What special fishing regulations apply at Columbia River?

Columbia River carries 7 special-regulation overlays that override Washington's statewide 2026 rules, covering Chinook salmon (king salmon), Coho salmon (silver salmon), Steelhead (anadromous rainbow trout), Smallmouth bass, and 2 more. One of them reads: "OR/WA joint reciprocal compact under Columbia River Compact since 1918 (WDFW + ODFW); 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 under US v. Oregon framework; ~1.5 million chinook + ~500,000 coho + ~600,000 steelhead returning annually; Catch Record Card recording 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 Washington, so a valid Washington fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). 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 Washington rules.

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

Only where they conflict. Washington'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, Largemouth bass, and Walleye have a water-body-specific rule on Columbia River, each linking to its full Washington regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Washington limits.

2026 regulation year

Columbia River 2026 — Washington Fishing Regulations

Washington statewide rules apply unless overridden below.

Last updated June 4, 2026

Columbia River carries 7 special-regulation overlays on top of Washington's 2026 fishing rules — covering Chinook salmon (king salmon), Coho salmon (silver salmon), Steelhead (anadromous rainbow trout), Smallmouth bass, and 2 more species. Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.

Get change alerts

Watch Columbia River (WA) 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 (WDFW + ODFW); 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 under US v. Oregon framework; ~1.5 million chinook + ~500,000 coho + ~600,000 steelhead returning annually; Catch Record Card recording required
Source: Washington special-water list

Per-species rules on Columbia River

Chinook salmon (king salmon) regulations →
Spring chinook 1 / day adult March 1 – June 15; summer chinook 1 / day adult June 16 – July 31; fall chinook 2 / day adult August 1 – December 31; OR/WA joint reciprocal compact (WDFW + ODFW); ~1.5 million chinook returning annually
Coho salmon (silver salmon) regulations →
Coho 2 / day adult September 1 – November 30 under Catch Record Card; OR/WA joint reciprocal compact (WDFW + ODFW); ~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 →
All daily + size limits on smallmouth bass suspended from the mouth upstream 545 mi to Chief Joseph Dam (WDFW invasive-removal rule effective March 3); non-native bass prey on ESA-listed juvenile salmon + steelhead
Largemouth bass regulations →
All daily + size limits on largemouth bass suspended from the mouth upstream 545 mi to Chief Joseph Dam (WDFW invasive-removal rule effective March 3)
Walleye regulations →
All daily + size limits on walleye suspended from the mouth upstream 545 mi to Chief Joseph Dam (WDFW invasive-removal rule effective March 3); non-native walleye prey on ESA-listed juvenile salmon + steelhead

Official source

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

Visit official Washington fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

In-season closures, slot-limit changes, and run-count-driven harvest pauses are posted to Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife's emergency-order feed — check it before any Washington trip during the active season.

Other special-regulation waters in Washington

Browse all water bodies →

Frequently asked questions

What special fishing regulations apply at Columbia River?: Columbia River carries 7 special-regulation overlays that override Washington's statewide 2026 rules, covering Chinook salmon (king salmon), Coho salmon (silver salmon), Steelhead (anadromous rainbow trout), Smallmouth bass, and 2 more. One of them reads: "OR/WA joint reciprocal compact under Columbia River Compact since 1918 (WDFW + ODFW); 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 under US v. Oregon framework; ~1.5 million chinook + ~500,000 coho + ~600,000 steelhead returning annually; Catch Record Card recording 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 Washington, so a valid Washington fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). 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 Washington rules.
Do Columbia River's special rules replace Washington's statewide limits?: Only where they conflict. Washington'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, Largemouth bass, and Walleye have a water-body-specific rule on Columbia River, each linking to its full Washington regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Washington limits.

← Back to Washington regulations overview