Updates to Columbia River summer salmon and steelhead fisheries
Fri., May 29, 2020

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife issued a fishing rule change on Thursday, allowing sockeye retention and reducing the steelhead daily limit in portions of the Columbia River during the summer season.
The effective period runs June 16-30.
Sockeye runs are projected to be higher than in recent years, while steelhead and summer Chinook runs are projected to be lower than in recent years. This action is consistent with co-manager agreements reached in April during the North of Falcon season-setting process.
The areas covered under the change are:
Megler/Astoria Bridge upstream to Hwy. 395 Bridge in Pasco: Daily limit is two. Up to two salmon or one salmon and one hatchery steelhead may be retained. No more than one steelhead may be retained. Release all salmon other than sockeye. Salmon minimum size: 12 inches. Release wild steelhead.
Hwy. 395 Bridge to I-182 Bridge will be closed to fishing for sockeye and steelhead.
I-182 Bridge upstream to Priest Rapids Dam: Daily limit is two sockeye. Release all other salmon and all steelhead. Salmon minimum size: 12 inches.
Barbless hooks are required when fishing for salmon and steelhead downstream of the Oregon/Washington state line.
Sockeye and steelhead retention rules will continue through July 31 and be reflected in the 2020-21 Washington Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet beginning July 1.
For more information, contact Region 5 at (360) 696-6211; or Region 3 at (509) 575-2740.
Local journalism is essential.
Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are not tax deductible, but are predominately used to help meet the local financial requirements needed to receive national matching-grant funds.
Subscribe to the sports newsletter
Get the day’s top sports headlines and breaking news delivered to your inbox by subscribing here.