(CLACKAMAS, Ore.- July 9, 2025) — Fishery managers from Oregon and Washington added recreational fishing days for adult hatchery Chinook and sockeye to the on-going hatchery steelhead and hatchery jack Chinook fishery in the mainstem Columbia River downstream of the Highway 395 Bridge at Pasco, WA during a joint state hearing today. Retention of adult Chinook had not been allowed during this year’s summer recreational fishery because of too few fish available based on the preseason forecast.
Due to low sockeye catches during the original retention period (June 22 – July 6) and despite in-season indicators suggesting the Columbia River sockeye return will be about half of the preseason forecast, there are additional sockeye available for harvest. A slight increase in the upper Columbia River summer Chinook run size from the preseason forecast of 38,000 adult fish, combined with expected low catch rates at this point late in the season, provided managers the space they needed to consider limited adult hatchery Chinook retention opportunity downstream of Priest Rapids Dam.
Dates, bag limits, and area for the retention modifications adopted today follow:
Mainstem Columbia River from Astoria-Megler Bridge upstream to Hwy 395 Bridge at Pasco, WA
Dates: Saturday, July 12 – Saturday, July 19
Daily Adult Bag Limit: The daily adult salmon/steelhead bag limit may include hatchery Chinook, sockeye, and hatchery steelhead.
Dates: Sunday, July 20 – Thursday, July 31 Daily Adult Bag Limit: The daily adult salmon/steelhead bag limit may include sockeye and hatchery steelhead.
The daily bag limit includes two adult salmonids of which only one may be a steelhead.
All other permanent regulations remain in effect, including catch limits for jack salmon.
Find the latest on Columbia River fishing regulations.