 1, 2013 the Columbia River, and select tributaries (listed under regulation updates for Northwest Zone and Willamette Zone) will be restricted to barbless hooks when fishing for salmon, steelhead and trout.

SALMON, STEELHEAD, and SHAD

Spring Season (January 1 through June 15, 2013 timeframe)

All Permanent Regulations apply unless noted otherwise including:

Retention of adipose fin-clipped steelhead allowed:
May 16 - June 15, 2013 from Tongue Point/Rocky Point line upstream to I-5 Bridge under permanent regulations.
June 16 - July 31, 2013 from Astoria-Megler Bridge upstream to the OR/WA border under permanent regulations.

Retention of adipose fin-clipped Chinook jacks (12-24") allowed:
May 16 - June 15, 2013 from Tongue Point/Rocky Point line upstream to I-5 Bridge under permanent regulations.
June 16 - July 31, 2013 from Astoria-Megler Bridge upstream to the OR/WA border under permanent regulations.

Retention of shad allowed:
May 16 - December 31, 2013 from the Buoy 10 line upstream to Bonneville Dam under permanent regulations.
All year from Bonneville Dam upstream to the OR/WA border under permanent regulations. SELECT AREA RECREATIONAL FISHERIES (Youngs Bay, Blind Slough, Knappa Slough)

Effective March 1 - June 15, 2013:
The salmonid daily bag limit in Select Areas will be the same as the mainstem Columbia River below Bonneville Dam on the days when the mainstem Columbia River recreational fishery below Bonneville Dam is open for Chinook retention.
The salmonid daily bag limit in Select Areas will revert to permanent regulations when the mainstem Columbia River below Bonneville Dam is closed to Chinook retention.

COLUMBIA RIVER MAINSTEM, Buoy 10 upstream to Tongue Point/Rocky Point Line

Currently under permanent regulations for salmon, steelhead, and shad.

COLUMBIA RIVER MAINSTEM, Tongue Point/Rocky Point Line to Bonneville Dam

Currently under permanent regulations for shad. Effective May 25 - June 15, 2013:
Open for adipose fin-clipped Chinook and adipose fin-clipped steelhead.
Sockeye must be released.
Daily bag limit is 2 adult salmon/steelhead in combination, of which only 1 may be an adult Chinook. Chinook adults are > 24 inches and steelhead > 20 inches.
Up to 5 adipose fin-clipped jacks may be retained in addition to the adult bag limit. Season modifications may be required to remain within harvest guidelines.

COLUMBIA RIVER MAINSTEM, Beacon Rock to Bonneville Dam

Currently under permanent regulations for shad. Effective May 25 - June 7, 2013:
This area is open to BANK ANGLING ONLY for adipose fin-clipped Chinook and adipose fin-clipped steelhead.
Sockeye must be released.
Daily bag limit is 2 adult salmon/steelhead in combination, of which only 1 may be an adult Chinook. Chinook adults are > 24 inches and steelhead > 20 inches.

Up to 5 adipose fin-clipped jacks may be retained in addition to the adult bag limit. Effective June 8 - June 15, 2013:
This area is open to BOAT and BANK angling for adipose fin-clipped Chinook and adipose fin-clipped steelhead.
Sockeye must be released.
Daily bag limit is 2 adult salmon/steelhead in combination, of which only 1 may be an adult Chinook. Chinook adults are > 24 inches and steelhead > 20 inches.
Up to 5 adipose fin-clipped jacks may be retained in addition to the adult bag limit. Season modifications may be required to remain within harvest guidelines.

COLUMBIA RIVER MAINSTEM, Bonneville Dam upstream to Oregon/Washington border

Currently under permanent regulations for shad. Effective June 8, 2013 - June 15, 2013:
Open for adipose fin-clipped Chinook and adipose fin-clipped steelhead from Tower Island Power lines (located approximately 6 miles downstream from The Dalles Dam) upstream to Oregon/Washington border for boat and bank, plus BANK ANGLING ONLY from Bonneville Dam upstream to the Tower Island Power lines.
Sockeye must be released.
Daily bag limit is 2 adult salmon/steelhead in combination, of which only one may be an adult Chinook. Chinook adults are > 24 inches and steelhead > 20 inches.
Up to 5 adipose fin-clipped jacks may be retained in addition to the adult bag limit. Season modifications may be required to remain within harvest guidelines.

Summer Season (June 16-July 31 timeframe)

SUMMER CHINOOK AND SOCKEYE SALMON

Retention of sockeye and adipose fin-clipped adult Chinook (>24") allowed:
June 16 - 30, 2013 (or until guideline) from Astoria-Megler Bridge upstream to Bonneville Dam. June 16 - July 31, 2013 from Bonneville Dam upstream to the OR/WA border.
Retention of adipose fin-clipped jack Chinook (>24") allowed June 16 - July 31, 2013 from the Astoria Megler-Bridge upstream to the OR/WA Border.
Daily bag limit is 2 adult salmon/steelhead in combination. All sockeye count towards the adult salmonid daily bag limit regardless of size.
Up to 5 adipose fin-clipped jacks may be retained in addition to the adult bag limit. Fall Season (August 1-December 31 timeframe)

All Permanent Regulations apply unless noted otherwise including:
Open to retention of adult (>16") adipose fin-clipped coho and adipose fin-clipped steelhead during August 1 - December 31, 2013 from Buoy 10 upstream to Bonneville Dam under permanent rules.
Jacks may not be retained between August 1 and September 30, 2013 from Buoy 10 upstream to Tongue Point/Rocky Point line under permanent rules.
Retention of Chinook, coho, and adipose fin-clipped steelhead allowed August 1 - December 31, 2013 (or until guideline) from Bonneville Dam upstream to the OR/WA border under permanent regulations.
All coho retained downstream of the Hood River Bridge must be adipose fin-clipped under permanent regulations.
Combined daily bag limit is two adults and five jack salmon.

COLUMBIA RIVER MAINSTEM, Buoy 10 upstream to Tongue Point/ Rocky Point (Buoy 10 line upstream to a line projected from Rocky Point on the WA shore through red buoy #44 to the navigation light at Tongue Point).

Open to retention of adult (>24") Chinook: August 1-September 1, 2013 (or until guideline) and October 1-December 31, 2013.
The combined daily bag limit is two adults, only one of which may be an adult Chinook. Jacks may not be retained between August 1 and September 30 under permanent rules.

COLUMBIA RIVER MAINSTEM, Tongue Point/ Rocky Point upstream to Beacon Rock (a line projected from Rocky Point on the WA shore through red buoy #44 to the navigation light at Tongue Point upstream to Beacon Rock)

Open to retention of Chinook:
August 1 - September 12, 2013 (or until guideline) and October 1-December 31, 2013 from Tongue Point/Rocky Point line upstream to a line projected from the Warrior Rock Lighthouse on the Oregon shore to red buoy #4 to a marker on the lower end of Bachelor Island. During September 6-12, only adipose fin-clipped Chinook may be retained.
August 1 - December 31, 2013 (or until guideline) from a line projected from the Warrior Rock Lighthouse on the Oregon shore to red buoy #4 to a marker on the lower end of Bachelor Island, upstream to Bonneville Dam. The combined daily bag limit is two adults, only one of which may be a chinook and five jack salmon.

STURGEON

Effective January 1-March 31, 2013, the annual bag limit for Oregon is one legal white sturgeon total for all zones statewide.
Effective April 1-December 31, 2013, the annual bag limit for Oregon is two legal white sturgeon total for all zones statewide. All white sturgeon caught and retained during January 1-March 31, 2013 will count toward the annual limit for all zones statewide.
The retention of green sturgeon is prohibited at all times.
Anglers are limited to the use of one single-point barbless hook while angling for white sturgeon.
It is unlawful to use lamprey for bait.
In all areas, catch-and-release sturgeon angling is allowed during non-retention periods, unless otherwise indicated.
The lower Willamette River (including Multnomah Channel and the Gilbert River) sturgeon regulation updates can be found under the Willamette Zone.

COLUMBIA RIVER MAINSTEM, Buoy 10 upstream to Wauna Powerlines (mainstem Columbia River from the Wauna powerlines (River Mile 40) downstream to the mouth at Buoy 10, including Youngs Bay; and all adjacent Washington tributaries)

Open to retention of white sturgeon 7 days per week during January 1 - April 30, 2013, and May 11 - June 30, 2013.
Daily bag limit is 1 white sturgeon, 38-54 inches FORK LENGTH during January 1 - April 30, 2013 and 41-54 inches FORK LENGTH during May 11 - June 30, 2013.

COLUMBIA RIVER MAINSTEM, Wauna Powerlines (RM 40) upstream to Bonneville Dam (including all adjacent Washington tributaries)

Open to retention of white sturgeon on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays during January 1 - June 15, 2013 and October 19 - December 31, 2013.
Daily bag limit is 1 white sturgeon, 38-54 inches FORK LENGTH.
Angling for sturgeon is prohibited from May 1-August 31 from Bonneville Dam downstream nine miles to a line crossing the Columbia River from Navigation Marker 82 on the Oregon shore, westerly to the boundary marker on the Washington Shore upstream to Fir Point.
Effective February 1 - April 30 angling is prohibited for all species in the area from a line between the upstream end of Sand Island (near Rooster Rock) and a marker on the Oregon shoreline, downstream to a line between the lower end of Sand Island and a marker on the Oregon shoreline.

The Sandy River is closed to sturgeon retention. COLUMBIA RIVER RESERVOIRS, between Bonneville Dam and McNary Dam.

Sturgeon creel sampling summaries and catch estimates from Bonneville, The Dalles, and John Day reservoirs can be found on the WDFW's Southwest Washington Fishing Reports web page.

Bonneville Reservoir (Bonneville Dam upstream to The Dalles Dam)

The Columbia River and adjacent tributaries in this area is currently closed to the retention of white sturgeon.

The Columbia River and adjacent tributaries in this area will be open to the retention of white sturgeon during June 14-15, 2013 (Friday, Saturday) and June 21-22, 2013 (Friday, Saturday) or until the remaining catch guideline is met. The daily bag limit is one sturgeon between 38 - 54 inches fork length.

The Dalles Reservoir (The Dalles Dam upstream to John Day Dam)

Effective January 1, 2013, this section of the Columbia River is open to retention of white sturgeon seven days per week until the catch guideline of 300 legal white sturgeon has been met. The daily bag limit is one sturgeon between 43 - 54 inches fork length.

John Day Reservoir (John Day Dam upstream to McNary Dam)

Effective January 1, 2013, this section of the Columbia River is open to retention of white sturgeon seven days per week until the catch guideline of 500 legal white sturgeon has been met. The daily bag limit is one sturgeon between 43 - 54 inches fork length.

McNary Dam upstream to the Oregon/Washington Border

Effective January 1 - 31, 2013, retention of white sturgeon prohibited in this section of the Columbia River.
Effective February 1, 2013 through July 31, 2013, this section of the Columbia River will be open to retention of white sturgeon seven days per week. The daily bag limit is one sturgeon between 43 - 54 inches fork length.

Catch and release of sturgeon may continue during sturgeon retention closures.



More Reports

OR Department of Fish & Wildlife Reports
for Friday, June 7th, 2013

: Oregon Halibut Update through week 22 (June 2)
: SALMON, STEELHEAD, and SHAD New Oregon Regulations

Salmon Regulations for Lookingglass Creek
Lookingglass Creek

6-4-2013
Open for adipose fin-clipped spring chinook jacks (less than 24-inches long) June 1 - June 21 from the Moses Creek...... Read More