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Word on Columbia River Sport Fisheries by Mark Yuasa Seattle Times, September 28, 2011

Here is the latest fishing reports from the Columbia River region by Oregon Fish and Wildlife:

Weekend Fishing Opportunities:

Sturgeon retention is open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday during October 1 - December 31 from Wauna Powerlines upstream to Bonneville Dam.

Fall chinook catches are good in the Columbia near Bonneville Dam and fair to poor between Warrior Rock and Troutdale. Anglers are catching a few coho near the mouths of some tributaries.

SALMON, STEELHEAD AND SHAD:

The following modifications are now in effect for the mainstem Columbia River from Buoy 10 upstream to the Oregon/Washington border above McNary Dam:

COLUMBIA RIVER MAINSTEM, BUOY 10 LINE UPSTREAM TO THE TONGUE POINT/ROCKY POINT LINE:
Effective Friday September 16 through December 31, this section of the Columbia River is open to the retention of adult chinook (greater than 24 inches), adipose fin-clipped adult coho (greater than 16 inches) and adipose fin-clipped steelhead with a daily bag limit of two adult salmon/steelhead in combination. The retention of jack salmon, chum and sockeye is prohibited. Effective October 1-December 31, the daily bag limit is two adult salmon (chinook or adipose fin-clipped coho) or adipose fin-clipped steelhead in combination and five jacks.

COLUMBIA RIVER MAINSTEM, TONGUE POINT/ROCKY POINT LINE UPSTREAM TO WARRIOR ROCK LIGHTHOUSE/BACHELOR ISLAND LINE:
Effective September 19 through September 30, the Columbia River from the Tongue Point/Rocky Point Line upstream to a line projected from Warrior Rock Lighthouse on the Oregon shore to Red Buoy #4 to a marker on the lower end of Bachelor Island is closed for chinook retention but is open for adipose fin-clipped summer steelhead and adipose fin-clipped coho. The daily limit is two adipose fin-clipped adult coho (>20") or steelhead in combination and five adipose fin-clipped coho jacks. It is unlawful to angle for jack coho after the adult daily bag limit has been reached. The retention of chinook, chum and sockeye is prohibited. Effective October 1 through December 31 this section of the Columbia River will re-open for chinook retention with a daily bag limit of two adult salmon/steelhead in combination and five jacks.

COLUMBIA RIVER MAINSTEM, WARRIOR ROCK LIGHTHOUSE/BACHELOR ISLAND LINE UPSTREAM TO BONNEVILLE DAM:
Effective September 10 through December 31, the Columbia River from a line projected from Warrior Rock Lighthouse on the Oregon shore to Red Buoy #4 to a marker on the lower end of Bachelor Island upstream to Bonneville Dam is open to the retention of fall chinook, adipose fin-clipped coho and adipose fin-clipped steelhead. The daily bag limit is two adult salmon/steelhead in combination and five jack salmon. Jack salmon are chinook less than or equal to 24 inches and coho less than or equal to 20 inches. It is unlawful to angle for jack salmon after the adult daily bag limit has been reached. Retention of chum and sockeye is prohibited.

COLUMBIA RIVER MAINSTEM, BONNEVILLE DAM TO THE OREGON/WASHINGTON BORDER ABOVE McNARY DAM:
Effective August 1 through December 31, this section of the Columbia River is open for fall chinook, coho (only adipose fin-clipped coho may be retained between Bonneville Dam and the Hood River bridge), and adipose fin-clipped steelhead. The daily bag limit is two adult salmon/steelhead in combination and five jacks. Jack salmon are chinook less than or equal to 24 inches and coho less than or equal to 20 inches. It is unlawful to angle for jack salmon after the adult daily bag limit has been reached. The retention of chum and sockeye is prohibited.

On the lower Columbia this past weekend there were 648 salmonid boats and 130 Oregon bank anglers counted from Bonneville Dam downstream to Tongue Point on Saturday's (9/24) flight. Catch rates were fair to good for fall chinook from Warrior Rock to Bonneville Dam, and slow for coho. Anglers fishing in the gorge had the best success where boat anglers averaged 1.22 fall chinook and 0.02 coho caught per boat, while bank anglers averaged 0.38 fall chinook and 0.02 coho caught per angler.

Between Portland and Warrior Rock boat anglers averaged 0.35 fall chinook and 0.04 coho caught per boat, while boat anglers fishing in Troutdale averaged 0.26 fall chinook and 0.01 coho caught per boat. Boat anglers fishing from Warrior Rock downstream to Longview averaged 0.50 coho caught per boat.

Gorge Bank:
Weekend checking showed 21 fall chinook adults, four fall chinook jacks, and one adipose fin-clipped coho kept, plus one unclipped steelhead released for 55 bank anglers.

Gorge Boats:
Weekend checking showed 78 fall chinook adults, 11 fall chinook jacks, and one adipose fin-clipped coho kept for 64 boats (191 anglers).

Troutdale Boats:
Weekend checking showed 26 fall chinook adults, and two fall chinook jacks kept, plus one fall chinook jack and one unclipped coho released for 100 boats (218 anglers).

Portland to Longview Bank:
Weekend checking showed no catch for 14 bank anglers.

Portland to Warrior Rock Boats:
Weekend checking showed 25 fall chinook adults, one fall chinook jack, and three adipose fin-clipped coho kept for 72 boats (162 anglers).

Warrior Rock to Longview Boats:
Weekend checking showed six adipose fin-clipped coho kept, plus seven fall chinook adults, one fall chinook jack, and one unclipped coho released for 14 boats (28 anglers).

Estuary Bank (Clatsop Spit):
No report.

Estuary Boats (Buoy 10):
No report.

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