2024 Lower Columbia, Gorge Pools Springer Season Set

THE FOLLOWING ARE PRESS RELEASES FROM THE WASHINGTON AND OREGON DEPARTMENTS OF THE FISH AND WILDLIFE

2024 Columbia River spring Chinook fishing seasons announced

OLYMPIA – Fishery managers from Washington and Oregon on Wednesday approved this year’s recreational spring Chinook salmon fishing season for the Columbia River.

The 2024 forecast for upriver spring Chinook is 121,000 fish, fewer than the 141,179 that returned to the Columbia River in 2023, and lower than the 10-year average of 152,289 fish.

“Although this run is smaller than the last few year’s returns, we are still able to provide some quality fishing opportunities,” said Ryan Lothrop, Columbia River fisheries manager with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. “We have an obligation to ensure the most limiting run, Snake River natural-origin spring Chinook listed under the Endangered Species Act, has adequate protection so future opportunities can still be possible.”

Salmon fishing is now open daily from the mouth of the Columbia River to the Interstate 5 bridge under permanent regulations, but spring Chinook usually don’t arrive in large numbers until late March and April.

The river will open for the following dates and locations in 2024:

• March 1 through April 5: Buoy 10 line upstream to Beacon Rock (boat and bank), plus bank angling only by hand-cast from Beacon Rock upstream to the Bonneville Dam deadline.
  • The daily limit is six, including no more than two adults, of which no more than one may be an adult Chinook. Anglers must release all wild steelhead and all salmon other than hatchery Chinook. The salmon must be 12 inches minimum to keep. Shad retention is also permitted, with no minimum size or daily limit.
• April 1 through May 2: From the Tower Island power lines (approximately six miles below The Dalles Dam) upstream to the Washington/Oregon border, plus bank angling by hand-cast only between Bonneville Dam and the Tower Island power lines.
  • The daily limit is six, including no more than two adults, of which no more than one may be an adult Chinook. Anglers must release all wild steelhead and all salmon other than hatchery Chinook. The salmon must be 12 inches minimum to keep.

In 2024, recreational anglers are projected to harvest approximately 4,400 adult Chinook below Bonneville Dam, and 500 from Bonneville Dam to the Washington/Oregon state line.

Managers will monitor the fisheries, dam counts, and hatchery returns in season and adjust as necessary. The run-size update typically occurs in mid-May.

Based on preseason forecasts, anglers can also expect to harvest spring Chinook in the Cowlitz, Kalama, and Lewis rivers in 2024. Some locations may have modified season dates and reduced daily limits to help meet hatchery broodstock collection goals.

Salmon and steelhead rules and limits in Deep River will be the same as the mainstem Columbia River when the mainstem is open to spring Chinook retention.

Anglers should review the Washington Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet for the waters they plan to fish, as well as check for any emergency rule changes before heading out. Regulations may be modified in-season as returns materialize.

Initial Columbia River spring Chinook season dates set

CLACKAMAS, Ore. – Fishery managers from Oregon and Washington adopted initial recreational spring Chinook seasons on the Columbia River during a joint state hearing today.

Effective March 1 (downstream of Bonneville Dam) and April 1 (upstream of Bonneville Dam), the following regulations will take the place of permanent rules for the mainstem Columbia River between Buoy 10 and the Oregon/Washington border (see 2024 regulation booklet for permanent rules).

Catch rates and fishery performance will be monitored in season. Additional fishing days may be added after an in-season update of the expected upriver spring Chinook run size in mid to late May.

Downstream of Bonneville Dam

Dates: Friday, March 1 through Friday, April 5

Bag limit: Two adult hatchery salmonids (Chinook or steelhead) per day, but only one may be a Chinook. Shad may also be retained.

Open area: Buoy 10 line upstream to Beacon Rock (boat and bank) plus only bank angling from Beacon Rock upstream to the Bonneville Dam deadline. Legal upstream boat boundary defined as: a deadline marker on the Oregon bank (approximately four miles downstream from Bonneville Dam Powerhouse One) in a straight line through the western tip of Pierce Island to a deadline marker on the Washington bank at Beacon Rock.

Bonneville Dam to Oregon/Washington State Line (upstream of McNary Dam)

Dates: Monday, April 1 through Thursday, May 2

Bag limit: Two adult hatchery salmonids (Chinook or steelhead) per day, but only one may be a Chinook.

Open area: Tower Island power lines (approximately six miles downstream of The Dalles Dam) upstream to Oregon/Washington state line, plus the Oregon and Washington banks between Bonneville Dam and the Tower Island power lines.

Anglers are reminded that barbless hooks are required when angling for salmon or steelhead in mainstem Columbia River waters from the mouth upstream to the OR/WA state line.

Prior to an in-season run size update, the fishery downstream of Bonneville Dam will be managed for a guideline of approximately 3,900 upriver spring Chinook and the fishery between Bonneville Dam and the Oregon/Washington state line will be managed for a guideline of just under 600 upriver spring Chinook (these guidelines include kept catch plus release mortalities).

Forecasts for several 2024 spring Chinook stocks are down from last year’s actual returns and are lower than 10-year average returns. The overall forecasted return of adult spring Chinook to the Columbia River mouth (including both upriver and lower river stocks) is 205,600 fish, which is slightly lower than last year’s actual return of 216,586 and 89 percent of the recent 10-year average.

Columbia River spring Chinook salmon seasons are driven by Endangered Species Act limitations and the management agreement between the states and Columbia River Treaty Tribes specifying the total harvest guideline of upriver-origin spring Chinook.

“We are taking a conservative approach to spring Chinook seasons to protect ESA-listed upriver Chinook and stay within ESA constraints,” said Tucker Jones, Columbia River Program Manager. “We closely track actual performance of the fishery and will add additional opportunity if possible.”

Jones thanked Tribes, recreational anglers, commercial fishermen and others for joining the hearing and their continued support of fish conservation.

Fishing regulations change frequently in-season, and anglers should check https://myodfw.com/recreation-report/fishing-report/columbia-zone#Regulation-Updates for updates before fishing.