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Columbia River Regional Sport Fishing
Reports by Oregon Fish and Wildlife

by Mark Yuasa
Seattle Times, September 13, 2011

COLUMBIA RIVER FISHING REPORT

Weekend Fishing Opportunities:

Fall chinook catches are fair to excellent in the Columbia between Warrior Rock and Bonneville Dam.

Buoy 10 reopens for chinook retention on Friday September 16 through Saturday December 31.

The Columbia between Tongue Point and Warrior Rock reopens to chinook retention for three days during Friday September 16 through Sunday September 18.

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 THE TONGUE POINT/ROCKY POINT LINE:

This section of the Columbia is currently open to the retention of adipose fin-clipped coho and adipose fin-clipped steelhead. Effective Friday September 16 through December 31, this section of the Columbia River will be open to the retention of adult chinook (greater than 24 inches), adipose fin-clipped adult coho (greater than 16 inches) and adipose fin-clipped steelhead with a daily bag limit of two adult salmon/steelhead in combination.

The retention of chum and sockeye is prohibited. Effective October 1-December 31, the daily limit is two adult salmon (chinook or adipose fin-clipped coho) or adipose fin-clipped steelhead in combination and five jacks.

COLUMBIA RIVER MAINSTEM, TONGUE POINT/ROCKY POINT LINE UPSTREAM TO WARRIOR ROCK LIGHTHOUSE/BACHELOR ISLAND LINE:

This section of the Columbia is currently closed to the retention of chinook and open to the retention of adipose fin-clipped coho and adipose fin-clipped steelhead. Effective Friday September 16 through Sunday September 18, this section of the Columbia River will be open to the retention of chinook salmon with a daily bag limit of two adult salmon/steelhead in combination plus five jacks.

Effective September 19 through September 30, the Columbia River from the Tongue Point/Rocky Point Line upstream to a line projected from Warrior Rock Lighthouse on the Oregon shore to Red Buoy #4 to a marker on the lower end of Bachelor Island is closed for chinook retention but is open for adipose fin-clipped summer steelhead and coho. Effective October 1 through December 31 this section of the Columbia River will re-open for chinook retention with a daily bag limit of two adult salmon/steelhead in combination and five jacks.

COLUMBIA RIVER MAINSTEM, WARRIOR ROCK LIGHTHOUSE/BACHELOR ISLAND LINE UPSTREAM TO BONNEVILLE DAM:

Effective September 10 through December 31, the Columbia River from a line projected from 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 is open to the retention of fall chinook, adipose fin-clipped coho and adipose fin-clipped steelhead.

The daily bag limit is two adult salmon/steelhead in combination and five jack salmon. Jack salmon are chinook less than or equal to 24 inches and coho less than or equal to 20 inches. It is unlawful to angle for jack salmon after the adult daily bag limit has been reached. Retention of chum and sockeye is prohibited. Seasons may be subject to in-season modifications.

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

Effective August 1 through December 31, this section of the Columbia River is open for fall chinook, coho (only adipose fin-clipped coho may be retained between Bonneville Dam and the Hood River bridge), and adipose fin-clipped steelhead. The daily bag limit is two adult salmon/steelhead in combination and five jacks. Jack salmon are chinook less than or equal to 24 inches and coho less than or equal to 20 inches. It is unlawful to angle for jack salmon after the adult daily bag limit has been reached. The retention of chum and sockeye is prohibited.

On the Lower Columbia this past weekend there were 1,105 salmonid boats and 139 Oregon bank anglers counted from Bonneville Dam downstream to Cathlamet on Saturday's (9/10) flight. Catch rates were fair to excellent for fall chinook from Warrior Rock to Bonneville, while catch rates for coho remain slow. Anglers fishing in the gorge had the best success where boat anglers averaged 1.27 fall chinook and 0.04 coho caught per boat, while the bank anglers averaged 0.17 fall chinook caught per angler. Between Portland and Warrior Rock, boat anglers averaged 0.69 fall chinook and 0.03 coho caught per boat, while boat anglers fishing in Troutdale averaged 0.27 fall chinook caught per boat.

Gorge Bank:

Weekend checking showed 13 fall chinook adults and two fall chinook jacks kept, plus one fall chinook and one unclipped steelhead released for 82 bank anglers.

Gorge Boats:

Weekend checking showed 57 fall chinook adults, eight fall chinook jacks, and one adipose fin-clipped steelhead kept, plus two unclipped coho released for 45 boats (141 anglers).

Troutdale Boats:

Weekend checking showed 56 fall chinook adults, nine fall chinook jacks, one adipose fin-clipped coho and three adipose fin-clipped steelhead kept for 208 boats (457 anglers).

Portland to Longview Bank:

Weekend checking showed no catch for six bank anglers.

Portland to Warrior Rock Boats:

Weekend checking showed 123 fall chinook adults, eight fall chinook jacks, and two adipose fin-clipped coho kept, plus five fall chinook jacks, and three unclipped coho released for 178 boats (417 anglers).

Warrior Rock to Longview Boats:

Weekend checking showed four chinook and one coho released for five boats (11 anglers).

Estuary Bank (Jones Beach to Clatsop Spit):

No report.

Estuary Boats (Buoy 10):

Weekend checking showed 158 adipose fin-clipped coho and one adipose fin-clipped steelhead kept plus 88 fall chinook, 120 coho, and one steelhead released for 153 boats (449 anglers).


Mark Yuasa
Columbia River Regional Sport Fishing Reports by Oregon Fish and Wildlife
Seattle Times, September 13, 2011

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