Washington DFW Fishing Rule Change: Sport Sturgeon Retention Season Approved for Bonneville Pool
OutdoorHub 12.25.12
Action: The recreational fishery in Bonneville Reservoir opens to white sturgeon retention 7 days per week.
Effective dates: Jan. 1 through Feb. 10, 2013
Species affected: White sturgeon
Location: The Columbia River and tributaries from Bonneville Dam upstream to The Dalles Dam (Bonneville Reservoir).
Reason for action: Establishes the winter-period white sturgeon retention season in Bonneville Reservoir. Fishery managers determined that closing the fishery to sturgeon retention Feb. 11 will reserve about 850 fish for a summer retention season. This decision was made Dec. 18 at a joint Washington-Oregon public hearing.
Other information: The status of the fishery will be reviewed at a Joint Washington-Oregon public hearing scheduled for Jan. 30. Fishery managers will meet again in May to set dates for the summer retention season.
Catch-and-release fishing for sturgeon will still be allowed between Bonneville and The Dalles dams when retention is not allowed. The section of the Columbia River and tributaries between The Dalles Dam and McNary Dam opens to sturgeon retention Jan. 1 per permanent rules and will remain open until respective harvest guidelines for each reservoir are reached. The spawning sanctuaries from the Highway 395/I-82 Bridge upstream to McNary Dam and from the Rufus grain elevator upstream to John Day Dam will be closed to all sturgeon fishing May 1 through July 31.
Information contact: Dennis Gilliland, (360) 906-6733.
