(CLACKAMAS, Ore.) —Fishery managers from Oregon and Washington added several days of recreational spring Chinook fishing on the mainstem Columbia River during a joint state hearing today, May 20, 2026.
With these additional days, and the action taken last week, the Columbia River will be open for spring Chinook for the entire upcoming Memorial Day weekend (from Friday through Monday) between the Tongue Point/ Rocky Point line and the Oregon/Washington state line upstream of McNary Dam.
See specific dates, boundaries and bag limits here, https://myodfw.com/articles/regulation-updates#columbia-zone
Fishery biologists with the U.S. v. Oregon Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) are now expecting the upriver-origin adult spring Chinook return to be just under 112,000 fish (which is a reduction from the preseason forecast of 147,300). Even with the downgrade, enough recreational allocation remains to offer more fishing opportunity, while staying within allowed ESA-impact rates and other management limits.
As of May 18, a total of 78,562 adult spring Chinook have passed Bonneville Dam, compared to the recent 10-year average of 75,286 and the recent five-year average of 89,892.
All other permanent regulations apply, including the permanent retention regulations for hatchery steelhead (which differ above and below I-5 Bridge) on days when hatchery spring Chinook retention is not allowed.
Anglers are reminded that from March 1 through June 15 on days when the mainstem Columbia River recreational fishery below Bonneville Dam is open to retention of Chinook, the daily salmonid bag limit in Oregon and Washington Select Areas will be the same as mainstem Columbia River bag limits.
