Oregon reference
For weighing a catchPiscifun Lip gripper with digital scale27% OFFSale $39.99 $54.99
Oregon Columbia River Zone Rules
Main stem rows, exceptions and the basin endorsement.
For weighing a catchPiscifun Lip gripper with digital scale27% OFFSale $39.99 Photo of Columbia River: Bonnie Moreland, Public domain
Columbia River Zone
Where the Oregon Columbia River rules apply
The Columbia River Zone is all waters of the Columbia River upstream from a north-south line through Buoy 10 at the river mouth and includes those portions of tributaries (including lakes) downstream from the mainline railroad bridges near the tributaries’ mouths except for the Willamette (including Multnomah Channel), Sandy, Hood, Deschutes and Umatilla river systems, Skipanon River, and Youngs Bay. The Columbia River Zone includes, Camas Slough downstream of the HWY 14 Bridge at the eastern tip of Lady Island, downstream from Hwy 730 on the Umatilla River and from Interstate 84 on the Deschutes River, and the lower Skipanon River downstream of the Harbor Street Bridge. The boundary is a straight line across the mouths of the Willamette (including Multnomah Channel), Sandy and Hood rivers and the Hwy 101 Bridge on Youngs Bay.
The Columbia River Basin Endorsement costs $9.75 as printed for 2026.
7zone rows
95exceptions
$9.75basin endorsement
Limits as printed in the 2026 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations (ODFW, eRegulations edition) (Columbia River Zone page), read November 2, 2026.
The Columbia River page
Zone rows
Columbia River Zone rows as printed
| Species | Bag as printed | Season as printed |
|---|---|---|
| Trout | 2 per day, 3 daily limits in possession; 12-inch minimum | Closed in all waters unless noted by species under Exceptions. Additional salmon and steelhead seasons are determined on an annual basis. |
| Salmon and Steelhead | In the aggregate: 2 adult salmon or steelhead per day, 20 per year. 5 jack salmon per day, 2 daily jack limits in possession. | Closed in all waters unless noted by species under Exceptions. Additional salmon and steelhead seasons are determined on an annual basis. |
| Sturgeon | Catch-and-release only. | Catch-and-release: Open all year, except as noted under Exceptions. |
| Bass, Striped Bass, Bluegill, Catfish, Crappie, other Sunfish, Walleye, Yellow P. | No limit. | Open all year. |
| Shad | No limit. | Open all year, except closed from Buoy 10 line upstream to Bonneville Dam Apr 1 – May 15. |
| Smelt | Unless specifically authorized under emergency rules, it is unlawful to take or attempt to take Eulachon smelt in inland waters, including bays, rivers, estuaries, and streams. | Unless specifically authorized under emergency rules, it is unlawful to take or attempt to take Eulachon smelt in inland waters, including bays, rivers, estuaries, and streams. |
| Marine Fish and Marine Shellfish (other than Eulachon Smelt) | See Marine Zone. (Marine Zone regulations for marine fish and marine shellfish only apply to Columbia River downstream of Tongue Point/Rocky Point line at the mouth of the Columbia River.) | See Marine Zone. (Marine Zone regulations for marine fish and marine shellfish only apply to Columbia River downstream of Tongue Point/Rocky Point line at the mouth of the. |
Limits as printed in the 2026 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations (ODFW, eRegulations edition) (Columbia River Zone page), read November 2, 2026.
Exceptions
Columbia River Zone exceptions, reach by reach
| Water and reach | Species | Rule as printed | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia River (Buoy 10 line up to a line projected from Rocky Point on the Washington bank through Red Buoy 44 to the navigation light at T | hatchery steelhead | Open for hatchery steelhead Jan 1 – Mar 31 and Nov 1 – Dec 31. | p. 72 |
| Columbia River (Buoy 10 line up to a line projected from Rocky Point on the Washington bank through Red Buoy 44 to the navigation light at T | chinook, salmon | Open for hatchery Chinook salmon Jan 1 – Mar 31. | p. 72 |
| Columbia River (Buoy 10 line up to a line projected from Rocky Point on the Washington bank through Red Buoy 44 to the navigation light at T | coho | Adult coho are longer than 20 inches. | p. 72 |
| Columbia River (Buoy 10 line up to a line projected from Rocky Point on the Washington bank through Red Buoy 44 to the navigation light at T | steelhead, salmon | Additional salmon and steelhead seasons are determined on an annual basis. Visit myodfw.com for current regulations. | p. 72 |
| Columbia River (Buoy 10 line up to a line projected from Rocky Point on the Washington bank through Red Buoy 44 to the navigation light at T | salmon | 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. | p. 72 |
| Columbia River (Buoy 10 line up to a line projected from Rocky Point on the Washington bank through Red Buoy 44 to the navigation light at T | Closed to angling within the Youngs Bay Control Zone Aug 1 – Sep 15. See map. | p. 72 | |
| Columbia River (Buoy 10 line up to a line projected from Rocky Point on the Washington bank through Red Buoy 44 to the navigation light at T | 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 continu. | p. 72 | |
| Columbia River (A line projected from Rocky Point on the Washington bank through Red Buoy 44 to the navigation light at Tongue Point on the | trout, cutthroat | Open for hatchery cutthroat trout Jan 1 – Mar 31 and May 22 – Dec 31. | p. 72 |
| Columbia River (A line projected from Rocky Point on the Washington bank through Red Buoy 44 to the navigation light at Tongue Point on the | hatchery steelhead, chinook, salmon | Open for hatchery Chinook salmon and hatchery steelhead Jan 1 – Mar 31. | p. 72 |
| Columbia River (A line projected from Rocky Point on the Washington bank through Red Buoy 44 to the navigation light at Tongue Point on the | hatchery steelhead, chinook | Open for hatchery jack Chinook and hatchery steelhead May 16 – Jul 31. | p. 72 |
| Columbia River (A line projected from Rocky Point on the Washington bank through Red Buoy 44 to the navigation light at Tongue Point on the | hatchery steelhead | Open for hatchery steelhead Nov 1 – Dec 31. | p. 72 |
| Columbia River (A line projected from Rocky Point on the Washington bank through Red Buoy 44 to the navigation light at Tongue Point on the | steelhead, salmon | Additional salmon and steelhead seasons are determined on an annual basis. Visit myodfw.com for current regulations. | p. 72 |
| Columbia River (A line projected from Rocky Point on the Washington bank through Red Buoy 44 to the navigation light at Tongue Point on the | Angling from the Big Creek RR trestle is prohibited Aug. 16 – Oct. 15. | p. 72 | |
| Columbia River (I-5 bridge to Bonneville Dam) | hatchery steelhead | Open for hatchery steelhead Jan 1 – Mar 31, Jun 16 – July 31, and Nov 1 – Dec 31. | p. 72 |
| Columbia River (I-5 bridge to Bonneville Dam) | chinook | Open for hatchery jack Chinook Jun 16 – Jul 31. | p. 72 |
| Columbia River (I-5 bridge to Bonneville Dam) | steelhead, salmon | Additional salmon and steelhead seasons are determined on an annual basis. Visit myodfw.com for current regulations. | p. 72 |
| Columbia River (I-5 bridge to Bonneville Dam) | 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; | p. 72 | |
| Columbia River (I-5 bridge to Bonneville Dam) | 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; | p. 72 | |
| Columbia River (I-5 bridge to Bonneville Dam) | 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. | p. 72 | |
| Columbia River (I-5 bridge to Bonneville Dam) | 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. | p. 72 | |
| Columbia River (I-5 bridge to Bonneville Dam) | From Robins Island below Bonneville Dam downstream to a line perpendicular to the shoreline marker on mooring cell. | p. 72 | |
| Columbia River (I-5 bridge to Bonneville Dam) | 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 westernmo. | p. 72 | |
| Columbia River (I-5 bridge to Bonneville Dam) | sturgeon | Sturgeon angling is prohibited May 1 – Aug 31 in the spawning sanctuary 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. | p. 72 |
| Columbia River (I-5 bridge to Bonneville Dam) | salmon | Salmon angling from a floating device is prohibited from Beacon Rock to Bonneville Dam Nov 1 – Dec 31. | p. 72 |
| Columbia River (Bonneville Dam to Oregon/Washington border above McNary Dam) | hatchery steelhead | Open for hatchery steelhead Jan 1 – Mar 31 and Jun 16 – Jul 31. | p. 72 |
| Columbia River (Bonneville Dam to Oregon/Washington border above McNary Dam) | hatchery steelhead | Open for hatchery steelhead Nov 1 – Dec 31 between Bonneville and The Dalles dams. | p. 72 |
| Columbia River (Bonneville Dam to Oregon/Washington border above McNary Dam) | steelhead, salmon | Additional salmon and steelhead seasons are determined on an annual basis. Visit myodfw.com for current regulations. | p. 72 |
| Columbia River (Bonneville Dam to Oregon/Washington border above McNary Dam) | steelhead, salmon | 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. | p. 72 |
| Columbia River (Bonneville Dam to Oregon/Washington border above McNary Dam) | 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. | p. 72 | |
| Columbia River (Bonneville Dam to Oregon/Washington border above McNary Dam) | sturgeon | Sturgeon RegulationsSturgeon seasons are determined on an annual basis, visit myodfw.com for current regulations. | p. 72 |
| Columbia River (Bonneville Dam to Oregon/Washington border above McNary Dam) | sturgeon | When sturgeon retention is permitted, the following size limits apply:Bonneville Dam to The Dalles Dam: Sturgeon must have a fork length between 38 inches (minimum) and 54 inches (maximum). | p. 72 |
| Columbia River (Bonneville Dam to Oregon/Washington border above McNary Dam) | sturgeon | The Dalles Dam to McNary Dam: Sturgeon must have a fork length between 43 inches (minimum) and 54 inches (maximum). | p. 72 |
| Columbia River (Bonneville Dam to Oregon/Washington border above McNary Dam) | sturgeon | Catch-and-release for sturgeon is allowed after taking the daily or annual limit, or after the quota is reached. For regulation updates, visit the MyODFW website. | p. 72 |
| Columbia River (Bonneville Dam to Oregon/Washington border above McNary Dam) | sturgeon | Angling for sturgeon is prohibited from May 1 through August 31 in the following spawning sanctuaries: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 upst. | p. 72 |
| Columbia River (Bonneville Dam to Oregon/Washington border above McNary 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. | p. 72 | |
| Columbia River (Bonneville Dam to Oregon/Washington border above McNary 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. | p. 72 | |
| Columbia River (Bonneville Dam to Oregon/Washington border above McNary Dam) | Closed:Bonneville Dam upstream to a line across the river 1,000 ft from the dam as indicated by USACE signs; | p. 72 | |
| Columbia River (Bonneville Dam to Oregon/Washington border above McNary Dam) | 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; | p. 72 | |
| Columbia River (Bonneville Dam to Oregon/Washington border above McNary Dam) | John Day Dam downstream approx. 3,000 ft except that bank angling is permitted up to 600 ft below the fishway entrance; | p. 72 | |
| Columbia River (Bonneville Dam to Oregon/Washington border above McNary Dam) | From a floating device in USACE designated hazard zones above and below McNary Dam. | p. 72 | |
| Benson Lake (Multnomah Co.) | Open all year. | p. 75 | |
| Benson Lake (Multnomah Co.) | trout | 5 hatchery trout per day, 8 inch minimum length. | p. 75 |
| Blind Slough/Knappa Slough Select Area (Including Gnat Cr from RR bridge up to Aldrich Pt Rd Bridge (Clatsop Co.) (see map)) | hatchery steelhead, chinook, coho | Open all year for hatchery Chinook, hatchery coho and hatchery steelhead. | p. 75 |
| Blind Slough/Knappa Slough Select Area (Including Gnat Cr from RR bridge up to Aldrich Pt Rd Bridge (Clatsop Co.) (see map)) | Use of barbed hooks allowed. | p. 75 | |
| Eagle Creek (Mouth to mainline railroad bridge) | steelhead, coho, salmon | Open for salmon and steelhead consistent with regulations for the mainstem Columbia River adjacent to the mouth of Eagle Creek, except retention of wild coho is always prohibited. | p. 72 |
| Eagle Creek (Mouth to mainline railroad bridge) | See Central Zone for area above mainline RR bridge. | p. 72 | |
| Hartman Pond | Open all year. | p. 75 | |
| Hartman Pond | trout | 5 trout per day, 8 inch minimum length. | p. 75 |
| Hartman Pond | bass | 1 bass per day. | p. 75 |
| Hartman Pond | crappie | 10 crappie per day. | p. 75 |
| Hartman Pond | catfish | 2 channel catfish per day. | p. 75 |
| Hartman Pond | warmwater | No minimum length on warmwater fish. | p. 75 |
| Herman Creek (East of peninsula from the markers at the mouth to the mainline railroad bridge (see map on page 77).) | steelhead, coho, salmon | Open for salmon and steelhead consistent with regulations for the mainstem Columbia River adjacent to the mouth of Herman Creek, except closed Aug 16 – Nov 30 and retention of wild coho is always prohibited. | p. 72 |
| Herman Creek (East of peninsula from the markers at the mouth to the mainline railroad bridge (see map on page 77).) | See Central Zone for area above the mainline RR bridge. | p. 72 | |
| Herman Creek (Herman Cr Youth and Disabled Angler Angling Area – West of peninsula from the markers at the mouth to lower Herman Cr Pond str | steelhead, coho, salmon | Open for salmon and steelhead consistent with regulations for the mainstem Columbia River adjacent to the mouth of Herman Creek, except retention of wild coho is always prohibited. | p. 72 |
| Herman Creek (Herman Cr Lagoon- East of the line from Northwest tip of the jetty, south to marker on shore (See map).) | steelhead, coho, salmon | Open for salmon and steelhead consistent with regulations for the mainstem Columbia River adjacent to the mouth of Herman Creek, except retention of wild coho is always prohibited. | p. 72 |
| Multnomah Creek (Mouth to the mainline railroad bridge) | steelhead, coho, salmon | Open for salmon and steelhead consistent with regulations for the mainstem Columbia River adjacent to the mouth of Multnomah Creek except closed Aug 16 – Nov 30 and retention of wild coho is always prohibited. | p. 75 |
| Multnomah Creek (Mouth to the mainline railroad bridge) | trout | Open all year for trout from Benson Lake downstream to the culvert under Hwy 84. | p. 75 |
| Multnomah Creek (Mouth to the mainline railroad bridge) | trout | 5 hatchery trout per day, 8 inch minimum length. | p. 75 |
| Multnomah Creek (Mouth to the mainline railroad bridge) | See Willamette Zone for areas above mainline RR bridge. | p. 75 |
Water exceptions as printed in the 2026 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations (ODFW, eRegulations edition) (booklet PDF; printed page shown), read November 2, 2026. In-season changes from ODFW override them.
General rules
Columbia River Zone general rules
- In the Columbia River where it forms the state boundary line, not including tributaries, sloughs and lands, the following rules apply:Both Washington and Oregon resident or non-resident fishing licenses are valid except when the other state’s season is closed.Columbia River Zone
- Anglers must follow the rules of the state in which they are fishing;Columbia River Zone
- Anglers are restricted to one daily catch limit for all fish species from the Columbia River, even if licensed in Oregon and Washington;Columbia River Zone
- Anglers are restricted to one annual catch limit of white sturgeon in the Columbia River even if licensed in Oregon and Washington.Columbia River Zone
Limits as printed in the 2026 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations (ODFW, eRegulations edition) (Columbia River Zone page), read November 2, 2026.
Fish photos
Photographed species for Oregon Columbia River Zone Rules
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: gailhampshire, CC BY 2.0
Answers
Columbia River Zone, answered
Where does the Columbia River Zone start and end?
The Columbia River Zone is all waters of the Columbia River upstream from a north-south line through Buoy 10 at the river mouth and includes those portions of tributaries (including lakes) downstream from the mainline railroad bridges near the tributaries’ mouths except for the Willamette (including.
How many exceptions sit in the Columbia River Zone?
95 rows in the 2026 booklet.
Do I need the Columbia River Basin Endorsement?
ODFW lists it at $9.75 for 2026; the fee page explains who needs it.
Is sturgeon open in the Columbia River Zone?
Catch-and-release only.
Are Columbia tributary mouths in this zone?
The lower ends of some tributaries are, below the points the zone description names; above them the inland zone applies.
Which booklet pages cover the Columbia River Zone?
The zone table and its exceptions, printed pages 72 and 75; each exception row above shows its own page.
Do Columbia rules change in season?
Often; salmon and sturgeon seasons on the Columbia are set and changed by joint state action posted on MyODFW.
Where is the river page?
On the Columbia River page, with launches, gauges and exceptions.