Oregon’s Columbia Zone Regulation Update

   09.10.12

Oregon’s Columbia Zone Regulation Update

Fall Season (August 1-December 31)

All Permanent Regulations apply unless noted otherwise

Buoy 10 upstream to Tongue Point/ Rocky Point (Mainstem Columbia River from 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 (>16”) adipose fin-clipped coho and adipose fin-clipped steelhead August 1 – December 31, 2012 under permanent rules.  The combined daily bag limit is two adult salmon and/or steelhead.
  • Jacks may not be retained in this area August 1 – September 30, 2012 under permanent rules. From October 1 – December 31, 2012 the daily bag limit may include five jacks in addition to the adult limit.
  • Closed to retention of all Chinook September 4 – 30, 2012.
  • Open to retention of Chinook (fin-clipped or not) October 1 – December 31, 2012. Daily adult bag limit may include up to two Chinook.

Tongue Point/ Rocky Point upstream to Warrior Rock (Mainstem Columbia River from a line projected from Rocky Point on the WA shore through red buoy #44 to the navigation light at Tongue Point 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).

  • Open to retention of adipose fin-clipped coho and adipose fin-clipped steelhead August 1 – December 31, 2012 under permanent rules. The combined daily bag limit is two adult salmon and/or steelhead and five jack salmon.
  • Retention of Chinook:
    • Open to retention of Chinook (fin-clipped or not) August 1 – September 9, 2012 (or until guideline).  Daily bag limit may not include more than one adult Chinook.
    • Pilot Mark-Selective Chinook season September 10 – 16, 2012 (or until guideline):
      • Open to retention of only adipose fin-clipped Chinook (in addition to coho and steelhead as described above).  Daily bag limit may not include more than one adult Chinook.
    • Closed to retention of all Chinook September 17-30, 2012.
    • Open to retention of Chinook (fin-clipped or not) October 1 – December 31, 2012. Daily bag limit may include up to two adult Chinook.

Warrior Rock upstream to Bonneville Dam (Mainstem Columbia River 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)

  • Open to retention of adipose fin-clipped coho and adipose fin-clipped steelhead August 1 – December 31, 2012 under permanent rules. The combined daily bag limit is two adult salmon and/or steelhead and five jack salmon.
  • Open to retention of Chinook (fin-clipped or not) August 1 – December 31, 2012 (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.
    • August 1-September 9, 2012 the daily bag limit may not include more than one adult Chinook.
    • September 10 – December 31, 2012, the daily bag limit may include up to two adult Chinook.

Bonneville Dam upstream to the OR/WA border.

  • Retention of Chinook, coho, and adipose fin-clipped steelhead allowed August 1 – December 31, 2012 (or until guideline) under permanent regulations.
  • All coho retained downstream of the Hood River Bridge must be adipose fin-clipped under permanent regulations.
  • The combined daily bag limit is two adult salmon and/or steelhead and five jack salmon.

STURGEON
All Permanent Regulations apply unless listed otherwise including:

  • 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.
  • Open to retention of white sturgeon from February 1 – July 31 upstream of McNary Dam under permanent regulations.
  • The lower Willamette River (including Multnomah Channel and the Gilbert River) sturgeon regulation updates can be found under the Willamette Zone.

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)

  • Retention of white sturgeon prohibited effective 12:01am July 5, 2012 through the remainder of the year.  Catch and release angling remains open.

Wauna Powerlines (RM 40) upstream to Bonneville Dam (mainstem Columbia River from the Wauna powerlines (River Mile 40) upstream to Bonneville Dam, including all adjacent Washington tributaries)

  • Retention of white sturgeon prohibited seven days per week during Wednesday, Aug. 1 through Friday, Oct. 19, 2012.  Catch and release of sturgeon may continue during sturgeon retention closures.
  • Open to retention of white sturgeon on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays October 20 – December 31, 2012 (or until guideline).
    • Daily bag limit is 1 white sturgeon, 38-54 inches FORK LENGTH.

COLUMBIA RIVER RESERVOIRS, between Bonneville Dam and McNary Dam
Sturgeon creel sampling summaries and catch estimates for Bonneville, The Dalles, and John Day reservoirs can be found on the WDFW Website.
Bonneville Reservoir (Bonneville Dam upstream to The Dalles Dam)

  • The Columbia River and tributaries in this area is closed to the retention of white sturgeon for the remainder of the year.  Catch and release angling remains open.

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

  • Open to retention of white sturgeon three days per week on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays effective August 5, 2012 until the reservoir specific harvest guideline (300) is met.
  • Retention of white sturgeon PROHIBITED four days per week on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays effective Sunday, August 5, 2012.
  • Catch and release angling remains open.

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

  • The Columbia River and tributaries in this area is closed to the retention of white sturgeon for the remainder of the year.  Catch and release angling remains open.
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