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The following is a brief summary of emergency and permanent sport fishing regulations for the mainstem Columbia River and its tributaries plus possible upcoming razor clam seasons.
Complete information contained in this hotline message can be found in the 2012/2013 Fishing in Washington pamphlet.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
SALMON/STEELHEAD
Mainstem Columbia River and most Washington tributaries – Barbless hooks are required to fish for salmon and steelhead. Check the new 2013-2014 Washington Sport Fishing Rules for more information.
Rocky Point/Tongue Point line upstream to Bonneville Dam – Open to fishing for hatchery steelhead and hatchery Chinook. Through June 15, the salmonid daily limit is 6 fish of which no more than 2 may be adults and no more than 1 may be an adult Chinook. Wild Chinook, wild steelhead, and sockeye must be released. Fishing for salmonids from boats is allowed upstream to the boat angling deadline below Bonneville Dam.
Bonneville Dam to Washington/Oregon border – Through June 15, the salmonid daily limit is 6 fish of which no more than 2 may be adults and no more than 1 may be an adult Chinook. Wild Chinook, wild steelhead, and sockeye must be released. Bank fishing only from Bonneville Dam to Tower Island power lines located about 6 miles below The Dalles Dam.
Effective Sunday June 16, up to two hatchery adult Chinook may be retained from the Megler-Astoria Bridge to Priest Rapids Dam. Sockeye (which count towards the adult daily limit) may be retained upstream to the Hwy. 395 Bridge at Pasco. Below Bonneville Dam, hatchery adult Chinook and sockeye may be retained through June 30.
For the mainstem Columbia River salmon and steelhead fishery from the Rocky Point/Tongue Point line upstream to OR/WA border – Through June 15, it is unlawful when fishing from vessels which are less than 30 feet in length (substantiated by Coast Guard documentation or Marine Board registration) to totally remove from the water any salmon or steelhead required to be released.
Deep River from the mouth to town bridge – Through June 15, the daily limit for salmon may not include more than one hatchery adult Chinook during those days when the adjacent waters of the mainstem Columbia River are open to retention of spring Chinook.
Kalama River from mouth to upstream to the upper salmon hatchery (Kalama Falls Hatchery) – Until further notice, all Chinook must be released.
Mainstem Lewis River from mouth to forks and North Fork Lewis River from mouth of forks upstream to overhead powerlines below Merwin Dam – Through July 31, the salmon daily limit is 6 hatchery Chinook of which no more than 2 may be adults. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook. Minimum size is 12 inches.
Wind River from mouth (boundary line markers) to 400 feet below Shipherd Falls, from 100 feet above Shipherd Falls to 400 feet below the coffer dam and from 100 feet above coffer dam to 800 yards downstream of Carson National Fish Hatchery – Through June 30 daily limit is 2 Chinook or 2 hatchery steelhead, or one of each. The river upstream of Shipherd Falls is open. All wild Chinook downstream from Shipherd Falls must be released. Two poles are not allowed.
Drano Lake – Open to fishing for hatchery Chinook and hatchery steelhead. Daily limit is a total of 2 hatchery Chinook or hatchery steelhead or 1 of each. Closed Wednesdays through June. Through June 30, bank fishing only west of a line projected from the easternmost pillar of the Hwy. 14 Bridge to a posted marker on the north shore. Through June 30, anglers may fish with two poles with a Two-Pole Endorsement.
Klickitat River from the mouth to the Fisher Hill Bridge - Open to fishing seven days per week with a six-salmon daily limit, of which no more than two may be adults. Wild Chinook must be released.
Klickitat River from 400 feet above fishway #5 to the boundary markers below the salmon hatchery – Effective June 13 the daily limit will be 6 salmon of which no more than two may be adults. Wild Chinook must be released.
TROUT
Swift Reservoir – The trout daily limit is 5 fish until it increases to 10 fish beginning September 1. All bull trout and steelhead must be released. Landlocked rules are in effect (salmon count towards the trout daily limit); however, all salmon larger than 15 inches must be released. Two poles are not allowed. Selective gear rules apply from posted markers approximately 3/8 mile below Eagle Cliff Bridge to the bridge.
STURGEON
Annual limit – The annual catch limit for white sturgeon is two fish per year in Washington’s waters. Beginning Jan. 1, 2014, retention of white sturgeon will not be allowed by anglers fishing in the lower Columbia River below Bonneville Dam, the Washington coast, Puget Sound and their tributaries. Catch-and-release fishing for the species will be allowed in those areas.
Mainstem Columbia and its tributaries from Buoy 10 to the Wauna powerlines including all adjacent Washington tributaries – White sturgeon may be retained daily through June 30. Minimum size is 41” fork length and maximum size 54” fork length. Catch-and-release fishing is permitted on non-retention days.
Mainstem Columbia River from the Wauna powerlines upstream to Bonneville Dam including all adjacent Washington tributaries (excluding sturgeon spawning sanctuary described below) – White sturgeon may be retained Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays only through June 15 and October 19 through December 31. Daily limit is 1 fish. Minimum fork length is 38” and maximum fork length 54”. Catch-and-release fishing is permitted on non-retention days.
All fishing for sturgeon is closed through August 31 in the sturgeon sanctuary from Bonneville Dam downstream 9 miles to a line crossing the Columbia River from navigation marker 82 on the Oregon shore westerly to the boundary marker on the Washington shore upstream of Fir Point.
Bonneville Dam to The Dalles Dam including adjoining tributaries – A summer retention period has been set for June 14-15 and June 21-22. Daily limit will be 1 fish. Minimum fork length is 38” and maximum fork length 54”. Catch-and-release fishing is permitted on non-retention days.
The Dalles Dam to McNary Dam including adjoining tributaries – The daily limit is 1 fish, minimum size 43” fork length and maximum size 54” fork length. Sturgeon may be retained until the pool-specific guidelines are met. Existing sturgeon spawning sanctuaries below John Day and McNary dams are in effect through July.
EULACHON (COLUMBIA RIVER) SMELT
CLOSED STATEWIDE (including all marine and freshwater areas).
State fishing and hunting licenses are available for the new season (begins April 1, 2013) by phone (866-246-9453), online (https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/), and from licensing dealers around the state (http://wdfw.wa.gov/licensing/vendors/). A Vehicle Access Pass to lands owned by WDFW is free with most types of fishing and hunting licenses.
Two-Pole Endorsement: This endorsement allows you to use two fishing poles on most freshwater lakes, ponds, a few sections of certain rivers, and a few marine areas. You must have a fishing license in addition to the two pole endorsement.
Discover Pass
At $35, an annual pass provides access to nearly seven million acres of state-managed recreation lands, including state parks, water-access points, heritage sites, wildlife and natural areas, trails and trailheads.
New this year is the option to choose the activation date for an annual Discover Pass purchased online or from an authorized WILD licensing dealer.
Those who buy an annual Discover Pass through the WILD system can now activate the pass immediately or anytime within one year of the purchase date. On-line gift buyers can select a future start date so long as they allow 10 days to receive their Discover Pass by mail.
For details on purchasing a Discover Pass, see http://discoverpass.wa.gov/.
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