BY ANDY WALGAMOTT, NORTHWEST SPORTSMAN MAGAZINE
Columbia spring Chinook managers will consider a season on the river below Bonneville Dam that would run through April 8 and an April 1-26+May 2 Columbia Gorge season.
“Model outputs indicate these recommendations could result in 5,819 adult Chinook kept (4,963 upriver spring Chinook mortalities) for the fishery downstream of Bonneville Dam (90% of the pre-update guideline for this fishery) and 704 adult Chinook kept (722 mortalities, all upriver stock) for the fishery upstream of Bonneville Dam (92% of the pre-update guideline for this fishery),” says a fact sheet out ahead of Thursday morning’s decision.
“The staff recommendation for the fishery downstream of Bonneville Dam provides two more April days compared to the initially-adopted 2025 fishery. The staff recommendation for the fishery upstream of Bonneville Dam provides as many pre-update April days as was adopted in 2025 plus an additional early May weekend day,” it adds.
The proposal is supported by members of the Columbia River Recreational Advisory Group, according to the fact sheet.
A total of 228,700 spring Chinook are forecast to enter the Columbia, with 147,300 of those being the fishery-constraining upriver fish headed above Bonneville. The early portion of the season is limited via a 30 percent runsize buffer to guard against on overforecast.
By permanent rule, the big river is open below the I-5 bridge down to Buoy 10 through March 31 or hatchery spring Chinook.
On Thursday, managers will also consider a two-day sturgeon retention reopener on The Dalles Pool, Sunday, February 22, and Thursday, February 26.
Per the fact sheet, 50 were harvested in The Dalles Pool on Monday, leaving 82 percent of the 275-fish guideline.
However, with anglers harvesting an estimated 982 Bonneville Pool sturgeon, or 79 percent of the guideline, on Monday, “there is not enough of a balance remaining on the guideline … to add any more retention opportunity this year.”
The Bonneville Pool guideline is 1,250 sturgeon.
