2021 Spring Salmon Season Set

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife had a meeting on February 3rd 2021 to decide on the final outcome of our 2021 Spring Salmon season. Their final decision was made and they are allowing anglers to fish on the Columbia River starting March 1st. Fishing for Salmon will remain open on the Columbia River through April 4th. The lower Columbia River will also be open to angling for the first time since 2018. However there is a no angling zone near the mouth of the Cowlitz river, this no angling zone also includes the Carrols Slough. This is a huge step in the right direction for Columbia River sport fishing as there is a lot more water to fish than the last couple years! Excluding the no angling zone around the mouth of the Cowlitz the whole lower river will be open all the way up to Beacon Rock below Bonneville Dam. The Columbia River is expected to get 143,200 springers back, similar to last year’s actual return of 142,000 fish. The daily bag limit is going to be 1 hatchery Chinook per person per day. If a hatchery Steelhead is caught it also may be kept. The fishery downstream of Bonneville dam will be put on a quota of 2206 hatchery chinook. Springer fishing will also be open above Bonneville dam for the upriver fishery. The season starts on the upper Columbia on March 16th and will be open through may 5th. The area between Bonneville dam and The Dalles power lines will be closed to boat angling but bank angling will be allowed in both states in this area. The same bag limit applies in the upper river as the lower river. The Willamette river will remain open every day of the week through the 15th of August. On the Willamette River the use of two rods per person is allowed with a valid Two rod endorsement. The daily bag limit on the Willamette will be 2 hatchery Salmon per person per day giving anglers a good chance to put lots of meat on the table. It is very important to keep a close eye on the regulations for both the Columbia and Willamette rivers in the spring because these regulations are subject to change at ODFW’s discretion.