Action: Revises the list of waters where barbless hooks are now voluntary for salmon and steelhead directed fisheries in the mainstem Columbia River from Buoy 10 to Chief Joseph Dam, and Columbia River tributaries from Buoy 10 to McNary Dam.
Effective date: June 11, 2019.
Species affected: Salmon and steelhead.
Rule and Location:
A) Barbed hooks are allowed for salmon and steelhead in the following waters:
- Blue Creek (Lewis County), from the mouth to Spencer Road
- Cispus River (Lewis County)
- Columbia River, from a true north/south line through Buoy 10 to Chief Joseph Dam
- Coweeman River and tributaries (Cowlitz County)
- Cowlitz Falls Reservoir (Lake Scanewa) (Lewis County)
- Cowlitz River (Cowlitz/Lewis County) Barbed hooks are also allowed for cutthroat trout in the Cowlitz River
- Drano Lake (Skamania County)
- Elochoman River (Wahkiakum County)
- Grays River (Wahkiakum County)
- Grays River, West Fork (Wahkiakum County)
- Kalama River (Cowlitz County)
- Klickitat River (Klickitat County)
- Lewis River (Clark County)
- Rock Creek (Skamania County)
- Salmon Creek (Clark County): From the mouth to 182nd Avenue Bridge.
- Tilton River (Lewis County)
- Toutle River (Cowlitz County)
- Toutle River, North Fork (Cowlitz County)
- Washougal River (Clark County)
- Washougal River, West (North) Fork (Clark/Skamania counties)
- White Salmon River (Klickitat/Skamania counties)
B) Selective gear rules, except: barbed hooks are allowed in the following waters:
- Abernathy Creek and tributaries (Cowlitz County)
- Cedar Creek and tributaries (tributary of N.F. Lewis) (Clark County)
- Coal Creek (Cowlitz County)
- Delameter Creek (Cowlitz County)
- Germany Creek (Cowlitz County) and all tributaries.
- Grays River (Wahkiakum County)
- Grays River, East Fork (Wahkiakum County)
- Grays River, South Fork (Wahkiakum County)
- Grays River, West Fork tributaries (Wahkiakum County)
- Green River (Cowlitz County)
- Hamilton Creek (Skamania County)
- Kalama River (Cowlitz County): From 1,000 feet above fishway at upper salmon hatchery to Summers Creek and from the intersection of 6000 and 6420 Rds. to 6600 Rd. bridge immediately downstream of Jacks Creek.
- Lacamas Creek (Clark County): From mouth to footbridge at lower falls.
- Lacamas Creek, tributary of Cowlitz River (Lewis County)
- Lewis River, East Fork (Clark/Skamania counties): From mouth to 400 feet below Horseshoe Falls.
- Little Washougal River (Clark County)
- Mill Creek (Cowlitz County)
- Mill Creek (Lewis County): From the mouth to the hatchery road crossing culvert.
- Olequa Creek (Lewis/Cowlitz counties)
- Outlet Creek (Silver Lake) (Cowlitz County)
- Salmon Creek (Lewis County)
- Skamokawa Creek (Wahkiakum County)
- Stillwater Creek (Lewis County)
- Toutle River, North Fork (Cowlitz County): From the mouth to the posted deadline below the fish collection facility.
- Wind River (Skamania County): from 100 feet above Shipherd Falls to Moore Bridge.
- White Salmon River (Klickitat/Skamania counties): From the county road bridge below the former location of the powerhouse upstream to Big Brother Falls (river mile 16).
C) Fly fishing only, except: use of barbed hooks is allowed in the following waters:
- Kalama River (Cowlitz County): From Summers Creek to the intersection of 6000 and 6420 Rds.
Reason for action: This fishing rule change implements the policy direction provided by the commission on March 2, 2019 to make the use of barbless hooks voluntary for salmon and steelhead fisheries in the Columbia River and its tributaries. WDFW is unable to enact this rule change at this time in some areas (reaches of the mainstem that share a border, tributaries upstream of McNary Dam, the Snake River, etc.), due to reciprocity with Idaho and ESA permitting with NOAA.
Additional information: This is a corrected Fishing Rule Change. All Selective Gear Rule requirements remain in place for Swift Reservoir, and barbed hooks are allowed for salmon and steelhead in Salmon Creek (Clark Co.), from the mouth to 182nd Avenue Bridge.
This rule change will become permanent for the 2019/2020 Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet year (which begins July 1, 2019).
Barbless hooks are still required when fishing for sturgeon.
Information contact: Region 5, Ridgefield Office, 360-696-6211; Region 3, Yakima Office, 509-575-2740.
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