Is the Columbia River Open for Salmon Fishing? A Guide to Spring Chinook Seasons
The Columbia River is one of the premier salmon fishing destinations in the Pacific Northwest, known for its abundant runs of Chinook sockeye, and coho salmon. Anglers eagerly await the arrival of spring Chinook salmon each year, as these prized fish make their journey from the ocean back to their native spawning grounds. But is the Columbia River open for salmon fishing throughout the year? Let’s take a closer look at the spring Chinook salmon seasons to find out.
Spring Chinook Salmon Migration
Spring Chinook salmon begin migrating up the Columbia River in early spring, typically arriving in late March or April. These fish originate from tributaries and hatcheries throughout the Columbia River basin, swimming downstream as juveniles before maturing in the ocean for 2-5 years. As adults ranging from 10 to 30 pounds, they return to freshwater to spawn.
The peak of the spring Chinook run occurs in May and June. However, the timing of the salmon’s arrival depends on various environmental factors like water flow, temperature, and weather conditions. Their numbers also vary annually, with total Columbia River returns ranging from 100,000 to nearly 300,000 fish in recent years.
Spring Chinook Salmon Seasons
The spring Chinook salmon fishing seasons on the Columbia River are limited to protect wild salmon populations listed under the Endangered Species Act. Fishery managers from Oregon and Washington work cooperatively to establish annual fishing seasons based on the preseason forecast and other data.
Here is an overview of recent spring Chinook salmon fishing opportunities on the Columbia River:
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March 1 – April 6: The lower Columbia from Buoy 10 upstream to Beacon Rock is open, along with bank fishing upriver to Bonneville Dam. The daily limit is 6 salmonids, with a maximum of 2 adult Chinook.
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April 1 – April 26: The Columbia is open from Tower Island power lines near The Dalles Dam up to the WA/OR border, plus bank fishing up to Tower Island. The daily limit is 6 fish, only 1 of which can be an adult Chinook.
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May 1 – June 15: The river is closed to all Chinook salmon fishing from Bonneville Dam upstream to protect returning hatchery and wild fish. The lower river remains open for hatchery steelhead and shad.
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June 16 – July 31: The summer Chinook fishing season opens, with rules and limits determined based on forecasts. Select sections of the Columbia open for salmon fishing, often through August depending on quotas.
In addition to the mainstem Columbia River, popular tributaries like the Cowlitz, Kalama, and Lewis rivers open for spring Chinook fishing in April or May. Anglers are advised to always check the latest regulations prior to fishing, as seasons and rules may change based on in-season updates to the salmon run forecasts.
Where to Catch Spring Chinook
When the spring Chinook seasons open on the Columbia River, some of the best fishing opportunities are:
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The lower river from Buoy 10 upstream to the Interstate 5 bridge near Portland. Springers stack up here waiting for river flows to drop before moving upstream.
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The gorge near Beacon Rock and Bonneville Dam. Use divers and wobblers in this area to target salmon migrating past the dam.
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The Cowlitz River, where spring Chinook typically return earlier than other tributaries. Drift boat fishing can be excellent from Blue Creek to the Barrier Dam.
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Sandy and Clackamas Rivers near Portland, two smaller tributaries with nice spring Chinook runs and bank fishing access.
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The Willamette River near the falls at Oregon City, a convenient fishery close to Portland.
Bank fishing can also produce springers when plunking bait like cured eggs, shrimp, and sandshrimp tails. Boats allow covering more water to find scattered schools of salmon.
Spring Chinook Fishing Tips and Techniques
Skilled Columbia River anglers use these techniques to catch spring Chinook each season:
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Troll herring behind diving plugs like MagLip 3.5 or Kwikfish lures. Fish near the bottom in 15-50 feet of water.
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Slow troll anchovies or sardine wraps with aProps or Fish Flash dodgers near rocky structure.
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Cast spinners like Blue Fox Vibrax or Mepps from shore, letting the lure sink briefly before retrieving.
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Use shrimp fly jigs tipped with bait under a float to target salmon in eddies and current seams.
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Plunk cured salmon eggs, sandshrimp, or prawns on the bottom with pyramid weights.
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Backbounce roe or shrimp behind sliding divers or sinker setups near ledges and dropoffs.
Spring chinook will strike bright colored lures and bait while migrating upstream. Pay close attention to areas of transition from slow to fast currents. And make sure to check the most current regulations for each section of river and tributary before fishing.
Columbia River Salmon Fishing Outlook
After several years of low returns, the 2025 spring Chinook forecast is slightly higher than 2024, with fishery managers able to provide limited retention fishing opportunities. While not as abundant as in previous decades, springers continue to draw anglers hoping to catch these prized fish. Tributary habitat improvements and hatchery programs help sustain recreational fisheries despite environmental challenges.
Benson Lake (Multnomah Co.)
- Open all year.
- 5 hatchery trout per day, 8 inch minimum length.
Exceptions to Columbia River Zone Regulations
Buoy 10 line up to a line projected from Rocky Point on the Washington bank through Red Buoy 44 to the navigation light at Tongue Point on the Oregon bank
- Open for hatchery steelhead Jan 1 – Mar 31 and Aug 1 – Dec 31.
- Open for hatchery Chinook salmon Jan 1 – Mar 31.
- Open for adult Chinook salmon Aug 1 – Aug 31.
- Open for adult hatchery coho salmon Aug 1 – Dec 31. Minimum length for adult coho is 16 inches.
- Retention of jack salmon allowed Oct 1 – Dec 31.
- The Columbia River South Jetty is open to salmon angling seven days a week when the fall Buoy 10 or adjacent ocean salmon fishery is open.
- Closed to angling within the Youngs Bay Control Zone Aug 1 – Sep 15. See Columbia River Zone Map.
- In the waters of the Pacific Ocean and the Columbia River up to a line projected from Rocky Point on the Washington bank through Red Buoy 44 to the navigation light at Tongue Point on the Oregon bank, each angler aboard a vessel may continue to use angling gear until the daily limit of fish for all legally licensed and juvenile anglers aboard has been achieved. However, no individual angler may exceed any personal daily bag limit.
A line projected from Rocky Point on the Washington bank through Red Buoy 44 to the navigation light at Tongue Point on the Oregon bank up to I-5 bridge
- Open for hatchery cutthroat trout Jan 1 – Mar 31 and May 22 – Dec 31.
- Open for hatchery Chinook salmon and hatchery steelhead Jan 1 – Mar 31.
- Open for hatchery jack Chinook and hatchery steelhead May 16 – Jul 31.
- Open for hatchery adult Chinook Jun 16-30.
- Open for hatchery coho and hatchery steelhead Aug 1 – Dec 31.
- Open for Chinook Aug 1-31.
- Angling from the Big Creek RR trestle is prohibited Aug. 16 – Oct. 15.
I-5 bridge to Bonneville Dam
- Open for hatchery steelhead Jan 1 – Mar 31 and Jun 16 – Dec 31.
- Open for hatchery jack Chinook Jun 16 – Jul 31.
- Open for adult hatchery Chinook Jun 16 – Jun 30.
- Open for hatchery coho Aug 1 – Dec. 31.
- Open for Chinook Aug 1 – Aug 31.
- Closed:
- Between markers 150 ft above and 450 ft below the mouth of Tanner Cr out to center of the Columbia River Aug 16 – Oct 15;
- Inside the south navigation lock at Bonneville Dam from a marker on the western-most point of Robins Island to a marker on the Oregon mainland shore;
- Angling is prohibited for all species during Jan 1 – Apr 30 from a line between the upstream end of Sand Island (near Rooster Rock) and a marker on the Oregon shoreline, downstream to a line between the lower end of Sand Island and a marker on the Oregon shoreline.
- Bank angling prohibited:
- From Bradford Island below Bonneville Dam from south shore between the dam and a line perpendicular to the shoreline marker at west end of riprap and from north shore between fishway entrance and a line perpendicular to the shoreline marker 850 ft downstream;
- From Robins Island below Bonneville Dam downstream to a line perpendicular to the shoreline marker on mooring cell.
- Angling from a floating device or using a floating device to set lines is prohibited in the area between Bonneville Dam and a line crossing the river below the dam marked by the boat-restricted zone sign on the Oregon shore at the westernmost tip of Robins Island to the boat-restricted zone sign approx. 50 ft above the Hamilton Island boat ramp on the Washington shore (USACE Boat Restricted Zone).
- Sturgeon angling is prohibited May 1 – Aug 31 from Bonneville Dam downstream approx. 9 mi to a line crossing the Columbia River from Navigation Marker 82 on the Oregon shore westerly to a boundary marker on the Washington shore above Fir Point.
- Salmon angling from a floating device is prohibited from Beacon Rock to Bonneville Dam Nov 1 – Dec 31.
Bonneville Dam to Oregon/Washington border above McNary Dam
- Open for hatchery steelhead Jan 1 – Mar 31 and Jun 16 – Dec 31.
- Open for hatchery Chinook salmon Jun 16 – Jul 31.
- Open for Chinook and coho salmon Aug 1 – Dec 31. Only hatchery coho salmon may be retained between Bonneville Dam and the Hood River Bridge at RM 169.
- When angling for salmon and steelhead, a single-point hook with a gap size no larger than 3/4-inch is required for all non-buoyant lures Aug 1 – Dec 31 except when trolling from a vessel or floating device.
- Only single-point hooks allowed when angling at Cascade Locks in the area between the boat ramp at the lower end of the locks upstream to the east (upstream) end of the lock wall.
- Sturgeon Regulations
- Open for white sturgeon from Jan 1 – until quota is reached.
- Bag limit is 1 per day, 2 per year.
- Bonneville Dam to The Dalles Dam sturgeon must be between 38 inch minimum and 54 inch maximum fork length.
- The Dalles Dam to McNary Dam sturgeon must be between 43 inch minimum, 54 inch maximum fork length.
- Only catch-and-release allowed for sturgeon from McNary Dam to the Oregon/Washington border.
- Catch-and-release for sturgeon is allowed after taking the daily or annual limit or the after quota is reached. Check myodfw.com for regulation updates.
- Angling for sturgeon is prohibited from May 1 through August 31 in the following areas:
- A line projected from the east (upstream) dock at the Port of The Dalles boat ramp straight across to a marker on the Washington bank upstream to The Dalles Dam.
- A line projected from the west end of the grain silo at Rufus straight across to a marker on the Washington bank upstream to John Day Dam.
- A line projected from the east end grain elevators at Patterson Ferry Road straight across to a marker on the Washington bank upstream to McNary Dam.
- Closed:
- Bonneville Dam upstream to a line across the river 1,000 ft from the dam as indicated by USACE signs;
- Interstate Hwy 197 bridge at The Dalles upstream to the upper line of The Dalles Dam, except bank angling is permitted above the Hwy bridge for 1,100 ft to the cyclone fence;
- John Day Dam downstream approx. 3,000 ft except that bank angling is permitted up to 600 ft below the fishway entrance;
- From a floating device in USACE designated hazard zones above and below McNary Dam.
5 Tips for Successful Spring Chinook Salmon Fishing on the Columbia River
FAQ
FAQ
Is salmon season still open on the Columbia River?
Salmon and steelhead fishing is open daily through March 31 from the mouth of the Columbia River to the Interstate 5 bridge under permanent regulations. However, spring Chinook typically don’t arrive in large numbers until late March or April.
Why is the Columbia River closed to salmon?
Due to a number of environmental and human encroachment issues, the numbers of salmon and steelhead returning to the Columbia River to spawn have been decreasing rapidly. As it stands today, there are multiple, consecutive years of stunningly declining salmon and steelhead runs.
Can you fish for salmon on the Columbia River?
Fishing on the Columbia River in Portland, Oregon, offers a variety of opportunities. Anglers can target several species, including salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, and smallmouth bass. Each species provides a unique challenge and experience making the Columbia River a popular destination for fishing enthusiasts.
Where can I fish for salmon right now?
Lake Shasta, CA.
With a surface area of 30,000 acres, Lake Shasta hosts some of the best Salmon fishing in California.