Fishing Report: Aug. 12

This weekend is Free Fishing Weekend throughout Oregon. No license is needed to fish, crab or clam anywhere in Oregon. This includes the Columbia River.

Area closures, bag limits and all other regulations still apply.

The mainstem Columbia River, which opens at Buoy 10 on Friday, is jointly managed with Washington, so Oregon’s free-fishing rules apply, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Those launching from Washington should check with that state’s enforcement agencies.

Go to the ODFW website (https://myodfw.com/fishing) for regulation updates.

Fishing reports for waters in Southwest Washington, including the Columbia River and tributaries as reported to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife on Aug. 11.

Always check the WDFW website at wdfw.wa.gov/fishing for the latest fishing rules and regulations as seasons can change or close quickly if necessary.

Fishery reports

Mainstem Lower Columbia River

Salmon/steelhead

Bonneville – 41 bank anglers with one Chinook kept and one jack, six steelhead released; 1 boat/2 rods with two steelhead released.

Camas/Washougal – Two boats/4 rods with no catch.

Vancouver – 16 bank anglers with one Chinook kept and one steelhead released; 11 boats/21 rods with one Chinook and one jack released.

Woodland – 33 bank anglers with no catch; 5 boats/8 rods with no catch.

Kalama – 141 bank anglers with six Chinook and one jack kept, and one jack and five steelhead released; 13 boats/27 rods with no catch.

Cowlitz – 25 boats/58 rods with four Chinook and four jacks kept, and two steelhead released.

Longview – 42 bank anglers with two steelhead released; 19 boats/35 rods with one Chinook kept.

Sturgeon

Vancouver – Five boats/eight rods with two sublegal and one legal sturgeon released.

Woodland – Three boats/seven rods with 15 sublegal and four legal sturgeon released.

Kalama – Two boats/seven rods with 32 sublegal sturgeon released.

Cowlitz – One boat/two rods with 16 sublegal and one legal sturgeon released.

Walleye

Vancouver – One boat/five rods with nine walleye kept, and five walleye released.

Columbia River tributaries

Salmon/steelhead

Cowlitz River from I-5 Bridge downstream – 28 bank rods with two steelhead kept; 5 boats/16 rods with one steelhead kept.

Above the I-5 Bridge – 56 bank rods with 22 steelhead kept; 24 boats/89 rods with 67 steelhead kept and one steelhead released.

Drano Lake – Five boats/eight with one Chinook kept and 16 steelhead released.

https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/reports/creel