The fall salmon season opens Thursday on the Columbia River from Buoy 10 upstream to the Oregon/Washington Border above McNary Dam.
Ocean salmon fishing is excellent out of Ilwaco and Westport, and albacore tuna are available.
White sturgeon retention is closed from Buoy 10 upstream to McNary Dam but remains an option for catch-and-release fishing.
Walleye angling is fair in the Troutdale area, as well as The Dalles and John Day pools.
Trout fishing is good in high elevation lakes.
Panfish, bass, and catfish are biting well in local lakes and rivers.
Salmon/steelhead
Columbia River Tributaries
Lewis River: Effective until further notice, from Johnson Creek to the power lines below Merwin Dam: release all salmon other than hatchery coho.
North Fork Toutle River: Effective until further notice: Daily salmon limit six, up to four adults may be retained. Release all salmon other than hatchery coho.
Mainstem Columbia River
Bonneville: 58 bank anglers released one chinook and one steelhead and kept four steelhead.
Camas/Washougal: Three boats/seven rods kept two steelhead and released four.
I-5 Area: nine bank anglers kept two steelhead and released four.
Vancouver: 44 bank anglers kept two steelhead and released four. Six boats/11 rods kept one steelhead and released one.
Woodland: 60 bank anglers kept six steelhead and released 5. Two boats/three rods kept one steelhead.
Kalama: 74 bank anglers kept one steelhead and released two.10 boats/16 anglers release one steelhead.
Cowlitz: Two boats/five rods had no catch.
Longview: 133 bank anglers kept four steelhead and released seven. Five boats/10 rods kept two steelhead and released one.
Columbia Tributaries
Elochoman River — Three bank anglers had no catch.
Cowlitz River I-5 bridge downstream — One boat/two rods released one steelhead.
Cowlitz above the I-5 bridge — 19 bank rods kept six steelhead. 34 boats/80 rods kept 74 steelhead, released one steelhead and one Chinook jack.
Kalama River — 18 bank anglers had no catch.
Lewis River — 38 bank anglers released two Chinook and two Chinook jacks. Six boats/19 rods kept six steelhead and released four Chinook.
Drano Lake — Three bank rods had no catch. 21 boats/38 rods kept 13 steelhead and released 32 steelhead.
Klickitat above No. 5 Fishway — Three bank anglers had no catch.
Sturgeon
Lower Columbia River closed for retention. Weekly checking showed two oversize white sturgeon released for two boats (three anglers).
Bonneville Pool closed for retention. Weekly checking showed 12 sublegal white sturgeon released for one boat (four anglers).
John Day Pool closed for retention. Weekly checking showed one legal white sturgeon released for one boat (four anglers). (ODFW)
Walleye
Troutdale: Weekly checking showed six walleye kept for three boats (six anglers).
The Dalles Pool: Weekly checking showed 17 walleye kept for nine boats (22 anglers).
John Day Pool: Weekly checking showed 28 walleye kept, and three walleye released for 16 boats (31 anglers).(ODFW)
Your tax-deductible donation to The Columbian’s Community Funded Journalism program will contribute to better local reporting on key issues, including homelessness, housing, transportation and the environment. Reporters will focus on narrative, investigative and data-driven storytelling.
Local journalism needs your help. It’s an essential part of a healthy community and a healthy democracy.
