Oregon Fish And Wildlife - Regulation Changes

Oregon Department Of Fish and Wildlife

Oregon Fish And Wildlife - Regulation Changes

February 15, 2013

Columbia Zone

News: States set spring chinook, sturgeon seasons for Columbia and Willamette rivers

Willamette sturgeon retention season announced for July

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

COLUMBIA RIVER MAINSTEM, Buoy 10 upstream to I-5 Bridge

Effective January 1 - February 28, 2013, under permanent regulations:

Open for adipose fin-clipped Chinook, adipose fin-clipped steelhead, and shad.

Daily bag limit is 2 adult salmon/steelhead in combination and up to 5 adipose fin-clipped jacks.

Effective March 1 - April 5, 2013:

Open for adipose fin-clipped Chinook, adipose fin-clipped steelhead, and shad 7 days per week except closed Tuesday March 26, and Tuesday April 2.

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, I-5 Bridge upstream to Beacon Rock

Effective January 1 - February 28, 2013, under permanent regulations:

Open for adipose fin-clipped steelhead. Closed to retention of salmon.

Daily bag limit is 2 adult steelhead (> 20 inches).

Effective March 1 - April 5, 2013:

Open for adipose fin-clipped Chinook, adipose fin-clipped steelhead, and shad 7 days per week except closed Tuesday March 26, and Tuesday April 2.

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

Effective January 1 - February 28, 2013, under permanent regulations:

Open for adipose fin-clipped steelhead. Closed to retention of salmon.

Daily bag limit is 2 adult steelhead (> 20 inches).

Effective March 1 - April 5, 2013:

This area is open to BANK ANGLING ONLY for adipose fin-clipped Chinook, adipose fin-clipped steelhead, and shad 7 days per week except closed Tuesday March 26, and Tuesday April 2.

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

Effective January 1 - March 15, 2013, under permanent regulations:

Open for adipose fin-clipped steelhead. Closed to retention of salmon.

Daily bag limit is 2 adult steelhead (> 20inches).

Effective March 16 - May 5, 2013:

Open for adipose fin-clipped Chinook and adipose fin-clipped steelhead 7 days per week 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.

Daily bag limit is 2 adult salmon/steelhead in combination. 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.

SELECT AREA RECREATIONAL FISHERIES (Youngs Bay, Blind Slough, Knappa Slough)

Effective January 1 - February 28, 2013, under permanent regulations:

Open for salmon and steelhead (see area specific regulations for details).

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.

STURGEON

The annual bag limit for Oregon in 2013 is one legal white sturgeon total 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. The annual bag limit for Oregon in 2013 is one legal white sturgeon total for all zones statewide.

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. The annual bag limit for Oregon in 2013 is one legal white sturgeon total for all zones statewide.

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, 2012 angling is prohibited for all species in the area from a line between the upstream end of Sand Island 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 http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/creel/region5/ web page.

Bonneville Reservoir (Bonneville Dam upstream to The Dalles Dam)

Effective January 1, 2013, this section of the Columbia River is open to the retention of white sturgeon seven days per week through Sunday February 10, 2013, or until a harvest guideline of 1,100 legal white sturgeon has been met. The daily bag limit is one sturgeon between 38 – 54 inches fork length. The annual bag limit for Oregon in 2013 is one legal white sturgeon total for all zones statewide.

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. The annual bag limit for Oregon in 2013 is one legal white sturgeon total for all zones statewide.

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. The annual bag limit for Oregon in 2013 is one legal white sturgeon total for all zones statewide.

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. The annual bag limit for Oregon in 2013 is one legal white sturgeon total for all zones statewide.

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

The 2013 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations (pdf) Columbia Zone