THE DALLES, OR - Hatchery steelhead fishing will be open on the Columbia River mainstem from Buoy 10 to the Hwy 395 bridge at Pasco, Wash. from Nov. 1-Dec. 31 this year.
In recent years, steelhead fishing has been closed in various sections of the river during late summer and fall to protect very low returns of upriver summer steelhead. By November, summer steelhead have migrated above The Dalles Dam. So, while the area upstream has been closed to hatchery steelhead retention as part of these protective regulations, the area downstream remained open for hatchery winter steelhead retention.
While this year's improved return of approximately 170,000 A-/B-Index summer steelhead passing Bonneville Dam (about 40 percent higher than forecasted preseason) is still below historic averages, it is an improvement over the very low returns since 2016.
Based on this in-season information, fishery managers were comfortable providing harvest opportunity for hatchery summer steelhead in November and December above The Dalles Dam.
The daily adult bag limit in all areas of the mainstem during November and December is two salmon/steelhead (Chinook, coho, or hatchery steelhead but no more than one may be a Chinook). Any wild coho caught downstream of the Hood River Bridge must be released.
With the improved summer steelhead return, the John Day arm closure is also lifted as of Nov. 1, reopening steelhead fishing from the mainline railroad bridge at the mouth upstream to a marker ¼ mile downstream of Tumwater Falls.
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