09-30-2008, 11:10 AM
Effective Saturday September 20, 2008 through December 31, 2008 or until further notice chinook retention is allowed from the boundary marker on the lower end of Bachelor Island to the Warrior Rock Lighthouse upstream to Bonneville Dam.
The daily bag limit on fall chinook salmon in the Columbia River below Bonneville dam increases to two fish, effective Thursday, Sept. 25 through the remainder of the year. The bag limit was increased following reports that showed continued improvement in projected fall chinook population estimates. This action follows the recent decision to reopen the fall chinook season below Bonneville dam and let it run until the end of the year, subject to ongoing review of run sizes.
The extended season and increased bag limit apply to the Columbia River from the Warrior Rock-Bachelor Island line above the mouth of the Lewis River upstream to Bonneville dam. As a result of these actions, anglers may keep up to two chinook, coho and steelhead per day in combination. Retained chinook do not have to be fin-clipped. However, any coho or steelhead must be adiposed-clipped in order to be retained, as prescribed under permanent fishing regulations.
Adipose-clipped coho and steelhead may also be kept in the Columbia River below its confluence with the Lewis River.
Buoy 10 to Tongue Point remains closed to all salmon and steelhead angling.
Weekend Fishing Opportunities
* Salmonid anglers are still catching quite a few fall chinook especially in the gorge.
* Coho are congregated at tributary river mouths just waiting for an appetizing lure to catch their eye.
Columbia River Fish Counts
Regulations
Chinook Salmon<br />
Chinook Salmon<br />
-Oregon Fish and Wildlife-
SALMON, STEELHEAD AND SHAD
Overall, salmonid angling improved on the lower Columbia River this past weekend. Salmonid anglers in the gorge continue to have the highest catch rates where boat anglers averaged 1.5 fall chinook caught per boat. In the Portland to Longview area boat anglers averaged 0.33 fall chinook, 0.42 coho, and 0.12 steelhead caught per boat, while in Troutdale boat anglers averaged 0.16 fall chinook caught per boat. Bank anglers in the gorge averaged 0.20 fall chinook caught per bank rod.
Gorge Bank
Weekend checking showed eight fall chinook adults and one fall chinook jack kept for 41 bank anglers.
Gorge Boats
Weekend checking showed 15 fall chinook adults, one fall chinook jack, and one adipose fin-clipped coho kept for 10 boats (complete trips).
Troutdale Bank: No report.
Troutdale Boats
Weekend checking showed five fall chinook kept for 32 boats (complete trips).
Portland to Longview Boats
Weekend checking showed eight fall chinook adults, one fall chinook jack, seven adipose fin-clipped coho adults, one adipose fin-clipped coho jack, and four adipose fin-clipped steelhead kept, plus three fall chinook adults, one fall chinook jack, and seven unclipped coho released for 33 boats (complete & incomplete trips).
Portland to Rainier Bank: No report.
Estuary Boat (Above Tongue Point) No report.<br />
sturgeon<br />
White Sturgeon<br />
- Oregon Fish and Wildlife -
STURGEON
Sturgeon angling continues to improve as more sturgeon move up from the estuary. Boat anglers had the best success in the gorge where anglers averaged 0.79 legal white sturgeon caught per boat, while anglers in Troutdale averaged 0.44 legal white sturgeon caught per boat. In the Portland to Longview area boat anglers averaged 0.29 legal white sturgeon caught per boat. Bank angling remains slow but should improve in the coming weeks.
Gorge Bank:<br />
Weekend checking showed nine legal white sturgeon kept, plus four oversize and seven sublegal sturgeon released for 183 bank anglers.
Gorge Boats:<br />
Weekend checking showed 11 legal white sturgeon kept, plus eight oversize and 154 sublegal sturgeon released for 14 boats (complete trips).
Troutdale Bank:<br />
No report.
Troutdale Boats:<br />
Weekend checking showed two legal white sturgeon kept, plus two legal and 62 sublegal sturgeon released for nine boats (complete trips).
Portland to Rainier Bank:<br />
No report.
Portland to Longview Boats:<br />
Weekend checking showed 10 legal white sturgeon kept, plus two legal and 112 sublegal sturgeon released for 41 boats (complete & incomplete trips).
Walleye:
Gorge boats:<br />
No report.
Troutdale boats:<br />
Weekend checking showed four walleye kept for one boat.
Portland to Longview Boats:<br />
Weekend checking showed no catch for one boat.
The daily bag limit on fall chinook salmon in the Columbia River below Bonneville dam increases to two fish, effective Thursday, Sept. 25 through the remainder of the year. The bag limit was increased following reports that showed continued improvement in projected fall chinook population estimates. This action follows the recent decision to reopen the fall chinook season below Bonneville dam and let it run until the end of the year, subject to ongoing review of run sizes.
The extended season and increased bag limit apply to the Columbia River from the Warrior Rock-Bachelor Island line above the mouth of the Lewis River upstream to Bonneville dam. As a result of these actions, anglers may keep up to two chinook, coho and steelhead per day in combination. Retained chinook do not have to be fin-clipped. However, any coho or steelhead must be adiposed-clipped in order to be retained, as prescribed under permanent fishing regulations.
Adipose-clipped coho and steelhead may also be kept in the Columbia River below its confluence with the Lewis River.
Buoy 10 to Tongue Point remains closed to all salmon and steelhead angling.
Weekend Fishing Opportunities
* Salmonid anglers are still catching quite a few fall chinook especially in the gorge.
* Coho are congregated at tributary river mouths just waiting for an appetizing lure to catch their eye.
Columbia River Fish Counts
Regulations
Chinook Salmon<br />
Chinook Salmon<br />
-Oregon Fish and Wildlife-
SALMON, STEELHEAD AND SHAD
Overall, salmonid angling improved on the lower Columbia River this past weekend. Salmonid anglers in the gorge continue to have the highest catch rates where boat anglers averaged 1.5 fall chinook caught per boat. In the Portland to Longview area boat anglers averaged 0.33 fall chinook, 0.42 coho, and 0.12 steelhead caught per boat, while in Troutdale boat anglers averaged 0.16 fall chinook caught per boat. Bank anglers in the gorge averaged 0.20 fall chinook caught per bank rod.
Gorge Bank
Weekend checking showed eight fall chinook adults and one fall chinook jack kept for 41 bank anglers.
Gorge Boats
Weekend checking showed 15 fall chinook adults, one fall chinook jack, and one adipose fin-clipped coho kept for 10 boats (complete trips).
Troutdale Bank: No report.
Troutdale Boats
Weekend checking showed five fall chinook kept for 32 boats (complete trips).
Portland to Longview Boats
Weekend checking showed eight fall chinook adults, one fall chinook jack, seven adipose fin-clipped coho adults, one adipose fin-clipped coho jack, and four adipose fin-clipped steelhead kept, plus three fall chinook adults, one fall chinook jack, and seven unclipped coho released for 33 boats (complete & incomplete trips).
Portland to Rainier Bank: No report.
Estuary Boat (Above Tongue Point) No report.<br />
sturgeon<br />
White Sturgeon<br />
- Oregon Fish and Wildlife -
STURGEON
Sturgeon angling continues to improve as more sturgeon move up from the estuary. Boat anglers had the best success in the gorge where anglers averaged 0.79 legal white sturgeon caught per boat, while anglers in Troutdale averaged 0.44 legal white sturgeon caught per boat. In the Portland to Longview area boat anglers averaged 0.29 legal white sturgeon caught per boat. Bank angling remains slow but should improve in the coming weeks.
Gorge Bank:<br />
Weekend checking showed nine legal white sturgeon kept, plus four oversize and seven sublegal sturgeon released for 183 bank anglers.
Gorge Boats:<br />
Weekend checking showed 11 legal white sturgeon kept, plus eight oversize and 154 sublegal sturgeon released for 14 boats (complete trips).
Troutdale Bank:<br />
No report.
Troutdale Boats:<br />
Weekend checking showed two legal white sturgeon kept, plus two legal and 62 sublegal sturgeon released for nine boats (complete trips).
Portland to Rainier Bank:<br />
No report.
Portland to Longview Boats:<br />
Weekend checking showed 10 legal white sturgeon kept, plus two legal and 112 sublegal sturgeon released for 41 boats (complete & incomplete trips).
Walleye:
Gorge boats:<br />
No report.
Troutdale boats:<br />
Weekend checking showed four walleye kept for one boat.
Portland to Longview Boats:<br />
Weekend checking showed no catch for one boat.