Night closure and barbless hooks required (salmon, steelhead, and sturgeon only). Anglers may fish with either a saltwater, freshwater, or combination license in the waters of the Columbia River from the Buoy 10 line to a line from Rocky Point on the Washington shore, to Tongue Point on the Oregon Shore.
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How do you bank fish in the Columbia River?

Where can I fish from the shore on the Columbia River?
The gorge plus islands and shelves near Troutdale and farther downriver near Kelley Point in Portland are good spots to try. Smallmouth bass are plentiful around riprap and other rocky structures. Largemouth bass, crappie and other panfish are more common in sloughs and other backwater areas, including Scappoose Bay.
How do you catch salmon from the bank on the Columbia River?
- Use a 360 flasher.
- Stack those wobblers.
- Below the Bonneville Dam, focus your efforts on the tide turns in the river.
- Above Bonneville Dam, try dead drifting near the river mouths.
- Use tuna fish in Brad’s Baits.
What fish are running in the Columbia River now?
The Columbia River is renowned for its salmon and steelhead runs. In a year of good returns, over 1 million Chinook, coho and sockeye salmon, and summer steelhead travel up the river to spawn in its tributaries. Less known are the river’s excellent smallmouth bass and walleye fisheries.
Are barbless hooks required on the Columbia River?
Barbless Hooks are required when angling for salmon, steelhead, or trout in the mainstem Columbia River under permanent regulations. All other permanent rules for the Columbia River Zone, as stated in the 2022 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations (see e-regulations), remain in effect unless modified below.
Are barbed hooks allowed on the Columbia River?
Barbed hooks allowed for salmon, steelhead, trout fishing in the Columbia River beginning June 1. SALEM, Ore. โODFW today adopted temporary rules to allow anglers to use barbed hooks when fishing for salmon, steelhead and trout in the Columbia River beginning Saturday, June 1.
Can I fish with two rods on the Columbia River?
As a reminder, anglers remain limited to one rod at all times when fishing in the Columbia River. Two-rod validations have been available to Oregon anglers for several years.
Can you use bait on the Columbia River?
(c) Live forage fish may be possessed or used as bait in the Columbia River downstream of 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. (7) Use of bait in violation of this section is an infraction, punishable under RCW 77.15.
Can you use treble hooks on the Columbia River?
Under the new rule, anglers may still use single-point, double-point, or treble hooks in those waters, so long as any barbs have been filed off or pinched down.
Where is the best salmon fishing on the Columbia River?
The Buoy 10 fishery on the Columbia is one of the hottest spots for catching Salmon anywhere in the World! We catch keeper Sturgeon and Trophy Sturgeon from 42โฒ to 60โฒ long.
How do you catch steelhead from the bank?

What is the limit for salmon on the Columbia River?
The daily adult bag limit is two salmon, but only one may be a Chinook. November 1 โ December 31: Retention of Chinook, coho, and hatchery steelhead allowed. The daily adult bag limit is two salmonids, but only one may be a Chinook.
Is steelhead fishing open on the Columbia River?
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.
Where is the best walleye fishing on the Columbia River?
Technique: The best fishing for walleye in Oregon is in the Columbia River near Portland and in The Dalles and John Day pools. Walleye are predominantly nocturnal feeders, frequently moving inshore at dusk to feed in schools where they may be found along the edges of drop-offs.
How big do walleye get in the Columbia River?
The Columbia River regularly produces huge walleye up to 14 pounds, although anglers can expect most walleye to be between two and three pounds. The current daily limit is a generous 16 fish per person. Walleye get their name as their eyes point outwards.
Can you keep wild sockeye on the Columbia River?
July 1 through July 13; Daily limit 6, up to 2 adult salmonids (hatchery Chinook, hatchery steelhead, sockeye) may be retained as part of the daily adult salmon and steelhead bag limit, but only 1 may be a steelhead.
Do you lose more fish with barbless hooks?
Hooks without a barb tend to cause less injury to the fish because they can be removed more easily. In other words, since you don’t have to push the sharp v-shaped metal piece or barb through the mouth of the fish, there is less of a chance that you will further injure the fish before releasing it.
Can you eat fish from the Columbia River?
Resident fish include bass, bluegill, carp, catfish, crappie, sucker, sturgeon, walleye and yellow perch. Salmon, steelhead, lamprey and shad are NOT included in this fish advisory. They are a healthy choice from the Columbia River.
Do you need a special license to fish the Columbia River?
A valid fishing license โ a freshwater, combination, or Fish Washington license โ is required at all times to fish the Columbia River.
Are there leeches in the Columbia River?
Becker and Dauble (1979) reported leeches in the lower Columbia River. In contrast to the lack of leeches in the Green, Colorado, and Fraser rivers, the Snake River of the Columbia River basin has a rich leech fauna.
Can you fish after 2pm in Oregon?
Fishing will close for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, and trout from 2 p.m. until one hour before sunrise in some rivers and streams in the NW, SW, Willamette, Central, NE zones. (“Hoot owl” regulations to end fishing before water temperatures are at their warmest, which stresses fish.)
Is a size 2 hook too big for trout?
In general, trout hooks that are size 8 to 14 are going to be best. Always use barbless hooks for trout unless you plan to eat what you catch. Smaller hooks are always best for trout because they will see larger hooks if the water is clear enough.
What size rod is best for river fishing?
For general river fishing and small stillwater’s, rods between 8ft and 9ft 6in are normally used. Then for the large rivers, reservoirs and so on, fly rods about 9ft to11 ft are normal.
Is there sharks in the Columbia River?
“It’s not very often we see sharks in that area of the Columbia River, but it does not mean they are not there” ODFW spokesperson Rick Hargrave said. Hargrave says there are likely several contributing factors as to why the shark was in the area.