The popular Buoy 10 salmon fishery at the mouth of the Columbia River opens to coho and Chinook fishing this Friday, Aug. 1, and the 1.5 million Chinook salmon that are predicted to return to the mouth of the Columbia this year could set a modern record. The Buoy 10 fishery is the first Columbia River fishery that will encounter these large returns. With thousands of anglers expected to hit the water in the next few weeks, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has a few reminders. The biggest change for the 2014 season is the establishment of the Youngs Bay Closure Zone at the mouth of the Youngs River. This area will be closed to salmon fishing from Aug. 1 to Sept. 15. The Zone was required by fishery legislation passed in 2013 and was established by the Fish and Wildlife Commission in February to reduce the interception of hatchery fish returning to the Youngs Bay commercial fishery. A map of the zone is available on the ODFW Web site. Also, like all other Columbia River salmon fisheries, barbless hooks and a Columbia River Basin Endorsement will be required of Oregon anglers fishing at Buoy 10. According to Chris Kern, ODFW deputy fish division administrator, this year’s season should be one to remember. “Many Buoy 10 regulars are already geared up for what could be a record-setting season,” Kern said. “This is shaping up to be one of those years that anglers will want to be able to look back on and say they participated in. It should be even better than last year’s incredible season, and Buoy 10 is just the start of the fall fishery.”
Open dates, bag limits and other regulations for Columbia River salmon seasons vary by location on the river and can be found on the ODFW Web site.
