Oregon and Washington fishery managers have announced the 2017 summer and fall salmon and steelhead seasons for the Columbia River.

The summer season is similar to last year, except that the daily bag limit on hatchery steelhead has been reduced to one fish due to poor expected hatchery and wild steelhead returns. The season begins this Friday, June 16 with a daily bag limit of two adult salmonids, which may include up to two hatchery Chinook, but no more than one hatchery steelhead. Sockeye may also be retained as part of the adult daily limit.  The season is expected to remain open through July 31.

Fishery managers are forecasting a return of 63,100 summer Chinook and 130,700 summer steelhead, and 198,500 sockeye salmon, all lower than last year’s actual returns.

The fall season, which begins Aug. 1, includes the popular Buoy 10 fishery near Astoria and the fall “upriver bright” Chinook season in the mainstem Columbia. Upriver bright Chinook are well known for their larger size and aggressive nature. Fishery managers forecast that 582,600 fall Chinook will enter the river this year, which is down from about 640,000 returning fall Chinook in 2016.

Due to the low projected returns for upriver summer steelhead, additional protective regulations are needed this fall including area-specific steelhead retention closures. The rolling 1-2 month closures start in August and progress upriver following the steelhead return to reduce take of both hatchery and wild fish. These closures affect the mainstem Columbia and the lower reaches of specific tributaries. When retention is allowed, the 1-steelhead bag limit will also remain in effect throughout much of the fall.

Anglers are reminded that Columbia River fisheries are managed to quotas and that regulation changes and in-season modifications can happen quickly, based on actual returns and harvest rates. ODFW recommends that anglers make sure they understand the latest season dates and regulations before venturing out on the water by checking the Columbia River Regulations Update Page online.

Here are the detailed regulations for the 2017 Columbia River summer and fall salmon and steelhead seasons:

2017 Summer Season (June 16-July 31)
Megler-Astoria Bridge to OR/ WA border

• Retention of sockeye and adult (24-inches or longer) hatchery Chinook allowed.
  • Retention of hatchery Chinook jacks (between 12 and 24-inches long) and hatchery steelhead allowed.
  • All sockeye are considered adults in the daily limit and must be recorded as adults on the combined angling tag.
  • The daily bag limit is two adult salmonids, of which no more than one may be a steelhead, and five jacks.
  • Night closure in effect except for anglers enrolled in the Pikeminnow Sport-Reward Program.
  • All other permanent rules apply.

2017 Fall Seasons (August 1-December 31)

• Buoy 10
  • Area definition: From the Buoy 10 line upstream to a line projected from Rocky Point on the Washington shore through red buoy #44 to red marker #2 at Tongue Point on the Oregon shore.
  • August 1 – December 31: Retention of hatchery Coho (16-inches or longer) and hatchery steelhead allowed except all steelhead must be released August 1-31.Daily bag limits by time period are described below. Night angling closure in effect except for anglers enrolled in the Pikeminnow Sport-Reward Program. All other permanent rules apply.
  • August 1 – August 31: Retention of any adult Chinook (24-inches or longer) is allowed. The daily bag limit is two salmonids, and may include up to one Chinook. All steelhead (hatchery and wild) must be released.
  • September 1 – September 4: Retention of any adult Chinook (24-inches or longer) is allowed. The daily bag limit is two salmonids, and may include up to one Chinook and one hatchery steelhead.
  • September 5 – 30: Retention of all Chinook is prohibited. The daily bag limit is two hatchery salmonids (Coho/steelhead only) and may include up to one hatchery steelhead.
  • October 1 – December 31: Retention of any Chinook is allowed. The daily bag limit is two adult salmonids and may include up to one hatchery steelhead. Chinook jacks (12-24 inches; hatchery or not) and hatchery Coho jacks may only be retained October 1 – December 31 under permanent rules. The daily bag limit for jack salmon in Oregon is five fish.
• Lower Columbia – Tongue Point/Rocky Point upstream to Warrior Rock/Bachelor Island
  • Area definition: From a line projected from Rocky Point on the Washington shore through red buoy #44 to the red marker #2 at Tongue Point on the Oregon shore upstream to a line projected from the Warrior Rock Lighthouse on the Oregon shore through red buoy #4 to a marker on the lower end of Bachelor Island.
  • August 1 – December 31: Retention of hatchery Coho and hatchery steelhead allowed except all steelhead must be released August 1-31.  Daily bag limits by time period are described below. Each legal angler aboard a vessel may continue to deploy angling gear until the daily adult salmonid bag limit for all anglers aboard has been achieved. Night angling closure in effect except for anglers enrolled in the Pikeminnow Sport-Reward Program. All other permanent rules apply.
  • August 1 – August 31: Retention of any Chinook is allowed. The daily bag limit is two adult salmonids, and may include up to one Chinook. All steelhead (hatchery and wild) must be released. The daily bag limit for jack salmon in Oregon is five fish.
  • September 1 – September 7: Retention of any Chinook is allowed. The daily bag limit is two adult salmonids, and may include up to one Chinook and one hatchery steelhead. The daily bag limit for jack salmon in Oregon is five fish.
  • September 8 – 14: Retention of Chinook is restricted to hatchery fish only. Retained hatchery Chinook must have a clipped adipose fin or a clipped left ventral fin. Either clip must have a healed scar at the location of the clipped fin. The daily adult bag limit is two salmonids, and may include up to one hatchery Chinook and one hatchery steelhead. The daily bag limit for jack salmon in Oregon is five fish.
  • September 15 – 30: Retention of all Chinook is prohibited. The daily bag limit is two adult hatchery salmonids (Coho/steelhead only) and may include up to one hatchery steelhead. The daily bag limit for Coho jacks in Oregon is five fish.
  • October 1 – December 31: Retention of any Chinook is allowed. The daily bag limit is two adult salmonids, and may include up to one hatchery steelhead. The daily bag limit for jack salmon in Oregon is five fish.
• Lower Columbia – Warrior Rock/Bachelor Isl. upstream to Bonneville Dam
  • Area definition: From a line projected from the Warrior Rock Lighthouse on the Oregon shore through red buoy #4 to a marker on the lower end of Bachelor Island upstream to Bonneville Dam.
  • August 1 – August 31: Retention of any Chinook and hatchery Coho allowed. The daily bag limit is two adult salmonids. All steelhead (hatchery and wild) must be released. The daily bag limit for jack salmon in Oregon is five fish. Each legal angler aboard a vessel may continue to deploy angling gear until the daily adult salmonid bag limit for all anglers aboard has been achieved. Night closure in effect except for anglers enrolled in the Pikeminnow Sport-Reward Program. All other permanent rules apply.
  • September 1 – December 31: Retention of any Chinook, hatchery Coho, and hatchery steelhead allowed. The daily bag limit is two adult salmonids, and may include up to one hatchery steelhead. The daily bag limit for jack salmon in Oregon is five fish. Each legal angler aboard a vessel may continue to deploy angling gear until the daily adult salmonid bag limit for all anglers aboard has been achieved. Night closure in effect except for anglers enrolled in the Pikeminnow Sport-Reward Program. All other permanent rules apply.
• Bonneville Dam upstream to McNary Dam
  • August 1 – December 31: Retention of any Chinook, Coho and hatchery steelhead allowed. The daily bag limit is two adult salmonids, and may include up to one hatchery steelhead except:
    • 1) Release all steelhead (hatchery and wild) from Bonneville Dam upstream to The Dalles Dam August 1 – 31.
    • 2) Release all steelhead (hatchery and wild) from The Dalles Dam upstream to John Day Dam September 1- 30.
    • 3) Release all steelhead (hatchery and wild) from John Day Dam upstream to McNary Dam September 1 - October 31.
  • The daily bag limit for jack salmon in Oregon is five fish. All Coho (adults and jacks) retained downstream of the Hood River Bridge must be hatchery-origin. Each legal angler aboard a vessel may continue to deploy angling gear until the daily adult salmonid bag limit for all anglers aboard has been achieved. Night closure in effect except for anglers enrolled in the Pikeminnow Sport-Reward Program. All other permanent rules apply.
• McNary Dam upstream to the OR/WA border
  • August 1 – December 31: Retention of any Chinook, Coho, and hatchery steelhead allowed. The daily bag limit is two adult salmonids, and may include up to one hatchery steelhead except release all steelhead (hatchery and wild) October 1- November 30. The daily bag limit for jack salmon in Oregon is five fish. Each legal angler aboard a vessel may continue to deploy angling gear until the daily adult salmonid bag limit for all anglers aboard has been achieved. Night closure in effect except for anglers enrolled in the Pikeminnow Sport-Reward Program. All other permanent rules apply.

Summary of 2017: summer/fall salmon and steelhead regulations for Oregon Columbia River tributaries.
Deschutes River (downstream of Moody Rapids)

• June 16-December 31: 1 steelhead allowed in the adult salmonid daily limit except closed to angling September 1-30.

John Day River (downstream of Tumwater Falls)

• June 16-December 31: 1 steelhead allowed in the adult salmonid daily limit except closed to steelhead retention September 1 – October 31.