Anglers quickly reel in quota of sturgeon, season now closed in Bonneville and The Dalles pools

Sturgeon retention season in the Bonneville and The Dalles pools in the Columbia River Gorge is closed after just two days of angling.

With good weather and water conditions, sport fishermen on New Year’s Day caught almost the entire quota in each of the two reservoirs.

Washington and Oregon on Wednesday agreed to close sturgeon retention effective Thursday (Jan. 4).

On Monday, an estimated 992 anglers landed 570 sturgeon in Bonneville pool, which was 84 percent of the 675-fish guideline. The projected catch through Wednesday is 650 sturgeon, 96 percent of the guideline.

In The Dalles pool, 482 anglers on Monday harvested 150 sturgeon, which was 79 percent of the 190-fish guideline. Wednesday’s catch is projected to bring The Dalles pool to 181 fish, 95 percent of the guideline.

In the John Day pool, the numbers were 283 anglers and 16 sturgeon retained, which is 15 percent of the guideline of 105.

Sturgeon retention will continue in John Day pool, but is limited to catch-and-release in the Bonneville and The Dalles pools.