Chance to Comment on Proposed Changes for Oregon’s Sport Fishing Regulations

By on Tuesday, July 25th, 2023 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News

EASTERN OREGON – (Information from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife) ODFW will be reviewing proposed changes to the 2023-24 sport fishing regulations during a commission meeting August 4. Regulations include the complete removal of several dams along the Klamath river and various local changes to bag limits. The proposed regulations for the Northeast, Southeast and Snake zones, as listed on the ODFW website, are as follows:

Northeast Zone

Grande Ronde River; state line to Clark Creek Rd

  • Proposed regulation: Open for Coho salmon Sept. 1 to Nov. 30, 2 adult Coho salmon per day and 5 jack coho salmon per day.
  • Justification: Coho Salmon were reintroduced into the Lostine River in 2017. Fisheries have been open for 3 consecutive years under temporary rule. The Nez Perce tribes is supportive of this fishery.

McKay Creek

  • Proposed regulation: Open all year for trout.
  • Justification: Provides protection for salmon and steelhead after the removal of fish barrier, while maintaining opportunity for popular trout fishing.

Umatilla River; above CTUIR Reservation

  • Proposed regulation: Hook-gap size may not exceed 3/8 inch.
  • Justification: A hook gap regulation provides protection to bull trout from hooking mortality associated larger hooks used to angle for anadromous fish. OSP supports this change.

Walla Walla River and tributaries

  • Proposed regulation: Zone regulation – Closed for steelhead.
  • Justification: Wild steelhead returns have been below the critical abundance threshold for the last 5 years. Closure is needed until population size allows for a fishery to occur.

Walla Walla River and tributaries

  • Proposed regulation: Hook-gap size may not exceed 3/8 inch.
  • Justification: A hook gap regulation provides protection to bull trout from hooking mortality associated larger hooks used to angle for anadromous fish. OSP supports this change.

Southeast Zone

Klamath Lake

  • Proposed regulation: Closed to all angling in Hagelstein Park.
  • Justification: Request from the Klamath Tribes to provide additional protection for ESA listed suckers.

Klamath River

  • Proposed regulation: 1 rainbow trout per day, 12 inch minimum and 15 inch maximum length.
  • Justification: Removal of Klamath River dams in 2024 will allow anadromous fish to migrate into the upper Klamath basin. Trout slot limit needed to provided angling opportunity while protecting steelhead smolts and adults in the basin.

Klamath River

  • Proposed regulation: Closed from Hwy 66 Bridge to Keno Dam June 16 – Sept. 30.
  • Justification: Closed area needs to be updated with the removal of the dam.

Zone-wide

  • Proposed regulation: Closed to angling for salmon and steelhead.
  • Justification: Removal of Klamath River dams in 2024 will allow anadromous fish to migrate into the upper Klamath basin. Closures needed to protect any migrating fish as efforts are underway to restore and establish salmon and steelhead populations in the basin.

Snake Zone:

Snake River; state line to Hells Canyon Dam

  • Proposed regulation: Open for hatchery Chinook salmon April 22 to Aug. 17 from Dug Bar Boat Ramp to Hells Canyon Dam. 4 hatchery Chinook per day, only 2 of which may be an adult.
  • Justification: This is a terminal fishery for hatchery spring chinook. This has been opened for that last 14 years by temporary rule.

Snake River; above Brownlee Reservoir to Idaho State Line

  • Proposed regulation: 6 bass per day; 3 daily bag limits in possession. No minimum length.
  • Justification: Regulation change to be concurrent with Idaho bag limits for bass.

Proposed regulations for all zones can be found here. Those that would like to provide feedback can:

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