What special fishing regulations apply at Columbia River?

Columbia River carries 6 special-regulation overlays that override Oregon's statewide 2026 rules, covering Chinook salmon (king salmon), Coho salmon (silver salmon), Steelhead (anadromous rainbow trout), Smallmouth bass, and 1 more. One of them reads: "OR/WA joint reciprocal compact under Columbia River Compact since 1918 (ODFW + WDFW); country's longest-running interstate fishery compact + country's premier Pacific salmon + steelhead anadromous fishery; chinook + coho + steelhead + sturgeon under joint catch-allocation tracking + four Columbia River treaty tribes (Yakama + Umatilla + Warm Springs + Nez Perce) tribal harvest; ~1.5 million chinook + ~500,000 coho + ~600,000 steelhead returning annually; Combined Angling Tag required." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.

Do I need a fishing license to fish Columbia River?

Yes. Columbia River is in Oregon, so a valid Oregon fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW). The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for Columbia River; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Oregon rules.

Do Columbia River's special rules replace Oregon's statewide limits?

Only where they conflict. Oregon's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Columbia River by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rules for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.

Which species have special rules on Columbia River?

Chinook salmon (king salmon), Coho salmon (silver salmon), Steelhead (anadromous rainbow trout), Smallmouth bass, and Walleye have a water-body-specific rule on Columbia River, each linking to its full Oregon regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Oregon limits.

2026 regulation year

Columbia River 2026 — Oregon Fishing Regulations

Oregon statewide rules apply unless overridden below.

Last updated June 4, 2026

Columbia River carries 6 special-regulation overlays on top of Oregon's 2026 fishing rules — covering Chinook salmon (king salmon), Coho salmon (silver salmon), Steelhead (anadromous rainbow trout), Smallmouth bass, and 1 more species. Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.

Get change alerts

Watch Columbia River (OR) and we'll email you when a season, bag limit, slot, or closure changes. Free while in beta.

State-level special regulation

OR/WA joint reciprocal compact under Columbia River Compact since 1918 (ODFW + WDFW); country's longest-running interstate fishery compact + country's premier Pacific salmon + steelhead anadromous fishery; chinook + coho + steelhead + sturgeon under joint catch-allocation tracking + four Columbia River treaty tribes (Yakama + Umatilla + Warm Springs + Nez Perce) tribal harvest; ~1.5 million chinook + ~500,000 coho + ~600,000 steelhead returning annually; Combined Angling Tag required
Source: Oregon special-water list

Per-species rules on Columbia River

Chinook salmon (king salmon) regulations →
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
Coho salmon (silver salmon) regulations →
Coho 2 / day adult September 1 – November 30 under Combined Angling Tag; OR/WA joint reciprocal compact; ~500,000 coho returning annually
Steelhead (anadromous rainbow trout) regulations →
Summer steelhead 1 / day adult June 1 – December 31; winter steelhead 1 / day adult December 1 – April 30; OR/WA joint reciprocal compact; ~600,000 steelhead returning annually
Smallmouth bass regulations →
5 / day with 14 in min + only 1 fish over 18 in TROPHY MANAGEMENT on listed Quality Management reaches; deep-water rocky-shoreline + ledge structure produces 3-5 lb smallmouth routinely with 6+ lb fish landed annually
Walleye regulations →
No bag limit, no size limit, open all year (ODFW non-native removal policy); Pacific NW's premier walleye fishery; OR state-record walleye 19 lb 15.3 oz Columbia 1990 (Arnold Berg); The Dalles + John Day + McNary pools

Official source

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) publishes the authoritative 2026 Oregon fishing regulations. Special-regulation lakes and rivers are listed in the agency booklet — always verify before fishing.

Visit official Oregon fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

In-season closures, slot-limit changes, and run-count-driven 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.

Other special-regulation waters in Oregon

Browse all water bodies →

Frequently asked questions

What special fishing regulations apply at Columbia River?: Columbia River carries 6 special-regulation overlays that override Oregon's statewide 2026 rules, covering Chinook salmon (king salmon), Coho salmon (silver salmon), Steelhead (anadromous rainbow trout), Smallmouth bass, and 1 more. One of them reads: "OR/WA joint reciprocal compact under Columbia River Compact since 1918 (ODFW + WDFW); country's longest-running interstate fishery compact + country's premier Pacific salmon + steelhead anadromous fishery; chinook + coho + steelhead + sturgeon under joint catch-allocation tracking + four Columbia River treaty tribes (Yakama + Umatilla + Warm Springs + Nez Perce) tribal harvest; ~1.5 million chinook + ~500,000 coho + ~600,000 steelhead returning annually; Combined Angling Tag required." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
Do I need a fishing license to fish Columbia River?: Yes. Columbia River is in Oregon, so a valid Oregon fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW). The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for Columbia River; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Oregon rules.
Do Columbia River's special rules replace Oregon's statewide limits?: Only where they conflict. Oregon's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Columbia River by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rules for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.
Which species have special rules on Columbia River?: Chinook salmon (king salmon), Coho salmon (silver salmon), Steelhead (anadromous rainbow trout), Smallmouth bass, and Walleye have a water-body-specific rule on Columbia River, each linking to its full Oregon regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Oregon limits.

← Back to Oregon regulations overview