WDFW: Lower Columbia River salmon and steelhead fishery update

By on October 1, 2021

Lower Columbia River salmon and steelhead fishery update

Action: Opens Chinook retention from Buoy 10 upstream to the Warrior Rock line.

Species affected: Salmon and steelhead.

Effective Date: Oct. 1 through Oct. 31, 2021

Locations, dates, and rules:

  1. From a true north-south line through Buoy 10 upstream to a projected line from Rocky Point on the Washington bank through Red Buoy 44 to the red navigation marker 2 at Tongue Point on the Oregon Bank (the Rocky Point/Tongue Point line), and including Youngs Bay:

    Immediately through Sept. 30, 2021: Min. size 16″. Daily limit 3. Release all salmon and steelhead other than hatchery coho.

    Oct. 1 – Oct. 31, 2021: Min. size 12″. Daily limit 6. Up to 3 adults may be retained, of which 1 may be a Chinook. Release all salmon and steelhead other than Chinook and hatchery coho.

  2. From a line from Rocky Point on the Washington bank through Red Buoy 44 to red navigation marker 2 at Tongue Point on the Oregon bank (Rocky Point/Tongue Point line) to a line projected from the Warrior Rock lighthouse through Red Buoy 4 to the marker atop the piling dolphin located at the downstream end of Bachelor Island on the Washington Shore (Warrior Rock line):

    Immediately through Sept. 30, 2021: Min. size 12″. Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained. Release all salmon and steelhead other than hatchery coho.

    Oct. 1 – Oct. 31, 2021: Min. size 12″. Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained, of which 1 may be a Chinook. Release all salmon and steelhead other than Chinook and hatchery coho.

  3. Camas Slough, waters of the mainstem Columbia River north of Lady Island between a line projected northerly from western (downstream) end of Lady Island to the Washington Shore and the Highway 14 Bridge on the eastern (upstream) end of Lady Island:

    Immediately through Sept. 30: Closed to fishing for and retention of salmon and steelhead.

Reason for action:  Current in-season catch projections indicate that few ESA-listed lower river Chinook tules are expected to be caught within the portion of river set to reopen to Chinook retention. Additionally, ESA-listed Snake River wild Chinook impacts are available to mainstem recreational fisheries, given the recent in-season Upriver Bright run-size update. Fisheries are managed to remain under ESA impact limits.

Additional information: The Camas Slough closure will help provide additional protection for returning tule Chinook.

Information contact: Region 5, 360-696-6211

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Salmon University Staff
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