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Overload of Fishing Opportunities in the Columbia River Region by Mark Yuasa Seattle Times, July 13, 2012

OREGON FISH AND WILDLIFE COLUMBIA FISHING REPORT

Weekend Fishing Opportunities:

Effective Saturday June 16, angling is open for adipose fin-clipped summer chinook, adipose fin-clipped steelhead, sockeye (fin-clipped or not) and shad from the Astoria-Megler Bridge upstream to the Oregon/Washington border above McNary Dam.

Sturgeon retention is allowed three days per week (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday) from Marker 82 downstream to Wauna Powerlines through July 31 with a 38-inch minimum and 54-inch maximum fork length restriction in effect.

The estuary sturgeon season is open seven days per week during Saturday May 12 through Sunday July 8 (or catch guideline) below the Wauna power lines with a 41-inch minimum and 54-inch maximum size limit (fork length).

SALMON, STEELHEAD AND SHAD:

The following modifications are now in effect for the mainstem Columbia River from Buoy 10 upstream to the Oregon/Washington border above McNary Dam:

COLUMBIA RIVER MAINSTEM, BUOY 10 LINE UPSTREAM TO TONGUE POINT/ROCKY POINT LINE:

This section of the Columbia River is currently closed to angling for salmon and steelhead, but is open to angling for shad. Effective Saturday June 16 through Sunday July 1, the Columbia River mainstem from the Astoria-Megler Bridge upstream to Tongue Point is open to angling for adipose fin-clipped summer chinook, adipose fin-clipped steelhead and sockeye. The daily limit will be two adult salmon or steelhead in combination (chinook > 24", sockeye, and steelhead 20") plus five chinook jacks. All sockeye count toward the adult salmonid daily bag limit, regardless of size.

COLUMBIA RIVER MAINSTEM, TONGUE POINT/ROCKY POINT LINE UPSTREAM TO THE I-5 BRIDGE:

This section of the Columbia River is open to angling for adipose fin-clipped steelhead, adipose fin-clipped chinook jacks (between 12 and 24 inches), sockeye (fin-clipped or not) and shad through June 15, 2012. The daily bag limit is two sockeye and/or steelhead in combination plus five adipose fin-clipped chinook jacks. All sockeye count toward the adult daily limit, regardless of size. Effective Saturday June 16 through Sunday July 1, this section of the Columbia River will be open to the retention of adipose fin-clipped summer chinook, adipose fin-clipped steelhead, sockeye (fin-clipped or not) and shad. The daily bag limit will be two adipose fin-clipped adult summer chinook (> 24"), adipose fin-clipped summer steelhead or sockeye in combination and five adipose fin-clipped chinook jacks. All sockeye count toward the adult salmonid daily bag limit, regardless of size.

COLUMBIA RIVER MAINSTEM, I-5 BRIDGE UPSTREAM TO BONNEVILLE DAM:

This section of the Columbia River is currently closed to angling for salmon and steelhead, but is open to angling for shad through June 15, 2012. Effective Saturday June 16 through Sunday July 1, this section of the Columbia River will be open to the retention of adipose fin-clipped summer chinook, adipose fin-clipped steelhead, sockeye (fin-clipped or not) and shad. The daily bag limit will be two adipose fin-clipped adult summer chinook, adipose fin-clipped summer steelhead or sockeye in combination and five adipose fin-clipped chinook jacks. All sockeye count toward the adult salmonid daily bag limit, regardless of size.

COLUMBIA RIVER MAINSTEM, BONNEVILLE DAM UPSTREAM TO THE OREGON/WASHINGTON BORDER:

This section of the Columbia River is closed to angling for salmon and steelhead, but is open to angling for shad through June 15, 2012. Effective Wednesday May 16 through Tuesday July 31, 2012 only single point hooks are allowed when angling at Cascade Locks in the area between the boat ramp at the lower end of the locks upstream to the east (upstream) end of the lock wall. Effective Saturday June 16 through Tuesday July 31, this section of the Columbia River will be open to the retention of adipose fin-clipped summer chinook, adipose fin-clipped steelhead, sockeye (fin-clipped or not) and shad. The daily bag limit will be two adipose fin-clipped adult summer chinook, adipose fin-clipped summer steelhead or sockeye in combination and five adipose fin-clipped chinook jacks. All sockeye count toward the adult salmonid daily bag limit, regardless of size.

Steelhead angling was fair on the lower Columbia this past weekend. Bank anglers in the Portland to Longview area had the highest catch rates where anglers averaged 0.08 steelhead and 0.08 sockeye caught per angler. As of Monday (6/11), 839,403 shad have crossed Bonneville Dam. Bank anglers fishing in the gorge averaged 10 shad per bank rod over the weekend. On Sunday's (6/10) flight, 104 salmonid boats, 98 shad boats, 293 Oregon salmonid bank anglers, and 242 Oregon shad bank anglers were counted.

Gorge Bank:

Weekend checking showed 1,219 shad kept for 122 shad anglers.

Gorge Boats:

Weekly checking showed 57 shad kept for three shad boats (nine anglers).

Troutdale Boats:

Weekend checking showed 32 shad kept for five boats (12 anglers).

Portland to Longview Bank:

Weekend checking showed 11 adipose fin-clipped steelhead and 12 sockeye kept, plus one unclipped steelhead and 16 spring chinook adults released for 156 salmonid anglers.

Portland to Longview Boats:

Weekend checking showed five spring chinook adults released for eight salmonid boats (21 anglers); and 20 shad kept for 12 shad boats (30 anglers).

Estuary Bank (Wauna Power Lines to Clatsop Spit):

Weekend checking showed six adipose fin-clipped steelhead and two sockeye kept, plus six unclipped steelhead and one spring chinook adult released for 34 bank anglers.

Estuary Boats (Wauna Power Lines to Buoy 10):

Weekend checking showed eight adipose fin-clipped steelhead and three sockeye kept, plus one unclipped steelhead and three spring chinook adults released for nine boats (17 anglers).

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