The first thing you should know about the 2024 Columbia River Spring Chinook fishing season is that it’s almost here! We’ve had a few chinook go over the Bonneville Dam, and a few reports of chinook caught in the lower river and now is the time to take stock of our gear and make plans to go fishing for the tastiest of all PNW Salmon.
I have a few helpful resources for you that you can bookmark and refer back to. First, I will share my best springer video and Columbia River springer comprehensive blog article.
There are generally three types of spring chinook anglers who target the Columbia River.
- Local folks who go almost every day and just grind out spring chinook.
- Anglers who try to time the run and book plans well in advance for a few days when it’s usually good.
- Those who wait for a hot report and have enough flexibility to change plans and run down to target these salmon.
In the past several years I have been type #2. And most years it has worked out really well for me, targeting these fish near the end of March.
But the last few years, I’ve perfectly missed the best fishing and now I’m probably a #3 type this year.
One of the most important things you need to understand about this run of spring salmon is that there are thousands of anglers who take part in it with a relatively small catch quota. Once the fishing gets “good”, it will close down in a matter of days.
You can’t screw around and wait or you will miss it.
If you skip ahead to the news release quoted below you can see that this season on the lower river is supposed to last until April 5th. Each year is a little different though. The season could end before April 1st if the run comes in and catches spike.
The run could also be very slow to get started and the season could be extended, so that late March trip could be a total bust.
Here are a few indicators you should look for, besides any angler reports in your network:
The above graph comes from my Columbia River dam counts page here.
Dam counts are a great way to keep track of the run. Bonneville Dam is a good distance from the ocean as the fish swims, so any spike of chinook over the dam will typically correlate with a lot of salmon further down river making their way up.
Of course, one of my favorites to watch is the temperature gauge at the Dalles, OR. As that number spikes near 45, this spring chinook will come pouring in and also be better biters.
Regardless of the run size or other factors, it’s always a thrill for me to spin some herring on the big river and wait for that magical spring chinook bite! I love these fish as they are the tastiest salmon in the world and worth the grind.
Best of luck to you on your Columbia River Spring Chinook season!
WDFW News Release below:
2024 Columbia River spring Chinook fishing seasons announced
OLYMPIA – Fishery managers from Washington and Oregon on Wednesday approved this year’s recreational spring Chinook salmon fishing season for the Columbia River.
The 2024 forecast for upriver spring Chinook is 121,000 fish, fewer than the 141,179 that returned to the Columbia River in 2023, and lower than the 10-year average of 152,289 fish.
“Although this run is smaller than the last few year’s returns, we are still able to provide some quality fishing opportunities,” said Ryan Lothrop, Columbia River fisheries manager with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. “We have an obligation to ensure the most limiting run, Snake River natural-origin spring Chinook listed under the Endangered Species Act, has adequate protection so future opportunities can still be possible.”
Salmon fishing is now open daily from the mouth of the Columbia River to the Interstate 5 bridge under permanent regulations, but spring Chinook usually don’t arrive in large numbers until late March and April.
The river will open for the following dates and locations in 2024:
- March 1 through April 5: Buoy 10 line upstream to Beacon Rock (boat and bank), plus bank angling only by hand-cast from Beacon Rock upstream to the Bonneville Dam deadline.
- The daily limit is six, including no more than two adults, of which no more than one may be an adult Chinook. Anglers must release all wild steelhead and all salmon other than hatchery Chinook. The salmon must be 12 inches minimum to keep. Shad retention is also permitted, with no minimum size or daily limit.
- April 1 through May 2: From the Tower Island power lines (approximately six miles below The Dalles Dam) upstream to the Washington/Oregon border, plus bank angling by hand-cast only between Bonneville Dam and the Tower Island power lines.
- The daily limit is six, including no more than two adults, of which no more than one may be an adult Chinook. Anglers must release all wild steelhead and all salmon other than hatchery Chinook. The salmon must be 12 inches minimum to keep.
In 2024, recreational anglers are projected to harvest approximately 4,400 adult Chinook below Bonneville Dam, and 500 from Bonneville Dam to the Washington/Oregon state line.
Managers will monitor the fisheries, dam counts, and hatchery returns in season and adjust as necessary. The run-size update typically occurs in mid-May.
Based on preseason forecasts, anglers can also expect to harvest spring Chinook in the Cowlitz, Kalama, and Lewis rivers in 2024. Some locations may have modified season dates and reduced daily limits to help meet hatchery broodstock collection goals.
Salmon and steelhead rules and limits in Deep River will be the same as the mainstem Columbia River when the mainstem is open to spring Chinook retention.
Anglers should review the Washington Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet for the waters they plan to fish, as well as check for any emergency rule changes before heading out. Regulations may be modified in-season as returns materialize.
WDFW Email Sent on 2/21/2024
