Home
Chance To Comment On Oregon 2024 Fishing Reg Changes

Chance To Comment On Oregon 2024 Fishing Reg Changes

By July 6, 2023 HEADLINES 0 Comments

THE FOLLOWING IS AN OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE PRESS RELEASE MELDED WITH AN ODFW ARTICLE DETAILING RULE CHANGE PROPOSALS BY REGION

ODFW will be proposing several changes for next year’s Sport Fishing Regulations at the Aug. 4 Commission meeting in Salem.

The majority of the proposed changes are categorized as new angling opportunities, housekeeping corrections, changes to simplify regulations, or changes to serve a conservation need.

ODFW IS PROPOSING TO A SEPARATE FIVE-KOKANEE BAG LIMIT ON SEVERAL CENTRAL OREGON WATERS WHERE THE SPECIES IS OTHERWISE PART OF THE DAILY TROUT BAG. (KNIFE PHOTO CONTEST)

The planned removal of four dams on the Klamath River in 2024 will allow anadromous fish to migrate into the upper Klamath Basin, requiring some regulation changes for the Klamath River to conserve salmon and steelhead. Other proposals include: Increasing bag limits for kokanee in multiple Cascade lakes, making permanent thermal sanctuaries in the Umpqua River, and making permanent regulations allowing the harvest of hatchery spring Chinook in the Hood River and Snake River below Hells Canyon Dam.

Anglers and others interested can review potential changes and send comments or feedback in one of three ways:

While no new regulation proposals are being accepted for 2024, ODFW takes suggestions throughout the year. Anglers and others should contact their local district fish biologist to discuss or propose regulation changes.

Northwest Zone

Lake Creek (Siuslaw Basin); mouth to Indian Creek

  • Proposed regulation: Closed all year to salmon angling.
  • Justification: Due to low fall Chinook returns, a closure is needed to provide additional conservation measures. These fish are vulnerable to snagging due to low flows. Proposal supported by OSP and the public.

Skipanon River; Harbor St Bridge to Alt. Hwy 101 Bridge

  • Proposed regulation: Open all year for hatchery Chinook and hatchery coho.
  • Justification: Hatchery Chinook and hatchery coho have been entering the river and a target fishery has developed in this area. Proposal is needed to allow for legal harvest and reduce the need for temporary rules.

Zone-wide

  • Proposed regulation: Hatchery steelhead, hatchery coho salmon, pink salmon, and sockeye salmon, may be retained as part of the adult and jack salmon daily bag limit in all waters that are currently open to angling for Chinook salmon or steelhead.
  • Justification: This regulation was inadvertently removed last year during the development of the regulation pamphlet. It needs to be reinserted to allow for harvest of hatchery steelhead and hatchery coho during open salmon and steelhead seasons.

Southwest Zone

Coquille River

  • Proposed regulation: Zone Regulation – Closed for salmon.
  • Justification: Temporary rules have been in place for many years to protect the low population of returning salmon. It is expected to continue until the populations can recover.

Coquille River, South Fork; mouth to Middle Fork

  • Proposed regulation: Zone Regulation – Closed for salmon.
  • Justification: Temporary rules have been in place for many years to protect the low population of returning salmon. It is expected to continue until the populations can recover.

Umpqua River (Mainstem)

  • Proposed regulation: June 1 – Sept. 30, angling is closed within 200 feet from all portions of a tributary’s mouth. Angling is also closed 200 feet upstream into any open tributary from the mouth.
  • Justification: This regulation has been implemented as a temporary rule, this will now make it a permanent rule. It will protect salmonids migrating and holding at cool tributary mouths.

Zone-wide

  • Proposed regulation: Hatchery steelhead, hatchery coho salmon, pink salmon, and sockeye salmon, may be retained as part of the adult and jack salmon daily bag limit in all waters that are currently open to angling for Chinook salmon or steelhead.
  • Justification: This regulation was inadvertently removed last year during the development of the regulation pamphlet. It needs to be reinserted to allow for harvest of hatchery steelhead and hatchery coho during open salmon or steelhead seasons.

Willamette Zone

Willamina Creek; mouth to 200 ft below Lower Willamina Falls

  • Proposed regulation: Open all year for trout. Harvest allowed May 22 – Oct. 31, 2 per day, 8 inch minimum length, remainder of the year catch-and release.
  • Justification: New entry needed in the regulations to specify the trout season, locations, and provided protections for ESA listed winter steelhead. Temporary rules have been in place the last two seasons this will make the change permanent.

Willamina Creek; 200 ft below Lower Willamina Falls to Upper Willamina Falls

  • Proposed regulation: Open for trout from May 22 – Oct. 31.
  • Justification: New entry needed in the regulations to specify the trout season, locations, and provided protections for ESA listed winter steelhead. Temporary rules have been in place the last two seasons this will make the change permanent.

Willamina Creek; above Upper Willamina Falls

  • Proposed regulation: Open all year for trout. Harvest allowed May 22 – Oct. 31, 2 per day, 8 inch minimum length, remainder of the year catch-and release.
  • Justification: New entry needed in the regulations to specify the trout season, locations, and provided protections for ESA listed winter steelhead. Temporary rules have been in place the last two seasons this will make the change permanent.

Central Zone

Crescent Lake

  • Proposed regulation: 5 kokanee per day in addition to daily trout limit. No size limits.
  • Justification: Crescent Lake has natural kokanee reproduction and hatchery supplementation. Consistent with other kokanee lakes in the zone. This change will provide additional opportunity and is supported by local angling groups.

East Lake

  • Proposed regulation: 5 kokanee per day in addition to daily trout limit. No size limits.
  • Justification: East Lake has natural kokanee reproduction and hatchery supplementation. Consistent with other kokanee lakes in the zone. This change will provide additional opportunity and is supported by local angling groups.

Hood River (mainstem) and tributaries

  • Proposed regulation: Open for hatchery Chinook salmon from April 15 – June 30 from the tips of the jetties to confluence with East Fork. Daily limit is 1 adult hatchery spring Chinook salmon per day.
  • Justification: Temporary rules have been used to set spring chinook season for about 10 years. This will reduce the need to implement a temp rule each year. The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs are supportive of the change.

Hood River, West Fork and tributaries

  • Proposed regulation: Open for hatchery Chinook salmon from April 15 – June 30. Daily limit is 1 adult hatchery spring Chinook salmon per day.
  • Justification: Temporary rules have been used to set spring chinook season for about 10 years. This will reduce the need to implement a temp rule each year. The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs are supportive of the change.

Lake Simtustus

  • Proposed regulation: No limit on the size or number of bass.
  • Justification: Regulation change requested by the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs to provide additional opportunity to harvest bass and reduce impacts on native fish. This is consistent with Lake Billy Chinook and the Lower Deschutes River bass regulations.

Laurance Lake

  • Proposed regulation: Closed between ODFW markers and the mouth of Clear Branch Creek ; Closed between ODFW markers and the mouth of Pinnacle Creek.
  • Justification: Provides necessary protection for bull trout.

Paulina Lake

  • Proposed regulation: 5 kokanee per day in addition to daily trout limit. No size limits.
  • Justification: Paulina Lake has natural kokanee reproduction and hatchery supplementation. Consistent with other kokanee lakes in the zone. This change will provide additional opportunity and is supported by local angling groups.

Suttle Lake

  • Proposed regulation: 25 kokanee per day in addition to daily trout limit. Kokanee/sockeye salmon over 16 inches must be released.
  • Justification: Restricts harvest of Sockeye salmon that are part of the Deschutes Upper Basin reintroduction program. Regulation would be consistent with management of kokanee/sockeye in Lake Billy Chinook.

Northeast Zone

Grande Ronde River; state line to Clark Creek Rd

  • Proposed regulation: Open for coho salmon Sept. 1 to Nov. 30, 2 adult coho salmon per day and 5 jack coho salmon per day.
  • Justification: Coho Salmon were reintroduced into the Lostine River in 2017. Fisheries have been open for 3 consecutive years under temporary rule. The Nez Perce tribes is supportive of this fishery.

McKay Creek

  • Proposed regulation: Open all year for trout.
  • Justification: Provides protection for salmon and steelhead after the removal of fish barrier, while maintaining opportunity for popular trout fishing.

Umatilla River; above CTUIR Reservation

  • Proposed regulation: Hook-gap size may not exceed 3/8 inch.
  • Justification: A hook gap regulation provides protection to bull trout from hooking mortality associated larger hooks used to angle for anadromous fish. OSP supports this change.

Walla Walla River and tributaries

  • Proposed regulation: Zone regulation – Closed for steelhead.
  • Justification: Wild steelhead returns have been below the critical abundance threshold for the last 5 years. Closure is needed until population size allows for a fishery to occur.

Walla Walla River and tributaries

  • Proposed regulation: Hook-gap size may not exceed 3/8 inch.
  • Justification: A hook gap regulation provides protection to bull trout from hooking mortality associated larger hooks used to angle for anadromous fish. OSP supports this change.

Southeast Zone

Klamath Lake

  • Proposed regulation: Closed to all angling in Hagelstein Park.
  • Justification: Request from the Klamath Tribes to provide additional protection for ESA listed suckers.

Klamath River

  • Proposed regulation: 1 rainbow trout per day, 12 inch minimum and 15 inch maximum length.
  • Justification: Removal of Klamath River dams in 2024 will allow anadromous fish to migrate into the upper Klamath basin. Trout slot limit needed to provided angling opportunity while protecting steelhead smolts and adults in the basin.

Klamath River

  • Proposed regulation: Closed from Hwy 66 Bridge to Keno Dam June 16 – Sept. 30.
  • Justification: Closed area needs to be updated with the removal of the dam.

Zone-wide

  • Proposed regulation: Closed to angling for salmon and steelhead.
  • Justification: Removal of Klamath River dams in 2024 will allow anadromous fish to migrate into the upper Klamath basin. Closures needed to protect any migrating fish as efforts are underway to restore and establish salmon and steelhead populations in the basin.

Snake Zone

Snake River; state line to Hells Canyon Dam

  • Proposed regulation: Open for hatchery Chinook salmon April 22 to Aug. 17 from Dug Bar Boat Ramp to Hells Canyon Dam. 4 hatchery Chinook per day, only 2 of which may be an adult.
  • Justification: This is a terminal fishery for hatchery spring chinook. This has been opened for that last 14 years by temporary rule.

Snake River; above Brownlee Reservoir to Idaho State Line

  • Proposed regulation: 6 bass per day; 3 daily bag limits in possession. No minimum length.
  • Justification: Regulation change to be concurrent with Idaho bag limits for bass.

Marine Zone

Ocean

  • Proposed regulation: Updated maps and new locations for Marine Protected Areas.
  • Justification: Maps and new locations have recently been updated due to the changes in the Territorial Sea Plan. These changes have been adopted by the DLCD.

Beaches

  • Proposed regulation: Unlawful to remove clams from the shell before leaving the clamming area.
  • Justification: This regulation was inadvertently removed from the regulations. OSP is requesting to have it reinserted to help with enforcement and reduce overharvest of clams.

Ocean

  • Proposed regulation: Only floating buoys that are visible at all times may be used for crabbing from a vessel. Floating buoys used for crab pots or rings must be marked in a visible, legible manner.
  • Justification: New technology that is beginning to enter the market that uses a timed release of a crab pot buoy. There are concerns over widespread use of this new technology until it is tested further. Regulation change is supported by OSP and consistent with WA/CA.

About Author

Andy Walgamott