When is chinook salmon (king salmon) season in Oregon?

Spring chinook March 1 – June 15 Columbia mainstem + listed tribs; summer chinook June 16 – July 31 Columbia mainstem; fall chinook August 1 – December 31 Columbia mainstem + Snake + listed coastal tribs. Those are the 2026 Oregon dates; always confirm against Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) before a trip, because an emergency order can shift an opener with little notice.

What is the Oregon bag limit for chinook salmon (king salmon)?

The Oregon daily bag limit for chinook salmon (king salmon) is 1 / day adult spring chinook on Columbia mainstem + listed tribs; 2 / day adult fall chinook on Columbia mainstem; punch-card tagging required on every harvested fish under Combined Angling Tag. The possession limit is Reach-specific possession on Columbia mainstem + listed tribs; punch-card tagging on every harvested fish under Combined Angling Tag. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

What size chinook salmon (king salmon) can you keep in Oregon?

The Oregon size rule for chinook salmon (king salmon) is 24 in min adult on Columbia mainstem; reach-specific minimums on listed coastal + Willamette + Rogue + Umpqua + Deschutes tribs. Trophy rule: Columbia River OR/WA joint compact country's premier spring + summer + fall chinook anadromous fishery (~1.5 million chinook returning annually); Willamette Falls fish-counting station counts ~50,000 spring chinook annually country's premier urban-salmon fishery; Rogue River Wild & Scenic 84-mile reach country's premier southern OR chinook fishery; Deschutes River Lower Deschutes Wild & Scenic reach country's premier high-desert summer chinook fishery under Warm Springs Confederated Tribes tribal allocation; ODFW + USFWS + four Columbia River treaty tribes (Yakama + Umatilla + Warm Springs + Nez Perce) joint harvest allocation under US v. Oregon federal-court-ordered allocation framework.

Do you need a license to fish for chinook salmon (king salmon) in Oregon?

Yes. Oregon requires a valid fishing license to fish for chinook salmon (king salmon), with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a Oregon license — compare resident and non-resident Oregon fees on the state regulations page below.

Are there gear restrictions for chinook salmon (king salmon) in Oregon?

Yes. In Oregon, chinook salmon (king salmon) fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trolling permitted on Columbia mainstem + ocean + listed reaches; Barbless single hook + artificial-fly-and-lure only on Umpqua + North Umpqua + Lower Deschutes Wild & Scenic reaches + listed Quality Management reaches; Live bait permitted on Columbia mainstem + Willamette + most coastal tribs; restricted on Rogue + Umpqua + Deschutes listed reaches; Combined Angling Tag required to harvest salmon ($46.50 res / $46.50 NR same-fee) + punch-card tagging on every harvested fish; ODFW Angling License required ages 12+ ($44 res annual / $116 NR annual); Confirm current-year ODFW Sport Fishing Regulations for in-season emergency-closure updates under joint Columbia River Compact (ODFW + WDFW).

Do specific Oregon waters have different chinook salmon (king salmon) rules?

Yes. 5 named Oregon waters carry rules that override the statewide chinook salmon (king salmon) regulation, including Columbia River, Willamette River, Rogue wild & scenic, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

Oregon Chinook salmon (king salmon) 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

Last updated May 27, 2026

Oregon chinook salmon fishery is country-defining — the Columbia River (under the OR/WA Columbia River Compact administered jointly by ODFW + WDFW since 1918) is country's premier spring chinook + summer chinook + fall chinook anadromous fishery, with ~1.5 million chinook returning annually under the modern post-Endangered Species Act listing joint management framework. The Columbia spring chinook run (March 1 – June 15) is the country's premier spring chinook fishery, with peak returns at Bonneville Dam fish ladder + Willamette Falls fish-counting station at Oregon City + the Columbia mouth at Astoria. The summer chinook run (June 16 – July 31) carries the smaller-but-larger-fish summer return through the lower Columbia + Hanford Reach upstream. The fall chinook run (August 1 – December 31) is the largest of the three runs by volume, with peak returns through the lower Columbia + into the Snake River + lower Snake tribs. The Rogue River 84-mile Wild & Scenic reach (Curry County — Grave Creek to Foster Bar) carries the country's premier southern Oregon chinook fishery — wild-and-scenic 84-mile reach permits limited (Day-Use + Multi-Day Float Permits via Rec.gov lottery) with fall chinook 2 / day adult on Columbia mainstem + reach-specific in-river minimums on Rogue + Umpqua + Deschutes tribs. The Willamette River 190-mile main stem (Portland through Salem to Eugene) Willamette Falls fish-counting station Oregon City counts ~50,000 spring chinook annually — country's premier urban-salmon fishery. The Umpqua + North Umpqua + South Umpqua tribs carry the southern OR coastal chinook return. The Deschutes River (Lower Deschutes 100-mile Wild & Scenic reach below Pelton Round Butte Dam) carries the high-desert summer chinook return under Warm Springs Confederated Tribes tribal harvest allocation. ODFW + USFWS + Yakama + Umatilla + Warm Springs + Nez Perce four Columbia River treaty tribes joint harvest allocation under the US v. Oregon federal-court-ordered allocation framework. ODFW + USFWS Bonneville + Cole Rivers + Klamath + Marion Forks + Round Butte + Sandy + Wallowa + Wizard Falls + Klaskanine + Big Creek + Cedar Creek + Leaburg + Oak Springs + Rock Creek + Salmon River State Fish Hatcheries (one of country's largest hatchery systems) + USFWS Eagle Creek NFH + USFWS Warm Springs NFH stock ~3 million smolt chinook annually statewide. Open seasonally under Combined Angling Tag.

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Season

Spring chinook March 1 – June 15 Columbia mainstem + listed tribs; summer chinook June 16 – July 31 Columbia mainstem; fall chinook August 1 – December 31 Columbia mainstem + Snake + listed coastal tribs.

March 1 – June 15Columbia mainstem + Willamette + listed tribs
Spring chinook run — country's premier spring chinook fishery
June 16 – July 31Columbia mainstem + Hanford Reach + Snake
Summer chinook run — smaller-but-larger-fish summer return
August 1 – December 31Columbia mainstem + Snake + lower Snake tribs + coastal
Fall chinook run — largest of three runs by volume

Bag & possession

Daily bag: 1 / day adult spring chinook on Columbia mainstem + listed tribs; 2 / day adult fall chinook on Columbia mainstem; punch-card tagging required on every harvested fish under Combined Angling Tag
Possession: Reach-specific possession on Columbia mainstem + listed tribs; punch-card tagging on every harvested fish under Combined Angling Tag

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: 24 in min adult on Columbia mainstem; reach-specific minimums on listed coastal + Willamette + Rogue + Umpqua + Deschutes tribs
Trophy rule: Columbia River OR/WA joint compact country's premier spring + summer + fall chinook anadromous fishery (~1.5 million chinook returning annually); Willamette Falls fish-counting station counts ~50,000 spring chinook annually country's premier urban-salmon fishery; Rogue River Wild & Scenic 84-mile reach country's premier southern OR chinook fishery; Deschutes River Lower Deschutes Wild & Scenic reach country's premier high-desert summer chinook fishery under Warm Springs Confederated Tribes tribal allocation; ODFW + USFWS + four Columbia River treaty tribes (Yakama + Umatilla + Warm Springs + Nez Perce) joint harvest allocation under US v. Oregon federal-court-ordered allocation framework

Gear restrictions

Hook-and-line; trolling permitted on Columbia mainstem + ocean + listed reaches
Barbless single hook + artificial-fly-and-lure only on Umpqua + North Umpqua + Lower Deschutes Wild & Scenic reaches + listed Quality Management reaches
Live bait permitted on Columbia mainstem + Willamette + most coastal tribs; restricted on Rogue + Umpqua + Deschutes listed reaches
Combined Angling Tag required to harvest salmon ($46.50 res / $46.50 NR same-fee) + punch-card tagging on every harvested fish
ODFW Angling License required ages 12+ ($44 res annual / $116 NR annual)
Confirm current-year ODFW Sport Fishing Regulations for in-season emergency-closure updates under joint Columbia River Compact (ODFW + WDFW)

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific Oregon waters:

Columbia River
Spring chinook 1 / day adult March 1 – June 15; fall chinook 2 / day adult August 1 – December 31; OR/WA joint reciprocal compact (ODFW + WDFW); ~1.5 million chinook returning annually
Willamette River
Spring chinook 1 / day adult under Combined Angling Tag; ~50,000 spring chinook annually through Willamette Falls fish ladder; country's premier urban-salmon fishery
Rogue River 84-mile Wild & Scenic reach
Fall chinook 2 / day adult; Wild & Scenic permits limited via Rec.gov lottery; country's premier southern OR chinook fishery
Deschutes River Lower Deschutes Wild & Scenic reach
Summer chinook 1 / day adult; Warm Springs Confederated Tribes tribal harvest allocation; Lower Deschutes Boater's Pass $9 + Warm Springs Tribal Permit required for tribal-water reaches
Klamath River
Fall chinook + spring chinook restoration fishery after 2024 Klamath Dam Removal Project reopened 400+ miles of historic anadromous habitat; OR/CA + Yurok + Karuk + Hoopa Valley + Klamath Tribes joint management

Official source

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) publishes the authoritative 2026 Oregonfishing regulations. Always verify the current rule before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override what's published here.

The chinook salmon (king salmon) rules on this page are sourced from Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW)'s official chinook salmon (king salmon) regulation page.

Visit official Oregon fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

Chinook salmon (king salmon) closures, slot-limit changes, and harvest pauses are posted to Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's emergency-order feed — check it before any Oregon trip during the active season.

Frequently asked questions

When is chinook salmon (king salmon) season in Oregon?: Spring chinook March 1 – June 15 Columbia mainstem + listed tribs; summer chinook June 16 – July 31 Columbia mainstem; fall chinook August 1 – December 31 Columbia mainstem + Snake + listed coastal tribs. Those are the 2026 Oregon dates; always confirm against Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) before a trip, because an emergency order can shift an opener with little notice.
What is the Oregon bag limit for chinook salmon (king salmon)?: The Oregon daily bag limit for chinook salmon (king salmon) is 1 / day adult spring chinook on Columbia mainstem + listed tribs; 2 / day adult fall chinook on Columbia mainstem; punch-card tagging required on every harvested fish under Combined Angling Tag. The possession limit is Reach-specific possession on Columbia mainstem + listed tribs; punch-card tagging on every harvested fish under Combined Angling Tag. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size chinook salmon (king salmon) can you keep in Oregon?: The Oregon size rule for chinook salmon (king salmon) is 24 in min adult on Columbia mainstem; reach-specific minimums on listed coastal + Willamette + Rogue + Umpqua + Deschutes tribs. Trophy rule: Columbia River OR/WA joint compact country's premier spring + summer + fall chinook anadromous fishery (~1.5 million chinook returning annually); Willamette Falls fish-counting station counts ~50,000 spring chinook annually country's premier urban-salmon fishery; Rogue River Wild & Scenic 84-mile reach country's premier southern OR chinook fishery; Deschutes River Lower Deschutes Wild & Scenic reach country's premier high-desert summer chinook fishery under Warm Springs Confederated Tribes tribal allocation; ODFW + USFWS + four Columbia River treaty tribes (Yakama + Umatilla + Warm Springs + Nez Perce) joint harvest allocation under US v. Oregon federal-court-ordered allocation framework.
Do you need a license to fish for chinook salmon (king salmon) in Oregon?: Yes. Oregon requires a valid fishing license to fish for chinook salmon (king salmon), with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a Oregon license — compare resident and non-resident Oregon fees on the state regulations page below.
Are there gear restrictions for chinook salmon (king salmon) in Oregon?: Yes. In Oregon, chinook salmon (king salmon) fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trolling permitted on Columbia mainstem + ocean + listed reaches; Barbless single hook + artificial-fly-and-lure only on Umpqua + North Umpqua + Lower Deschutes Wild & Scenic reaches + listed Quality Management reaches; Live bait permitted on Columbia mainstem + Willamette + most coastal tribs; restricted on Rogue + Umpqua + Deschutes listed reaches; Combined Angling Tag required to harvest salmon ($46.50 res / $46.50 NR same-fee) + punch-card tagging on every harvested fish; ODFW Angling License required ages 12+ ($44 res annual / $116 NR annual); Confirm current-year ODFW Sport Fishing Regulations for in-season emergency-closure updates under joint Columbia River Compact (ODFW + WDFW).
Do specific Oregon waters have different chinook salmon (king salmon) rules?: Yes. 5 named Oregon waters carry rules that override the statewide chinook salmon (king salmon) regulation, including Columbia River, Willamette River, Rogue wild & scenic, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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