Action: Extends spring Chinook retention season and reduces steelhead daily limit.

Species affected: Salmon and steelhead.

Effective Date: May 29 through July 31, 2021.

Locations, dates, and rules:

1. From the Megler-Astoria Bridge upstream to the Rocky Point/Tongue Point line:

   Jun. 16 – Jul. 5: Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained, of which up to 1 may be a sockeye and up to 1 may be a steelhead. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook and sockeye. Salmon min. size 12”. Release wild steelhead.

   Jul. 6 – Jul. 31: Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained, of which up to 1 may be a sockeye and up to 1 may be a steelhead. Release all salmon other than hatchery jack Chinook and sockeye. Salmon min. size 12”. Release wild steelhead.

2. From the Rocky Point/Tongue Point line upstream to a line starting from a point on the Washington shore projected through Dolphin Marker J (near Shipping Terminal 9), southerly across the Columbia River to Columbia Park Boat Ramp in Rainier, Oregon:

   May 29: Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained of which up to 1 may be a Chinook and up to 1 may be a steelhead. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook. Salmon min. size 12”. Release wild steelhead.

   May 30 – May 31: Daily limit 6. Up to 1 steelhead may be retained. Release all salmon other than hatchery jack Chinook. Salmon min. size 12”. Release wild steelhead.

   June 1 – June 15: Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained of which up to 1 may be a Chinook and up to 1 may be a steelhead. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook. Salmon min. size 12”. Release wild steelhead.

   Jun. 16 – Jul. 5: Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained, of which up to 1 may be a sockeye and up to 1 may be a steelhead. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook and sockeye. Salmon min. size 12”. Release wild steelhead.

   Jul. 6 – Jul. 31: Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained, of which up to 1 may be a sockeye and up to 1 may be a steelhead. Release all salmon other than hatchery jack Chinook and sockeye. Salmon min. size 12”. Release wild steelhead.

3. From line starting from a point on the Washington shore projected through Dolphin Marker J (near Shipping Terminal 9), southerly across the Columbia River to Columbia Park Boat Ramp in Rainier, Oregon upstream to a line projected from a point on the Washington shore projected through Cottonwood Island Dike Light “31”, southerly across the Columbia River to a deadline marker on the Oregon shore and including the waters of Carrolls Channel (waters beginning at the upstream end of Cottonwood Island downstream to the confluence of the Cowlitz River):

   May 29: Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained of which up to 1 may be a Chinook and up to 1 may be a steelhead. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook. Salmon min. size 12”. Release wild steelhead. Fishing for salmon and steelhead from a vessel is prohibited.

   May 30 – May 31: Daily limit 6. Up to 1 steelhead may be retained. Release all salmon other than hatchery jack Chinook. Salmon min. size 12”. Release wild steelhead.

   June 1 – June 15: Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained of which up to 1 may be a Chinook and up to 1 may be a steelhead. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook. Salmon min. size 12”. Release wild steelhead. Fishing for salmon and steelhead from a vessel is prohibited.

   Jun. 16 – Jul. 31: Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained, of which up to 1 may be a sockeye and up to 1 may be a steelhead. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook and sockeye. Salmon min. size 12”. Release wild steelhead.

4. From a line starting from a point on the Washington shore projected through Cottonwood Island Dike Light “31”, southerly across the Columbia River to a deadline marker on the Oregon shore and including the waters of Carrolls Channel (waters beginning at the upstream end of Cottonwood Island downstream to the confluence of the Cowlitz River) upstream to the I-5 Bridge:

   May 29: Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained of which up to 1 may be a Chinook and up to 1 may be a steelhead. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook. Salmon min. size 12”. Release wild steelhead.

   May 30 – May 31: Daily limit 6. Up to 1 steelhead may be retained. Release all salmon other than hatchery jack Chinook. Salmon min. size 12”. Release wild steelhead.

   June 1 – June 15: Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained of which up to 1 may be a Chinook and up to 1 may be a steelhead. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook. Salmon min. size 12”. Release wild steelhead.

   Jun. 16 – Jul. 5: Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained, of which up to 1 may be a sockeye and up to 1 may be a steelhead. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook and sockeye. Salmon min. size 12”. Release wild steelhead.

   Jul. 6 – Jul. 31: Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained, of which up to 1 may be a sockeye and up to 1 may be a steelhead. Release all salmon other than hatchery jack Chinook and sockeye. Salmon min. size 12”. Release wild steelhead.

5. From the I-5 Bridge upstream to Bonneville Dam:

   May 29: Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained of which up to 1 may be a Chinook and up to 1 may be a steelhead. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook. Salmon min. size 12”. Release wild steelhead.

   June 1 – June 15: Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained of which up to 1 may be a Chinook and up to 1 may be a steelhead. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook. Salmon min. size 12”. Release wild steelhead.

   Jun. 16 – Jul. 5: Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained, of which up to 1 may be a sockeye and up to 1 may be a steelhead. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook and sockeye. Salmon min. size 12”. Release wild steelhead.

   Jul. 6 – Jul. 31: Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained, of which up to 1 may be a sockeye and up to 1 may be a steelhead. Release all salmon other than hatchery jack Chinook and sockeye. Salmon min. size 12”. Release wild steelhead.

6. From Bonneville Dam upstream to the Tower Island Power lines:

   May 29 – May 30: Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained of which up to 1 may be a Chinook and up to 1 may be a steelhead. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook. Salmon min. size 12”. Release wild steelhead. Bank angling with hand-cast lines only.

   Jun. 5 – Jun. 6: Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained of which up to 1 may be a Chinook and up to 1 may be a steelhead. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook. Salmon min. size 12”. Release wild steelhead. Bank angling with hand-cast lines only.

   Jun. 16 – Jul. 31: Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained, of which up to 1 may be a sockeye and up to 1 may be a steelhead. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook and sockeye. Salmon min. size 12”. Release wild steelhead.

7. From the Tower Island Power lines to The Dalles Dam:

   May 29 – May 30: Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained of which up to 1 may be a Chinook and up to 1 may be a steelhead. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook. Salmon min. size 12”. Release wild steelhead.

   Jun. 5 – Jun. 6: Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained of which up to 1 may be a Chinook and up to 1 may be a steelhead. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook. Salmon min. size 12”. Release wild steelhead.

   Jun. 16 – Jul. 31: Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained, of which up to 1 may be a sockeye and up to 1 may be a steelhead. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook and sockeye. Salmon min. size 12”. Release wild steelhead.

8. From The Dalles Dam to a line starting at a fishing boundary sign on the Washington north shore located approximately 1300’ upstream of The Dalles Dam and Lock boat ramp projected southeasterly across the Columbia River to a boundary sign on the Washington south shore located approximately 200’ above the fish ladder exit:

   May 29, until further notice: Closed to fishing for and retention of salmon and steelhead

9. From a line starting at a fishing boundary sign on the Washington north shore located approximately 1300’ upstream of The Dalles Dam and Lock boat ramp projected southeasterly across the Columbia River to a boundary sign on the Washington south shore located approximately 200’ above the fish ladder exit to Hwy. 730 at the Washington and Oregon border

   May 29 – May 30: Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained of which up to 1 may be a Chinook and up to 1 may be a steelhead. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook. Salmon min. size 12”. Release wild steelhead.

   Jun. 5 – Jun. 6: Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained of which up to 1 may be a Chinook and up to 1 may be a steelhead. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook. Salmon min. size 12”. Release wild steelhead.

   Jun. 16 – Jul. 31: Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained, of which up to 1 may be a sockeye and up to 1 may be a steelhead. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook and sockeye. Salmon min. size 12”. Release wild steelhead.

10. From Hwy. 730 at the Washington and Oregon border to the Hwy. 395 Bridge at Pasco:

    Jun. 16 – Jul. 31: Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained, of which up to 1 may be a sockeye and up to 1 may be a steelhead. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook and sockeye. Salmon min. size 12”. Release wild steelhead.

Reason for action: The U.S. v. Oregon Technical Advisory Committee recently updated the 2021 Columbia River spring Chinook return to 87,000, which was previously forecasted to be 75,200. The upriver Skamania stock steelhead passage at Bonneville Dam is currently the lowest cumulative count to-date. Additional spring Chinook directed angling opportunities are available while providing additional protection for steelhead with a reduced steelhead daily limit. This action also applies summer fishery regulations developed through the 2021 North of Falcon season setting process.

Additional information: Anglers are reminded that barbless hooks are required for salmon and steelhead downstream of the Washington/Oregon border at Hwy. 730.

All other permanent regulations apply.

Information contact: Region 5: 360-696-6211; Region 3: 509-575-2740