06/09/2016 – John Snyder – NWFN
CLACKAMAS, Ore. – A popular boat fishery on the Columbia River below Bonneville Dam will open for five days starting Friday under rules adopted today by fishery managers from Oregon and Washington.
Effective Friday, June 10 through June 15, boat fishing for salmon and steelhead will be allowed from Beacon Rock upstream four miles to the boat deadline just below Bonneville Dam.
This is a popular fishing area where fish can sometimes concentrate below the dam, leading to improved catch rates from boats, according to Tucker Jones, ODFW’s Columbia River Program manager.
Fishery managers decided to open this stretch of river to boats after reviewing data that indicates spring Chinook catches would remain within ESA and management agreement limits
“It’s nice to be able to open this fishery to boats and still remain within our conservation objectives,” Jones said.
The daily bag limit includes two adult salmonids per day, but only one may be a Chinook. Sockeye salmon must be released. Only adipose fin-clipped salmon and steelhead may be kept.
As a reminder, the mark-selective summer Chinook recreational fishery begins June 16 from the Astoria-Megler Bridge upstream to Priest Rapids Dam. The daily bag limit may include two hatchery adult Chinook. Hatchery steelhead and sockeye may be retained as part of the daily salmonid bag limit.
